A 7 day Pursuit of Happiness! Monte Carlo to Barcelona.. October 12 - October 19 2019

[Sleep7]

Hi QueenP!  Sorry I must have missed your post.

All of our past Med cruises have been during the month of October and the weather has been glorious on each one of them!

I really feel like it's the nicest time of the year to cruise there.

The sun will shine for you!🌞

[hiccups]

It's interesting you noted getting the black napkin at dinner.  On our other Azamara cruises, they brought me a black napkin every evening.  On this cruise, only on Friday night did they give me a black napkin, despite wearing black every evening.  Until then, I assumed they no longer carried two colors of napkins.  We ate at Discoveries six of seven dinners (we didn't attend the White Night).

Edited October 21, 2019 by hiccups

[Melissaghoti]

Thanks for an excellent review and wonderful pictures. If I wasn’t already an Azamara addict, this would’ve sold me. It’s a shame you had to miss Barcelona and Tarragona, but it looks like your positive attitudes (and a little extra OBC) saw you through.  

Where will your next Azamara cruise be? I’m already looking forward to the review!  

 

-Melissa

[excitedofharpenden]

9 hours ago, hiccups said:

It's interesting you noted getting the black napkin at dinner.  On our other Azamara cruises, they brought me a black napkin every evening.  On this cruise, only on Friday night did they give me a black napkin, despite wearing black every evening.  Until then, I assumed they no longer carried two colors of napkins.  We ate at Discoveries six of seven dinners (we didn't attend the White Night).

They definitely carry both. More often than not the server pays attention and I get black if I need it. Otherwise I ask. 

 

Phil 

Edited October 22, 2019 by excitedofharpenden

[uktog]

Thanks for your review, glad you had an enjoyable time.

I must be different - I do not really mind when I am wearing dark clothes that I have a white napkin - and they certainly do not change them at the michelin places here it is white for everyone.  I actually don't like that I consign an unused white napkin to the laundry unnecessarily if they insist on switching it as some do despite my preferences.  I think they should ask would you like, not grab your napkin to change it as soon as you arrive.  Just a little contribution to saving the waves imho.

[nordski]

24 minutes ago, uktog said:

I think they should ask would you like, not grab your napkin to change it as soon as you arrive.  Just a little contribution to saving the waves imho.

Agree totally.

 

On our last cruise, for some reason they also weren’t asking.

[marinaro44]

1 hour ago, nordski said:

Agree totally.

 

On our last cruise, for some reason they also weren’t asking.

They ask my wife every time in the specialties on Journey right now.  She follows uktog's lead: an unnecessary substitution.

[Sleep7]

Hi Melissa! Thanks for such a complimentary post! That's so sweet of you.

Always so nice to hear from a fellow "addict."😃

I looked at the future cruises for next fall but couldn't find just the right one unfortunately..

We are locked into 7 day cruises that begin and end on Saturday.  We fly home directly after the cruise because DH has to go back to work on that Monday.

Our daughter is getting married in September and then there are holidays we have to be home for so there aren't too many departure dates that work for us next year.

I did saw one cruise in October 2020 that begins in Venice and ends in Athens so that's a possibility though.🤞

 

[Sleep7]

Thanks UKtog! I enjoyed your recent review too!😃

[Sleep7]

◼️Hiccups, Phil, Nordski, and Marinaro44.◼️

🙋‍♀️As far as the napkins.. just thought it was so clever that a black napkin for a black dress is actually a "thing." 

In all our cruises I have never seen that before.👏

[hiccups]

2 hours ago, uktog said:

Thanks for your review, glad you had an enjoyable time.

I must be different - I do not really mind when I am wearing dark clothes that I have a white napkin - and they certainly do not change them at the michelin places here it is white for everyone.  I actually don't like that I consign an unused white napkin to the laundry unnecessarily if they insist on switching it as some do despite my preferences.  I think they should ask would you like, not grab your napkin to change it as soon as you arrive.  Just a little contribution to saving the waves imho.

Yes, I have no trouble with the white one--I figured it was a cost/environmental measure.  If the white ones actually left lint on my pants or skirts, I might care, but they don't.

On our last cruise, on maybe the third night I asked why they changed out my napkin and the waiter explained it to me.  I thought it was a nice idea but not necessary for me.

As for extra laundry, our hand towel (we only use one) and my husband's bath towel was replaced daily, even though we left them on the rack.  Unless it's dirty, I'm fine re-using them, because that's certainly what I do at home.  I use the bathrobe after a shower, and that wasn't exchanged--I left it on the bathroom door and the steward just tied up the belt.  I noticed on the last day a third bathrobe was in our closet--I'm not sure how long it had been there, but I guess the cabin steward thought I might like a fresh one at some point.

[hiccups]

51 minutes ago, Sleep7 said:

Hi Melissa! Thanks for such a complimentary post! That's so sweet of you.

