Azamara Extends Suspension Through October

[CA Oceanfront]

Received this morning from Nils Lindstad, AVP, Sales and Trade Support:

 

“We hope that you have remained healthy and safe during this global pandemic. As the world continues to confront the many challenges resulting from COVID-19, we continue to diligently work with international government and health authorities on the most effective return to service plan. 

As a result, Azamara will be extending the suspension of global operations for all sailings departing on-or-before October 31, 2020, as well as the Azamara Quest sailings on November 4 and 14, 2020.“
 

 

Edited August 5, 2020 by CA Oceanfront

[laurieb]

and the rest of it:

We’ve emailed your clients directly about their upcoming cruise due to the urgency of this matter encouraging them to discuss the following options with you:

• Lift & Shift - It’s easy — just Lift & Shift your clients into 2021 and their current price and promotion is protected! The alternative sailing must be of the same stateroom category, on the same itinerary type and cruise length (+/- one sail night), scheduled within four weeks before or four weeks after the date of the original sailing but in the subsequent year.  Once you have discussed this with your clients, give us a call by August 20th, 2020 to move the reservation at the same rate including any promotion currently on the booking. To avoid waiting on the phone, click here to submit your request.
• FCC Form for Cruise with Confidence - If your clients aren’t quite ready to select their next voyage, a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) is the ideal option — offering an elevated value of 125% of the total amount paid.We’re providing your clients with a 125% Future Cruise Credit to book a new cruise by December 31, 2021 for sailings departing on or before April 30, 2022.
• Refund Request- Should a refund be the preferred option for your client, we are happy to return 100% of the funds paid per guest to the original form of payment within 45 days from the cancellation date. Opt-in for a refund on-or-before December 31, 2020.

Please know, we are working as quickly as possible and we appreciate your patience during these unprecedented times. Please note:

• If you used a Cruise with Confidence certificate on this sailing, and you request a refund instead, we’ll refund any NEW funds paid above the certificate amount, and we’ll reinstate the original Cruise with Confidence certificate. 
• Guests with air travel and hotel booked through Azamara will be refunded automatically. For guests with non-refundable air through Azamara or independent air and hotel arrangements you will need to contact the appropriate travel provider to make all required cancellations. As a reminder, due to the current situation, airlines are being flexible with flight changes and the waiving of fees.

We are terribly sorry. This is disappointing for all of us. But know, your clients’ health, safety, and well-being are our top priorities.

I would like to personally, thank you for your patience, understanding, and cooperation during this situation. Please stay safe and healthy, and know, we really appreciate your continued support..

[Grandma Cruising]

Yes, I just got it, even tho’ we’d already cancelled ourOctober cruise and moved the deposit to our November 2021 cruise.

[Norn Iron Man]

I had just paid my final balance on Monday or I was told I would lose my deposit.  Am I ANGRY???  YES!!! Not angry about the cruise being cancelled but angry at being forced to pay when everyone knew the cruise would be cancelled.

 

[uktog]

4 minutes ago, Norn Iron Man said:

I had just paid my final balance on Monday or I was told I would lose my deposit.  Am I ANGRY???  YES!!! Not angry about the cruise being cancelled but angry at being forced to pay when everyone knew the cruise would be cancelled.

 

Can you stop the payment

[laurieb]

37 minutes ago, Norn Iron Man said:

I had just paid my final balance on Monday or I was told I would lose my deposit.  Am I ANGRY???  YES!!! Not angry about the cruise being cancelled but angry at being forced to pay when everyone knew the cruise would be cancelled.

 

I am so so sorry; hopefully you will get your payment issue resolved quickly!

 

[Norn Iron Man]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

Can you stop the payment

 

1 hour ago, laurieb said:

I am so so sorry; hopefully you will get your payment issue resolved quickly!

 

 It's too late to stop the payment according go the Bank.

 

I applied for my refund within 15 minutes of being aware of the news LOL

 

I just wonder has the TA actually forwarded my final payment to Azamara

[rallydave]

3 minutes ago, Norn Iron Man said:

It's too late to stop the payment according go the Bank.

This is why you never ever pay for any travel without using a credit card as you could of today put that charge in disputes and had a temporary credit almost immediately then waiting for Azamara and the Credit Card Company make the credit perminent.  Paying with a check or debit card gives you absolutely no protection while credit cards do provide various types of protection.

[oddjob16]

We gambled and held back on the final payment. Now we will have a look at next years itineraries. 😁 

 

[Norn Iron Man]

1 minute ago, rallydave said:

This is why you never ever pay for any travel without using a credit card as you could of today put that charge in disputes and had a temporary credit almost immediately then waiting for Azamara and the Credit Card Company make the credit perminent.  Paying with a check or debit card gives you absolutely no protection while credit cards do provide various types of protection.

I did pay by Credit card but the rules in the UK are probaly different.

