Azamara Journey 11/29/2007 Sao Paulo Brasil

[Mike M]

Greetings:

My wife, Betty and I will be sailing on this voyage and are greatly looking forward to it.

My wife grew up in Brasil, near Sao Paulo.(I'm forced to spell Brasil with an s)

Everything is booked and now the process has started in obtaining the Brasilian visas and figuring out what we will do in Montevideo and Buenos Airies. Itajai will be interesting since it has a very European influence and I'm wondering why it's an overnight stop.

Rio will be well worth the time and we will be doing a private tour in that area. We'll see Corcovado and Ipanema but want to get just outside of Rio (not the favellas) and see some of the beautiful countryside around the city.

We are very excited!!!!

I hope there will be others who will be joining us!!!!

Jump on to this thread or feel free to click on my name and email me.

Ciao,
Mike

[OopsieDaisy]

Hi there!

I am currently living in Salvador, in Northeast Brazil. My sister was planning to come down for a visit and she hatched the plan for us to get aboard this cruise. After adding up the domestic flights, hotel, food and entertainment costs for us to visit just Rio alone, it seemed like a great, stress-free alternative and so much more bang for the buck!

I have been to Rio and Buenos Aires previously and am really excited about going to those cities again, as well as the other ports of call that will be new to me.

So that's me.... trying to polish up my rusty Spanish and fledgling Portuguese... anticipating a great adventure and looking forward to meeting you all in November.

Cheers,
Jill

[Fairweather]

Hi,
I'm Oopsie's sister & a complete newbee to cruising & to South America, for that matter! I live on Canada's west coast so by November, I'll be really happy to travel to the Southern Hemisphere!
Pam

[Mike M]

Hi Pam,

Great to know that you and Jill will be with us. I know what you mean about being ready to be in Brasil in November. My wife thinks that today's 90F degree heat and 85% humidity is wonderful. Then she is freezing at 60F. In 23 years of marriage the only real thing we argue about is the setting on the thermostat.

My Sister-In-Law called today with more information about Itajai and if we don't do an Iguacu tour we may just take in the beaches, the outer valley, the city and nearby Blumanau and Brusque. It also looks like Porto Belo is nearby but you would need a ferry to get there. So even if you don't do Iguacu there should be plenty to do.

Take care,
Mike

[Mike M]

Well, things have moved along in the last few days. We have decided to drop the cruise line air, even though it's a very good price and book our own.

We can book through Continental for $167 pp more and have direct flights plus leave on Thanksgiving day. This allows us plenty of time to spend with my sister-in-law and she is looking into a trip to Fos do Iguacu. Iguacu Falls. After the air deviation fee and any additional charges I don't think the airfare would be any less, plus we will be obtain our visas on our own.

Azamara/Celebrity still does not have their act together on "cruise visa" information. I know the procedure and cost of obtaining one so if I have the air tickets, e-ticket receipts, we can obtain our own. I hate being at the mercy of the cruise line, especially a start up. Even if it's a start up of a large company like RCI.

We also have researched and spoke to a couple of people and found that the Itajai area is a pretty nice area. Bluemenau and Porto Belo are very close. Blumenau is a German community that is less than 30 miles away and has one of the largest Oktoberfest in the world, outside of Germany. It starts around 11/15/2007. I don't know if it will still be in swing but the remnants and the town will still be there. Porto Belo is a very nice beach area and the stop for many cruise ships. No matter what there will be plenty to do.

The other nice thing about having relatives in Sao Paulo, is that you don't have to worry about a hotel or finding the best way to get to Santos. My sister-in-law will be taking us. The worst part is that we are staying longer than three days. You know what they say about fish and guests: "After three days..............."

Has anyone else found out any new information about Brasil, ports, Azamara, or Journey?

Take care,
Mike

[Mike M]

The Shore excursion information is now available on the "Celebrity" website.

