Booking On Board?

[Bill Leiber]

Bill

What is the best way to be informed of the "tactical sales" that you mention. Do they occur on a regular schedule like the Tuesday sales at Celebrity or should I just wait for the emails I've registered at the Azamara website as a past passenger.

 

Thanks, Charlie

Hello Charlie -

 

Thanks for checking in with us. I want to let you know that you were correct when you concluded that the best way to receive the latest Azamara information is to follow closely the emails for which you registered as a past guest.

 

With respect to the "tactical sales" promotions, they are usually launched much closer to the sailing dates of specific voyages that have been identified as trending below their revenue target and are available for a limited time. Please remember, that this promotion category is strictly for new bookings only.

 

For other readers, if you wish to receive Azamara email, please visit our website's home page and at the bottom you'll find "LINKS" and then to the right you'll see "Sign Up for Email."

http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/

 

We're looking forward to welcoming you onboard again!

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[Bill Leiber]

Thank you, Bill, for all your timely information. Here is my concern.

Az has specials for 2012 giving excellent discounts and OBC. Also, they offer 2/1 prices, cabin upgrades, and help with air. Another benefit is special reductions toward cruise prices if you book B2B. We are looking at a B2B for March of 2013 and will be able to swing it if these benefits are in place for 2013. When will that information be available? We are sailing March 29 on Celebrity and again Sept 2. Sure would like to take advantage while still on board.

 

Many thanks for all you do,

Jennie

Hello Jennie -

 

With respect to whether the same pricing structure and savings benefits will be will be available in 2013, it seems likely that they will be offered; however, the specific parameters for each component are now under review and pending final approval and until then are subject to change.

 

For the sake of good order, I will check with our marketing department on the status of this review. As soon as I receive the "official" approval, I will update you and the community.

 

I appreciate your kind comments.

 

Happy Sailing n Celebrity!

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[Bill Leiber]

Hello, I have a question of a little different bent on the discussion of booking while on board. I have sailed Azamara several times and booked a future cruise open passage each time. I had been told that , if I wanted to transfer my booking to a travel agent , I would need to transfer it to the agent within sixty days of the date of booking the open passage.

BUT when I last sailed on the Journey, one month ago, the future cruise sales directior, Juliana, told me that she just received notice that there was no longer a sixty day time period to transfer to a travel agent.She said that I could hold onto the open passage booking and transfer to my travel agent whenever I decided which actual sailing I wanted . I just called Azamara customer service and they did not have that information.

So I am confused. I would like to wait until I am ready to book an actual sail date but do not want to lose out on the ability to transfer. Maybe Bill Leiber can shed some light on this while he is checking into other issues around future bookings. Thanks!

Hello Tango -

 

It would be my pleasure to secure the correct answer to your question about the specifics of our Onboard Booking Program / "Azamara Passages."

 

Clearly an 'audit' is required of the terms and conditions of this valuable program so that were in synch on land and sea.

 

I'm sorry for your confusion and will get back to you with the correct information.

 

Thanks for your patience.

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[Andy]

Hello Tango -

 

It would be my pleasure to secure the correct answer to your question about the specifics of our Onboard Booking Program / "Azamara Passages."

 

Clearly an 'audit' is required of the terms and conditions of this valuable program so that were in synch on land and sea.

 

I'm sorry for your confusion and will get back to you with the correct information.

 

Thanks for your patience.

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

 

Hi Bill,

 

Just as an FYI, Celebrity does in fact impose a 60 day rule to transfer a booking to travel agents. After 60 days, it's not permitted. It was previously open-ended, but Celebrity changed their policy about 6-9 months ago. We look forward to your response, as to Azamara's currently policy.

[Jade13]

Good for you...and your TA. I'm guessing the Egypt cancellaion factored into Azamara's decision to honor the Passage. Smart move on their part to do that.