[rallydave]

4 minutes ago, Norn Iron Man said:

I did pay by Credit card but the rules in the UK are probaly different.

During this pandemic I watch several CC Boards including Azamara and have read reports of many people in the UK putting credit card charges in disputes or as some call it chargebacks.    Also have learned that there is a 14 day period where your money has to be refunded called I think Part 75.  Lots of ways to get your credit back on your credit card.

 

Sure others in the UK like UKtog will chime in as you should not have to wait for a refund especially in this case.  Good luck. 

[uktog]

16 minutes ago, Norn Iron Man said:

I did pay by Credit card but the rules in the UK are probaly different.

Contact your card company as a priority as the timing is very significant and you need to make the card company aware the cancellation came through within 48 hours of payment and you only paid because you were pressurised to do so.  IF Azamara pressurised your agent that is absolutely unethical.

[laurieb]

6 minutes ago, uktog said:

Contact your card company as a priority as the timing is very significant and you need to make the card company aware the cancellation came through within 48 hours of payment and you only paid because you were pressurised to do so.  IF Azamara pressurised your agent that is absolutely unethical.

It would be out of character for any cruiseline to pressure an agent to get payment; what all of the lines do is send a warning letter out to the agent with the final payment date.  I think if there was any pressure it was the agent, as they will receive their commission on a fully paid cruise, but would lose it if it was cancelled or moved  before final payment

[uktog]

1 minute ago, laurieb said:

It would be out of character for any cruiseline to pressure an agent to get payment; what all of the lines do is send a warning letter out to the agent with the final payment date.  I think if there was any pressure it was the agent, as they will receive their commission on a fully paid cruise, but would lose it if it was cancelled or moved  before final payment

I am hoping that but you do wonder - there has been horrible practices by large agencies Azamara has been very close to in the past in the UK.  It's very hard to trust anyone when you cannot get straight forward answers even now as to where your refunds are, have they been paid to the agency and when (but thats another matter) so agents and the cruise lines have closed ranks together here.

[laurieb]

27 minutes ago, uktog said:

I am hoping that but you do wonder - there has been horrible practices by large agencies Azamara has been very close to in the past in the UK.  It's very hard to trust anyone when you cannot get straight forward answers even now as to where your refunds are, have they been paid to the agency and when (but thats another matter) so agents and the cruise lines have closed ranks together here.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if agents were held accountable the same in all countries...

[Norn Iron Man]

I have completed a chargeback request on my Credit Card. It all has to be done online due to Covid so I didn’t get talking to a human. It was someone in my local branch who originally said  that I was too late. Even if the bank don’t refund hopefully they will Freeze any interest until Azamara refund me.

[Mackdogmolly]

Interesting. I haven’t received the email yet, but I did receive an email from Azamara today advertising the BOGOHO sale with all of the October cruises intact as well as the Quest Nov 4 and Nov 11 cruises. That November 11 cruise is the repositioning cruise to South America from which my March 4 cruise is supposed to make the return trip to Lisbon. My final payment is due in late October. I don’t think the odds are good.

[Norn Iron Man]

13 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Interesting. I haven’t received the email yet, but I did receive an email from Azamara today advertising the BOGOHO sale with all of the October cruises intact as well as the Quest Nov 4 and Nov 11 cruises. That November 11 cruise is the repositioning cruise to South America from which my March 4 cruise is supposed to make the return trip to Lisbon. My final payment is due in late October. I don’t think the odds are good.

The quest November cruise are cancelled too

[Mackdogmolly]

6 minutes ago, Norn Iron Man said:

The quest November cruise are cancelled too

Right. I saw that in the original post from CA Oceanfront. It was still being advertised in the email I got, which was obviously old news

[Mercruiser]

4 hours ago, rallydave said:

This is why you never ever pay for any travel without using a credit card as you could of today put that charge in disputes and had a temporary credit almost immediately then waiting for Azamara and the Credit Card Company make the credit perminent.  Paying with a check or debit card gives you absolutely no protection while credit cards do provide various types of protection.

This is true for USA issued consumer credit cards. See https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0219-disputing-credit-card-charges

 

The consumer protection laws in other countries may vary.

Edited August 5, 2020 by Mercruiser

[rallydave]

2 minutes ago, Mercruiser said:

The consumer protection laws in other countries may vary.

Yes, this is correct however in this case the UK laws for issues like this a very close to the same and the person who payed on Monday was able to dispute/chargeback Azamara for his final payment.  

[hiccups]

We were booked on the November 30th Quest cruise (Rio to Buenos Aires), but did a Lift & Shift about two weeks ago.  Interesting that the two cruises before that one are cancelled, as the cruise on the 14th was the TA to get Quest to Rio!

Wishing good luck to all who have cancelled bookings, that you can find a replacement cruise, or get your refund or FCC in a reasonable amount of time.