Land excursion cancellation notification

[Baynanno1]

I am having more than a little difficulty coming to terms with the content of an email received this morning.

 

Since I was unable to undertake my booked excursion to Petra a little over 2 years ago due to illness contracted on a ship's excursion to Luxor, I have looked forward to my upcoming overnight to Petra. At my age I am getting closer to a time when I may not be able to keep (or indeed as at present exceed) the walking pace of my fellow travelers.

 

59 days before the start date of the cruise on 28 March and 70 days before the date of my booked excursion, I have been informed it has been cancelled!!!

Apparently nobody else has booked yet. Pity those who intended to book after boarding and discussing with Shorex staff.

 

If we had not now paid in full and checked in, I would give very serious consideration to cancelling the cruise, as the overnight to Petra was the only reason we booked it.

 

At this point in time, the description remains on the MyAzamara website with an instruction to "check on board."

 

Options have been offered :

*Staying in "a bubble-suite tent (an upgrade)" . . . I don't think so, as the price on the internet is considerably less than the advertised Junior Suite at the Movenpick Hotel where I would much rather be accommodated. Also, some of the reviews are somewhat disturbing and the location is quite some distance from the Visitor Centre and entrance to the site of Petra.

*Or the one day ship's tour . . . which I do not want to do as it arrives later in the day, missing the early morning colours of Petra and obviously seeing less than can be seen on an overnight tour.

 

O.K. Rant over. I'll just sit back, relax and enjoy the onboard experience while working out how to spend masses of non-refundable OBC.

[tgg]

Are you sure the trip is cancelled because of a lack of bookings?  Any possibility it is being cancelled for operational reasons?  If my primary reasons for booking the cruise was to take the two day Petra trip, I'd be upset too.

 

Although others may disagree, I too would find it hard to spend masses of non-refundable OBC.

[Baynanno1]

14 minutes ago, tgg said:

Are you sure the trip is cancelled because of a lack of bookings?  Any possibility it is being cancelled for operational reasons?  If my primary reasons for booking the cruise was to take the two day Petra trip, I'd be upset too.

 

Although others may disagree, I too would find it hard to spend masses of non-refundable OBC.

 

"I do apologize, but we don’t have enough guests that reserved (you were the only one), and we are going to have to cancel it for lack of participation."

 

. . . Is what was said in part of the email . . . maybe someone forgot to book the hotel . . . there is no way I am spending a night in a bubble-tent!

[Cortesefam]

Baynanno1:  We're traveling on the 3/28 Quest sailing as well--I'm so sorry your excursion was canceled!  We looked at that option through the ship as well as with Jordan Horizon Tours, who offer an overnight hotel excursion to Petra.  In the end, we're doing the day excursion to Petra, and they've been great to work with--perhaps they could tailor the excursion to exactly your preference.

https://www.johtt.com/our-tours/16-shore-excursions-from-aqaba-port

 

 

[Doh15]

Some of those bubble tent places look quite nice (double beds, ensuite bathrooms, AC, transparent ceiling panels to see the desert night sky etc) but it sounds like you know which one you’d be using and it’s not what you are looking for. 

[Baynanno1]

A few selections from reviews plus the fact that it is some distance from where I would prefer to be as an older single woman on an excursion are enough to put me off from the offered options.

 

"If you choose to go do it with an open mind! - this is not a luxury hotel, you pay for the experience, for the sunsets, for the sunrises, for the evening tea in the beduin tent...and it's worth it. Yes, it might get cold, bathroom may flood, but you are in a plastic bubble in the desert, it can happen."

 

"I would highly recommend ear plugs and eye masks to really enjoy more sleep but once you're in the zone it's no different to camping."

