Direct Marketing email from Azamara 24 March

[uktog]

Bonnie

We have just received cruise booking marketing email from Azamara.  My own view is that at present with all the unknowns on cancellations/refunds and also the huge challenges guests are experiencing in their personal lives at present, Azamara suspends all such direct marketing.  The wording was a tad insensitive.  For many people an email encouraging you to book a cruise is the last thing we want.  Once life becomes clearer and we are nearer the end of this tunnel, yes we may well feel happy to receive such emails.

I would opt out of receiving emails but it took me so long to het them

Thanks

[Bloodaxe]

We have been inundated with emails from online travel agencies in recent days(some for Azamara), I expect many are automatically sent but they must see that in the present situation that they are a waste of time.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Bloodaxe

[uktog]

6 minutes ago, Bloodaxe said:

We have been inundated with emails from online travel agencies in recent days(some for Azamara), I expect many are automatically sent but they must see that in the present situation that they are a waste of time.

Yes I have unsubscribed from all the agencies, but had not had any direct from cruise lines I am subscribed to - this one took me by surprise.

[Bloodaxe]

1 minute ago, uktog said:

Yes I have unsubscribed from all the agencies, but had not had any direct from cruise lines I am subscribed to - this one took me by surprise.

 

Good idea, I will also unsubscribe.

[excitedofharpenden]

4 minutes ago, Bloodaxe said:

 

Good idea, I will also unsubscribe.

You realise that "unsubscribe from Azamara emails" will cause some to break out into a cold sweat?😆

 

Phil 

[uktog]

2 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

You realise that "unsubscribe from Azamara emails" will cause some to break out into a cold sweat?😆

 

Phil 

Agree thats why I am only doing the agencies

[excitedofharpenden]

14 minutes ago, uktog said:

Agree thats why I am only doing the agencies

I didn't get an Azamara email. Surprise surprise!

 

Phil 

[Lottie A]

I got the email too. 
Yeah right....”book quickly as the cruises are selling out fast!” 🤣

[norn iron]

I got the email too.

It was a tad insensitive, badly timed and possibly in poor taste.

I was in a 'Zoom' conference yesterday and everyone is sick to teeth of companies trying to sell at present time.

[Doubt It]

On the Celebrity board there is a current thread where a poster got a Call from Celebrity trying to sell.

 

Disgusting tactics - as per Celebrity's in your face pushy sales assaults on their vessels.

 

No wonder we have not booked them in a very long time.

[Bloodaxe]

3 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

You realise that "unsubscribe from Azamara emails" will cause some to break out into a cold sweat?😆

 

Phil 

 

I unsubscribed myself mentally from Azamaras gimmicky sales tactics long ago so I won't miss the emails anyway.

If I ever decide to book again the information is easy to find.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Bloodaxe

[spikkel]

3 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

I didn't get an Azamara email. Surprise surprise!

 

Phil 

i never get any mails from them although I signed several times

the only ones I get from  them is  asking for my payment and when I do they caan't find it!!!!!

[uktog]

And now an email asking me if I would like to buy a Beverage package for a cruise in May that embarks in Italy - Azamara, you may not have noticed but there is quite a problem in Italy and Western Europe just now and it is extremely unlikely anyone will even be allowed to travel in two months time

 

Please Bonnie can you ask them to switch of this marketing, its hurting enough what we are going through whilst knowing we will not have our cruises to look forward to without someone rubbing our noses in it

[mchell810]

It seems to me these are clearly automated messages which one could easily delete and move on.  With so many people stressed about the time it takes to get refunds and/or answers to questions regarding FCC, complimentary nights, etc. I am surprised that anyone would want Azamara to use staff time to disconnect automated messages.  Surely, it is low on the priority list;  as it should be in my opinion.

[uktog]

15 minutes ago, mchell810 said:

It seems to me these are clearly automated messages which one could easily delete and move on.  With so many people stressed about the time it takes to get refunds and/or answers to questions regarding FCC, complimentary nights, etc. I am surprised that anyone would want Azamara to use staff time to disconnect automated messages.  Surely, it is low on the priority list;  as it should be in my opinion.

