Mighty Cruise Ships: Azamara Journey | Season 1 Episode 3 (Full Episode)

She travels oceans and rivers to reach Asia's most exotic cities. It's gonna be fun. From jungles in Thailand to the enticing culture of Vietnam. Azamara journey must endure nature's fury. I need all your team. And nasty surprises. And now the pipes explode. On the way to breathtaking beauty. Azamara journey is in a class of her own. Many of the world's most interesting urban centers are found on narrow winding rivers that big cruise ships can't navigate. But Azamara journey is just 180 meters long. Half the length of the world's largest cruise ship. And that means she's small enough to travel up rivers right into downtown. On this trip, Azamara journey will sail to Asia. And it won't be easy. These waters are known for strong currents. And shallow rivers with sharp turns. But that doesn't deter Captain Jason Ichiatas. This route in particular is one of my favorites and I've done it many times. But overall, no matter how many times we go to a particular port, it's always different. It's always exciting. On this voyage, Azamara journey begins in Singapore. She then sails to Thailand to visit the island of Koh Samui. Then the capital city of Bangkok. From there, Azamara journey will head to Vietnam. With stops in Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Long Bay. The gateway to Hanoi. Before finishing her 3,900 kilometer journey in Hong Kong. And she stays in most ports overnight. Passengers get to explore each city for a couple of days. Not just an afternoon. Captain Ichiatas has seen it all. He's sailed just about everywhere. Commanding cruise ships, cargo vessels, even a Saudi Arabian yacht. But it is sailing up rivers he loves the most. You just feel completely in the zone when you're doing it right. And the first thing they have to get right is bringing everything and everyone on board the ship in just six hours. In the cruise terminal, 631 passengers and their bags are checking in. Out on the dock, 10,000 kilograms of fruit and vegetables are being loaded into the holds. But not just anything will do for this luxury cruise. Oh, you can smell it. It smells very good. Yeah, I know. They smell fresh. Master chef Frederic Camonin personally checks every shipment to ensure he has the best ingredients. For example, this one is not the best product I will expect for us, you know. So this one is going to go back now and I'm going to get some new ones. Because again, as I told you before, we don't take anything which is not as upscale as quality. So we're entering the traffic lane and moving. It's 3.30, 90 minutes to go before departure. On the bridge, the captain briefs the crew on the unique challenges of Singapore Harbour. Once we're transiting this area, on your toes, because there's normally a significant amount of small craft going across the lanes. Each day, 1,000 vessels sail through here from massive cargo ships to tiny fishing boats. You'll get a few local craft, perhaps even a few crazies here. So bridge team, as we're coming through here, again, on your toes. The captain has navigated through this harbour dozens of times. But today, he wants to give one of his officers some hands-on training. I want to drive, but also I have that dilemma that I know that I have to give away a certain amount of the drives to the team. It will be up to Staff Captain Mikalis Kapis to steer the ship through the heavy traffic of Singapore Harbour. It is very challenging because you do have the weather, you have a lot of traffic, you have the sailing in the river. So for me, Asia is one of the most challenging areas in the world to navigate. Mikalis aspires to command a ship of his own. But first, he needs to be at the con, in control of the ship, for 200 manoeuvres. Like taking the ship in or out of port, or through challenging waterways. Singapore certainly qualifies. After six hours of loading, everything is on board. It is time to go. Harbour to port. Yeah, I have the controls. Captain, I have the controls. Yes, six knots is max, yeah? Yes, and just give a kick ahead, just to get the speed. The ship faces an armada of oil tankers. Half of the world's crude oil comes through here each year for refining. Now, Azamara Journey has to make her way through these tankers to reach the sea. It's like trying to sprint across a busy highway. So we have the challenge of taking all the ships going across one lane, and then turning a hard left into the flow that we need to follow. But as she heads out, one of these ships is in her way. It is crossing directly in front of Azamara Journey. The eastbound vessel is doing 14 knots. It's decision time for Michaelis. It's a bit tight. Should Azamara Journey slow down to a crawl? One degree to port. Or speed up to get past her? I'm going to overtake this vessel from her port side. So I'm just going to start altering. The engines increase speed to 18 knots, or 33 kilometres per hour. Oh yeah, it's turning quick. The Staff Captain's manoeuvre brings the two ships within 200 metres of each other. It's close. But not too close. Ten degrees to port, please. The Captain has some