 

Just to clarify, this was an old Book on Board a specific cruise (not an open Passage) done in 2010. When Egypt was canceled on our first itinerary we moved to another Egypt itinerary. When Egypt was canceled on the second itinerary we decided to stay with the new itinerary. The offer on the second cruise itinerary was that everyone could have the new promotions (but note that it was before final payment). The only issue that came up was that we had the original Egypt cancelation $500.00 OBC to move to a new cruise (They offered $1,000.00 OBC to those who wished to stay on the same itinerary without Egypt).

 

Our only gripe with Azamara was they did not tell us about Choice Air (or the promo) in 2010 and we had already purchased our air when we found out about it on this board (and we had booked direct and the promo code was on our booking). My ticket was non-refundable so I lost out on the $500.00 cruise discount. In light of the fact the promo was new, we booked direct, and at the time Choice Air could not even be booked on Azamara's own website we thought Azamara could have done something for us but they never did (This all happened before the Egypt cancelations and lowered cruise fares).

[Jade13]

Hello Tango -

 

It would be my pleasure to secure the correct answer to your question about the specifics of our Onboard Booking Program / "Azamara Passages."

 

Clearly an 'audit' is required of the terms and conditions of this valuable program so that were in synch on land and sea.

 

I'm sorry for your confusion and will get back to you with the correct information.

 

Thanks for your patience.

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

 

Hi Bill,

 

Note that your onboard staff needs to explain the discount better. I can't tell you how many people I met onboard who did not book a new cruise onboard and said, "I can get a better deal from my travel agent".

[model45]

Hello Marinaro, Emdee, Angiet and Mighty Quinn -

 

Following my discussions with our revenue management and call center manager, I'm very pleased to share with you the good news that you can use your onboard Open Passages account to book passage on voyages that happen to be included in special 2- or 3-day tactical "sales." Redeeming your Open Passage account is considered as "New Booking."

 

Marinaro, it seems that there had been a misunderstanding during the reservation process and I'm sorry for your confusion and frustration. I suggest that you or your travel professional contact our reservations team so that your booking can be adjusted. It's obvious that your persistence about resolving your Open Passages issue has made an important difference in clarifying this program's operation and we thank you for your efforts!

 

Emdee, purchasing an onboard Open Passages account will provide you with the flexibility to change your departure date and retain the Open Passages savings as long as the change is made at least 91-days prior to departure. Certainly with a 2013 departure date, you meet that requirement!

 

Angiet and Mighty Quinn, I'm hopeful that this clarification will reinforce your confidence to consider purchasing an Open Passages account on your forthcoming Azamara voyages.

 

Thank you for your patience as we sorted out this mix-up which I believe resulted from our policy regarding “price protection” for reservations already booked. As I mentioned in my December 8, 2011 post, "there are actually two types of pricing promotions that are introduced into the marketplace from time-to-time to stimulate new business – one allows eligibility for previously booked guests [General pricing promotions] while the other [2- or 3-day tactical "sales"] is restricted to only “new bookings.” Here is a link to that thread for more information: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1522484&page=2

 

Thank you for your patience and your much-valued loyalty to Azamara Club Cruises.

 

Sincerely,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

Hi Bill

I've been hanging on & following these posts re the purchase of an open passage. We purchased 2 separate accounts in December while on board the Quest ( our 2nd cruise) hoping to take advantage on a future BTB cruise. Does your clarification re these open passage accounts apply to Australian residents? We have been told by the Sydney office that to use our "open passage account" we must first make a booking through them using "our Azamara Master Booking ID" and then persuade a travel agent to take on that booking in the hope that they will then pass on to us any "special deals" they may! Which is exactly the opposite of what we were told on board when we made the purchase. This put us in a situation where to take advantage of the best deals offerred here in Australia we may as well book direct with our travel agent & forego the $800.00 paid for the open passage on board as the TA specials are invariably cheaper than that offered by Azamarra Sydney office. I received this info in February 2012.

