The "Azamara black-hole"

[goorawin]

Having sailed on Azamara Guest in 2010 my wife and I were very impressed so much so that we recommended Azamara to many other people. Based on our recommendation at least 25 to 30 people have since done cruises with Azamara.

Last year we booked a cruise of the Black Sea with the Quest. Unfortunately due to the war in Ukraine a number of ports had to be changed.

Having already booked quite a number of shore excursions online with Azamara for various ports some of which were cancelled, we falsely assumed we would be credited for these cancelled tours. and be able to use that credit for tours in the revised ports. I was not impressed when we asked to pay for the additional shore excursions in the revised ports, while they still had our credit.

I sent many emails which were never answered, made a number of phone calls and even sent a letter to the General Manager in Head Office, which by the way, I didn't get a reply. Fortunately several weeks before our departure I did get onto someone who actually did something, and we eventually got our money back. I thought that perhaps, I had just been plain unlucky.

However on boarding the ship, to my horror I discovered that many people had not even been reimbursed before boarding. Some had been out of pocket for almost 12 months, which is pretty disgraceful for any Company these days.

 

Last year we booked yet another cruise while onboard Azamara thinking that after our discussion with onboard staff, and being give assurances that everything would be improved.

 

 

Unfortunately I can report that the last five months has seen anything but improvement. All I have been asking for is an updated invoice which show the correct discounts offered onboard. In November we spent 2 sessions of about 2 hours each on the phone, who by the way was in Guatemala, and still did not get what we requested. We are based in the South Pacific and meant to have a office in the region but from what I understand it is now all based in Guatemala.

 

 

I have just started another email campaign in the hope that someone will answer one of them, but I really think that they will end up down the "Azamara black-hole", in administration.

It's got to a stage where I am considering cancelling the whole trip and lose about $1200 deposit. If that happened it would not be good news for Azamara's advertising.

 

 

It's a shame really as generally the staff on both ships are very considerate of passengers needs. However it's only a matter of time before they get sick of covering up for a very poor administration system and once that happens it will start to show on the service they provide.

 

 

I just cannot believe in this day and age that Company such as Azamara can be so bad at ignoring customers requests.

 

 

We happen to be going on another cruise later in the year with a Company called Ponant, whom we've been with before, and they have had to change disembarkation port for this cruise. Well I can tell you this, they would run rings around Azamara for customer support in Australia.

[Spursgirl]

Your experience is very disappointing.

 

In the UK we have also had many issues with the Guatamala call centre which is hopeless but are fortunate enough to have the resource of Azamara's UK MD who troubleshoots successfully on our behalf.

 

I do hope that Bonnie reads your post and is able to assist you.

 

Good luck.

[goorawin]

Thank you for your concerns.

It's interesting that UK has also experienced problems, no doubt every country has the same issues, but then maybe not in America!!!!!!.

It just a shame the Company will not address the major issues. It is almost like they do not want to deal with customers because I can tell you they are not trying to fix their systems.

Good luck to anyone who emails or writes a letter to them because they simply do not reply. But they do have the very best “Black Hole” for emails and letters, you will ever find.

If you ring you spend hours on the phone to a very poor call centre.

I keep asking myself, why would anyone in their right mind want to deal with such a Company?????????

[BillC]

The initial problems with the call center switch were not limited to the UK, but we felt them as well in North America. Over the last few months their performance has improved significantly from my perspective as a travel agent that calls them just about every day.

 

I also understand the quality issues re: their IT systems. The current system used by agencies is called "Cruise Match" and RCL, Celebrity and Azamara announced this week that a completely new booking management system, called "Espresso" will start operations on 3/29/15. The Cruise Match sysatem will be retired on 8/3/15. The only unknown that I have is how much of an improvement the new system will be. Having spent 37 years in the IT industry, I am hopeful, but do expect that it won't be perfect on day 1.

[goorawin]

Thank you for the update on their new!!!!! systems. You still have to have people that are interested in communication to work the software.

