Pre & Post-Cruise Hotel Options

[Millerhm01]

What's the deal with Azamara? I understand they've rolled out some further refinements to their cruise offer, but really, how poor is their planning that they cannot complete their hotel contracts for 2010 in a timely fashion? Or is it that they just don't care? We're cruising in May, and Rome's popular hotels book-up early. We've called customer relations routinely to inquire, and their timeline continues to slip. Extremely disappointing - and inconsiderate - for a cruise line that's seeking to further differentiate itself. Anyone have thoughts on whether it's worth waiting for the cruise line's pre- and post-cruise packages? Are they a good deal or not?

[susiesan]

What's the deal with Azamara? I understand they've rolled out some further refinements to their cruise offer, but really, how poor is their planning that they cannot complete their hotel contracts for 2010 in a timely fashion? Or is it that they just don't care? We're cruising in May, and Rome's popular hotels book-up early. We've called customer relations routinely to inquire, and their timeline continues to slip. Extremely disappointing - and inconsiderate - for a cruise line that's seeking to further differentiate itself. Anyone have thoughts on whether it's worth waiting for the cruise line's pre- and post-cruise packages? Are they a good deal or not?

 

No.

 

Make your own arrangements for half the price.

[Marie-Claude]

While some people always use the Cruise line's pre/post cruise hotel package, I have never understood why... I have done it once in Copenhagen and will never do it again! Everything was fine, but they charge more than double what it cost to book it on your own, for really little value.

 

Example for our upcoming cruise:

Azamara pre-cruise Hotel in Copenhagen - Scandic Palace - Az price $233 per person per night = $466

Booked directly from the Hotel website = $270.

The difference is hardly worth the cost of a taxi from the airport to hotel, and then to the pier!!

 

So you're much better to book things on your own!!

If you don't know where to stay, you'll find loads of great recommendations on this forum or on Trip Advisor.

 

MC

[Bethany Beach]

For some reason (I guess temporary brain freeze) I booked a pre-cruise hotel through a cruiseline - didn't even bother to check if the price would be less expensive by booking on my own, and I definitely should have known better. But besides that, we flew in three days early rather than just the day before the cruise so we could check out the port city/area. I notified the cruise company that we would not be arriving the day before and therefore would not be on the shuttle from the airport to the hotel. Well, due to that, they took my name off the list for the shuttle from the hotel to the port (even though I called the actual shuttle company from the hotel to say we were there and to confirm that we were on the port shuttle list). When the shuttle arrived, the driver refused to let us on even though we had vouchers because our names were not on his list. We just finally put our luggage on the shuttle, put our voucher on his seat, boarded and refused to leave. He then apologized and said he would take us (how nice of him). We didn't even bother looking for the shuttle after the cruise but paid for a taxi to the airport. Now that I am a slightly more experiences traveler I realize that taxis are everywhere tourists will be, most taxi drivers speak enough English to get you where you want to go, much faster, and usually at a less expensive rate.

[California Native]

Well, I totally agree with other posters

Now let me give you a bit of insiders info...

I've worked both sides of the spectrum in hotel management AND for tour companies waiting on contracts from hotels

1st thing you're not factoring in is...

you are not dealing with business people on "USA business time" AZ is not just going through a US chain ..

they need to go through international accounts, international accounts takes it to the General Manager in the specific country, They in turn review it with their Director of Sales...in this day and age working for hotels you just dont come up with rate out of thin air. Yield Management takes place, ADR has to be figured in, because that in turn impacts the Managements bonus' and there are stockholders that want to be happy!

Business negotiations throughout the world take time, it is a slow process..

Here in the states...we can close a business deal on a napkin in between sips of our orange juice and shoveling in scrambled eggs and be out the door in 30 minutes ...with a full tummy and 3 million dollars promised

(can you tell I live in SFO Bay Area?)

In the rest of the world ..meals or even a simple sharing of tea...takes hours and the deal would end before it began if you brought it up during this time.

Also, the economy has changed and our USD does not have as much wieght as it use to ...which is synonmous with how fast international hotels are motivated to answer requests.

So, there's not necessarily any "deal with Azamara" they are just as anxious as you are to have these contracts because they WANT TO SELL the product.

but like the other posters said, book it yourself...check the port boards they can assist you with suggestions, check out Rick Steves book, read reviews on Trip Advisor and Venere along with all the booking engines.

that should point you in the right direction

[satchiesmom]

For some reason (I guess temporary brain freeze) I booked a pre-cruise hotel through a cruiseline - didn't even bother to check if the price would be less expensive by booking on my own, and I definitely should have known better. But besides that, we flew in three days early rather than just the day before the cruise so we could check out the port city/area. I notified the cruise company that we would not be arriving the day before and therefore would not be on the shuttle from the airport to the hotel. Well, due to that, they took my name off the list for the shuttle from the hotel to the port (even though I called the actual shuttle company from the hotel to say we were there and to confirm that we were on the port shuttle list). When the shuttle arrived, the driver refused to let us on even though we had vouchers because our names were not on his list. We just finally put our luggage on the shuttle, put our voucher on his seat, boarded and refused to leave. He then apologized and said he would take us (how nice of him). We didn't even bother looking for the shuttle after the cruise but paid for a taxi to the airport. Now that I am a slightly more experiences traveler I realize that taxis are everywhere tourists will be, most taxi drivers speak enough English to get you where you want to go, much faster, and usually at a less expensive rate.