 

We love Azamara Club Cruises but this confusion disturbs us. Finally any news on the Azamara Australian website???:confused:

[Bill Leiber]

Hello, I have a question of a little different bent on the discussion of booking while on board. I have sailed Azamara several times and booked a future cruise open passage each time. I had been told that , if I wanted to transfer my booking to a travel agent , I would need to transfer it to the agent within sixty days of the date of booking the open passage.

BUT when I last sailed on the Journey, one month ago, the future cruise sales directior, Juliana, told me that she just received notice that there was no longer a sixty day time period to transfer to a travel agent.She said that I could hold onto the open passage booking and transfer to my travel agent whenever I decided which actual sailing I wanted . I just called Azamara customer service and they did not have that information.

So I am confused. I would like to wait until I am ready to book an actual sail date but do not want to lose out on the ability to transfer. Maybe Bill Leiber can shed some light on this while he is checking into other issues around future bookings. Thanks!

Hello Tango -

 

I've heard back from the Manager of Onboard Programs for the corporations three brands and thank you for your patience.

 

"The time frame for transferring a booking from the [one of the three] brand to a travel agent is 60 days (for US/Canada as well as most markets, some markets may vary) from the day the booking is created. However, for open bookings - Azamara Passages, Celebrity Passages, or Royal Caribbean Decide Later bookings - that 60 days starts when the booking is converted to an actual sailing."

 

Tango, that means that you'll be able to wait until you're ready to book an actual sail date and will not "lose out on your ability to transfer" your booking to a travel agent

provided that you do so within 60 days.

 

I appreciate your time and effort in pointing out this discrepancy as it provide us with an opportunity to update our customer service and onboard staff.

 

I want to point out that there are nuances by market so what applies for US/Canada guests may not be the same for guests from another country.

 

I'm sorry for your confusion. Remember there is no expiration date on an Azamara Open Passages account.

 

We look forward to welcoming you onboard when you make your final decision.

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[Bill Leiber]

Hi Bill

I've been hanging on & following these posts re the purchase of an open passage. We purchased 2 separate accounts in December while on board the Quest ( our 2nd cruise) hoping to take advantage on a future BTB cruise. Does your clarification re these open passage accounts apply to Australian residents? We have been told by the Sydney office that to use our "open passage account" we must first make a booking through them using "our Azamara Master Booking ID" and then persuade a travel agent to take on that booking in the hope that they will then pass on to us any "special deals" they may! Which is exactly the opposite of what we were told on board when we made the purchase. This put us in a situation where to take advantage of the best deals offerred here in Australia we may as well book direct with our travel agent & forego the $800.00 paid for the open passage on board as the TA specials are invariably cheaper than that offered by Azamarra Sydney office. I received this info in February 2012.

 

We love Azamara Club Cruises but this confusion disturbs us. Finally any news on the Azamara Australian website???:confused:

Hello Model45 -

 

First, thank you for your loyalty to Azamara Club Cruises and your future bookings!

 

I'm sorry that you're experiencing difficulty in redeeming your two Azamara Open Passages accounts and I have contacted both the office in Australia and the corporation's Manager of Onboard Programs to resolve your dilemma and to determine the onboard program's nuances for our valued Australian guests.

 

With respect to the Aussie website I've sent a reminder to find out the expected date for the Aussie website to be open. In the meantime, I want to let you know that in two or three months, the US website will be adjusted to show pricing in 14 global currencies including Australian $ and GBP.

 

Thank you for your patience and you'll hear from me as soon as I have definite information to share with you.

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[Mparis184]

I am sorry to learn about this policy. I have often booked on the ship and then transferred my booking at a later date ( over 60 days ) to an agent if I saw a good promotion/rate being offered and have saved a lot of money and gotten better cabins.