advice for his protégé. Next time, look for a more open route. If you'd gone that side, you would have still had plenty of room. In fact, even more room if you'd gone in between. For Michaelis, his first turn with the Khan on this voyage has been a tense learning experience. The manoeuvre went well. We're exiting the harbour. And of course then, Singapore Strait is one of the busiest areas in the world. So everybody had to be alert, vigilant. The ship has mastered Singapore Harbour. But there's more adventure on the way. Tomorrow, Azamara Journey will arrive in Thailand. A place of charm. And chaos. It is day two of Azamara Journey's two-week cruise of Southeast Asia. For most of the voyage, passengers will spend one or two days at each destination. But today is an exception. The ship will be stopping for a six-hour adventure on the island playground of Koh Samui in Thailand. There are all sorts of hidden hazards on this misty morning. Another interesting day. It's going to be fun. For Staff Captain Michaelis Kappas, what lies under the ship is just as hazardous as what's ahead of her. The clearance under us is only six metres. So it's quite shallow. And of course, the more we approach to the port, the more shallow we'll get. There are a lot of places to run aground here. So Captain Jason Ikiatas wants to keep five metres of water between the ship's hull and the harbour floor. That buoy's a buoy. If it's isolated danger, it's just sitting on top of something that we need to be aware of, whether it be shallow or rare. As the bridge team carefully navigates the harbour. Down below, the galleys are busy with the first brunch of the voyage. Many passengers will eat and run. They're eager to get ashore. It's going to be quite busy. We have only five, six hours of stay here. We have a lot of people going on excursions, about 280 people. So we need to make sure we're going to have a smooth operation and we don't have any delays. Liesel Ekstein is in charge of shore excursions. It's her job to get passengers from the ship to tour buses on shore. We're very lucky in Asia. Normally, the tours run very, very smoothly. But it's a challenge getting the guests on and off the tender. So I will communicate with you and you will communicate... This morning, she is checking some last-minute details with hotel director Heike Berdos. Staff captain has approved that we can use the two platforms to get the people off rather fast. The passengers will travel to shore on the ship's enclosed lifeboats, called tenders. 300 guests have to be ferried across the harbour in just one hour to a single small dock on the island. And it's Liesel's job to make sure that everything goes smoothly, no delays and with no one getting lost. I'm going to go ahead before. I'm going to try and get off on the first tender if I can, just to make sure that everything is done, the signs are done, everything is up to date as per our schedule. Absolutely. Thank you. Up on the bridge, the team has safely steered the ship into position. Two kilometres offshore. It's time to drop anchor. You can lower the tenders in the water. Good morning. Have a good trip. Good morning. I love Azumara because it's a little bit more relaxed. No formal nights. It's good food, nice people. The first taste of Thailand is pandemonium. As passengers land on shore, they are besieged by dozens of local guides. You're trying to distinguish your guests going on tour from all the independents. So we're pretty used to having this madness happening every time in the sport. Oh, I'm sorry. Liesl struggles to direct the passengers to the tour buses she's reserved. In some parts of the world, this is how it happens. You just have to go with the flow. Most guests need help just to reach the buses. The challenge we do have is with the independent vendors vying for the business and trying to just get them to move a little bit out of the way is a pretty daunting task. Some passengers are going solo. They brave the Thai traffic to explore the island on their own. But for the other guests, Liesl has arranged a more serene way to explore Koh Samui. The elephant is Thailand's national symbol. These gentle giants once worked in the logging industry. But today, most make a living giving leisurely tours of the Thai countryside. By one o'clock, it is time to leave the elephants and return to the ship. It is up to Liesl and Heike to make sure the guests get there. But just as the tenders are about to arrive, there's a snag. Another boat has slipped into their parking spot. We just had a local boat coming alongside. It's 35 degrees and the passengers are exhausted. This beautiful day could be ruined right here. But Heike knows how to cool down those hot tempers and buy some time. After some haggling with the local boat, the parking problem is solved. The guests can finally board the tenders. But there are still a few passengers missing. If they are delayed on Liesl's tour buses, the ship will wait. But if they are exploring Koh Samui on their own, Heike says they could be out of luck. We hope never to leave anymore. The good thing is, of course, if tours come really late, we