Are Azamara ships sailing full?

[cruiseyguy]

As many here already know, Richard Fain of RCL tried to buy Oceania at one time but Frank Del Rio wouldn't sell it to him. Many guessed that Azamara was, in part, a response to that rebuff. Oceania, in turn, was acquired by Apollo, an investment company which specializes making acquisitions profitable and then selling them. FDR & Mark Conroy of Regent have both raised the possibility that Prestige Cruise Holdings, Apollo's holding company for both Oceania & Regent, might be for sale before Apollo's average 10 year holding period is up or might be spun off as an IPO. Whichever or whatever, the signals seem to be that PCH "might" be for sale at some point. Would RCL want to renew its efforts to acquire Oceania at that time? Who know? But all of this will be worth watching.

[sawsea27]

it is interesting how this thread and the one about sailing at the old prices , have been extremely popular in the number of views that they are getting...that should tell azamara execs something...

 

there are a lot still sailing at old prices...

 

and a few die hards that NO matter what the prices are, will still sail azamara...there is certainly a group out there that are not bothered by prices , their money tree is always ready...and of course azamara is counting on them to keep them afloat..

 

as for us, I am watching the situation regularly...but it seems like the azamara site is frozen in time...no changes of any kind....not up and certainly not down...

 

it will be interesting to see what happens when all those who are sailing at old prices are done...

[Susan-M]

 

and a few die hards that NO matter what the prices are, will still sail azamara...there is certainly a group out there that are not bothered by prices , their money tree is always ready...and of course azamara is counting on them to keep them afloat..

 

 

I planted two .. it's a lot of work keeping up with raking it all in as it falls off the trees, but worth it to have an extra barrel full or two stored in the shed. ;)

[crzrr]

I planted two .. it's a lot of work keeping up with raking it all in as it falls off the trees, but worth it to have an extra barrel full or two stored in the shed. ;)

Mine are blooming profusely and the leaves have little pictures of Larry Pimentel on them! ;)

[Susan-M]

Mine are blooming profusely and the leaves have little pictures of Larry Pimentel on them! ;)

 

Very nice ... you must be doing something right; maybe good fertilizer or lots of sun? I'm going to try 'Miracle Grow for Money Trees' because I'm getting too many $5 and $10 and not enough $50 & $100 leaves.

[gosport11]

My tree has shrivelled n died many years ago:(:):)

[Project_gal]

My tree has shrivelled n died many years ago:(:):)

 

Probably just as well with the state of sterling at present!

[GeorgeL]

I planted two .. it's a lot of work keeping up with raking it all in as it falls off the trees, but worth it to have an extra barrel full or two stored in the shed. ;)

 

You don't have a problem wih pests, do you? :)

[MinttuS]

Hi,

Just back home from 24-day repositioncruise Singapore-Athens. Quest had 666 passenger on board, every single cabin was in use. So it was 100% sold. Great cruise with great staff and passengers!

Minttu

[Susan-M]

You don't have a problem wih pests, do you? :)

 

No, so far so good...but I'm a little concerned about the "EuroZone Money Tree Infestation" that I've been hearing about lately. :eek:

 

Of course, the neighbors can be a little pesky, especially as the money ripens, but I pick a basket & take it to them whenever I have extra.

[Jade13]

Hi,

Just back home from 24-day repositioncruise Singapore-Athens. Quest had 666 passenger on board, every single cabin was in use. So it was 100% sold. Great cruise with great staff and passengers!

Minttu

 

Interesting. I just did a "search" of Dubai and ended up on the Dec 9 roll call with Athens-Dubai-Singapore. Every single person on the roll call right now has canceled the cruise. Seems most found a better deal one on SilverSea, and one on Hal.

[GeorgeL]

No, so far so good...but I'm a little concerned about the "EuroZone Money Tree Infestation" that I've been hearing about lately. :eek:

 

Of course, the neighbors can be a little pesky, especially as the money ripens, but I pick a basket & take it to them whenever I have extra.

 

Yes, those EuroZone pests are causing quite a bit of damage on that continent :)

[Paulchili]

Hi,

Just back home from 24-day repositioncruise Singapore-Athens. Quest had 666 passenger on board, every single cabin was in use. So it was 100% sold. Great cruise with great staff and passengers!

Minttu

 

I am glad to hear that you had such a great cruise (also glad that it was fully booked).

[California Native]

I am glad to hear that you had such a great cruise (also glad that it was fully booked).

 

 

Well on both my Oct 22 and Nov 3rd sailings the inside cabins are now sold out...

they were wide open at low prices and it has been since they raised the prices significantly that those cabins sold

which means..we now have nieghbors next to us...

I hope they are quiet.

[apollobeach]

Morning - Read with interest the upcoming sailings on Azamara. Just took a look (very unscientific) at our August 17 sailing on The Journey - upwards of 40 cabins are still available, in all classes. Doesn't look like we'll be anywhere near full capacity.

 

John/Rick

:p

[Susan-M]

Morning - Read with interest the upcoming sailings on Azamara. Just took a look (very unscientific) at our August 17 sailing on The Journey - upwards of 40 cabins are still available, in all classes. Doesn't look like we'll be anywhere near full capacity.