 

Marion

[Maggie 1008]

I will be going on Azamara for the first time on March 30th. I know I will want to book another cruise while onboard. Can I transfer my Celebrity booking over to Azamara booking. Seems it would be in their best interest. Sorry if this ha been covered before. Thanks Bill and Andy for you quick replies. Cruise Critic is a wealth of information and a very powerful tool. Heather

[Jade13]

I will be going on Azamara for the first time on March 30th. I know I will want to book another cruise while onboard. Can I transfer my Celebrity booking over to Azamara booking. Seems it would be in their best interest. Sorry if this ha been covered before. Thanks Bill and Andy for you quick replies. Cruise Critic is a wealth of information and a very powerful tool. Heather

 

Celebrity only requires one $100.00 deposit per cabin and gives OBC. Azamara has a higher deposit, I think at least $250.00 per person, and gives a cruise discount. So, even if they took your $100.00 from Celebrity you would still owe more money, i.e. there would be little advantage if you were already going back on board (unless about to loose the $100.00 from Celebrity).

[MightyQuinn]

...There is also a reduced deposit $275 per person for Club Veranda or lower...

Host Andy, do you know the price of an Open Passage certificate? Is it $100 pp or would we pay $275 pp for the reduced deposit right away? Sorry to be a pest, but I can't find any info about this on the AZ website. Thanks!

[Andy]

Host Andy, do you know the price of an Open Passage certificate? Is it $100 pp or would we pay $275 pp for the reduced deposit right away? Sorry to be a pest, but I can't find any info about this on the AZ website. Thanks!

 

Hi MightyQuinn,

 

Your questions are always welcome :) . I will ask Azamara, and see what I can find out. Stay Tuned !

[Bill Leiber]

I will be going on Azamara for the first time on March 30th. I know I will want to book another cruise while onboard. Can I transfer my Celebrity booking over to Azamara booking. Seems it would be in their best interest. Sorry if this ha been covered before. Thanks Bill and Andy for you quick replies. Cruise Critic is a wealth of information and a very powerful tool. Heather

Hello Maggie 1008 aka 'Heather' -

 

No worries about asking a question in the case it might have been covered before. For me, it's the best way to improve my knowledge so that I can be a better resource.

 

I checked with our Manager of Onboard Sales about your question if you could transfer your Celebrity booking to Azamara, and learned that "open" bookings (Azamara Open Passages, Celebrity Open Passages, or Royal Caribbean Decide Later bookings) cannot be converted to another brand. So once an open booking for a particular brand, always a booking for that particular brand."

 

On the other hand, if you had a "confirmed" booking (Azamara Reserved Passages, Celebrity Reserved Passages, or Royal Caribbean Decide Now bookings) it could be changed to a sailing on another brand; however, the onboard booking benefit would also change to be that of the new brand. So if the booking starts as a Royal Caribbean 7 night sailing which offers $100 OBC as the onboard booking benefit then changes to an Azamara Club Cruises 10 night sailing in a Club Suite, the onboard booking benefit will change from the OBC to the $600 per stateroom savings. Nevertheless, depending on when a booking changes, cancellation charges may be applied and some restrictions may apply in certain markets.

 

In short, it's only the open bookings that cannot change brands at any point within the life of the booking. But by the same token, keep in mind that Celebrity Open Passages never expire.

 

I hope this information has been helpful.

 

We look forward to welcoming you onboard later this month and wish you a Happy Sailing!

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[Maggie 1008]

Thanks Bill. You answered my question. Heather

[Bill Leiber]

I am sorry to learn about this policy. I have often booked on the ship and then transferred my booking at a later date ( over 60 days ) to an agent if I saw a good promotion/rate being offered and have saved a lot of money and gotten better cabins.

 

Marion

Hello Marion -

 

After reading your comment about the 60 day time frame for transferring your booking and that it will reduce your time flexibility for transferring your Open Passage booking as you search for the best deal, it occurred to me that I didn't do a very good job of explaining the difference between Reserved Passage and Open Passage and when the clock starts clicking for the 60 days time-limit:

 

 Reserved Passage - one strict transfer window of 60 days from date of booking.

 

 Open Passage - the guest receives two de facto windows: 1) an open-ended time period to select a specific voyage since there is no expiration date for an open passages account; 2) once a specific voyage has been booked, however, the guest has a maximum of 60 days from that date of booking to transfer it to a travel agent.