Just enter the search parameters for our Azamara Journey, November 29, 2007 sailing and the information is there.

It does look like they will have an overnight trip to Iguacu, from Itajai, for $1200 p/p.

Here is the link:

Celebrity Shore Excursions

[Mike M]

I just saw that the 11/29 Journey, South America cruise has been drastically cut in price. I got on the phone with my T/A who does a number of the Cruisemates cruises and she was able to get the new fare. She did and our price was reduced by $600 per person.

That is NICE!!!!!!!

If you are on this cruise, I suggest you do the same. The price cuts are across the board.

Take care,
Mike

[OopsieDaisy]

Muito obrigada for the heads up, Mike... we're looking into it...

Jill

[OopsieDaisy]

Mike, you brilliant, brilliant man! We got our refund, too! That makes a nice birthday present for me, tomorrow! We owe you and Betty a round of drinks on board.

Um grande abraço!

Jill

[Mike M]

Jill,

Da nada!

I knew that the price would drop after final payment but I didn't think it would drop like that. With the senior discount and the price drop it more than pays for the air!!!!!

We have our tour set for Iguacu from Sao Paulo and our guide/driver for Rio. Betty now has her Inter American Drivers Permit so we'll be doing a car rental in Itajai and spending that time in Bluemenau and up the coast.

Montevideo seems to be very easy to do on our own. The docks look close to the downtown areas. We're still "up in the air" about Buenos Aires. I've spent a lot of my life around horses and cattle so that doesn't interest me so we may just do the main sites and find some good restaurants.

What are your plans?

Take care,
Mike

[OopsieDaisy]

Hi Mike and Betty,

Well, I am still thrilled with that little windfall yesterday... an unexpected birthday gift for me today! That will pay for all our on board expenses, shore excursions and so forth... nice to have that 'in pocket'!

I don't think we'll do Iguazu, (although the refund would almost pay for it)... Pam's time is limited and I want her to have some days here in Bahia so she gets a feel for what life is like in Brasil. We'll stay in SP pre- and post-cruise. In Rio we have a driver/guide as well... we'll do the typical Rio stuff... Corcovado, Sugar Loaf, definitely do the beaches on Sunday as all the 'local talent' is out in force that day! We will go to the Plataforma Samba show... probably book it through Viator. From all reports it is admittedly a little high on the cheese factor, but still and all, a good show and the best way to get a feel for what Carnaval is like, ouside of Carnaval time.

I think we're just going to mosey around Montevideo on our own too, and I want to do Blumenau, as well. We don't have a full evening in Buenos Aires, which is unfortunate, but after several days' effort, I think I've found a matinee tango show and lunch. (I wrote to Celebrity's Customer Service department to ask if Shore Excursions would be arranging something, but got a rather disinterested reply.) Plus we'll wander around San Telmo and La Florida... That's the current thinking... haven't got anything carved in stone, yet.

Thanks again for the timely info yesterday. Cheers, Jill

[Mike M]

Jill,

I'm "muito disapontado" in the shore excursion selections that are being offered by Azamara. There are many more offerings in Buenos Aires than just the ranch, river and basic tour bus sightseeing they are offering. I would have thought they would offer a private car tour, but no they don't and don't really have any intention of doing one. This is not something I would expect from a cruise line between premium and luxury. Oh well, I do most things on my own so it doesn't matter to me but I believe it will to many of their guests.

Take care and Feliz Aniversario!!!!!!
Mike

[OopsieDaisy]

Hi Mike and Betty.... looks like we're still the only CruiseMates folks on this sailing... I wonder what the occupancy rate is, overall?

We are counting the days now until departure.... weather here in Bahia is unfailingly brilliant.... I think 'October' was supposed to be a rainy month, but it was gorgeous every day that I can recall.

Pam has all visas, tickets and cruise docs in hand... so now we just countdown the days.

Safe travels to you both and we'll see you on board. Cheers!

Jill