question on retaining on board booking benefits

Hello, maybe someone has had experience on this or Bonnie can help me understand the rule.

I booked on board Azamara and now, before final booking, I am considering changing from OV to balcony category.

My TA told me that I would lose all onboard booking benefits ( Cruise Now) , which is the OBC and the discount for Le Club Voyage members. Is this correct? Is there something in the terms and conditions that I am missing? Thanks

I would email LCV myself to check of your TA is right.

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Unless the rules have changed that isn't correct. I upgraded from am OV to a CC Suite and retained my onboard benefits for my March 2019 cruise. Definitely email LCV.

Phil

Thanks, Host Grandma and Phil!

I figured I would get a quick answer from here. I just emailed LCV and await an answer. I would have thought that my TA would have checked more thoroughly when I disagreed with her.

Never lost benefits when changing stateroom category on a cruise. The position is normally different if you change a cruise if your country allows you to do that without cancellation. I know everyone goes on and on about using an travel agent but the post here highlights the limitations. I have yet to find one with as much knowledge as you can glean from these boards.

Let us know what Azamara say. It’s one of the things I like about the onboard bookings that they are flexible in this respect. Hope that hasn’t changed. BTW, I did the upgrade end of January.

Phil

I have also a question in relation to keeping the onboard booking benefits. In my case I wish to change cruises, not only cabins. Can I keep my OBC?

Maybe Bonnie knows about this? I have a booked cruise but I will not be able to make it. I have more than the 180 days before I cancel, but before I cancel I would like to know if I can change for another cruise keeping the onboard booking benefits.

So, I called and spoke to Azamara LCV and they told me that, Yes, I am able to keep the Cruise Again onboard booking benefit.

I then spoke to my TA again ( a large impersonal agency), who told me that they could not give me their current , "locked" rate without my first canceling my booking and rebooking under their rate. Their rate is a bit lower than I see elsewhere. I would then lose all of the benefits given at the time I booked on board. I also would have a cancellation penalty fee from Azamara and the cruise agency. Odd and a bit of a flim flamming.

So, there are variables in this issue. and they are with your TA. I think I will stay put, as it is a long sailing and I did receive a good rate and benefits. I am not sure if UK agencies work differently, Phil. Thanks for all your thoughts.

It’s unfortunate that your agent operates like that; it really makes no sense at all given the fact you’re only wanting to change categories

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Sorry you have had this trouble. Of course I am not familiar with the deals held under your old booking or available on the new one with your ta. My change was pretty straightforward. I looked at the upgraded room price on the Azamara website, was happy with that over what I was already paying, called my ta and did the switch. All benefits retained.

Phil

Direct bookings don’t have these problems either. If I use a TA in the UK now I think I use the same one as Phil and my experience there is the same however I did previously use another one who whilst prepared to let me upgrade wanted a £50 handling fee. So lots of variables but we can’t praise and shame here b

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You can definitely retain onboard benefits if you change a booking made onboard as we’ve done so and through our travel agent who doesn’t charge for it either. Although the rules for U.K. passengers have changed recently and Azamara now charge £75pp for doing so.

I am wondering if the rate your TA has is a special net rate negotiated with Azamara, our TA sometimes has deals packaged with flights and hotels at prices similar to Azamara’s cruise only rate. This is is because they have the cruise portion at a highly discounted rate, any offers or perks from Azamara are excluded from these deals.

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I do believe that this may be the case, Riocca. I think that the onboard booking benefit is still a better deal , in this case, than the disco**** offered by the TA . Also, in the past, my TA would not let me use my open passage certificate for a certain sailing, as they said I could not combine it with their rate. It all gets confusing and blurred with their "locked" or hidden rules