 

I hope this information has been helpful.

 

I appreciate your active participation and input to the Azamara forum.

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[Kevnzworld]

I am new to Azamara, so bear with me. I am considering booking a November cruise. There currently aren't any promotions. I am also sailing on Celebrity next month. Can I buy a discount certificate on my Celebrity cruise for the Azmara cruise I haven't yet booked?

How often are there promotions and price reductions? I can't decide whether to book now, or wait to get a OBC/ discount certificate on Celebrity next month, and or wait for a promotion or single supplement reduction.

[Bill Leiber]

Hi Bill

I've been hanging on & following these posts re the purchase of an open passage. We purchased 2 separate accounts in December while on board the Quest ( our 2nd cruise) hoping to take advantage on a future BTB cruise. Does your clarification re these open passage accounts apply to Australian residents? We have been told by the Sydney office that to use our "open passage account" we must first make a booking through them using "our Azamara Master Booking ID" and then persuade a travel agent to take on that booking in the hope that they will then pass on to us any "special deals" they may! Which is exactly the opposite of what we were told on board when we made the purchase. This put us in a situation where to take advantage of the best deals offerred here in Australia we may as well book direct with our travel agent & forego the $800.00 paid for the open passage on board as the TA specials are invariably cheaper than that offered by Azamarra Sydney office. I received this info in February 2012.

 

We love Azamara Club Cruises but this confusion disturbs us. Finally any news on the Azamara Australian website???:confused:

Hello Model45 -

 

I've heard back from Adam Armstrong, the Commercial Manager for RCL Cruises Ltd, at the Sydney office and the corporation's Manager of Onboard programs and I learned the following:

 

The Sydney office stated that you certainly can make your bookings through a travel agent of your choice (within Australia); however, then your agent needs to call the office so that it can be converted from an "Open Passage booking" status (which sit dormant in their reservations system) into an actual booking on your two selected back-to-back voyages. Simply stated, you do not need to book directly with the Sydney office first to use your Open Passage bookings.

 

The Manager of Onboard programs declared that you would be able to combine offers including your applicable onboard booking savings based on applicable promotions and including the B2B benefits. Your bookings will be considered as "new bookings" based on the date they convert to an actual sailing.

 

They both recommended that you contact the Sydney office to clarify your Azamara Open Passages situation. You can email your situation to the Customer Relations team in Australia: customerservices.au@rcclapac.com. Also, you can contact the Sydney switchboard at - 02 4331 5400 - and request to speak with Azamara customer service or call the reservations number - 1300 754 500.

 

I am sending a copy of my response to you to the Sydney so that they can expect your call.

 

With respect to the Aussie website, it's still too soon to share a specific date when it will be functional, but it's looking like another 4 months or so.

 

Please let me know if you require further assistance.

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[shedridt]

Bill, I hope you are well compensated for answering all the many questions that are directed your way on this website.

 

You answer each question fully, without a hint of impatience. I hope to meet up with you on Azamara one day!

[model45]

Hello Model45 -

 

I've heard back from Adam Armstrong, the Commercial Manager for RCL Cruises Ltd, at the Sydney office and the corporation's Manager of Onboard programs and I learned the following:

 

The Sydney office stated that you certainly can make your bookings through a travel agent of your choice (within Australia); however, then your agent needs to call the office so that it can be converted from an "Open Passage booking" status (which sit dormant in their reservations system) into an actual booking on your two selected back-to-back voyages. Simply stated, you do not need to book directly with the Sydney office first to use your Open Passage bookings.

 

The Manager of Onboard programs declared that you would be able to combine offers including your applicable onboard booking savings based on applicable promotions and including the B2B benefits. Your bookings will be considered as "new bookings" based on the date they convert to an actual sailing.

 

They both recommended that you contact the Sydney office to clarify your Azamara Open Passages situation. You can email your situation to the Customer Relations team in Australia: customerservices.au@rcclapac.com. Also, you can contact the Sydney switchboard at - 02 4331 5400 - and request to speak with Azamara customer service or call the reservations number - 1300 754 500.

