Is this cruise crazy expensive?

[Cruise Junky]

Or am I missing something. This one a year later, which is one day less, is $1800 Cdn pp cheaper. Am I the only one that finds $14,000 Cdn ridiculous for a 12 day cruise in an inside cabin?

 

CLUB INTERIOR:

$4,999.00 USD

CLUB OCEANVIEW:

$5,499.00 USD

CLUB VERANDA:

$6,199.00 USD

CLUB CONTINENT SUITE:

$9,199.00 USD

CLUB SPA SUITE:

$12,549.00 USD

CLUB WORLD OWNER/OCEAN SUITE:

$13,899.00 USD

 

I checked a lot of 2017 cruises and this has the highest per diem. It's not demand as I've been checking this since day 1 and there are tons of cabins left.

 

MON 4-SEP Southampton, England Embark 6:00 pm

TUE 5-SEP St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands Tendered 8:00 am 2:00 pm

WED 6-SEP Bordeaux, France Docked 9:15 pm

THU 7-SEP Bordeaux, France Docked

FRI 8-SEP Bordeaux, France Docked 9:45 pm

SAT 9-SEP St. Jean de Luz, France Tendered 1:00 pm

SUN 10-SEP St. Jean de Luz, France Tendered 2:00 pm

SUN 10-SEP Pasajes, Spain Docked 7:00 pm

MON 11-SEP Pasajes, Spain Docked 6:00 pm

TUE 12-SEP Bilbao (San Sebastian), Spain Docked 8:00 am 11:00 pm

WED 13-SEP At Sea Cruising

THU 14-SEP Leixões (Porto), Portugal Docked 8:00 am 6:00 pm

FRI 15-SEP Lisbon, Portugal Docked 9:00 am

SAT 16-SEP Lisbon, Portugal Debark

[Host Jazzbeau]

I know that the Cdn dollar has sunk lately, but are you saying it's only worth 35 cents US? [That would be $14,000 Cdn compared to the $4,999 US figure you show for an inside cabin.]

[Cruise Junky]

I know that the Cdn dollar has sunk lately, but are you saying it's only worth 35 cents US? [That would be $14,000 Cdn compared to the $4,999 US figure you show for an inside cabin.]

 

Sorry, $14,000 Cdn or $10,000 US for two. It's bad, but not that bad ;)

[IsanTom]

It must be a popular cruise! Try and choose a different date, if it's too much!

[Cruise Junky]

It must be a popular cruise! Try and choose a different date, if it's too much!

 

It doesn't appear to be. This was the initial price. Tons of availability. They might be anticipating it being popular though. It just seems so much higher per diem than their other cruises.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Sorry, $14,000 Cdn or $10,000 US for two. It's bad, but not that bad ;)

 

Yes, that is bad enough! I agree that Azamara's prices seem much higher than we are used to, but I'm not sure if they have raised launch prices so much as the current promotion is pretty bad. We booked our 2016 Norwegian Fjords cruise during the BOGOHO sale; our 2018 cruise was booked at full launch fares -- with the expectation that we will get a nice promotion sometime before final payment (or we will probably cancel). $12,200 US for 2 people for 11 days (for a VX) is too high IMHO; bring it down to $9,150 (BOGOHO) and I'll start planning the shore excursions!

[Flatbush Flyer]

For these net daily rates, I'd be looking to move up to Oceania and save dollars at the same time.

[lindabodrum]

You should look at booking a private luxury gulet at that price . I worked as a stewardess on 52m Turkish and Greek gulets. They have usually six private cabins , sleeping twelve guests in total so fine for groups ,fine dining, and great itineraries in the Greek isles and Aegean.

[Cruise Junky]

For these net daily rates, I'd be looking to move up to Oceania and save dollars at the same time.

 

I'm definitely looking forward to Oceania's release for 2017. They seem to do this itinerary frequently.

[KirkNC]

I agree that's high but I do love the itinerary, very unique with those over night ports.

[Lottie A]

For these net daily rates, I'd be looking to move up to Oceania and save dollars at the same time.

 

Move UP to Oceania? :rolleyes:

 

Not in my opinion.....Azamara is easily the equivalent .....or in many area's better than Oceania. Both lines have their pro's and con's of course. Our next cruise is on Oceania Nautica because the pricing was much better than Azamara, but I certainly wouldn't say we were moving "up".

 

However we noted that a similar itinerary for a 2016 Azamara cruise was also considerably more expensive than the norm. Not sure why but I think the unusual itinerary and the AZ ship's refurb may refect that prices are on the rise.

 

I suppose that the perceived value of the Azamara experience versus the cost must be an individual decision. As we do several cruises a year, we will choose some that are good value and then splash out on the itinerary and ship that we really want.

[ctkathy]

I booked this on a double upgrade promotion. Really looking forward to the itinerary plus book ending the cruise with land stays in England and Portugal.

[AllisonJames]

If I am following the issue--you are saying that a very similar cruise a year later is a lot less? If so, that's because prices rise as it fills. We booked our British Open Golf cruise nearly a year ago and it was such a unique itinerary I took a big gulp and paid way more than we have ever paid for a cruise (including Seabourn and Silversea but that was years ago so probably doesn't count). Then I watched the prices -- a year out they had a double upgrade promotion, we rebooked and saved $800. 10 months out another sale, rebooked and saved $600 for total savings of 1,400, so we are happy. But other than those promotions the price has gone up, up, up. As others have commented, it seems like a good strategy is to book early and have a good travel agent who watches for you (ours alerted us, we probably would not have caught the promotions otherwise). Does Azamara have the low price guarantee in Canada?