will wait for sure. If independent guests depend, you know, then possibly we will have to go. We leave the agent here on the dock and wait until that person comes. If necessary, we would give the passports to the agent, so the guest has a chance to fly and join us in the next passenger. Back on the ship, two of the tenders have arrived and are being stowed away. And on shore, the last passenger arrives. With everyone accounted for, it is finally time to pack up and get back to the ship. The last tender hurries back to the ship. They're a little late in leaving, but the captain's not worried. Even if we're a little bit late. The passengers have had their first adventure of the trip. But for the crew, the adventures are just beginning. Tomorrow, the ship will head up her first river to reach Thailand's most famous city, Bangkok. It's day three of a 15-day cruise through Asia. This morning, Azamara Journey is traveling upriver to Bangkok, Thailand. Passengers go ashore, but there's no rush. Unlike other cruises, this ship will be here for two full days, not just a few hours. The weather is perfect for sightseeing and for eating outside. So head chef Frederic Camonin has decided to serve dinner al fresco tonight in a giant buffet. This is a perfect Thai restaurant. So whatever we do, any kind of sauce we're using, everything is made fresh. There is nothing coming from a magic box. So yes, it's a lot of production, but if you have a lot of organization, it goes very well. After dinner, it will be cruise director Eric de Grey's job to keep the guests entertained. Oh, it's morning for you, is it? It was one of those nights, was it? Well done. Typical Canadian, yes. Eric is originally from Canada. He's in charge of making sure everyone has a good time. So he pulls double duty, cruise director by day and Broadway trained performer by night. Sorry, everybody, while we're discussing Abbott, can I just remind of the line again? The dancers and singers who back him up hail from Broadway and Las Vegas. I feel so fortunate that I've worked for companies like Azamara over my career, and I've been able to see every part of the world of every continent. I've touched every continent as of a year and a half ago, Antarctica. So the cue for that, ladies and gentlemen, I leave you with my tribute to Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber. While Eric gets ready for the stage, most passengers are exploring Bangkok. They've discovered chaotic traffic and pockets of tranquility. The Buddha can be found everywhere here on the streets and in the more than 400 temples that are scattered all over the city. When passengers return for dinner, they find a feast waiting for them on the pool deck. It takes 58 cooks, three galleys and 40 servers to get dinner set up on deck and some special skills with a chisel to help out with the presentation. By seven o'clock, it is all ready. 500 guests dine beneath the stars in the warm Thai breeze. Well, tonight you are in Bangkok, Thailand, and it's our first overnight. So what we do very often, we do some outdoor buffet. And this is the first one for this cruise. And you can see behind me, it's very, very well attended. A little night magic, a perfect way to celebrate the first of two days in Bangkok. And after dinner, the guests head downstairs for a bit of cabaret. But it is true, ladies and gentlemen, I am the Tommy Toon of Aasimar Cruise Lines. That's for all my American friends out there. I'm exactly five foot 18 and I'm a god to the Filipino crew. The next day, guests head out to explore more of Bangkok. More than eight million people live here, but there's a great way to avoid the traffic. The canals. Bangkok has been called the Venice of the East. 2,300 kilometers of canals snake through the city. Even lunch can be found on the water in the city's famous floating market. After two days in Bangkok, the ship is set to leave for her next destination, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. But going downriver in Bangkok can be tricky. Captain Jason Ikiatas is required to have a local pilot on board. It's not uncommon to interrupt the pilot on these passages. So if we need to do that, you've got my full support to interrupt the pilot if you're in any doubt as to his intentions. Down on the dock, the Bangkok harbor pilot arrives. He knows this river like the back of his hand. But as soon as the pilot reaches the bridge, there is a problem. His plan for pulling away from the pier doesn't sound right to the captain. The pilot wants the ship to turn around in a large arc. But that means forcing the bow into heavy traffic before the turn is complete. The captain is certain it's safer to pivot the ship close to the dock, then merge into traffic to head downriver. He was suggesting today that we should turn down there. But in this particular instance, there's a ship behind us. So you've got to come out a bit further, which if we turn, we'll push ourselves farther over that way. And there's barges over there. The thing about here is if we try to turn as much as possible within ourselves here, we've got less obstruction. Compared to the cargo ships the pilot is used to, Azamara Journey can turn on a dime. Staff Captain Michalis Kappas tries to explain this to the pilot. But he isn't listening. I have to inform you. I have to let you know. And we have two conventional radars. And the maximum draft is 5.8. Because everything can occur. It's sometimes very difficult to agree with the pilots here because they are dealing also with other type of vessels that they have different maneuverability. Mostly they are dealing with cargo vessels that they don't have stern thrusters or bow thrusters or they don't have to propel it. We were trying to explain to him that our ship was capable enough to do the maneuver at that point. 