 

I am sending a copy of my response to you to the Sydney so that they can expect your call.

 

With respect to the Aussie website, it's still too soon to share a specific date when it will be functional, but it's looking like another 4 months or so.

 

Please let me know if you require further assistance.

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

 

Hi Bill

:D

A big thank you for the clarification and info. I'll contact Sydney office tomorrow. Your hard work on our behalf is truly appreciated.

[Bill Leiber]

I am new to Azamara, so bear with me. I am considering booking a November cruise. There currently aren't any promotions. I am also sailing on Celebrity next month. Can I buy a discount certificate on my Celebrity cruise for the Azmara cruise I haven't yet booked?

How often are there promotions and price reductions? I can't decide whether to book now, or wait to get a OBC/ discount certificate on Celebrity next month, and or wait for a promotion or single supplement reduction.

Hello Kevnzworld -

 

We hope that we'll have the opportunity to welcome you onboard Azamara Club Cruises this coming November. Hopefully to help you with your decision-making here are answers to your questions:

 

When you're on Celebrity you'll be able to purchase either an Azamara "Open Passage" or "Reserved Passage" which offer a $200 to $600 savings per stateroom depending on category and voyage length:

 Voyages of 8 nights or less, you will receive a $200-$400 discount per stateroom, depending on category.

 Voyages of 9 nights or more, you will receive a $400-$600 discount per stateroom, depending on category.

 

According to the manager of onboard programs for the three brands, although "we only openly market and promote the brand of that ship, however we will gladly book any of the three brands the guest may want to book..."

 

We do offer attractive rates for singles where the supplement is only 125% of the stateroom fare on selected voyages. They are listed on our website and are subject to change since they are capacity controlled. Here is a link: http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/promotions/Fantastic-Rates-Singles

 I noticed that there are three Mediterranean voyages listed for November with 125%:

Nov 4 / Azamara Journey / 10 nights

Nov 7 / Azamara Quest / 11 nights

Nov 14 / Azamara Journey / 15 nights

 

With respect to special promotions, we are offering on selected 2012 European voyages up to $2,000 in ChoiceAir credits per couple and a complimentary stateroom upgrade from Club Oceanview to Club Veranda. This offer is time-sensitive and the last day to book is March 31, 2012. Here is a link for complete details and conditions.

http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/promotions/2012-europe-program

 

I suggest that you enroll to receive Azamara email of offers by visiting our website's home page. At the bottom you'll find "LINKS" and then to the right you'll see "Sign Up for Email."

http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/

 

One last comment, I believe that with our without a promotion, Azamara is an exceptional value. On every voyage, our standard tariff includes gratuities for housekeeping, dining and bar staff; boutique wines with lunch and dinner; bottled water, soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas; complimentary self-service laundry; shuttle service to and from ports, where available and English butler service for suite guests. In fact, we were pleased to learn that in Cruise Critic's 2012 Cruisers’ Choice Awards, that in the "Overall Small Ship Category" our two vessels were rated the highest but were also rated #1 in five of nine categories. This is a true reflection of our onboard team’s commitment to deliver an “azamazing” experience, both onboard and on shore. These results are especially meaningful because they are based solely on ratings awarded by cruisers when they post a review on Cruise Critic.

 

Now you have a lot to digest to make your decision. I hope that you'll decide to vacation with Azamara!

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[Lady Slipper]

Hi Bill,

 

I wish I had seen the information you just gave before we took our first Azamara cruise. I tried to understand the information given onboard but found it confusing. They way I understood it if we got a really good deal through our travel agent then we most likely would not be able to use the certificate. So we decided not to get one as we have a travel agent that sends us deals from time to time and we ususally go through them. We hope that another good deal for Azamara will come our way soon. We got a taste of Azamara that leaves us wanting more!

The attention you give to each question is impressive. That shows how Azamara really cares. Thank you very much.