[Cruise Junky]

I agree that's high but I do love the itinerary, very unique with those over night ports.

 

To be honest, it's the overnights that make me think "land trip" instead. It's only a 12 hour drive from Bordeaux to Porto. Lovely hotels that are a lot bigger than 175 sq ft and just take your time over 2 weeks.

[KirkNC]

To be honest, it's the overnights that make me think "land trip" instead. It's only a 12 hour drive from Bordeaux to Porto. Lovely hotels that are a lot bigger than 175 sq ft and just take your time over 2 weeks.

 

Good point, you could spend two weeks and no way spend that kind of money.

[Cruise Junky]

Found this one on Crystal. $2,000 cheaper for an ocean view and I believe is more inclusive. Might be a better option for us. Thanks for listening to my rant :)

 

 

Date Port Arrival Departure

Oct 10, Tuesday Lisbon, Portugal (overnight) » Embark pm

Oct 11, Wednesday Lisbon, Portugal » 9 pm

Oct 12, Thursday Oporto/Leixoes, Portugal » 9 am 5 pm

Oct 13, Friday La Coruña, Spain » 8 am 5 pm

Oct 14, Saturday Bilbao, Spain » 9 am 12 m

Oct 15, Sunday St-Jean-de-Luz, France » 8 am 5 pm

Oct 16, Monday Bordeaux, France (overnight) » 6:30 am

Oct 17, Tuesday Bordeaux, France (overnight) »

Oct 18, Wednesday Bordeaux, France » 6:30 pm

Oct 19, Thursday Gijón, Spain » 12 n 6 pm

Oct 20, Friday Cruising the Atlantic Ocean »

Oct 21, Saturday Lisbon, Portugal » 6 am

[margbem]

Beware of sailing from Southampton and having two or three sea days sailing the Bay of Biscay. It is rough very often!

[Cruise Junky]

Beware of sailing from Southampton and having two or three sea days sailing the Bay of Biscay. It is rough very often!

 

Thanks. I thought about that. I think that makes the Crystal sailing more appealing.

[excitedofharpenden]

Apart from having a boat load of Brits on board! Looked at the prices and a lot of the '18 cruise rates are out there. If it were me I would wait see what happens to the prices. I have a comfort level I'm happy to pay. If it's something I really want to do then I might push a little beyond, but that itinerary, no way.

 

Phil

[Host Jazzbeau]

Found this one on Crystal. $2,000 cheaper for an ocean view and I believe is more inclusive. Might be a better option for us. Thanks for listening to my rant :)

 

That is a great itinerary, and Crystal is certainly equal to or better than Azamara in many respects -- especially the food, which is really excellent. Not sure how they are more inclusive except no charge for the first visit to each speciality restaurant. Also we found that the much-trumpeted Crystal level of service is not apparent to newbies. But it was still a wonderful cruise and I still remember the food!

[Cruise Junky]

That is a great itinerary, and Crystal is certainly equal to or better than Azamara in many respects -- especially the food, which is really excellent. Not sure how they are more inclusive except no charge for the first visit to each speciality restaurant. Also we found that the much-trumpeted Crystal level of service is not apparent to newbies. But it was still a wonderful cruise and I still remember the food!

 

I was thinking of alcohol when I said more inclusive. I don't think they limit you on brands/wines as much as Azamara. I could be wrong though ;)

[ctkathy]

On the the Crystal you wouldn't be able to go to San Sebastián and that is a highlight of this area. Also it's a pain to get there from the US. Pasajes is the Azamara port near San Sebadtian.

[Cruise Junky]

On the the Crystal you wouldn't be able to go to San Sebastián and that is a highlight of this area. Also it's a pain to get there from the US. Pasajes is the Azamara port near San Sebadtian.

 

It can be done from Bilbao. It's around an hour's drive. Obviously Azamara's is more convenient to San Sebastián but it can be done. I think It's even closer to St Jean de Luz, maybe 1/2 hour

Edited February 14, 2016 by Cruise Junky

[Host Jazzbeau]

It can be done from Bilbao. It's around an hour's drive. Obviously Azamara's is more convenient to San Sebastián but it can be done.

 

San Sebastian is much closer to the stop at St-Jean-de-Luz [unless you want to visit St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to see the peregrinos about to begin their trek along the Camino de Santiago -- this was a very interesting sight for us as we were about to walk the last 100 km of the pilgrimage route, but I'm not sure it would be worth the drive into the mountains in general]. And Bilbao is very interesting in its own right: the Gehry museum, old town. Great stop.

Edited February 14, 2016 by Host Jazzbeau

[Host Jazzbeau]

I was thinking of alcohol when I said more inclusive. I don't think they limit you on brands/wines as much as Azamara. I could be wrong though ;)

 

Haven't sailed Azamara yet, and they have apparently just revised their included daily wine offerings -- so I can't compare. Crystal's daily wine offerings were just ok -- they did let me have any wine on any day, but it was like pulling teeth to get the sommelier's attention at all so I mostly died from thirst. :rolleyes: