I tried to take an Azamara Cruise

[p18750]

To say I am disappointed would be an understatement.

I was excited to find the recent Azamara promotion that provided a free upgrade to veranda and $1000 ChoiceAir credit so I booked it with a large travel agency in NH. That is when the trouble started.

 

We are taking a Celebrity Transatlantic prior to the Azamara cruise so we did not need RT airfare. So we called Azamara to see if RT airfare was required with the Choiceair promotion. Azamara sent me to ChoiceAir who sent me back to Azamara who told me the travel agent had not coded any ChoiceAir benefit into my invoice and then sent me back to ChoiceAir. So I have now been on the phone for over an hour and not gotten an answer from ChoiceAir or Azamara.

 

While I was on the phone with Azamara they went over my reservation and told me my Azamara OBC was $400 and not the $500 that was indicated in the email from the travel agent. I called the travel agent back and they could not find my reservation and told me to call back tomorrow.

 

I made a comment on the Azamara forum earlier this year that OBC was becoming too complex and now it appear the apparently straightforward ChoiceAir promotion is also too complex.

 

We truly enjoyed our Azamara Norway cruise earlier this year but it does not look like we will be taking another.

Edited October 25, 2016 by p18750

[Host Jazzbeau]

We can't judge what exactly is happening here, but IMHO it sounds more like you got raked by the TA than any problem with Azamara. Are you expecting that Azamara will offer you a rebate for not taking the free air?--I know Oceania does that, but not every cruise line does. It also seems possible that the extra $100 OBC was from the TA, so naturally Azamara wouldn't know about it. Lots of moving parts here, can't pin down the truth.

[p18750]

Well what I was expecting was someone at Azamara would be able to tell me if their offer of Choiceair credit was applicable to one way or roundtrip airfare. Since it was an Azamara offer that did not seem unreasonable.

 

As for the OBC there just seems to be confusion between the TA and Azamara that you would think could be quickly straightened out. I am not sure if this reflects on the TA or Azamara but it just contributes to me having to cancel my reservation on Azamara.

[BBMacLaird]

As Jazzbeau says it's hard to know what went wrong. But on the part of Azamara Club Cruises I'm sorry you didn't get the answers you were looking for, in the timeframe you wanted. I hope you'll give us another chance in the future.

We'd love to have you sail with us again soon.

[nordski]

 

Azamara sent me to ChoiceAir who sent me back to Azamara who told me the travel agent had not coded any ChoiceAir benefit into my invoice and then sent me back to ChoiceAir. So I have now been on the phone for over an hour and not gotten an answer from ChoiceAir or Azamara.

 

While I was on the phone with Azamara they went over my reservation and told me my Azamara OBC was $400 and not the $500 that was indicated in the email from the travel agent. I called the travel agent back and they could not find my reservation and told me to call back tomorrow.

 

 

I'm certain this is very frustrating.

 

The fact that the travel agency can't find the reservation may reflect some issues as to how this booking has been handled.

 

For example, was the OBC partially from the agency itself?

 

And since ChoiceAir operates across three RCI brands, I would not be surprised that the agent there needs to consult the original booking which,apparently, the agent did not post.

 

Regardless, hope you enjoy the cruise that you initially planned.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Sounds like the blame for the OBC mix-up might lie with your TA. In any case, if went ahead with the booking, your TA should absorb that extra $100.

[p18750]

I think the bottom line here is the cruise lines are making the perks more and more complex in an effort to maximize their profitability. Nothing wrong with that per se but when they become too complex for their own representatives to understand perhaps they need to simplify.

 

I think I remember their being four or more kinds of OBC, some refundable, some not, some usable before the cruise starts, some not, some usable for anything, some not usable for casino, etc. Of course they are all called OBC when you book and you don't know which you have until you get onboard.

 

Choiceair credits used to be straightforward. When you booked a flight for a cruise through ChoiceAir they reduced your bill by the credit amount. Now they have a list of restrictions which appear to be just a way to not pay the credit.

 

Personally I would prefer the lowest fare, no perks so I can reasonably gauge the cost of the cruise. But I understand advertising and why cruise lines and TAs started offering perks to attract customers. Perhaps it has now gone too far and is actually turning customers away.

[BBMacLaird]

Hi Scott and Shelly,

Just to add another layer or two to consider, you booked with a large agency and then rather than go through your agent for clarification you called the cruise line direct. Doing that puts our Customer Service in a bit of a hard place because they have to scramble to see what's on your booking and some of the offerings may be from your agent. Plus some agents do not like cruise lines dealing directly with their clients so our CS must thread carefully in what they offer up.