Mind you, that does not explain why emails and mail to The General Manager in Head Office are not answered. Maybe he's the problem?????????

 

As a passenger there is no method of communicating with the Company, it really is unbelievable.

 

I will tell you about their log-in web site sometime, which is also a joke

 

I want to book air tickets and plan the rest of our trip, as I can get really good deals on airfares at the moment. However I am not prepared to do anything under the current situation and in case I decide that I can not handle Azamara the Company anymore.

[BBMacLaird]

Having sailed on Azamara Guest in 2010 my wife and I were very impressed so much so that we recommended Azamara to many other people. Based on our recommendation at least 25 to 30 people have since done cruises with Azamara.

Last year we booked a cruise of the Black Sea with the Quest. Unfortunately due to the war in Ukraine a number of ports had to be changed.

Having already booked quite a number of shore excursions online with Azamara for various ports some of which were cancelled, we falsely assumed we would be credited for these cancelled tours. and be able to use that credit for tours in the revised ports. I was not impressed when we asked to pay for the additional shore excursions in the revised ports, while they still had our credit.

I sent many emails which were never answered, made a number of phone calls and even sent a letter to the General Manager in Head Office, which by the way, I didn't get a reply. Fortunately several weeks before our departure I did get onto someone who actually did something, and we eventually got our money back. I thought that perhaps, I had just been plain unlucky.

However on boarding the ship, to my horror I discovered that many people had not even been reimbursed before boarding. Some had been out of pocket for almost 12 months, which is pretty disgraceful for any Company these days.

 

Last year we booked yet another cruise while onboard Azamara thinking that after our discussion with onboard staff, and being give assurances that everything would be improved.

 

 

Unfortunately I can report that the last five months has seen anything but improvement. All I have been asking for is an updated invoice which show the correct discounts offered onboard. In November we spent 2 sessions of about 2 hours each on the phone, who by the way was in Guatemala, and still did not get what we requested. We are based in the South Pacific and meant to have a office in the region but from what I understand it is now all based in Guatemala.

 

 

I have just started another email campaign in the hope that someone will answer one of them, but I really think that they will end up down the "Azamara black-hole", in administration.

It's got to a stage where I am considering cancelling the whole trip and lose about $1200 deposit. If that happened it would not be good news for Azamara's advertising.

It's a shame really as generally the staff on both ships are very considerate of passengers needs. However it's only a matter of time before they get sick of covering up for a very poor administration system and once that happens it will start to show on the service they provide.

I just cannot believe in this day and age that Company such as Azamara can be so bad at ignoring customers requests.

We happen to be going on another cruise later in the year with a Company called Ponant, whom we've been with before, and they have had to change disembarkation port for this cruise. Well I can tell you this, they would run rings around Azamara for customer support in Australia.

 

Hello Goorawin,

I have communicated with the Market Lead for Australia, explaining your unhappiness. Her name is Clarissa Williams. Please send her an email at cruiseadmin.au@rcclapac.com, mark it attention Clarissa Williams, and please mention you have posted on Cruise Critic. She will let me know when she's heard from you.

On behalf of all us, I apologize for your frustrations. Hopefully it will be cleared up soon.

B.rgds,

Bonnie

[ginabab]

Bonnie, it is really great that you are able to suggest a path that might resolve this

[goorawin]

GOOD NEWS.

There a two bits of good news the first is that Bonnie has at least given me the name of a person I can direct my requests to. The sad part is that I have sent many emails to that email address before and not had a response.

The second bit of good news is that I have received a reply from a different person at the same email address.

Unfortunately she did not send a detailed invoice, as requested, and the totals do not match the original totals, so I can not compare anything.

Time will tell as to how long this will take to sort out.

It would have been so much simpler for everyone had they addressed this issue way back in November when I first requested the information.

 

 

Bonnie I will email Clarissa and hopefully she can speed up the process so I can get on with doing the things I enjoy, planning trips and seeing the world.

Thanks

[goorawin]

PROGRESS!!!!!!!!!!

We have at last been sent the detailed invoices which I have been requesting for only about five months. Which is good news.

