Travel Advice and Information

This is the third and final blog regarding the Azamara Quest Cruise from Miami to Seville which departed on March 14 th , 2013.   This report pulls everything together, providing a synopsis and touching upon intangibles such as customer loyalty, service philosophy and general reasons to try Azamara Club Cruises. The first blog reviewed the ship itself and activities on board, second was all about Food & Beverage.   If you have not yet reviewed these last 2 blogs, I suggest you do so first and come back to this. In my last blog I presented my credentials and a bit about my 30 + years of experience in the travel industry.   As an international tour director, or as a scout checking out hotels, cruise ships, etc. and from working within a property it was ever so clear that there is a definitive link between how a property was operating, and how happy the staff was to be there.   At both ends of the spectrum, it was instantly recognizable that if staff were happy, relaxed, genui

This blog is focused on a focal point of all cruises; Food & Beverage.   This  March 14th 2013 Transatlantic Cruise is the final Azamara cruise sailing under the policy of complimentary wines with lunch and dinner.   Starting on the very next cruise, complimentary wines, beer and spirits will be included and available at all times. The various food outlets include:   Discoveries Restaurant for semi-formal elegant dining offering breakfast, lunch and dinner.   Windows Café open non-stop offering buffet meals, with several cooking and carving stations.   Mosaic Café, open all day and eve offering finger sandwiches and pastries along with specialty coffees and teas.   A poolside grill offering hearty fare in the most casual setting.   The specialty restaurants Aqualina serving mostly seafood, and Prime C serving mostly prime steaks were open for dinners, and an occasional brunch, at a slight upcharge (included for guests in suites).   High tea was served daily in two locations; a

Ahhhh…..    The sound one makes when content.   Writing to you from on board the Azamara Quest as she makes her way from Florida to Spain into Seville for Holy Week; docking right in the heart of Seville less than 1 mile from the Great Cathedral there.   Carrying a bit less than the 700 passengers she is designed for, it has been fantastic in every way!   Such a joy to have no lines, exquisite cuisine and service, fantastic entertainment and more, all while mingling with a delightful mix of like-minded travelers from all over the world. Check-in was a breeze as we walked right up to one of the attentive reception agents who was immediately available – NO wait whatsoever, a fantastic indication of what was in store for us!   After a quick and efficient check-in we were on board in a few seconds, greeted warmly with Champagne and smiles. This first day Azamara had attentive staff strategically placed in the various outlets s

How do you know if you truly are getting the best value or best possible vacation experience if you don’t know much about the area you will be visiting?   A good travel agent can help you with this; providing professional guidance and knowledge from their experience to assure the best vacation experience possible. ~ IN 2012 TRAVEL RESERVATIONS MADE ONLINE INCREASED MORE THAN 10% FROM 2011~   Online travel services have expanded rapidly; providing a user friendly method of presenting travel products from all over the world to consumers directly.   For the savvy traveler with plenty of time to research this can be a somewhat effective tool.   How can a consumer separate the marketing hype and fluff from reality?   There are some online ways to do so as well, poring through reviews, etc. from sometimes like-minded travelers.   No matter how savvy you are this is a laborious time-consuming process, and still one can’t be sure what is truth and what is not. Travel agents

If you were one of the millions of travelers who spent some of the billions of $$$ on travel last year, read on for tips on how to spend your travel budget most wisely in the future. ~IN 2012 U.S. CONSUMERS CROSSED THE $100 BILLION TRAVEL SPENDING THRESHOLD~ It is no surprise that the majority of spending was through on-line travel agencies (OTA’s), particularly mega agencies such as Expedia, Orbitz and Priceline.   These large OTA’s do a good job of presenting information, and a user-friendly method of making reservations.   However, when a company presents virtually every hotel, airline, cruise line, etc in the world, how knowledgeable and helpful is the service staff when you call for assistance?   Do they have the best price?   Do you get the exact same room or cabin type upon check-in if you book through an OTA or through a smaller agency? ~IN AN ON-LINE SEARCH, THE SAME ROOM AT THE RITZ-CARLTON CHICAGO FOR THE SAME DATES WAS PRICED FROM $545 TO $629, WITH DIFFERE