 

"One thing to know about the bubble is, at night, everyone can see you and your belongings inside your bubble but you can't see them. . . . . Between 1-3am, a person or people cut a 2 meter hole with a knife in our bubble and crept into our room. The bubbles stay inflated with constant air flow, so there's always white noise in your bubble. We couldn't hear them and you can't see directly into your living room bubble from your bedroom bubble. . . . . The armed thieves took all of our small bags that would fit through the hole."

[Baynanno1]

43 minutes ago, Cortesefam said:

Baynanno1:  We're traveling on the 3/28 Quest sailing as well--I'm so sorry your excursion was canceled!  We looked at that option through the ship as well as with Jordan Horizon Tours, who offer an overnight hotel excursion to Petra.  In the end, we're doing the day excursion to Petra, and they've been great to work with--perhaps they could tailor the excursion to exactly your preference.

https://www.johtt.com/our-tours/16-shore-excursions-from-aqaba-port

 

 

 

Thanks for the suggestion, Iknow some of the people on our previous cruise did private overnights to both Luxor and Petra, however I can not use OBC for a privately arranged tour unless arranged by Concierge or Shorex on board.

[Doh15]

12 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

A few selections from reviews plus the fact that it is some distance from where I would prefer to be as an older single woman on an excursion are enough to put me off from the offered options.

 

"If you choose to go do it with an open mind! - this is not a luxury hotel, you pay for the experience, for the sunsets, for the sunrises, for the evening tea in the beduin tent...and it's worth it. Yes, it might get cold, bathroom may flood, but you are in a plastic bubble in the desert, it can happen."

 

"I would highly recommend ear plugs and eye masks to really enjoy more sleep but once you're in the zone it's no different to camping."

 

"One thing to know about the bubble is, at night, everyone can see you and your belongings inside your bubble but you can't see them. . . . . Between 1-3am, a person or people cut a 2 meter hole with a knife in our bubble and crept into our room. The bubbles stay inflated with constant air flow, so there's always white noise in your bubble. We couldn't hear them and you can't see directly into your living room bubble from your bedroom bubble. . . . . The armed thieves took all of our small bags that would fit through the hole."

 I see what you mean! That’s too bad they couldn’t put you up in one of the nicer ones. 

[Baynanno1]

Small correction to my original post . . . should have done my own maths as the days were incorrect on MyAzamara

53 days to start of the cruise and 65 days to the tour date.

[excitedofharpenden]

Trish, that's ridiculous.  I know it's an expensive tour, but it shouldn't be cancelled this far out. It's a wonderful tour that I did a few years ago and heck, I'd be on the cruise trying to drum up some other parties to do it. Shorex team were certainly pushing it. We had a small bus and just 10 of us I think. It's not like they need lots of people. 

 

Just as an aside, I did meet a couple who did overnight in Petra themselves for half the cost and didn't stay at the Mövenpick. The advantage with that hotel is that it's right across the road from the Petra entrance. Of course it was all organised for us and there will be some legwork required to DIY. If you are there on the right day for the night concert then it's well worth it in my view. Just to see Petra at night is amazing. 

 

Phil 

[uktog]

I hope you manage to get something with an independent as the bubble tent option isn’t acceptable. What I cannot follow is why they can offer that but not the far safer option you had booked. 
It’s even more clear if something matters re a tour you have to DIY. Sad for a destination line. 

[Baynanno1]

Thanks Phil & Ann for your thoughts. Phil, if I remember correctly you did your overnight while I was confined to quarters in early November 2017.

 

I know it can be done in a small group for less, but I have more than enough OBC for the ship's tour which I had watched and waited for and booked as soon as it appeared on MyAzamara.

 

I'll see what can be worked out once we board on 17 March for the first of our B2B cruises. 🤔

 

 

 

 

[uktog]

Honestly I would not leave it until then. Our experience is the staff onboard can do nothing. It’s all Miami driven and you waste a lot of time as they contact them and wait for email replies. And to be honest you’ve no idea what they actually ask in the email. 
I would either follow up again now with Miami or start on Plan B. 
I totally get the obc it’s useless when excursions can’t be delivered as planned. 