Then to complicate the issue, your agent had not coded your booking for ChoiceAir and thus how could our CS know what offer you'd seen and believed you were entitled to since offers can vary by region and by source. Our CS must have felt bad sending you back to your TA for clarification. Please know it is all our employees' wishes to serve you quickly and efficiently, not leave you unhappy as you have been.

 

Now, I'm no expert on our ChoiceAir or promotions that include it, but I'd venture a guess that if you booked a voyage that entitles you to a $1000 air credit for RT, but only plan to fly one-way, then you should be entitled to half = $500. Seems a win-win..we will benefit from having you on a voyage we are promoting and you enjoy an air credit to return home. But as said, I'm not the last word on these things.

 

I do hope you'll give us another try to work this out for you.

[p18750]

Well Bonnie that is not quite true. I was directed to call Azamara by the TA since they said the rules for the ChoiceAir promotion are governed by Azamara and they could not tell me what the rules are. This agrees with the disclaimer on the TA site "... visit AzamaraClubCruises.com/CLIAsale2016 and, for ChoiceAir program details ...".

So I did go the TA and they sent me to Azamara. I then bounced between Azamara and ChoiceAir several times until the ChoiceAir person told me to ask the Azamara rep about a "clia?" code that needed to be present for them to evaluate the issue. At this point the Azamara person indicated the invoice from the TA was lacking in several areas at which point I went back to the TA.

So contrary to your post I think I did everything right. I booked with a large TA, I called the TA with a question, they referred me to Azamara and I called Azamara.

Your point that taking a one way rather than RT flight would entitle me to half of the benefit. Except I was replacing one of the flights with a Celebrity cruise! So RCL should have been happy I was taking two of their cruises rather than just one. I fail to see how sending money to AA rather than RCL makes sense to RCL.

Again, my point is that cruise promotions are getting too complex for the TA, RCL or the customer to understand and therefore more mistakes are made and more customers are less than satisfied. As you can see from my signature I have been a very loyal RCL customer and I would rather RCL improve their cruise practices than switch to another cruise line.

[midwestchick]

I don't book with a big box travel site. I have an excellent TA and when I have questions, she has never referred me back to the cruise line. She has also helped me with my Choice Air flights.

My advice is to either book directly with the cruise line or find a reliable TA.

Once you book with a TA, they own your booking and it's not expected you will contact the cruise line with questions.

[laurieb]

Reading this, I would say the TA you used is at fault. No good TA would direct you to call Azamara; that is their job! Find yourself a better ta and go on your cruise

 

 

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[Riocca]

Although we are in the U.K. so don't get choice air if we booked air travel with the cruise line then our TA would deal with it all on our behalf, it's their job! After all, at least in the U.K., the air fare is commissionable so sounds like a lazy TA to us.

 

 

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[florisdekort]

Reading this, I would say the TA you used is at fault. No good TA would direct you to call Azamara; that is their job! Find yourself a better ta and go on your cruise

 

 

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[emoji106] Spot on. I never use a TA but given that you did, they should be handling all of this for you and you should not have to speak to Azamara directly on anything.

 

 

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[nordski]

[emoji106] Spot on. I never use a TA but given that you did, they should be handling all of this for you and you should not have to speak to Azamara directly on anything.

 

 

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Exactly.

 

Not only should they be clarifying the regulations and policies they MUST do so.

 

The agent is directly responsible for the booking.

 

 

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[dcsam]

Sounds like you need a different TA. Once we book with a TA, all calls and questions go through them. Directing you to contact Azamara should have been a big no no. This is how it works for other lines too - not just Azamara.

[critterchick]

Although we are in the U.K. so don't get choice air if we booked air travel with the cruise line then our TA would deal with it all on our behalf, it's their job! After all, at least in the U.K., the air fare is commissionable so sounds like a lazy TA to us.

 

 

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No commission on Choice Air in the US. But I do think that the TA should have taken the time to learn the rules and not just brush off the client.

[LOP]

Yep, must agree that your TA is the culprit on this one and if it is who I assume it is it does not surprise me.

 

I too, like you, learned from experience that some large TAs cannot handle cruises, especially specialty ones like Azamara and so I sought out a smaller family-owned TA and have not looked back.

 

I have learned there really is nothing "confusing" about the OBC's, the choiceair, the promotion perks of Azamara's offerings per my TA as they never seem to voice any issues...maybe they are just keeping the issues from me, which is what they are supposed to do so I do not have to stress about vacation.

