UPDATE: Azamara Journey October 2018 sailings

[BBMacLaird]

My TA and I just had a joint call with Azamara. I had used an Azamara Passage certificate for one of our B2B's. I wanted that returned to my account since we decided to cancel both cruises after the itineraries were changed so drastically and the other options offered were not satisfactory to us.

 

The Azamara Rep was trying to say they would "make a one time exception" for the Passage. certificate to go back to my account. Why would this be an exception? They changed the itinerary, not me. They gave the option to cancel. It is not my fault I I booked using a Passage certificate that I purchased to use on a future cruise. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

Of course they should return the Azamara Passage certificate back to me!

Bonnie, are you still monitoring this thread? Do you have an opinion on this?

 

My opinion is the same as yours...we should return the Azamara Passage certificate back to your account and be grateful when you rebook another voyage with us.

I am sorry that others are canceling. <|3

I do hope they'll give us another chance.

[a4a96257]

The date has been extended to September 8th.

We have also booked with Oceania.Just frustrated with Azamara and how they could not accommodate loyal customers.

[mugggs]

I continue to wait to hear if Azamara will honour my B2B voyages. Incredibly 8 days have now passed by since I contacted them after receiving the emails re changes. Redeployment can't assist until revenue makes a decision. Why so long?

 

 

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[rallydave]

Absolutely beyond belief how Azamara has almost completely botched this charger and multiple Cuba cruises. Would have thought all of the descriptions of how Azamara messed up over a week ago would get their so called management's attention but, all they did was to apologize for a single issue out of many. And, remember CC only represents a small percentage of their customers. And even the apology issue where a date was announced here, how many of the other perhaps 90% got that message, not on the website and with some people here still not having been contacted or their TA's being contacted, can only imagine how many hundreds or thousands are still in limbo.

 

And from a report a similar fiasco occurred over a year ago so nothing learned from that either. And reported delays like 6 weeks for a refund as well as no resolution after another week show that nobody is home in Miami. And to top it off, Bonnie is asking us to give them another chance????? Just how many chances does anyone thing they need?? Enough is enough!!!! Appears Azamara has a death wish to shut down the company. My TA and I are still waiting for a response for over a week now. Don't think unbelievable is strong enough. Hope Azamara makes enough on their charter which they still haven't acknowledged and the Cuba cruise to overcome lots of people bailing not only for their previously booked cruise but, forever. Simply beyond belief.

 

And, we now have reports of a TA with 4 booked trips on Azamara wanting to transfer them back to the customer because Azamara continues to be so difficult to work with!

Edited August 18, 2017 by rallydave

[goofysmom99]

I've been emailing my TA while she is aboard the Equinox and she still hasn't received anything from Azamara.

[a4a96257]

Just checked my mastercard and noticed a credit for 1000.00 for the cruise cancelled in Oct.Our deposit was 1100.00.Why are we being charged a cancellation charge when they cancelled the cruise?Check your mastercards people.I sent a message to my t/a to check it out.

[Cruise Junky]

Just checked my mastercard and noticed a credit for 1000.00 for the cruise cancelled in Oct.Our deposit was 1100.00.Why are we being charged a cancellation charge when they cancelled the cruise?Check your mastercards people.I sent a message to my t/a to check it out.

 

That's criminal given this debacle.

[mugggs]

Just checked my mastercard and noticed a credit for 1000.00 for the cruise cancelled in Oct.Our deposit was 1100.00.Why are we being charged a cancellation charge when they cancelled the cruise?Check your mastercards people.I sent a message to my t/a to check it out.

 

 

 

This entire affair is now beyond ridiculous Fidel must laughing down at us all [emoji23]

 

 

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[rallydave]

It's almost like with each post there are more and more screw ups. Will they ever learn. And then we are asked to give them another chance. How many chances is anyone willing to give them?

 

At least the 6 weeks to get the credit isn't true but, how many more screw ups before management gets it right?

 

 

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[mugggs]

Perhaps we should all arrange a reunion voyage and have a laugh. It really is so silly and could have been handled differently. I've had many private conversations with friends around the world regarding this redeployment. Sadly most are abandoning Azazara and moving to Oceania & Seabourn if I remain loyal to Azamara I shall have no TA friends left to sail with!

 

 

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[mugggs]

Perhaps I should try the other companies

 

 

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[bbqoug]

Just checked my mastercard and noticed a credit for 1000.00 for the cruise cancelled in Oct.Our deposit was 1100.00.Why are we being charged a cancellation charge when they cancelled the cruise?Check your mastercards people.I sent a message to my t/a to check it out.

 

That is horrible. You should absolutely get a full refund of your deposit under these circumstances.

[Snow day]

Will let everyone know how our TA with Viking goes in November. We have been very impressed so far with their responsiveness and customer orientation.

[rallydave]

Everyone who is cancelling. Make sure you or your TA get s revised invoice from Azamara and make sure it shows the $1100 or whatever your deposit is and if you don't get the correct credit immediately put a dispute on your credit card. The invoice is all you need to get an immediate credit and let the card company fight it. Guarantee you bail almost immediately get the credit and eventually the credit card company will notify you that the dispute is settled and you already have the full correct credit.

