Guatemala strikes again...

[Cruise Junky]

I booked both cruises of the B2b on board. That is nonrefundable

 

Ah, that makes sense. Thank you

[Spursgirl]

Hi Phil,

I'm pleased that your agent has ways of gaining a satisfactory resolution with Guatamala, my agent has had to resort to Mr Twynham on 3 occasions for 3 different cruises this year and we are still being given the "go around" at the moment. I am so despondent about the lack of progress with the whole process, that once I have completed my current bookings I am changing my allegiance. I love the on board experience, but I want to have a good pre-cruise experience as well.

 

G :(

 

I am in the same position as you in that I am seriously considering jumping ship (excuse the pun) after my two booked Azamara experiences.

 

Guatamala is hopeless - every agent gives a different answer and they are usually all wrong. My TA says her heart sinks when a client expresses interest in booking an Azamara cruise as she knows she will spend hours on the phone and then not be totally sure that the information she is given is correct.

 

When asking for a quote for my September cruise I told the agent at the Guatamala call centre that I wished to fly from London Heathrow but the agent could only tell me that flights could be offered from London. I pointed out that there are five airports in and around London and Heathrow was my choice. The agent repeated my flight would be from London. When I asked her to confirm that the flight would NOT be from Gatwick she was unable to do so. I don't think she had heard of Gatwick. Losing patience I said that if she were unable to offer me a definite flight from Heathrow I could not progress the booking.

 

I then called my TA, who after hours on the phone being given information we both knew was incorrect she finally secured us Heathrow flights.

 

Sad to say booking an Azamara cruise requires you to complete an obstacle course. Yes, once on board everything is great but as others have commented the pre-cruise experience is horrendous.

[2fromTO]

The move of the reservations department to Guatemala may explain why we have been told that we can not transfer our Future Cruise Credit if we rebook at the new lower price offered by the BOGOHO promotion while another passenger on the same voyage was able to do so. Fairness, accuracy and consistency - should not be that hard to provide.

[pacheco18]

it continues to get worse

 

A rep called my TA about the online registration problem. The rep actually badmouthed me to the TA, saying that I did not know how to use the computer. LOLOL He put me on the phone. When I asked the rep if she was in Guatemala or Miami she refused to tell me, stating "it does not matter." I told it does and she finally "confessed' to being in Guatemala (apparently embarrassed to be there). Then she tried to input my data and realized there was a problem with the computer -- she has to notify the IT dept (I told her the first rep advised that there was no IT dept). She could not give an estimate as to how long it would take to fix -- could be weeks.

 

I really want to cancel my b2b but I would lose 1000.

 

I want to know for sure that my cruises for Sept. 2015 are a go. Otherwise, I will book something else. My TA tells me that, unlike other cruise lines, there is NO ONE IN MIAMI for him to call. I have a very proactive TA who wants to help me but he has no one to turn to.

 

What a disaster.

 

QUESTION FOR EITHER AZAMARA JOEL OR BONNIE

 

Can u give me assurances that my cruises on Journey begining on 9/20/15 are not being converted into charters???

[mare s.]

"A rep called my TA about the online registration problem. The rep actually badmouthed me to the TA, saying that I did not know how to use the computer."

 

Wow! So the default response to a problem is to be rude to and demean the customer??? Same thing happened to Florisdekort.

 

Azamara...you really have an issue that needs to be resolved asap. Between sudden charters and worse than bad customer service shoreside, you are not only alienating past customers, but you are making it hard for new customers and making it difficult for travel agents (and how do you think that's going to play out in terms of T.A. recommendations to their clients?)

 

I sure hope that between now and final payment next May, things improve. I never thought I'd say it, and I don't want to over react, but I am really re-thinking our booking.

[pacheco18]

Gets worse

 

The rep called me back

Found the problem -- she made a mistake inputting the information

That would have been great and i might have had some praise for her until she blamed my TA for something (which was incorrect and of course my loyalty is to my TA who takes good care of me). I quickly told him what she said.

 

My TA will NEVER book anyone on Azamara if he can avoid it.

 

Blame the customer

Blame the TA

 

Whose brilliant strategy is this?

[JVNYC]

Wow Laraine! This is crazy. I'm worried that Azamara may not be able to give you the answer you want in regards to your September b2b. The other thread concerns me in that they changed a sailing to a charter 9 months out. That can happen again, right?

 

I've never sailed Azamara and I'm likely not going to book now. I want peace of mind before I board the ship.

 

Keep us posted on your progress and hang in there!

[TERRIER1]

Gets worse

 

The rep called me back

Found the problem -- she made a mistake inputting the information

That would have been great and i might have had some praise for her until she blamed my TA for something (which was incorrect and of course my loyalty is to my TA who takes good care of me). I quickly told him what she said.

 

My TA will NEVER book anyone on Azamara if he can avoid it.

 

Blame the customer

Blame the TA

 

Whose brilliant strategy is this?