1-8-0 is the ship. The pilot knows the harbor, but he doesn't know this ship. To draw her nose directly away from the pier, Azamara Journey is equipped with a pair of bow thrusters. Behind her rear propellers, she has two rudders that can each pivot 40 degrees in either direction. These two components are intended to enable her to get out of tight parking spaces like this one. But the pilot is unconvinced. He's sure his way is the only way. Where is the shallow water there? Michaelis will be in control for the sail out. But he's got a tough choice to make. Side with the pilot's local knowledge or follow his captain's instincts. To all the bridge team, we're going to go with the initial plan. We're going to make a port turn here. Now it's time to see who's right. The turn begins. The stern comes perilously close to the dock. And as the ship swings around, it appears the bow is headed straight for the nearby cargo vessels. Steering inside, controls in the middle. Hard to port. It's a tight squeeze. But the turn works. And the captain is pleased his number two dared to overrule the pilot. Very good maneuver. We always win. It went quite well. Better than I expected. It was one of the most difficult maneuvers I've ever done because we had the narrow space. We had the current. We had to make the port turn. So we had to take everything into consideration. But generally, it went quite well. As Amara journey heads out to sea, mission accomplished. Over the next 18 hours, she travels 620 kilometers from Bangkok to Vietnam. Now she faces the twisting Saigon River, gateway to Ho Chi Minh City. Green light, thank you. A little bit of a navigational delight for the captain. He's going to be navigating through the wonderful river here with an approximate time of 12 noon, depending on how many banks he hits along the way. It's a little running gag we have, never mind. To navigate this river, the captain is once again required to have a local pilot on the bridge. But after the tense experience with the last pilot, he hopes this one knows what he's doing. It is day five of Asamara journey's two-week tour of Southeast Asia. And this morning, she faces her biggest challenge yet. She is heading up the twisting Saigon River to reach Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. The ship will have to navigate through tight turns and a strong current. So once again, Captain Jason Ikiatus is required to be advised by a local pilot. And that makes him nervous. So I don't know what his level of experience is, actual ship handling close to with controls. Some pilots, perhaps they're very good at coming in and out. But when it comes down to the actual knowing how the ship will handle precisely, they're not as good as we are. As the pilot arrives on the bridge, the team is surprised. He looks far too young to control their ship. How are you today? Good? Good, I'm fine, thank you. First off, he doesn't inspire much confidence. So pilot, have you been on the ship before? Not yet. So just for some information for you, we're 180 meters length overall, 26 meters wide. As the pilot takes over, Captain Ikiatus stays close by. Let's see. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. It's the first big turn coming up. The first turn is a long hairpin, the sharpest turn of the entire cruise. This kind of maneuver usually takes years of experience. Most inexperienced pilots choose the wrong rudder setting at the beginning and then have to make multiple course corrections through the long turn. Normally through a transit, at some point we'll have to take it off the pilot and do it ourselves because he's either undercooking it or overcooking it. Now it's time to see what this pilot can do. He gives his rudder setting to the staff captain. The ship enters the turn. The captain keeps a close watch. He's ready to take back the con at the first sign of trouble. At the end of the day, the decision has to be mine because I'm responsible for the ship. No matter, you know, if he gives his advice, no, you've got to do this. Let's say we do that and there's a problem, you know, the responsibility is still mine. Yes, yes. Now another challenge. A blind corner reveals a cargo vessel, but the pilot refuses to change course. He sticks to his original rudder setting. It's a good call. The ship sails past the cargo vessel and stays on course too. Having set the rudder, the pilot never wavers. He completes the entire turn without a single course