 

I see you are on the same sailing as we are. Why don't you come and join our roll call if you haven't already? There aren't many of us, but we're a nice group!:D

[Millerhm01]

What's the deal with Azamara? I understand they've rolled out some further refinements to their cruise offer, but really, how poor is their planning that they cannot complete their hotel contracts for 2010 in a timely fashion? Or is it that they just don't care? We're cruising in May, and Rome's popular hotels book-up early. We've called customer relations routinely to inquire, and their timeline continues to slip. Extremely disappointing - and inconsiderate - for a cruise line that's seeking to further differentiate itself. Anyone have thoughts on whether it's worth waiting for the cruise line's pre- and post-cruise packages? Are they a good deal or not?

My thanks to all of you for your insight and recommendations.

[Redtravel]

You can do better than the cruiseline. Shop the various online and hotel sites for good prices. I usually save a lot of money. The cruiseline makes it easy with transfers, hotel, and breakfast...but at a very high price. Last time I sailed from Barcelona, I stayed at The Meridien for 179euros including breakfast, the taxi to the hotel from the airport was about $25 and to the pier was less. Shop for your best prices.

[wripro]

Redtravel,

 

Yo seem to have answered your own original post. If you so strongly recommend booking your own hotels why are you so concerned about the timeliness (or lack of it) of Azamara's schedule? Is there something I'm missing?

[Jade13]

Redtravel,

 

Yo seem to have answered your own original post. If you so strongly recommend booking your own hotels why are you so concerned about the timeliness (or lack of it) of Azamara's schedule? Is there something I'm missing?

 

I have something to point out. There is someone on our cruise who had some promotion with "free hotel" and transfers. This is for Hong Kong and they just found out they are at an airport hotel and not the ones posted on the Azamara web site (one package was at The Langham). While this would be OK in Singapore or in any post cruise situation after a cruise with early flight out the next day, it is a terrible option for a cruise leaving from Hong Kong because it is 40 minutes from the terminal, so now they need to wait for the "free" transfer. They contacted Azamara who would not move them to The Langham which was one of the hotels listed by Azamara. They were told they would have to cancel and rebook at a higher fare...

[Marie-Claude]

I have something to point out. There is someone on our cruise who had some promotion with "free hotel" and transfers. This is for Hong Kong and they just found out they are at an airport hotel and not the ones posted on the Azamara web site (one package was at The Langham). While this would be OK in Singapore or in any post cruise situation after a cruise with early flight out the next day, it is a terrible option for a cruise leaving from Hong Kong because it is 40 minutes from the terminal, so now they need to wait for the "free" transfer. They contacted Azamara who would not move them to The Langham which was one of the hotels listed by Azamara. They were told they would have to cancel and rebook at a higher fare...

Hi Jade,

 

On our Azamara Quest cruise starting in Hong Long last year, we actually had that 'deal' - in fact, it wasn't really a deal, but because of the long flight, they have to fly you in one day before embarkation. I can't remember how they called it, but it was more like a 'technical' night... and that was included in the price. If we wanted to change to another hotel, then it became a Pre-Cruise stay and WE had to pay for it. We actually took the deal. The Hong Kong Airport hotel was actually really nice and the train is right there, in exactly 17 minutes, you are downtown! So all in all it wasn't so bad, especially since we overnighted on the ship in HK!!

Just my opinion, but it may help people in deciding what to do!

 

MC

[wripro]

Redtravel,

 

My apologies. Just realized you weren't the OP.

[Jade13]

Hi Jade,

 

The Hong Kong Airport hotel was actually really nice and the train is right there, in exactly 17 minutes, you are downtown! So all in all it wasn't so bad, especially since we overnighted on the ship in HK!!

Just my opinion, but it may help people in deciding what to do!

 

MC

 

I looked it up yesterday and it did look nice. I will let the person on my cruise know that the train is only 17 minutes.

 

Btw, where does this train end up and do you recall the approx costs? The Langham wants $700.00 HK for a limo transfer which is about US $95.00. There is also an airport shuttle but who knows how many stops it makes. We won't have much luggage coming from China.

 

I think one of the points which I didn't make was that The Langham had rooms last week for approx $200.00 US (without breakfast) so it goes back to the comments of how much cheaper it is to book on your own.

[jo-b]

Try the YMCA in HK, great suites, cheap and you could walk to the ship from there. And it is right next door to the Peninsula and has the same views!

[Jade13]

Try the YMCA in HK, great suites, cheap and you could walk to the ship from there. And it is right next door to the Peninsula and has the same views!

 

We are getting the best deal at The Langham :)