 

I don't understand why you would lose your deposit just because you booked on board? You would lose the on board booking discount and the $25 cancellation but why the deposit? Thanks.

[pacheco18]

On board booking deposit is non refundable. They say it over and over.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[JVNYC]

On board booking deposit is non refundable. They say it over and over.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

 

Eeek...the craziness continues!

[Andy]

On board booking deposit is non refundable. They say it over and over.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Wow. I wonder if & when that changed. I know it wasnt like that a few years ago.

 

Really sorry you are having such problems. I can see why you are so unhappy. Usually, I have ideas to assist, but as I have no contact with Azamara of late, I can only hope that your issues are resolved, and that you will continue on with your Azamara bookings.

 

Please keep us posted.

Edited August 14, 2014 by Host Andy

[florisdekort]

On board booking deposit is non refundable. They say it over and over.

 

 

Hmm. You were misinformed. The deposit is refundable except for $25. You lose the discount for booking on board though.

 

I really don't care where a call centre is based. Almost anywhere in the world these days the right recruitment strategy and the right salary/benefits packages can find you well educated staff that speaks English properly. Combine that with proper training, job shadowing, etc. before someone is let lose on live customers and there shouldn't be issues to the extend Azamara is experiencing.

 

Azamara management however has most likely decided to recruit 'cheap', has most definitely brought on quite a few call centre agents who speak English poorly (having tried to deal with them myself) and has only done some basic training. If you can't recognise bookings made directly as opposed to via a travel agent in your own system, if you don't know the world's major airports and their IATA codes, etc. etc. you simply shouldn't be on the phone selling cruises and flights, period.

 

If I was a shareholder / Board member of Azamara and if its strategy indeed still is to compete in the premium space, I would have very serious questions for management about this (i.m.o.) strategic blunder. Then again, who needs customers if you charter your ships out many months each year?

 

After 50+ Celebrity and Azamara cruises, I just booked my first Holland America cruise. I called their call centre, ended up with a very nice lady called Brenda (based in Seattle) who helped me from A to Z, gave me a very nice onboard credit (that has never happened with Azamara) and sent me an email with her direct phone number so I can deal with her directly with all my future requests. It really isn't rocket science...

 

Floris

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[procter]

Floris,

If your tale does not alert somebody to the issues after the time/money you have spent then God help Azamara.

Not sure if you are able to access twitter but a twit to Larry may be in order.

We are booked over Christmas on BA - Rio cruise but have not yet booked anything else until we begin to hear some positive things re pre cruise admin.

 

Good luck on Holland America as the age range is from 70 upwards.

We heard from our last trip on them that they trawl assisted living complexes and offer incentives for the homes for passengers.

I do not know your age but you still sound too young for them but good luck.

[mare s.]

Floris,

If your tale does not alert somebody to the issues after the time/money you have spent then God help Azamara.

Not sure if you are able to access twitter but a twit to Larry may be in order.

We are booked over Christmas on BA - Rio cruise but have not yet booked anything else until we begin to hear some positive things re pre cruise admin.

 

Good luck on Holland America as the age range is from 70 upwards.

We heard from our last trip on them that they trawl assisted living complexes and offer incentives for the homes for passengers.

I do not know your age but you still sound too young for them but good luck.

 

Our first couple of cruises (which hooked us on the concept of cruising) were with HAL and we were well below the "70 and upwards" demographic. We enjoyed HAL but we are itinerary focused and we also decided that formal nights were not really our thing. Tried Celebrity and then we found Azamara. On our last Azamara cruise there were lots of older folk with walkers. I think it really depends on length of cruise and itinerary. But I'd always prefer to cruise with "70 and up" than with partying 20 year olds! ;-)

[BillC]

Agree that the cancel fee for bookings is $25 per person, no matter where you made the booking. What may be confusing is that if you purchase a Passages certificate while on board it lasts until you use it. It can not be cashed in. When you decide to use the Passages certificate the booking number will be the same as the Passages number. After a few days your record will show the on board booking credit. If you decide to cancel this booking there is no penalty fee charged and the Passages certificate remains in effect.

[Spursgirl]

Agree that the cancel fee for bookings is $25 per person, no matter where you made the booking. What may be confusing is that if you purchase a Passages certificate while on board it lasts until you use it. It can not be cashed in. When you decide to use the Passages certificate the booking number will be the same as the Passages number. After a few days your record will show the on board booking credit. If you decide to cancel this booking there is no penalty fee charged and the Passages certificate remains in effect.

 

We had to cancel our June Quest cruise due to illness. This was booked with a passages certificate.

 

We lost our deposit which of course we were expecting but we also lost the use of the passages certificate for a future booking.

 

Do you know if this was an error or yet another instance where cruisers in the UK lose out?

[autumn lass]

We had to cancel our June Quest cruise due to illness. This was booked with a passages certificate.

 

We lost our deposit which of course we were expecting but we also lost the use of the passages certificate for a future booking.

