Lift & Shif, Rebook the same voyage - Does it Work?

[blag]

I'll start by saying that this is not Lift and Shift, but might as well be... 

My TA phoned me this morning to discuss my options now that our July 8 cruise out of Oslo is cancelled. Within 30 minutes we had transferred to another cruise with Azamara out of Singapore March 2022, with all complimentary night discount preserved. The difference in price between this 2022 cruise and the cancelled one has been credited to our (previously-booked) cruise from Cape Town in March 2021. (We even secured exactly the same state room!) 
I was anticipating a bureaucratic nightmare, but our TA had Dawn (Azamara, Wichita) on the phone throughout whilst we made all the new arrangements.

[ochealaaf]

After consulting with the CDC and our partners at Cruise Lines International Association, we will be extending the suspension of global operations for all sailings departing on-or-before 31 July 2020. We’re currently working directly with guests as well as travel advisors impacted by this temporary disruption.

 

>>>so this ist. Why on earth we were not allowed to lift and shift?

[Grandma Cruising]

19 hours ago, ochealaaf said:

After consulting with the CDC and our partners at Cruise Lines International Association, we will be extending the suspension of global operations for all sailings departing on-or-before 31 July 2020. We’re currently working directly with guests as well as travel advisors impacted by this temporary disruption.

 

>>>so this ist. Why on earth we were not allowed to lift and shift?

Don’t understand your question. If your cruise was a July cruise, you could have done a Lift & Shift, unless you cancelled before this was brought in.

[ochealaaf]

Booked the flights for this year with AZ. We wanted to lift and  shift.

 

Found a nice itinarary next year. AZ would transfer the cruise, but only if we pay for this years flights and additionally for next years flights as they said they are  not refundable. 

 

As they cacelled the cruise, they have to refund this years flights and loose a custmer for next year.

 

 

[uktog]

Talk to the airline direct, you should have your flight reference number.  They will help.  Our airline (British Airways) has been great.

[ochealaaf]

....we have booked the flights with AZ.  So we still do not have a reference number.

[uktog]

1 hour ago, ochealaaf said:

....we have booked the flights with AZ.  So we still do not have a reference number.

Thats strange, Azamara always gives our the locator if we ask for it.  You should follow up on this - if the holiday is cancelled the flights have to be refunded, its irrelevant if the initial flight booking was non cancellable.  

[john1970]

1 hour ago, ochealaaf said:

....we have booked the flights with AZ.  So we still do not have a reference number.

Even without a PNR number the airline should be able to find you with the e ticket number or from your surname and flight details. The e ticket number would be in the format 125-123456789

[ochealaaf]

Thank you - that´s  just the point: they will refund the flights - but not move them to next year. (Btw. when booking the flights with AZ for me it´s their job to get in contact with Eurowings)

 

So it´s: full refund of cruise including flights  OR

 

Move the cruise and additionally pay the flights this year and the next year.

 

If you don´t understand the consistency - me neither.

Edited May 22, 2020 by ochealaaf

[manc]

Late yesterday UK time our agent told us we could use lift and shift to rebook next year on the Black Sea.  Today we have had confirmation and all the paperwork from Azamara and it shows up on our account.  Great Work Azamara.

We appreciate the number of refunds being generated and haven't had ours yet for the cruise we should have started this weekend 

[Baynanno1]

@BBMacLaird

@Host Jazzbeau

 

Wondering whether you can shed any light on information we were given today when enquiring about "Lift & Shift"

 

We were told "be careful, because if you have used FCC on the booking, it will be lost when you lift & shift"

 

Surely that cannot be right???

Edited May 28, 2020 by Baynanno1

[Grandma Cruising]

1 hour ago, Baynanno1 said:

@BBMacLaird

@Host Jazzbeau

 

Wondering whether you can shed any light on information we were given today when enquiring about "Lift & Shift"

 

We were told "be careful, because if you have used FCC on the booking, it will be lost when you lift & shift"

 

Surely that cannot be right???

Not quite sure what that means? If you ‘lift & shift’ a cruise booked using FCC from a cancelled cruise then surely the FCC then becomes the payment for the new cruise, or are they saying you have to pay for the new cruise?

Edited May 28, 2020 by Grandma Cruising

[Baynanno1]

2 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Not quite sure what that means? If you ‘lift & shift’ a cruise booked using FCC from a cancelled cruise then surely the FCC then becomes the payment for the new cruise, or are they saying you have to pay for the new cruise?

 

All we know is what Peter was told today, which does not seem to be right, hence my query to Bonnie & Jazzbeau.

 

If you have paid cash prior to lift & shift it goes with the booking.

If you have used FCC with the booking then surely it should also go with the booking when lifted & shifted, not be "lost"!

 

Hopefully Bonnie might be able to look into what we were told.

[uktog]

5 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

All we know is what Peter was told today, which does not seem to be right, hence my query to Bonnie & Jazzbeau.

 

If you have paid cash prior to lift & shift it goes with the booking.

If you have used FCC with the booking then surely it should also go with the booking when lifted & shifted, not be "lost"!