 

 

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[laurieb]

Just checked my mastercard and noticed a credit for 1000.00 for the cruise cancelled in Oct.Our deposit was 1100.00.Why are we being charged a cancellation charge when they cancelled the cruise?Check your mastercards people.I sent a message to my t/a to check it out.

 

 

 

I suspect that it's something in their system that is automatic for cancellations and your refund will be corrected as soon as they are notified

 

 

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[laurieb]

Everyone who is cancelling. Make sure you or your TA get s revised invoice from Azamara and make sure it shows the $1100 or whatever your deposit is and if you don't get the correct credit immediately put a dispute on your credit card. The invoice is all you need to get an immediate credit and let the card company fight it. Guarantee you bail almost immediately get the credit and eventually the credit card company will notify you that the dispute is settled and you already have the full correct credit.

 

 

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Dave really, give them a chance to make things right. They aren't criminals. It's not like they're going under. Yes they have some big issues they are dealing with but really...

 

 

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[Cruise Junky]

Dave really, give them a chance to make things right. They aren't criminals. It's not like they're going under. Yes they have some big issues they are dealing with but really...

 

 

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Should they not have had their ducks in a row before cancelling on their guests? Let's not lose sight here...Azamara caused this, they accepted the charter, they changed the cruises, they sent out the communication. Azamara had 100% complete control of this situation yet they elected to keep the cancellation penalty in place ..did they just forget? That's not really an encouraging thought.

[laurieb]

Oh I completely agree that Azamara has messed up big time. I am also holding out hope that they will make everything 100% right for everyone who has been affected.

 

 

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[Duck Duck Cruise]

We have been looking at the crossing and wanted to book it, then saw it disappeared. We found it as it appears now for the 14 days and wanted to book because we do like the itinerary better. Our TA told us, "I am working on this. For some reason they are not releasing cabins. Something about reaccommodating a cancelled cruise."

 

I think she will not be able to book us until after the September 8th date.

[uktog]

There is the old adage a happy person tells 7 others an unhappy person tells 27. I remember how many people we told when Azamara handled our last minute cancelled Japan cruise so well.

[nordski]

We have been looking at the crossing and wanted to book it, then saw it disappeared. We found it as it appears now for the 14 days and wanted to book because we do like the itinerary better. Our TA told us, "I am working on this. For some reason they are not releasing cabins. Something about reaccommodating a cancelled cruise."

 

I think she will not be able to book us until after the September 8th date.

 

I think it was suggested at some point on this thread that the staterooms on the affected cruises were being released before clients on the original itineraries had made up their minds as to their course of action.

 

That was not our experience. Our original stateroom was still reserved.

 

That, of course, is supported by your experience.

[rallydave]

Dave really, give them a chance to make things right. They aren't criminals. It's not like they're going under. Yes they have some big issues they are dealing with but really...

 

 

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Laurieb never said or implied they were criminals. They are simply incompetent Almost everything they seem to do has to be redone and that takes time and costs Azamara and the TAs time and money. When we booked this cruise on board a year ago it took 5 yes five tries to get a correct invoice for the correct cruise. Yes the first invoice was not for the cruise that we told the consultant to book.

 

As I said earlier they have had more than enough tried to get things correct the first time and all I suggested in the previous post was to get the money due back from the credit card company now and let the credit card company get the money back from Azamara Thus saving the TA time and money

 

This does give them another chance to get things right with the customer and TA not waiting and without the full refund.

 

It is painfully obvious that Azamara has a systemic problem and has had it for a long time but has chosen not to fix it. And you said they are not going under but if they continue to not fix this problem and loyal customers continue to move to other companies and pass the word never know how long before they might go under.

 

 

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[uktog]

From a post on the rollcall board it seems at least one US travel agent is walking away from dealing with Azamara and was just transferring bookings back to guests aka Azamara is too much work to earn commission with. It is true many of them will be spending a lot of unproductive time given cancellations etc. Ultimately agents rather than guests could cause most damage.

[excitedofharpenden]

I find it very sad that Azamara are doing this. They have (to me at least when I've been affected) always been most fair. I don't know where this is coming from up the chain. Is this the Bert Van Middendorp and upper RCI way? Hope not. Clearing out the loyal when it's taken a while to get there is not a good plan.

 

Phil

Edited August 19, 2017 by excitedofharpenden

[Cruseforme]

DH and I had contacted our TA about a couple of nice itineraries that we saw on Azamara, as we previously had been on Celebrity and Oceania and thought we might wish to try it. After reading this board, and discussing our options with our TA, who has been feverishly working with several of her loyal Azamara clients on rebooking (and while she will not comment due to professionalism, has inferred that she is very disappointed), we have decided to stay with O. Do not like the attitude of the Azamara executives, and don't want to put my money into this cruise line. I have also discussed with neighbors (not on CC), who will be joining us on O this year instead of going on Azamara also. Bad publicity for Azamara and agree, this is being spread by word of mouth quickly. The exec's need to do some fast damage control IMHO. Of course, they will probably sell these cruises out later down the road to others, and sadly not learn a lesson....