 

John/Rick

:p

 

Our first cruise (on Cunard, Caronia in 2000) was approximately 100 under capacity, on a ship similar in size to Azamara's ships. It was very enjoyable with less than capacity crowds on board, and in no way felt 'deserted'. Our Azamara cruise was almost at capacity, but that too was a very comfortable number on board. At capacity or less, I think you will really enjoy your cruise on this size of ship!:)

[crzrr]

On our April 24, 2011 cruise, one category of cabin is sold out already.

[sawsea27]

it is hard to tell...

 

sometimes I look and a category is all sold out...then I look a few days later and it is back on the market..

 

so could be a sales ploy to make it appear as if things are filling up and that you better hurry up and book...

 

another poster said that they talked to someone on azamara and were told the 2 for 1 is selling very well...

 

how can that be , since the two for one is a scam...there is NOTHING two for one about it...

 

they refer to some brochure price..but everyone knows that the brochure price is just a made up number that no one pays...

 

on the other hand, azamara can afford to sail half full, with the backing of RCI they can stretch out this experiment of outrageous prices for a very long time..

[Susan-M]

it is hard to tell...

 

.... the two for one is a scam...there is NOTHING two for one about it...

 

they refer to some brochure price..but everyone knows that the brochure price is just a made up number that no one pays...

 

 

Most companies have sales tactics to make it appear that you are getting a bargain. The only numbers that I pay attention to are the actual prices that I am going to end up paying. You can easily check this on Azamara's website when you go through the booking process.

 

You've indicated many times here how unhappy you are with Azamara's new pricing; I hope you are able to find a cruise line that provides the pricing that you are looking for.

[amanda blake]

yes susan, you are right we are very unhappy how things seemed to have changed overnight...

 

I will give you an example...

 

we sailed on the journey this february....12 days carib...we paid 1199 for a balcony...

 

we loved it...and decided to book exactly the same itinerary for feb 2010....the price for the same cabin $3199..

 

yes gratuities are included, wine which which we dont drink and water...

 

we did book it on the ship...thinking that these prices are just outrageous and of course they will go down in time...

 

but I watch the site and there is NO movement whatsoever...

 

meanwhile we have booked the equinox for the same dates...balcony 10 days, similar itinerary...$1399....no wine, no prepaid grats...

 

so that is my story...we would still do azamara...but the difference in price just seems foolish...

 

so we will be cancelling azamara...in fact I dont know why we havent already...

 

by the way, I watch every day , I have not seen a singe cabin sold in all that time...

[Susan-M]

...we would still do azamara...but the difference in price just seems foolish...

 

 

You had an amazing price on your last cruise, so yes, the increase is significant. I think rather than looking at it that the new prices are outrageous, it would be more accurate to say that the price you previously paid was extraordinarily low. (For what I paid for a 14 day Med cruise in an A1 Balcony cabin, the new price that you quote is not a huge increase on a per diem basis.)

 

Have you checked Oceania's pricing? From what I can see, right now they are priced higher than Azamara for Feb. 2011 in the Caribbean.

 

I can understand the disappointment that many have in not being able to get comparable prices, or even slightly higher prices with Azamara compared to what they had paid previously. Those prices weren't sustainable and Azamara has set the pricing where they think it needs to be. There are many options out there, and sometimes it is necessary to make other choices that are a better fit, just as you have done.

[sawsea27]

from my reading of the old prices others have paid here, ours was not unusual...

 

we are just sad, that after years of this pricing they went up so sharply, so suddenly....if it had at least been done gradually...we are willing to pay more...of course...but not double all at once..it is just too much of a shock...

 

we have never done oceania, but also have friends who have done the carib at similar prices that we had last year...

 

being long time passengers with celebrity, we have a status that we dont want to give up by going to another line...so the new celebrity ships will suit us just fine...

 

but yes will miss the small ship feeling of the azamara.

[Project_gal]

You had an amazing price on your last cruise, so yes, the increase is significant. I think rather than looking at it that the new prices are outrageous, it would be more accurate to say that the price you previously paid was extraordinarily low. (For what I paid for a 14 day Med cruise in an A1 Balcony cabin, the new price that you quote is not a huge increase on a per diem basis.)

 

Susan

There are always two ways of looking at anything but, if you look at our next cruise, it can be seen that in the full year since we booked it, not one other Royal or Penthouse Suite has sold. Ours is the only one. It does suggest that they have the price point wrong. They cannot give all the remaining 9 away as bingo prizes!

Sue

[Susan-M]

Susan

There are always two ways of looking at anything but, if you look at our next cruise, it can be seen that in the full year since we booked it, not one other Royal or Penthouse Suite has sold. Ours is the only one. It does suggest that they have the price point wrong. They cannot give all the remaining 9 away as bingo prizes!

Sue

 

No, that would be a lot of bingo prizes! Agree that there are some prices that seem very high, but also some that don't. In my post above I was comparing the prices the OP had paid vs. what she was faced with paying for the same cruise a year later, and also comparing it to Oceania.

[Jade13]

On our April 24, 2011 cruise, one category of cabin is sold out already.

 

Which one?