 

Tresa

[Bill Leiber]

Hi Bill,

 

I wish I had seen the information you just gave before we took our first Azamara cruise. I tried to understand the information given onboard but found it confusing. They way I understood it if we got a really good deal through our travel agent then we most likely would not be able to use the certificate. So we decided not to get one as we have a travel agent that sends us deals from time to time and we ususally go through them. We hope that another good deal for Azamara will come our way soon. We got a taste of Azamara that leaves us wanting more!

The attention you give to each question is impressive. That shows how Azamara really cares. Thank you very much.

 

Tresa

Hello Tresa -

 

Thanks and you're welcome for your time and effort to thank me.

 

I think you should enroll to receive Azamara email offers. Visit our website's home page and at the bottom you'll find "LINKS" and then to the right you'll see "Sign Up for Email."

http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/

 

After you've seen your travel agent, we'll look forward to welcoming you on board again!

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[TSmith48]

Hello Kevnzworld -

 

We hope that we'll have the opportunity to welcome you onboard Azamara Club Cruises this coming November. Hopefully to help you with your decision-making here are answers to your questions:

 

When you're on Celebrity you'll be able to purchase either an Azamara "Open Passage" or "Reserved Passage" which offer a $200 to $600 savings per stateroom depending on category and voyage length:

 Voyages of 8 nights or less, you will receive a $200-$400 discount per stateroom, depending on category.

 Voyages of 9 nights or more, you will receive a $400-$600 discount per stateroom, depending on category.

 

According to the manager of onboard programs for the three brands, although "we only openly market and promote the brand of that ship, however we will gladly book any of the three brands the guest may want to book..."

 

We do offer attractive rates for singles where the supplement is only 125% of the stateroom fare on selected voyages. They are listed on our website and are subject to change since they are capacity controlled. Here is a link: http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/promotions/Fantastic-Rates-Singles

 I noticed that there are three Mediterranean voyages listed for November with 125%:

Nov 4 / Azamara Journey / 10 nights

Nov 7 / Azamara Quest / 11 nights

Nov 14 / Azamara Journey / 15 nights

 

With respect to special promotions, we are offering on selected 2012 European voyages up to $2,000 in ChoiceAir credits per couple and a complimentary stateroom upgrade from Club Oceanview to Club Veranda. This offer is time-sensitive and the last day to book is March 31, 2012. Here is a link for complete details and conditions.

http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/promotions/2012-europe-program

 

I suggest that you enroll to receive Azamara email of offers by visiting our website's home page. At the bottom you'll find "LINKS" and then to the right you'll see "Sign Up for Email."

http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/

 

One last comment, I believe that with our without a promotion, Azamara is an exceptional value. On every voyage, our standard tariff includes gratuities for housekeeping, dining and bar staff; boutique wines with lunch and dinner; bottled water, soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas; complimentary self-service laundry; shuttle service to and from ports, where available and English butler service for suite guests. In fact, we were pleased to learn that in Cruise Critic's 2012 Cruisers’ Choice Awards, that in the "Overall Small Ship Category" our two vessels were rated the highest but were also rated #1 in five of nine categories. This is a true reflection of our onboard team’s commitment to deliver an “azamazing” experience, both onboard and on shore. These results are especially meaningful because they are based solely on ratings awarded by cruisers when they post a review on Cruise Critic.

 

Now you have a lot to digest to make your decision. I hope that you'll decide to vacation with Azamara!

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

 

I have just had a long and frustrating discussion with my TA, after she had an even longer and more frustrating one with the RCI office in Sydney. The upshot of this was that I could not combine my prepaid Open Passage with the latest Azamara ICCA promotion that offers $500 OBC. When I purchased the Open Passage on board last April, it was on the understanding that it could be combined with future offers. But today I found that it could not. I can either accept the free Air plus $500 OBC, or free air and use my Open Passage voucher. But not both. And it has taken from 8 this morning until 2pm to eventually get this established. Not happy. I am feeling a bit ripped off.