Onward Verandah stateroom video raises alarms

[Pizzasteve]

In  pinch, we pack some strong magnetic hooks.  Coats or other bulky items can easily hand from them anywhere, though it isnt a tidy aesthetic.

[Grandma Cruising]

11 hours ago, uktog said:

Thats not been our experience, and the delay in them coming back with things on embarkation, easier and quicker to have the hangers which add no weight or take up space in the case so as soon as we open the case we can get going.  I had miscalculated how many to bring post pandemic and the attendant (who was very good so its not down to him) said they did not have any other than the ones to return laundry on. Maybe they disposed of a lot during layover

It’s been laundry hangers that room stewards have produced for me, I guess. Maybe I’ve just been lucky, but I’ve always been able to get them pretty quickly.

[Grandma Cruising]

5 hours ago, Pizzasteve said:

In  pinch, we pack some strong magnetic hooks.  Coats or other bulky items can easily hand from them anywhere, though it isnt a tidy aesthetic.

We pack magnetic hooks and also magnetic clips. We use these for all the bits of paper we receive (tour tickets, dinner bookings, invitations etc), so they’re handy.

[excitedofharpenden]

17 hours ago, norn iron said:

Is there a chance the fridge hadn't been finally fitted to its correct location in the desk? Thats the first thing that went through my mind - work in progress.

 

ps bringing wire hangers should be added to Tips for newbies. I've been bringing them for years.

 

pps I'll take a look on Saturday when we board Onward. I don't think 'the advisor' will be very happy if she has lost hanging space.

I did do a reply to you, but it's been deleted. The new fridge is most definitely quite a bit larger than the old one. Below is a photo inside the old fridge. From the video I saw of Onward you can fit four cans across and three bottles. So they've either been sent the wrong fridge or have messed up the order and not thought about size. Or maybe that size isn't available any longer?

 

Phil 

[excitedofharpenden]

5 hours ago, Pizzasteve said:

In  pinch, we pack some strong magnetic hooks.  Coats or other bulky items can easily hand from them anywhere, though it isnt a tidy aesthetic.

There's no way I want to do that and make the cabin look like a Chinese laundry!  Those cabins are small enough without being cluttered up by magnetic hooks and my clothes hanging up on them. 

 

Phil 

[royallondon]

51 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

There's no way I want to do that and make the cabin look like a Chinese laundry!  Those cabins are small enough without being cluttered up by magnetic hooks and my clothes hanging up on them. 

 

Phil 

Agreed, very wishy washy.

[norn iron]

20 hours ago, uktog said:

Hope you have a great cruise and that "management" is happy with their quarters

The 'management' will be very happy when I tell her about the upgrade to a CC at minimum bid!!

[Mrs Miggins]

5 minutes ago, norn iron said:

The 'management' will be very happy when I tell her about the upgrade to a CC at minimum bid!!

We were lucky enough to get the upgrade on our B2B at the end of April.  Really liked the CC.  Trouble is now don't want to go back to a regular OV or Veranda.  Despite saying I wasn't going to book any more cruises onboard, we did, a 14 day Spain intensive next June, and of course splurged on the CC.

[uktog]

46 minutes ago, norn iron said:

The 'management' will be very happy when I tell her about the upgrade to a CC at minimum bid!!

Lovely, plenty hanging space there then!

[uktog]

1 hour ago, Mrs Miggins said:

We were lucky enough to get the upgrade on our B2B at the end of April.  Really liked the CC.  Trouble is now don't want to go back to a regular OV or Veranda.  Despite saying I wasn't going to book any more cruises onboard, we did, a 14 day Spain intensive next June, and of course splurged on the CC.

Wish we could use that programme but so long as there is the risk of getting a suite with a bath tub its a no no - such a shame.  We have been using verandahs more recently to stretch the budget further and have found we get along just fine with them (or we were until this stupid Onward layout which poses a risk for a future cruise).  We have found we reallocate part of the budget to buying specialities some nights (could never do them every night) and we are fine - 2 cruises in a suite = 3.5 in a verandah on that model (and 4-5 in an ocean view which we have also done on a last minute and had a great time).  On my next cruise Im actually going to document how long I spend on the balcony, it might surprise me its cost per hours use!

[Mackdogmolly]

2 hours ago, norn iron said:

The 'management' will be very happy when I tell her about the upgrade to a CC at minimum bid!!

Which cruise is this? I am t minus 4 days and still have heard nothing about my (admittedly weak) bid 

[audobon_tx]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

On my next cruise Im actually going to document how long I spend on the balcony, it might surprise me its cost per hours use!

 

We always do V cabins, but to be honest we don't use the balcony that much.  In port, no need.  At sea, too windy.  Cooler climates, maybe to snap a sunset photo otherwise forget it.  Seems to mainly serve to reduce claustrophobia.

[norn iron]

3 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Which cruise is this? I am t minus 4 days and still have heard nothing about my (admittedly weak) bid 

Onward ex Ravenna on June 18th

Which ship are you on?