correction. This pilot is an ace. I'm very, very happy with the pilot today. He's very, very good. One of the best I've seen. You can go around a corner with one rudder setting. Nine and a half knots reducing pilot. I'm happy for him to take it most of the way and then we'll take over for the final maneuvering. But the ship isn't safe yet. It's 9 a.m. Rush hour on the Saigon River. There are two small fishing boats crossing from port to starboard. The small cargo vessel at the moment is doing seven knots. The ship sails up the shallow river, cutting through dense jungle. It's a route larger cruise ships would never dare try. I mean, the size of the ship, you know, the journey can come straight down all the way downtown. Whereas the other cruise ships, they're berthing. In fact, they don't even come into this part of the river. They're berthing outside in Vung Tau and you get bussed in. As Azamara Journey sails downtown, she discovers heavy traffic. On land and on the river. But with a steady hand, the pilot safely guides the ship to the pier. Here they receive a warm welcome. At last, the bridge team can relax. I think after so many hours on the bridge in the morning, I will need some shopping therapy this afternoon. See what I'm going to buy. With the ship docked, it's now up to the crew to make sure everyone has a good time here over the next two days. Thank you. So Eric and Liesl head into town to plan one of the highlights of the cruise. A special dinner they call an Azamazing Evening. The event is being held at a resort. Half an hour's drive from the ship. The Azamazing Evening is a signature event of this cruise line. There's one on every voyage. For Liesl, the challenge is always the same. Getting all 631 passengers to the event efficiently and on time. We will try and get the group here as one and if we can do that and they disperse from here and do their wander around, we're okay. But if we lose them from the bus to here, then we're in trouble. Meanwhile, Michaelis Kappas and fellow officer Elizabeth Gondak head into town for a bit of retail therapy. This budding captain doesn't just dream of having his own ship. Port by port, he's acquiring a whole fleet. What are you looking for? Can I show you? Actually, I have no idea because you have a lot of nice things, but probably a pirate ship or maybe Titanic or even a sextant, something nice, nautical. Look at the deck on this one. It's actually a lot of details. Yes. It's really nice. I wish it could fit in my house, but that's going to be too big. Okay, do you have a smaller one? The caddysack, but the smaller size. Yeah, yeah. The models are all handmade and are a bargain by European standards. I think I just found my new hobby. With hundreds of ships to choose from, Michaelis makes a decision. I bought three pieces, the Titanic, the caddysack, and they got off my dreams in a very good price, and I have to say I'm really happy about it. Now I need to find a way to send them home. Back on the ship, the passengers get ready for their special night out. Shortly after sunset, it is time to go. Each deck gets its own bus and they leave every 10 minutes. At the resort, Liesl's planning is paying off. There are no long lines and guests receive a warm Vietnamese welcome. Passengers wander through an enchanted Asian garden. It is a taste of Vietnam, from its food to its culture. A few get their names written in Vietnamese calligraphy, while the captain learns some traditional dance moves. Welcome to your Azamazing evening. What do you think of so far this evening? It's one of our best Azamazing evenings, to be quite honest. It's gone really smooth. Of course, we have a little bit of congestion here and there, but so far I think it's been going really well. After two hours, it is time to board the 13 buses and head back to the ship. But one of the passengers has gone missing. The rush is on to find her. Until she's safely back aboard, the entire cruise is on hold. It is the fifth night of Azamara Journey's 15-day cruise of Southeast Asia. Her passengers are at a special dinner in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. But as they leave, one guest is unaccounted for. Cruise director Eric de Grey grabs a golf cart to search the resort. Copy that, thank you. This is exactly what excursion manager Liesel Ekstein wanted to avoid tonight. Now they have to find the missing woman, and fast. The resort is huge and dark, with lots of places to get lost. There's a car coming here. The missing woman is found on the wrong bus. The panic is over, but the crew wishes she had just followed Liesel's directions. Within an hour, all 631 guests are back at the ship. The evening has been a smashing success. The next morning, the ship's guests get another full day to explore the marvels of Ho Chi Minh City. To locals, it is still known as Saigon. With a population of 9 million, this bustling metropolis is Vietnam's largest city. After two days in Ho Chi Minh City, it is time to leave. By morning, Azamara Journey is at sea for the longest leg of the voyage. She's sailing up the coast of Vietnam to Ha Long Bay, gateway to the capital