Whilst I agree it will  be different teams and a one switch if Azamara is structured like any other company I know, sorry if they are that automated its more impersonal and cumbersome than I thought.  Funny I have bookings with other travel providers, cruise lines and airlines who used to regularly email me but none of them have contacted me for about 10 days and I respect them for that.  And no news for guests sailing fairly soon which I accepted but don't substitute it with a "buy a beverage package" email

Edited March 24, 2020 by uktog

[manc]

As well as future cruises in 2020 and 2021 we have had one today re a cruise in May and buying packages before we board! We are unlikely to be able to travel, why would we lend them more money for packages and excursions, we are already concerned a much planned trip will not sail. 

[uktog]

14 minutes ago, manc said:

As well as future cruises in 2020 and 2021 we have had one today re a cruise in May and buying packages before we board! We are unlikely to be able to travel, why would we lend them more money for packages and excursions, we are already concerned a much planned trip will not sail. 

Yes, these are the exact ones we have had, one of a UK address and one from a global .com account

[BBMacLaird]

The office is tracing where the promotional email came from. I'm sure they'll nip it asap.

P.s. I usually see all emails because they 'seed' my address into mailings, and I didn't get this email. 

 

[AJCM]

People get annoyed over the most trivial of things. Open your email provider, click on edit and delete all unwanted emails - will take up all of 1 minute to do.

 

it’ll certainly take less time than it did to write and complain about it.

Edited March 24, 2020 by AJCM

[nigelc]

Staff time would be better used making refunds to customers who have had their cruises cancelled. It seems that Azamara is spending time and money promoting their future sales, while at the same time telling customers that they are too busy to deal with refunds in a timely manner. Can I suggest that they speak to Oceania who maybe able to offer Azamara some Customer Service Training. I for one have not been impressed with the way Azamara has, and is, dealing with this situation and to keep receiving marketing materials is beyond a joke. 

[I-Cruiser]

I got the email to. I thought it was a very nice escape from all the bad things happening in the world.

But, I guess it's all about how we see things. Someone must complain to feel alive.

[Pavovsky]

9 hours ago, norn iron said:

I got the email too.

It was a tad insensitive, badly timed and possibly in poor taste.

I was in a 'Zoom' conference yesterday and everyone is sick to teeth of companies trying to sell at present time.

It depends -  I am happy to support local online business. Not sure I will spend a lot on vouchers for Service businesses noting many are struggling  and trying to keep cash coming in. And certainly not happy to get emails from large MNEs who have not been particularly understanding to the needs of their passengers even in normal times let alone at this point in time. 

Edited March 24, 2020 by Pavovsky

[uktog]

Bonnie

UK mailings must come out weekly. Today’s mailing is marketing dining packages on my May cruise. A cruise that embarks in Barcelona and therefore highly unlikely to proceed. I still am of the view all marketing to booked cruisers should be switched off 

[lisiamc]

I think these emails are largely automated, and possibly very difficult to suspend in the current climate of people working from home.
 

I've gone from being a pretty loyal Azamara cruiser to being a huge fan.  We arrived back in the UK this morning on a flight organised by Azamara to repatriate the Brits and Europeans on Pursuit.  It was planned in very difficult circumstances, and flawlessly executed.  We are so very grateful for their efforts, both the repatriation and the care lavished on all passengers during our cruise, that I’m inclined to cut Azamara a huge amount of slack right now, and ignore a few marketing emails that don’t apply.  

 

We also made two bookings whilst we were on board, not only to use the FCC (from the altered cruise and the cancelled cruise that would have followed), but also to show faith in the future of Azamara.  We will definitely be back when they can safely resume cruising.

[uktog]

Glad it worked for you as it did for our friends.  Over the last month there have been some put off Azamara because of late cancellations of their cruises but there will be people like yourselves who were well looked after and have been switched on 100%.

Welcome home, at least you escaped 7 days of lockdown its like every day is groundhog day!