[lisiamc]

17 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Which cruise is this? I am t minus 4 days and still have heard nothing about my (admittedly weak) bid 

I have bid every time I’ve been invited to, and never had a successful bid. I generally receive the news that I’ve been unsuccessful about 2 days before the cruise. Maybe successful bids are confirmed sooner?

[Mackdogmolly]

25 minutes ago, norn iron said:

Onward ex Ravenna on June 18th

Which ship are you on?

Quest June 19

[Host Jazzbeau]

47 minutes ago, norn iron said:

Onward ex Ravenna on June 18th

Which ship are you on?

 

21 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Quest June 19

Onward has more CC suites than Quest [or any other Azamara ship], so bids are more likely to be successful there.

[norn iron]

32 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Quest June 19

There are 3 N2, 4 N1, 2 CO and 2CW suites currently available for the 19th.

Good luck in the 24 hours while you approach the deadline for notification. 

[norn iron]

12 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Onward has more CC suites than Quest [or any other Azamara ship], so bids are more likely to be successful there.

Correct. There were 18 unbooked suites as per Monday of this week.

[Mackdogmolly]

36 minutes ago, norn iron said:

There are 3 N2, 4 N1, 2 CO and 2CW suites currently available for the 19th.

Good luck in the 24 hours while you approach the deadline for notification. 

I saw that. They have been shown as available ever since I submitted my bid. 😬

[Mrs Miggins]

3 hours ago, uktog said:

Wish we could use that programme but so long as there is the risk of getting a suite with a bath tub its a no no - such a shame.  We have been using verandahs more recently to stretch the budget further and have found we get along just fine with them (or we were until this stupid Onward layout which poses a risk for a future cruise).  We have found we reallocate part of the budget to buying specialities some nights (could never do them every night) and we are fine - 2 cruises in a suite = 3.5 in a verandah on that model (and 4-5 in an ocean view which we have also done on a last minute and had a great time).  On my next cruise Im actually going to document how long I spend on the balcony, it might surprise me its cost per hours use!

I agree !  We originally booked a Cat 5 OV which we have had before. We had the email saying we could bid for a veranda, but we weren't inclined to try as we spend little time on the balcony.  Then we were upgraded to a Veranda along with others on that deck. From then we had the chance to go up in categories and we got a CC for both B2B weeks with a weak bid.  I guess the fact that there were fewer than 300 on cruise one, and just over 400 on cruise 2 helped.

It was lovely to be spoiled.  We eat much more than usual in the Specialities.  We loved the extra space and also the bathroom (with shower).  

There was a mark up for next year but it does include Premium Beverage Unlimited wi fi (joke) and additional OBC.

Just checked against the price we were quoted for a Veranda on the 14 day Spanish Intensive June 3rd and in fact the mark up is just less than we paid with our weak bid for 2 weeks this year.

This cruise is also a Perry Golf cruise which I hope will not impact us too much.  Lovely itinerary to some places we have not been to before plus some of our all time favourites.

 

 

[Pizzasteve]

16 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

I did do a reply to you, but it's been deleted. The new fridge is most definitely quite a bit larger than the old one. Below is a photo inside the old fridge. From the video I saw of Onward you can fit four cans across and three bottles. So they've either been sent the wrong fridge or have messed up the order and not thought about size. Or maybe that size isn't available any longer?

 

Phil 

Thats good news.  I will welcome the space, as we like to bring our own sparkling or white wine from shore sometimes, and it is a pain to chill a bottle in the small fridges (and need to remove shelves and all the other stuff to fit it in). 

 

Thanks for the intel.

Edited June 15, 2022 by Pizzasteve

[Keeria]

19 hours ago, audobon_tx said:

 

We always do V cabins, but to be honest we don't use the balcony that much.  In port, no need.  At sea, too windy.  Cooler climates, maybe to snap a sunset photo otherwise forget it.  Seems to mainly serve to reduce claustrophobia.

I fully agree with you.

[excitedofharpenden]

10 hours ago, Pizzasteve said:

Thats good news.  I will welcome the space, as we like to bring our own sparkling or white wine from shore sometimes, and it is a pain to chill a bottle in the small fridges (and need to remove shelves and all the other stuff to fit it in). 

 

Thanks for the intel.

A tip. If you ask at a bar they should be able to find you a bucket and ice to chill it. Or ring room service and they'll bring you one. Always works for me. A bottle of wine will definitely noe fit in the Onward fridge. How cold it is for a truly chilled bottle of sparkling I'm not sure. 

 

Phil 

[laurieb]

4 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

A tip. If you ask at a bar they should be able to find you a bucket and ice to chill it. Or ring room service and they'll bring you one. Always works for me. A bottle of wine will definitely noe fit in the Onward fridge. How cold it is for a truly chilled bottle of sparkling I'm not sure. 

 

Phil 

Agree, ice bucket is the way to go.  

[Killin Time]

On 6/13/2022 at 11:52 PM, audobon_tx said:

Pursuit has them in the desk.  Corner cupboard is fine.

 

Hey folks, I have 300 nights on Azamara.  I am not making any of this up.

That’s correct about Pursuit and the fridge.  I didn’t like it.