However as I mentioned before the invoices do not match the invoices we received while on board.

So now to complete the story.

When we made our on board booking on the Journey in September last year, there were various discounts offered, as is always the case.

Now one of those discounts had only just becoming available and believe it or not their computer system could not accept the code of it. So the cruise sales manager, a very nice lady called Cindy, hand wrote all the details on our invoices. She stressed the fact that the invoice would be update once the software could accept the code, and that we should make sure our final invoice reflected those discounts.

Every time I have contacted Azamara I've mentioned this additional discount and sent them copies of the original invoices.

Yesterday was the first day that someone has said that they will look into. So I think that is progress, at last.

Now, I have all my fingers crossed that this may finally get resolved.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I really don't think the change over to the new Espresso software has anything to do with this. I'm looking forward to that change, as the software is awesome, but of course, there will be some growing pains.

 

The OP sounds most frustrated that his original promos weren't honored at a later date. This should be something that even a supervisor at Azamara could handle pretty easily. One phone call to the OP and it could be straightened out. I hope it gets resolved as we are all watching to see how Azamara handles this. Good luck, OP.

[goorawin]

Thank you so much for your support.

It would be really great if we could get heaps of support because even if I do pull out of going on the two cruises we have booked, I would like to push on to make Management take much more responsibility for giving all passengers better support.

 

As well they generally have really great staff on board, and they are getting feed-up to the eye-ball, with having to deal with poor management and administration response onshore.

You are absolutely correct in saying that “even a supervisor at Azamara could handle pretty easily”, it's just a shame they didn't. Maybe it's because they were not encouraged or allowed by management to make decisions in the best interest of passengers and the company, who knows!!!!!

It's now three days since the last email so I guess I shouldn't expect the wheels to turn too quickly, and after all it was over a weekend.

So I will give them another day or so.

[goorawin]

Finally a solution..................

Yesterday a revised invoices arrived with the correct totals.

There is no doubt that I'm pleased with the final outcome. Sadly however so many people within the Company have had to put their valuable time and effort into resolving such a simple issue. There just has to be a better way. Please..... please....... sort it out!!!!!!!.

At least now I can get on and plan the balance of our trip.

 

 

However I am a little reluctant to use Azamara's land discoveries online, which did have and probably still has, a very poor accounting system.

 

 

Please correct me if I am wrong.

Last year when booking tours we had to provide full credit card details each time we booked a tour. After booking a number of tours and entering details each time, there was no way to see a total of what had been debited to the credit card. You had to do the sums yourself to get a final total.

I can accept that at a pinch, and I guess it does mean that it is more secure.

However what I can not accept is, they retain all your credit card details on file from the first time you enter them, without you ever agreeing to it. No doubt they hold that information until the cruise ends.

On the other hand if for any reason you are due a refund, they credit that card without even asking you or giving you another option, even though it could be months down the track. I would suggest that it could even be illegal in some countries.

 

 

In this day and age why can't they set up a secure web site that allows you to enter your credit card details just the once and you agree for them to keep that on file until you have completed the cruise.

In fact there are many web sites that do that now and they seem to work well.

You could then book all your tours, view your account when ever you like and of course could change or add a different credit card if required. All this without having to enter those details again.

 

Now when boarding for the cruise all that information, including the debits and credits, could be transferred to your on board account.

It would not only save Azamara staff time during the boarding process but also allow you to be fully aware of what you have spent at any point in time.

How about it Azamara???????

Just an idea from a silly old bloke!!!!!

Thank you for your time and all those who assisted in getting this resolved.

[goorawin]

Follow-up

 

Last week I had a very nice phone call from a Clarissa at Royal Caribbean Cruises.

She has at least look into all the communication that I have sent over the last 12 months and I think she may now have a better understanding of why I became so frustrated with their systems.

I can only hope that these systems are changed for the better, so that my frustrating experience will not be repeated on others.

Anyway enough said, and thanks to the Cruise Critic forum for at least bring it into the open. Without that I may have been still waiting for a reply.