 

We just booked a B2B2B for next year, 2 of the cruises we booked while on board last June and the 3rd when we returned home in July with our TA and transferred the original bookings to our TA also and they found even some more perks for those so we made out quite well, our TA is outstanding IMO.

 

So I feel you were misled by your TA that Azamara has issues in making their offerings complicated while in fact I do not find that the case at all at least in my dealings.

 

Good luck.

[ChucktownSteve]

No commission on Choice Air in the US. But I do think that the TA should have taken the time to learn the rules and not just brush off the client.

 

That TA the OP used does not do air. I had a cruise booked through them two years ago when the airline canceled my flight and rebooked my flight to arrive two days later...landing after the cruise sailed. I called the TA to see if they could help me find another flight. The "service" rep said we don't do air. You're on your own. I wound up being a no show at the dock.

Edited November 10, 2016 by ChucktownSteve

[upwarduk]

Can't Azamara choose the TA's who sell their cruises?

If Chucktownsteve's TA was so bad they shouldn't be operating.

[ChucktownSteve]

Can't Azamara choose the TA's who sell their cruises?

If Chucktownsteve's TA was so bad they shouldn't be operating.

 

They are a cruise only TA. The no show cruise was an international flight. I learned my lesson. For international cruises such as the one we're taking on Azamara, we used a full service online agency which gives good service, perks & can handle our air.

 

I did use that NH TA again but for a cruise out of FLL that I'm driving to. The multiple perks were too good to pass up.

 

But now I know about them and lack of service so I am selective in using them.

 

BTW, that NH agency, even though they got paid their full commission on the no show cruise, tagged my credit card for a cancellation fee two months after the cruise date. So I guess you can say I got CONed

Edited November 10, 2016 by ChucktownSteve

[donaldsc]

Yep, must agree that your TA is the culprit on this one and if it is who I assume it is it does not surprise me.

 

I too, like you, learned from experience that some large TAs cannot handle cruises, especially specialty ones like Azamara and so I sought out a smaller family-owned TA and have not looked back.

 

I have learned there really is nothing "confusing" about the OBC's, the choiceair, the promotion perks of Azamara's offerings per my TA as they never seem to voice any issues...maybe they are just keeping the issues from me, which is what they are supposed to do so I do not have to stress about vacation.

 

We just booked a B2B2B for next year, 2 of the cruises we booked while on board last June and the 3rd when we returned home in July with our TA and transferred the original bookings to our TA also and they found even some more perks for those so we made out quite well, our TA is outstanding IMO.

 

So I feel you were misled by your TA that Azamara has issues in making their offerings complicated while in fact I do not find that the case at all at least in my dealings.

 

Good luck.

 

+1 on that problem w the travel agent. We have a friend who cruises a lot and is now on a B2B2B2B2B2B2B - I think I got the count right. Their TA is also our TA and he so far has always gotten it right.

 

DON

[riandei]

To say I am disappointed would be an understatement.

I was excited to find the recent Azamara promotion that provided a free upgrade to veranda and $1000 ChoiceAir credit so I booked it with a large travel agency in NH. That is when the trouble started.

 

We are taking a Celebrity Transatlantic prior to the Azamara cruise so we did not need RT airfare. So we called Azamara to see if RT airfare was required with the Choiceair promotion. Azamara sent me to ChoiceAir who sent me back to Azamara who told me the travel agent had not coded any ChoiceAir benefit into my invoice and then sent me back to ChoiceAir. So I have now been on the phone for over an hour and not gotten an answer from ChoiceAir or Azamara.

 

While I was on the phone with Azamara they went over my reservation and told me my Azamara OBC was $400 and not the $500 that was indicated in the email from the travel agent. I called the travel agent back and they could not find my reservation and told me to call back tomorrow.

 

I made a comment on the Azamara forum earlier this year that OBC was becoming too complex and now it appear the apparently straightforward ChoiceAir promotion is also too complex.

 

We truly enjoyed our Azamara Norway cruise earlier this year but it does not look like we will be taking another.

 

 

 

Can u tell me when this promo ended...i have been looking for this again as we used it in 2014 and would love to go again with the 1000$ air credit

[ProfessorEFFE]

We have used that TA in NH only one time. Our experience with this agency was not stellar by any means. We usually do our own reservations, but the perks this agency offered were too good to pass up. I think eventually we got all of our perks but it was an ordeal.

 

We did try a different TA and this one seems more tuned in to what is going on.

 

So my advice is to try a different TA.