city, Hanoi. But captain Jason Ikiatas sees rough seas ahead. Weather forecast for this evening is a little bit strong. We have some strong winds forecast for tonight and tomorrow. So that's about 30 knots. And sea conditions are forecast to be anywhere from three and a half to four and a half meters. All over the ship, bars and restaurants get ready for a wild night. First of all, we need to secure all the plates that before they check out, all of the galaxy work, before they check out in the night, that all the plates are stacked or properly put inside the shelf. Everything that might get tossed about is tied down. When it really gets stormy, it really starts to get uncomfortable for everybody. We need to take proper precaution and prepare for the worst. The storm will arrive in just three hours. Since Azamara Journey is smaller than most cruise ships, she will have a rough ride. But the captain has a plan to help his ship put on some weight and smooth out the seas. He gives the order to flood the bow. We did put quite a bit of ballast into the ship. So that weighed it down by about a good 600 tons. So that's made it a little bit more heavy. With the bow threatening to pitch as much as four or five meters, the captain calls for water to flow into the forward ballast tanks. This weighs down the front of the ship, reducing, but not eliminating, the rocking action from the waves. It'll sit in the water a little bit better and hopefully smooth out the ride a little bit too. Later that evening, the storm hits with full force. The winds are even stronger than forecast, topping out at 45 knots or 83 kilometers per hour. The next morning, the wind is still gusting to 36 knots. Even with the added ballast, the bow is rising and falling up to three and a half meters with every wave. On deck, it's possible to walk, but it's not a good day for a swim. Everyone seems to be in good spirits. I think we have a lot of seasoned travelers amongst us, so amongst the guests. So I think they're all fairly happy. And indeed, when you're walking around the ship as well, as we say, one hand for the ship and one hand for yourself. But there's a crisis on deck six. And now the pipes explode. Fisher, I need all your team. Deck six starboard side in front of cabin 6031. We have an emergency windpipe that just exploded. I need everybody here. Water is gushing down the corridor. All cabins down the hallway are evacuated. The storm has taken its toll. And the maintenance staff has to fix it quickly. OK, I need this section power supply to be stopped. On the 10th day of her two week cruise, Azamara Journey has endured a fierce storm. One which has ripped open a pipe on deck six. Yeah, Richard, it's Nestor. Sorry to disturb you. We have to close both cold and hot water lines because the pipe exploded. The problem now is that shutting off the water here means shutting it off for half the ship. Morning showers are suddenly cut off, as is the water to the galleys and the laundry. The pressure is on hotel maintenance manager Nestor Nestorov to solve the problem as quickly as possible. Master plumber Todorov Svetan is called to replace the ruptured pipe. After an hour of frantic work, the leak is fixed. Water can finally be turned back on for the rest of the ship. On deck, the wind is dying down. Another day at sea. And Azamara Journey arrives at her last overnight stop. A special harbor known as Halong Bay. It lies in the Gulf of Tonkin, east of Hanoi. This is what makes Halong Bay so famous. An archipelago of 1600 teardrop shaped islands. And what you're seeing now is just really the beginning of it. So it gets a little bit closer as we go in and it really does deliver the wow factor. The islands are made of limestone, eroded into these shapes by the sea more than 20 million years ago. But according to legend, they are actually jewels dropped by dragons. On the bridge, staff captain Mikalis Kappas is given a treat. A chance to steer the ship through this beautiful maze. It is a fitting reward for his hard work on this voyage. I believe with all the time that I've been spending here with the captains and with the maneuver, I'm ready. And it was my dream as well to become a captain. Over the last two weeks, Azamara Journey has traveled almost 4,000 kilometers. Tomorrow morning, she will complete her voyage in Hong Kong. Her guests have been able to sail into the heart of Asia's most exotic cities. No, I didn't have any doubt whatsoever. It was a great cruise for us compared to some of the others I've done. This was a breeze, I really have to confess. For the captain, watching his crew overcome the challenges of these ports and seeing his passengers indulge in the local treasures, well, that's what it's all about. Well, it's a feeling of accomplishment. It's a two-week cruise, which is one of the longest cruises we do because it gives every bit all the guests and the crew time to sort of get to know each other and really create that atmosphere which we like here and which is what we're famous for. It has been an adventure Azamara Journey's guests will never forget and one she hopes to deliver wherever she roams.