 

Hopefully Bonnie might be able to look into what we were told.

I can see why you are asking as the wording in the Q and A on the website seems to imply you cannot lift and shift a booking that has previously had a 125% FCC applied to it which given this time of extended absence of sailing is harsh on those who flipped into a new booking quickly to show some loyalty.

[Baynanno1]

12 minutes ago, uktog said:

I can see why you are asking as the wording in the Q and A on the website seems to imply you cannot lift and shift a booking that has previously had a 125% FCC applied to it which given this time of extended absence of sailing is harsh on those who flipped into a new booking quickly to show some loyalty.

 

I have searched various Q & A's, but have not read anything that seems to me to relate directly to this quandry.

I know I have seen other Q & A's, but can't seem to locate them today. Maybe tomorrow . . .

Meanwhile, hopefully Bonnie may see this and have an answer.

We have not as yet parted with FCC's ☺️ and will hold on to them for now!

[Grandma Cruising]

1 hour ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

I have searched various Q & A's, but have not read anything that seems to me to relate directly to this quandry.

I know I have seen other Q & A's, but can't seem to locate them today. Maybe tomorrow . . .

Meanwhile, hopefully Bonnie may see this and have an answer.

We have not as yet parted with FCC's ☺️ and will hold on to them for now!

That seems the sensible thing to do, until things are clearer.

[acruisergirl]

Happy to hear that many have used the "Lift and Shift" option successfully.  

 

I am currently contemplating this choice but have a few reservations about selecting this option.   Specifically, has anyone asked Azamara the question of what rules/penalties would apply if you chose to cancel a future, booked  "Lift and Shift" cruise?

 

Pat

[doubled]

1 hour ago, acruisergirl said:

Happy to hear that many have used the "Lift and Shift" option successfully.  

 

I am currently contemplating this choice but have a few reservations about selecting this option.   Specifically, has anyone asked Azamara the question of what rules/penalties would apply if you chose to cancel a future, booked  "Lift and Shift" cruise?

 

Pat

Pat......I was told by Azamara same rules/penalties apply.  I was concerned that Azamara would only do if final payment had been made, but no problem and new cruise shows when I login on Azamara website with OBC showing as well.

[Travels with Lisa]

I was told by my TA that you can use the FCC and Lift and Shift together.  She said she got this in writing from Azamara as I am hoping to do that.

 

Liz

[Baynanno1]

6 hours ago, Travels with Lisa said:

I was told by my TA that you can use the FCC and Lift and Shift together.  She said she got this in writing from Azamara as I am hoping to do that.

 

Liz

 

Just for clarification :

 

Use FCC before Lift & Shift?

or

Use FCC after Lift & Shift?

[Travels with Lisa]

That is an interesting question!  For my circumstances, it will be after (if I chose to do it), since I haven't made final payment yet.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Liz

[Baynanno1]

4 hours ago, Travels with Lisa said:

That is an interesting question!  For my circumstances, it will be after (if I chose to do it), since I haven't made final payment yet.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Liz

 

Thanks for responding. I know FCC can be used after lift & shift.

My question was posed as a follow up to my post #61 in which I asked Bonnie & Jazzbeau :

 

"Wondering whether you can shed any light on information we were given today when enquiring about "Lift & Shift"

 

We were told "be careful, because if you have used FCC on the booking, it will be lost when you lift & shift"

 

Surely that cannot be right???"

 

Trish

[hubofhockey]

On 5/19/2020 at 4:31 PM, BBMacLaird said:

 

Hi Hubofhockey, I'm sorry to hear you have a bad taste in your mouth now. 😞

And our CS manager is interested in looking into this for you, and for training purposes, too. Could you please email AzamaraCustomerService@Azamara.com with attn: Reservations Manager. Copy what you've posted here, and include your Booking Number. 

 

They never got back to me.  Quite possibly, the person who originally shut me down, Dawn of Wichita, is the same person who received my second email.  In the end, Azamara, saved $125, lost a future booking, and some goodwill.  How hard is it in this environment to be a little flexible with the FCC program?  I've always believed that this cruise line is inept in the back office, but that is offset by the great cruise experience, but maybe not so much anymore.  Bonnie, I would have been better off not even sending that second email since they didn't even give me the courtesy of a reply.  I hope Royal Caribbean cleans up their little problem here.

[mare s.]

Just did a lift and shift from a February 2021 voyage to a February 2022 date.   We had to pay a bit extra on the difference in taxes, but was able to move OBC and we have the same cabin.  Very smoothly done by our TA.  I just hope that we'll be able to go by the new date!

[ochealaaf]

No, it did not work. They insist, that they will only move the booking, if we pay for the flights booked with AZ this year and (!!) the flights next year.

 

No use talking to the airline (as we did not book with them directly the refer us to AZ). Our TA tried her best - asked again - as they would have to refund the flights this year (they cancelled the cruise) - but no. We would not have any problem getting the flights refunded this year and paying for the flights nest year (or paying the difference) but they want both.

 

So they have lost a customer, our TA has lost her commission – and we have lost an otherwise great cruise. Unbelievable.