First time Azamara questions

[debcip]

Thank you, @Dr H for your upbeat responses!  We have not cruised since pre-pandemic and are doing the Japan itinerary in March.  The ongoing IT/website issues have not instilled me with a ton of confidence, but you’ve helped put me at ease that once on board things should be ok!

[Dr H]

Deb, thank you for your very kind words. I've been known to lock horns with folks/moderators from time to time, you've made me feel great. Sandie and I literally fell into the Japan Intensive in 2019. I was able to book (their last) Seward Alaska to Tokyo transpacific at a reasonable price, but sadly, Japan was financially out of the question. Godzilla took pity on me, somehow there was a dramatic price drop and I grabbed an inside room for the intensive just before we left the States. After 2 days the hotel director took pity on us in the Black Hole of Calcutta, and moved us into a Veranda cabin - probably one of the smartest actions with unintentional consequences for the company the man could have taken. We loved Azamara before. That little bit of unrequested generosity made us customers for life, come hell or high water. The cruise was spectacular. The tours cost a bloody fortune, both those from the ship plus those done by local tour guides. Sandie thought it a bit too intensive, cities and places began to blend into a blur. My biggest fear about going to Japan was the language - I was not excited at the thought of being both illiterate and dumb. Nothing could have been more wrong. I picked up some Kanji in days, I was able to speak some (very) simple sentences by the end of the trip. I was hearing individual words, and recognizing several by the end of the trip. Google translate is terrible, BUT, those clever Japanese have invented a universal translator gizmo that is not expensive, hand held, and does a fairly decent job of translating in both directions. It wound up costing me a fortune in a Tokyo fabric store when we went shopping, on our own. Seriously, if I could jump on board with you in March, I would, but sadly, we are flying to Rio to catch an Azamara transatlantic to Lisbon. Okay - down side of that cruise. We did with wine pairing, Chef's Japanese Table on the cruise. It was okay, but it was California dining with a mild Japanese accent, and California wines. We didn't leave the table hungry, but none of us were thrilled with the product. Be warned if they offer it again, do your homework! I'm envious, have a wonderful time. Your going to have a fantastic time, especially if they do the Azamazing Evening in Busan Korea again. David

[Merly]

On 1/3/2024 at 6:48 PM, Dr H said:

It's an American slang adjective, meaning "large or respectably sized". From the medical standpoint, yeah, alcohol does raise protective HDL cholesterol levels, but dissolves your liver and brain at the same time, so while I never discourage light to moderate drinking, I don't encourage it either, as in, "sure have two bottles a day with dinner and protect your heart at the same time." The standard bar tender/party planner rule on this side is that 1 bottle of wine serves 6 drinks. You can stretch it to 8 if you try, but seriously, as a rule of thumb, 6 per bottle, and do the arithmetic from there. As for the staff cheating, on Onward in November, I wound up buying a total of 3 bottles of wine. No cheating, very well stored, our sommelier Jun (I think...) was very helpful to this alleged wine maven. Oh, for the newbies, Azamara allows you to bring wine and spirits on board. You can drink in the privacy of your cabin, or there is a modest corkage fee if you choose to bring the stuff into the dining areas. There is no need to smuggle alcohol on board.

I am an experienced cruiser but going on my first Azamara cruise later this year. Can you tell me about bringing wine and spirits on board. Is there a limit like on other cruise lines?  Some are 2 bottles of wine per cabin.  What about spirits?  Also where can I find it on the website please.

many thanks 

[uktog]

39 minutes ago, Merly said:

I am an experienced cruiser but going on my first Azamara cruise later this year. Can you tell me about bringing wine and spirits on board. Is there a limit like on other cruise lines?  Some are 2 bottles of wine per cabin.  What about spirits?  Also where can I find it on the website please.

many thanks 

You can bring as much alcohol (spirits and wine) as you want. You are usually but not always charged corkage if you bring wine to the dining room. You can also bring on more alcohol at any port of call. 

[Grandma Cruising]

37 minutes ago, Merly said:

I am an experienced cruiser but going on my first Azamara cruise later this year. Can you tell me about bringing wine and spirits on board. Is there a limit like on other cruise lines?  Some are 2 bottles of wine per cabin.  What about spirits?  Also where can I find it on the website please.

many thanks 

You can bring as much alcohol on board as No want. You pay a corkage fee if you want it served in a public room, but nothing if you drink it in your cabin. Can’t point you to where it says in the website.