[hiccups]

How disappointing!  I've had a couple Azamara excursions cancelled but not "once in a lifetime" ones like this.

Does Azamara allow transfer of OBC to other passengers?  If so, maybe someone on your roll call that planned on booking ship excursions or buying specialty dining, internet, etc, might be interested in "purchasing" some of your OBC?  You could look into that private tour that was mentioned and put the cash towards that so it wouldn't be completely out of pocket.

[uktog]

4 hours ago, hiccups said:

How disappointing!  I've had a couple Azamara excursions cancelled but not "once in a lifetime" ones like this.

Does Azamara allow transfer of OBC to other passengers?  If so, maybe someone on your roll call that planned on booking ship excursions or buying specialty dining, internet, etc, might be interested in "purchasing" some of your OBC?  You could look into that private tour that was mentioned and put the cash towards that so it wouldn't be completely out of pocket.

No you cannot transfer obc 

[Baynanno1]

I am wondering what Bonnie might make of further developments . . .

 

Yesterday the excursion was still showing on MyAzamara, but with a proviso to check on board.

 

Today MyAzamara has the excursion bookable online (exact same description), but for $208AUD more!!!

 

I am sure Fair Trading Australia would be more than a little interested.

 

I will contact Azamara to see if I can get the excursion reinstated at it's original price.

 

Wish me luck!!

[uktog]

Good luck indeed

That’s appalling though the price game. 

[Baynanno1]

Thanks . . . illegal in Australia!

[uktog]

6 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

Thanks . . . illegal in Australia!

And the UK as I interpret it

Edited February 4, 2020 by uktog

[blobby113]

45 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

I am wondering what Bonnie might make of further developments . . .

 

Yesterday the excursion was still showing on MyAzamara, but with a proviso to check on board.

 

Today MyAzamara has the excursion bookable online (exact same description), but for $208AUD more!!!

 

I am sure Fair Trading Australia would be more than a little interested.

 

I will contact Azamara to see if I can get the excursion reinstated at it's original price.

 

Wish me luck!!

The price hike in AUD may be partially due to the current value of the AUD. I wish Azamara would just price everything in USD. Having said this, they can’t cancel your excursion and then reprice it. Did you go through an Australian travel agent?

[Baynanno1]

8 minutes ago, blobby113 said:

The price hike in AUD may be partially due to the current value of the AUD. I wish Azamara would just price everything in USD. Having said this, they can’t cancel your excursion and then reprice it. Did you go through an Australian travel agent?

 

That may have been the case had I not already locked in the conversion as at 9 November when the original booking was made. In this case it was a blatant escalation of the price.

I too wish all would be priced the same as on board . . . in $US.

[blobby113]

Good luck. I hope you get justice.

[Baynanno1]

In the words of the great bard William Shakespeare "All's well that ends well"

 

Or at least it is at the moment with my excursion re-booked at the original price! 😊

 

Fingers crossed it doesn't get cancelled again!!!

 

Thanks to all for your support. 😊

Edited February 4, 2020 by Baynanno1

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

In the words of the great bard William Shakespeare "All's well that ends well"

 

Or at least it is at the moment with my excursion re-booked at the original price! 😊

 

Fingers crossed it doesn't get cancelled again!!!

 

Thanks to all for your support. 😊

 

Frankly, that seemed a likely solution to this thread.  Azamara doesn't cancel trips only to jack up the price.  They sometimes screw up, but not through ill will.

[Grandma Cruising]

9 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

In the words of the great bard William Shakespeare "All's well that ends well"

 

Or at least it is at the moment with my excursion re-booked at the original price! 😊

 

Fingers crossed it doesn't get cancelled again!!!

 

Thanks to all for your support. 😊

That’s great, so pleased. Fingers crossed for you that you will be doing your bucket list tour. You’ll love it - Petra is wonderful.