uktog

Large UK Travel Agencies have internal rules. I fully understand the role of BDMs and know they can help but I cannot demand a branch agent speaks with them if that is against their company rules. Its why the BDM route has limitations

So it is absolute stalemate - and the very reason not to use a travel agent!! (as I always knew) Agent says she cannot spend more time hanging on or trying to get anyone to help (understandable they are not resourced to do so and it would appear they are not allowed to talk direct to their BDM but have to go through head office which further adds a layer of confusion), Azamara will not discuss with me..... Its a lousy customer experience from where I am sitting, who knows where it will end up.

After a protracted period on hold today I got an agent who declined to speak to me as it was an agents booking and also would not let me speak to someone more senior saying she had checked with them and so basic stalemate. She did confirm that a new booking would be the figure I had identified (£9100) and had no idea why I was being asked for £14850 instead but was unwilling to even look into the reservation call history as I was not the travel agent. I have emailed loyalty but really have reached a frustration level I never had with Azamara before. Maybe it will sort itself but I am losing the will....

It is very hard to insist the travel agent calls again given how long they have hung on hold in the last two weeks to try and progress this request. I know from the comments of others in their office, she argued and challenged the figure and was left in no doubt that was the price ... end of... Although it is a booking with an agent I will see what I can achieve on pricing myself and then if we get nearer reality she can call in and conclude the change

My paperwork indicates my booking was covered by the price guarantee and you could have one price drop That said even if it was not how on earth can the upgrade cost be £6064 on a cruise that is currently being sold for £9100. Better to forfeit the deposit and start again if it was. Or is Azamara expecting me to make a substantial contribution to their IT Mess Fund? 🙂

Finally today my travel agent got a call answered. I booked a cruise a year ago, it has the best price guarantee. The price has dropped a lot, however I am interested in trading up and there are plenty rooms available. My current booking for a V2 is costing £8700 The price for a CC would be £9200 for a new booking today Azamara's best price to do the change up ......an additional £6064 the agent was absolutely adamant to my TA that was their best price and there was only one option available.... Previously if things happened I would contact Loyalty direct but with calls taking hours to answer not really got that option. So none too happy ...... I am trying to love you Azamara but you keep slapping me in the face

Thank you so much, we hope to be in Toronto a week today doing some sightseeing. Obviously the cruise company are finally waking up to the fact there is a cruise coming up. Within 10 minutes last night we had two emails, the first to tell us that to enhance our experience in Toronto we would be staying in a different/better (we say worse) hotel - something we knew about via our agent 10 days ago so I feel sorry for anyone who only discovered for the first time last night. The second one said we told you you would get an email about your menu selection on an excursion were you are not getting one, you will do that at check in. Lets hope as the early cruisers on the itinerary we are the guinea pigs and later cruisers have much smoother communications I am hoping to do posts from onboard, we will see!!

Agents cannot get details for guests who want to upgrade existing bookings or are considering adding pre cruise extensions. There is no shore ex information. I was looking to do £000s enhancements, ok it’s next April but it’s a once in a lifetime trip. Another cruise line has a similar itinerary and can give me all that information today. I want to secure flights and get that organised which I will do myself but want to tie it all in to pre/post cruise activities. Not only might Azamara lose the add ons now very soon they are going lose the whole booking in the absence of ready access to answers.

There are many unhappy responses to a post by Azamara on their main Facebook page

We Brits do magnificent pageantry in the rain, we are good at that! And a non political statement- My favourite guest outfit was Biden’s grand daughter- so appropriately chic.

On another board you know here even mention the word gets your post removed. I know from experience

That is just so awful - so sorry for you

But the agent is tied up on the phone unable to fully look after other customers who come into the store or onto a call and that other customer may well generate far greater commission than the extra from Azamara excursions I also have to either go to the shop (40 mile round trip) or try and catch them on the phone I also have to align any engagement with the agent to a time they are open which actually does not fit with the time I would normally work on shore excursions which is typically evenings. My travel agent has been trying to contact Azamara about an "extra" we want to add on for a week now. She cannot sit on the phone 24x7 but has been trying. Maybe it is all working for travel agents you know but it certainly isn't for others Bottom line Azamara need to fix this website to full functionality before the repetitional damage gets out of control

An absolutely unnecessary hoop to have to jump through and an additional load of work for them.

On that basis certainly in the UK none of us would be able to book excursions - surely someone tested this within the testing scenarios ........

Tanya Roberts known to many as an opera trained cruise director on Azamara has announced she is joining Explora Journey as an Experience Manager (the name they are using for Cruise Director)

Glad it’s worked for you. It all got too difficult for us and one of the windows of opportunity has closed now. We do want to try and upgrade another booking but the agent can’t get through - they can’t sit on the phone for hours when other customers are waiting in the shop. We love the personal face to face service from the traditional UK agents but it’s not working so well just now. I got the feeling if you went into a shop just now and asked for Azamara the agents would say I’ll try but have you ever thought of (other line) I know I can certainly complete a booking with them whilst you are here

If it is driven by the software, it is clear the cruise line would have known this but have chosen on balance to select their software provider based on what matters for them not necessarily what matters for potential customers at each stage of the customer journey

They cannot get calls through and can’t get a hold of any help

Millennials trying to be trendy totally missing any understanding of what Azamara is about

Well something is up because between 1330 and 1515 I sat beside the agent as she tried. Clearly is it not working if a major High Street agent cannot get through for that length of time. We have decided to abandon the plans for that quick trip away, because of the delay it gave us a chance to look at something else and opted for that.

It is currently not possible to make a new booking or pay to upgrade an existing booking through a travel agent in the UK. I sat with my travel agent for 90 minutes today each time she was disconnected, and then finally the message came up that the office was closed. Now, in my case, the booking plan will still stand, but for many other potential guests, they will just walk away and head to another cruise line today where things can be serviced. it is disappointing because in this tight marketplace, I am sure Azamara would want a free reservation Also highlights, when people say, talk to your travel agent, actually it’s no better for them

I was using incognito but no joy 😞

Or is it they are giving such primacy to travel agents over customers that this is what the cruise line wants. You see it on these boards. People who are travel agents on these boards. always saying this is what you should ask your travel agent about. Have you wondered why? By pushing you to talk to the travel agent, it takes you further down the sales journey and locks you further in to process of the conversion of interest to sales that the agent and cruise line want to see. However, for me, it overlooks the buying behaviour of many people and the role of the research before committing plays for many cruise passengers. Because calling retail store travel agents by phone is not straightforward - it goes to a central call centre along with all holiday queries today, I am heading off on a 40 mile round-trip just to go to the store to talk to the travel agent about a change in cabin. I do not know if this change will happen. Granted if it does, this will be more revenue for Azamara, but if the sort of cabin I want is not available (I need to see what type of club continental are available) I’m not going to be very happy at having had to drive 40 miles to find that out a question I used to be able to answer in two minutes on the website. It will not let me move on the booking process because I already have a booking for that sailing

If he is not much of a drinker, it might be better if he just bought a glass as he wanted it - he would need to drink 3-4 Jack Daniels or other non included drinks to break even given the cost of the package. They do usually have Jack Daniels