[Riocca]

5 hours ago, uktog said:

I was thinking that. Hopefully someone on board can confirm the current cost. No other line charges as high a figure so I’m hoping the quote is incorrect 

There was a question about this back in October so as we were onboard Onward I asked and was told it was still $10. Of course this could have changed since then but hopefully not.

 

[Aussie Cruise Nuts]

On board Journey now and still USD$10 corkage.  
 

The complimentary pouring wines have been satisfactory and we have been doing a mix of free pour, buying glasses of wine, buying bottles of wine at dinner and taking our own bottles to dinner. 
 

it’s working well as a mix of OBC and my wallet 😁

 

Rod

[uktog]

1 hour ago, Merly said:

Thank you. We do have the drinks package but may want to bring a couple of bottles of a nice wine ( ie one we like). But not sure if it is worth it. 

Now you know the correct figure is $10 you might want to reconsider

[Host Jazzbeau]

This incorrect corkage info keeps rearing its ugly head.  Everybody repeat after me:  "The corkage fee is still $10."  [Maybe write it down.  They used to tell us in school that writing something helps get it into your memory.  Not sure that, or any memory tricks, still work at my age...]

[Dr H]

Lower than I had thought, I for one stand corrected. And at $10 corkage, I guess you are now only entitled to one decent glass per bottle, everyone else in the party gets a classic tin mug.

[Host Jazzbeau]

38 minutes ago, Dr H said:

Lower than I had thought, I for one stand corrected. And at $10 corkage, I guess you are now only entitled to one decent glass per bottle, everyone else in the party gets a classic tin mug.

$10 a glass is a typical price in restaurants where I live.  So you might want to get one of those huge snifter glasses and make it one really healthy 750ml pour!

[Dr H]

I have been known to be wrong before, but... Reidel makes really wonderful, self proclaimed gourmet glassware. Their non hand blown glasses are used as standard in the specialty restaurants. They make a very fancy, very expensive, very beautiful line of hand blown glassware, which includes a specialty burgundy glass. One of them sits in New York's Museum of Modern Art. It is a big, tulip shaped design. And, if I'm not mistaken, and I have been known to be wrong before, it will hold a full bottle of wine, preferably Burgundy. As I like to say, a 750ml wine bottle holds 6 pours.

[copmom1384]

We are considering our first cruise on Azamara.  We are usually Celebrity people but are curious about this line.  One drink related question and it is about beer.  My hubby only drinks beer and prefers IPA's.  Does anyone know if they serve IPA's and would it be an upgrade?

[luv2travel90266]

The attached is the packages advertised. Please be advised that most of these may not be available and Azamara tries to offer suitable replacements. Hopefully you will be surprised with what you like.

beverage-packages.pdf

[ECCruise]

22 hours ago, copmom1384 said:

We are considering our first cruise on Azamara.  We are usually Celebrity people but are curious about this line.  One drink related question and it is about beer.  My hubby only drinks beer and prefers IPA's.  Does anyone know if they serve IPA's and would it be an upgrade?

 

Definitely no IPAs in the included beverages (Bud, Bud Light, Becks, a draft (sometimes varies, never IPA).

With the Premium package ($18.95 per person, per day), beers included may be (and they may bring on other local beers): 

 Coors Light, Miller Lite, Corona Extra, Amstel Light, Pilsner Urquell, Leffe, Carlsberg, Heineken, Stella Artois, Heineken Premium Light, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Moretti, Estrella Damm, Guiness Draught Can, Boddingtons Pub Ale, Warsteiner, Grolsch, Murphy’s Irish Stout

[Canberra601]

Does the premium package include cocktails, or do you need to upgrade to the ultimate package?

 

[uktog]

21 minutes ago, Canberra601 said:

Does the premium package include cocktails, or do you need to upgrade to the ultimate package?

 

You do not need any package for cocktails- it just depends what cocktail you want whether it is included or not. 

[Grandma Cruising]

55 minutes ago, Canberra601 said:

Does the premium package include cocktails, or do you need to upgrade to the ultimate package?

 

You can ask for cocktails to be made with the included drinks, but nothing with brandy as there is not an included brandy.

[hamrag]

2 hours ago, Canberra601 said:

Does the premium package include cocktails, or do you need to upgrade to the ultimate package?

 

This link provides details that may help.

 

https://www.azamara.com/static-assets/beverage-packages.pdf