Always so nice to hear from a fellow "addict."😃

I looked at the future cruises for next fall but couldn't find just the right one unfortunately..

We are locked into 7 day cruises that begin and end on Saturday.  We fly home directly after the cruise because DH has to go back to work on that Monday.

Our daughter is getting married in September and then there are holidays we have to be home for so there aren't too many departure dates that work for us next year.

I did saw one cruise in October 2020 that begins in Venice and ends in Athens so that's a possibility though.🤞

 

I thought it was great they included a listing of 7 day cruises in the planner on one of the later days of the trip!  We checked them out but didn't find an itinerary that suited us.  We do have a bit more flexibility and so booked a nine-night PerryGolf cruise in South America for 2020.  Already starting the planning  🙂 

[Sleep7]

Hi Hiccups!

Funny about the bathrobes.. I never use them and they take up way too much space in the closet.

First thing I do is fold them up and hide them away on a top shelf.

I loved that handout with only the 7 day cruises on it too!

That's awesome that you have already booked your SA golf cruise.. so fun.

Edited October 22, 2019 by Sleep7

[QueenP]

10 hours ago, Sleep7 said:

Hi Melissa! Thanks for such a complimentary post! That's so sweet of you.

Always so nice to hear from a fellow "addict."😃

I looked at the future cruises for next fall but couldn't find just the right one unfortunately..

We are locked into 7 day cruises that begin and end on Saturday.  We fly home directly after the cruise because DH has to go back to work on that Monday.

Our daughter is getting married in September and then there are holidays we have to be home for so there aren't too many departure dates that work for us next year.

I did saw one cruise in October 2020 that begins in Venice and ends in Athens so that's a possibility though.🤞

 

Yes I'm on that one b2b with the one before. Should be great! 

[Sleep7]

Oh my.. Lucky you!!

What a absolutely fantastic 2 weeks you will have.🤩

[KAE27]

Wonderful review - thank you for that!  And I have to say your dress for the white night was to die for.

[Sleep7]

Aww.. thanks so very much JMB27! The dress is actually from the Gap.😃

[BBMacLaird]

On 10/21/2019 at 10:31 AM, Sleep7 said:

Tired but still smiling we are home with our heads full of fond memories and suitcases full dirty laundry.

"Thanks Azamara for another simply amazing week aboard your ships.

We vacation often but this by far is my favorite one of the year.

Such attention to detail.. such genuine warmth from every crew member.. such a delicious familiarity about being aboard. Whether it's the Quest, the Journey or the Pursuit.. it's all the best. Can't wait to return."

Hi Sleep7, I've shared your thread, and especially this post, with my team. We love this quote! We are wondering if you'd give us permission to use it? If so, please email our LCV Ambassador Sandra with your names and hometown.

Her email is lcvambassador@leclubvoyage.com.

Thank you!

[BBMacLaird]

5 hours ago, Sleep7 said:

Aww.. thanks so very much JMB27! The dress is actually from the Gap.😃

 

Agree your White Night dress is super! So is the dress in post 26 that you wore to tour the caves. I'm impressed that you wear a dress to go on tours! I tend to pack 2-3 dresses and only wear them at night...and that's on a 2-week cruise! Will rethink my touring wardrobe 😎

[Sleep7]

Thanks Bonnie!

What a sweet compliment about the dresses and the quote.🥰

Of course LCV can use it.  It's from the heart.  I will email Sandra and let her know.

As far as the dresses I love packing dresses! No deciding a top to match a bottom or a bottom to match a top.

It's all done for you!

The white dress was from the Gap but all the other ones I wore last week were from LL Bean called their

"signature poplin dress"

They have awesome dresses.. so easy to wear.

 

[Sleep7]

One more.. the dark ones are great because you can wear them during the day and then you don't have to change for the evening if you don't want to. 😃

 

 

[diana11]

I loved reading your blog especially as we are on the Pursuit in 3 weeks time. So looking forward to it now after seeing all your photos.

 

I think we have met you on another Azamara cruise a few years ago. It was either the cruise to Montreal or one that went to Monte Carlo

[Sleep7]

Thanks so much Diana! Lucky you that in 3 weeks you will be on the Pursuit.😃

We have never been on a cruise to Montreal so it must have been one that was in the French Riviera.

We were there on an Azamara in September 2011 and October 2014.

 

[diana11]

22 hours ago, Sleep7 said:

Thanks so much Diana! Lucky you that in 3 weeks you will be on the Pursuit.😃

We have never been on a cruise to Montreal so it must have been one that was in the French Riviera.

We were there on an Azamara in September 2011 and October 2014.

 

It was October 2014 and we first met you at the Cruise Critic meet and greet 

[Sleep7]

Oh my! You have a great memory.  That was such a wonderful cruise.

Funny.. it began in Monte Carlo and ended in Barcelona just like this one.

I Iooked thru my old photos and found the itinerary.😃