 

Do you know if this was an error or yet another instance where cruisers in the UK lose out?

 

We lost our cerificate too when we cancelled in April due to illness and we are in the UK.

[JVNYC]

Laraine, did you hear anything about your Sept b2b? Did you decide to cancel?

[pacheco18]

Laraine, did you hear anything about your Sept b2b? Did you decide to cancel?

 

Thanks for asking

 

I have heard nothing.

 

My TA tells me that there is NO ONE to call at Azamara in Miami. He's a very experienced TA with connections at every other cruise line. He says Azamara is different. Very compartmentalized.

 

I am going to wait before booking air. By now I would be working on private tours but I am going to wait on that as well.

 

If I do take the b2b it will be my last Azamara cruise. I just do not want to risk plans being cancelled. Too bad. I like the line. I love the R ships and Azamara offers some nice itineraries. And we all love the on board experience. But that just does not compensate for the nonsense we all deal with before getting on board. Most of you have a lot more tolerance for it than I do.

[G2G]

Thanks for asking

 

I have heard nothing.

 

My TA tells me that there is NO ONE to call at Azamara in Miami. He's a very experienced TA with connections at every other cruise line. He says Azamara is different. Very compartmentalized.

 

I am going to wait before booking air. By now I would be working on private tours but I am going to wait on that as well.

 

If I do take the b2b it will be my last Azamara cruise. I just do not want to risk plans being cancelled. Too bad. I like the line. I love the R ships and Azamara offers some nice itineraries. And we all love the on board experience. But that just does not compensate for the nonsense we all deal with before getting on board. Most of you have a lot more tolerance for it than I do.

 

I hear you loud and clear and have come to the same decision myself. I hope that the Azamara management have been reading the posts recently, there are a lot of dissatisfied customers ready to give up on their product.

[Cruise Junky]

I hear you loud and clear and have come to the same decision myself. I hope that the Azamara management have been reading the posts recently, there are a lot of dissatisfied customers ready to give up on their product.

 

Us too. We put a hold on a cabin but have let the curtesy hold go. This garbage and last minute charters are just not worth it.

[2fromTO]

I hear you loud and clear and have come to the same decision myself. I hope that the Azamara management have been reading the posts recently, there are a lot of dissatisfied customers ready to give up on their product.

 

If we book again, it will only be to take advantage of a last minute promotion. Too much uncertainty with the charters, and, now with Azamara's reluctance to give us the new lower price under the BOGOHO promotion, we have been penalized for being loyal and booking early.

[ikelmay]

I accept that some of the reported commentary regarding travel agency staff is second-hand, but the reaction to the difficulties with the call center isn't surprising.

 

In this day and age of reduced commissions and tighter margins for TA's, it isn't hard to visualise even the best out there steering potential customers away from Azamara because they don't have the stamina, patience and motivation to waste several hours of their day trying to deal with Guatemala.

 

I find these current comments especially amusing given the dismissive tone from Azamara management a while back, telling customers that they had nothing to fear and that their new call center was much better than they were being given credit for...........

 

Time will tell.

[procter]

Quote 2from TO

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by G2G

I hear you loud and clear and have come to the same decision myself. I hope that the Azamara management have been reading the posts recently, there are a lot of dissatisfied customers ready to give up on their product.

 

If we book again, it will only be to take advantage of a last minute promotion. Too much uncertainty with the charters, and, now with Azamara's reluctance to give us the new lower price under the BOGOHO promotion, we have been penalized for being loyal and booking early.

End Quote

 

For once I agree with Azamara shore side.

Azamara do NOT offer a John Lewis (UK) guarantee of never being undersold.

Presumably you were happy with price/cabin at the price you paid.

No cruise company that I know guarantees you the lowest price.

At least in US you cancel for $25 at 90 days out in UK from January it will be £250 or $420 each at any time even a year ahead.

Maybe a reason to use USA agents instead.

I wonder how may UK residents will be using them in future.,

[AzamaraJoel]

Hello All, we have been monitoring this thread very carefully and it is very concerning some of the posts that have been made here regarding our customer service department handling our North American calls. We would like to address each of the situations noted here from a guest and travel agent perspective. Below you will find the email contact information for Susanne Bernroth, Lead Customer Service Manager in Miami who oversees our Call Center and Carmen Roig, Director of Sales North America who oversees all of our travel agent partners. If you have experienced an issue in dealing with our customer service team directly please contact Susanne. If you are a travel agent or know that your travel agent has had issues with our customer service department, please contact Carmen. We appreciate you bringing these concerns to our attention, we are working diligently to get the new call center up to speed and ask for your patience during this transition period.

 

Susanne Bernroth | Manager, Call Center

Azamara Club Cruises

SBernroth@AzamaraClubCruises.com

 

 

Carmen Corvos-Roig, Director of Sales, North America

Azamara Club Cruises

CRoig@AzamaraClubCruises.com

 

Thank You, Azamara Club Cruises