Journey Changing Dates/Itins?

[mheinrich]

Is anyone else booked on a Journey's cruise and noticed something going on?  We are/were booked on the June 21 sailing which should have ended on July 3.  That cruise is now gone and there's not room in the schedule for it anymore.  Now there's a June 3 13 day cruise and the next cruise showing is a June 30, 16 day.

 

Has anyone heard anything????

 

 

[nordski]

We received a notice from our TA that Azamara has made some changes in Journey's schedule due to COVID-19's impact on a 2020 charter that has now been moved to 2021.

 

Originally we were to be on a 14-Night Spain Intensive beginning on May 26,, now it is a 10-night cruise beginning on the same date but ending in Dublin. That charter may be influencing your dates as well.

[laurieb]

2021?  I’m seeing nothing between the 18th(ending day of June 5th cruises) and June 30th; could be a charter or they’re reworking itineraries 

[wjfan417]

5 hours ago, mheinrich said:

Is anyone else booked on a Journey's cruise and noticed something going on?  We are/were booked on the June 21 sailing which should have ended on July 3.  That cruise is now gone and there's not room in the schedule for it anymore.  Now there's a June 3 13 day cruise and the next cruise showing is a June 30, 16 day.

 

Has anyone heard anything????

 

 

We were booked on the 6/21 cruise too, along with the 7/3 one. I called Azamara after seeing a post in the roll call about the 7/3 cruise. They advised that the dates/itinerary of both cruises were changed because of a charter voyage that was moved from 2020 to 2021. We can stay on the altered sailings and receive an OBC, rebook another cruise and receive reduced OBC or cancel and receive a refund.  Since there are 12 days now between the two cruises we won’t be able to do both.

 

[AJCM]

4 hours ago, nordski said:

Originally we were to be on a 14-Night Spain Intensive beginning on May 26,, now it is a 10-night cruise beginning on the same date but ending in Dublin. That charter may be influencing your dates as well.

 

We're booked on the same cruise, as well as the two following. I've sent a query to Azamara for clarification but it was only yesterday. According to the recent survey I can fully expect a comprehensive response by tomorrow. Ironically, the email was sent to "loyalty".

 

If loyal guests are to get bumped because of some deferred one time charter, I won't be happy. It's not just the inconvenience of missing the cruise (albeit that it may not go ahead anyway due to Covid) but guests may be locked in to flights and accommodation too. We have Barcelona accommodation for a few pre-cruise nights that they've allowed as a credit for 2021 - looks like I'll blow that money. Maybe Azamara will compensate?

 

Perhaps Azamara will sweeten the deal by offering 150% FCC but I won't hold my breath. Looks like we'll have to join the refund queue rather than using the FCC we already hold, being "loyal members" who were booked for 2020.

[nordski]

I should apologize for bringing bad news without also mentioning that there are options provided for changing your booking and also for considering offers of compensation.

 

Whether any of the above meets your needs, I do hope that your extensive cruise plans can be maintained.

 

I must admit that we weren't too upset by this news since a/ at our age we didn't really expect to be on board anyway and had made no preparations, b/ losing a cruise to a charter actually felt like some return to normality  🙂, and c/ the charter business may provide a windfall of much needed funds and also give RCI a reason to keep Azamara in business.

 

I did not really think about the adverse results for others. I should have.

 

Over a year ago we took a similar itinerary to the one now cancelled and it was wonderful. I hope at some point you have an opportunity to experience that route.

 

The replacement cruise is a pale shadow of what they had offered.

 

 

[avw]

I am VERY unhappy with Azamara. Their cancellations included my TWO b2b cruises, totalling 26 nights, that have both been cancelled: (1) 14 night May 26 Spain Intensive and (2) 12 night June 9 France intensive. My business class air is already booked. I convinced 2 friends to join me for the Spain cruise (first time they were booking Azamara) and they also have business class air paid for. Azamara's excuse is a moved charter date, but, if that is true, why is Azamara now selling every date in May & June? Not one date is missing! They just changed the itineraries to Ireland and Iceland. They said that one option is to book an identical cruise a year later. But they don't offer anything even close to either of these a year later, so that is an impossible option. However, in Sept of this year, there are two successive cruises that have a very similar itinerary but for a total of 23 nights, instead of 26. I asked what they would do if I switched to Sept instead of May. The answer was that I would have to pay them an additional $2000 for the exact same cabin (despite 3 less nights), plus lose a total of $2000 obc in order to change the dates for a slightly shorter, but almost identical, itinerary. How can this possibly be fair? I am trying to work with them! I am not the one who created this problem! I have been a very loyal Azamara customer (Discoverer Plus) and they are really letting me down. I am hoping that someone with some common sense at Azamara will recognize that there is a better way to resolve this situation. 

[donaldsc]

On 9/30/2020 at 5:17 PM, wjfan417 said:

We were booked on the 6/21 cruise too, along with the 7/3 one. I called Azamara after seeing a post in the roll call about the 7/3 cruise. They advised that the dates/itinerary of both cruises were changed because of a charter voyage that was moved from 2020 to 2021. We can stay on the altered sailings and receive an OBC, rebook another cruise and receive reduced OBC or cancel and receive a refund.  Since there are 12 days now between the two cruises we won’t be able to do both.

 

 

You could use the 12 days to spend some land time in Europe on a DIY Europe trip.

 

DON

[excitedofharpenden]

On 10/4/2020 at 6:37 AM, avw said:

I am VERY unhappy with Azamara. Their cancellations included my TWO b2b cruises, totalling 26 nights, that have both been cancelled: (1) 14 night May 26 Spain Intensive and (2) 12 night June 9 France intensive. My business class air is already booked. I convinced 2 friends to join me for the Spain cruise (first time they were booking Azamara) and they also have business class air paid for. Azamara's excuse is a moved charter date, but, if that is true, why is Azamara now selling every date in May & June? Not one date is missing! They just changed the itineraries to Ireland and Iceland. They said that one option is to book an identical cruise a year later. But they don't offer anything even close to either of these a year later, so that is an impossible option. However, in Sept of this year, there are two successive cruises that have a very similar itinerary but for a total of 23 nights, instead of 26. I asked what they would do if I switched to Sept instead of May. The answer was that I would have to pay them an additional $2000 for the exact same cabin (despite 3 less nights), plus lose a total of $2000 obc in order to change the dates for a slightly shorter, but almost identical, itinerary. How can this possibly be fair? I am trying to work with them! I am not the one who created this problem! I have been a very loyal Azamara customer (Discoverer Plus) and they are really letting me down. I am hoping that someone with some common sense at Azamara will recognize that there is a better way to resolve this situation. 

Are you talking 2021?

 

Phil 

[excitedofharpenden]

On 10/4/2020 at 6:37 AM, avw said:

I am VERY unhappy with Azamara. Their cancellations included my TWO b2b cruises, totalling 26 nights, that have both been cancelled: (1) 14 night May 26 Spain Intensive and (2) 12 night June 9 France intensive. My business class air is already booked. I convinced 2 friends to join me for the Spain cruise (first time they were booking Azamara) and they also have business class air paid for. Azamara's excuse is a moved charter date, but, if that is true, why is Azamara now selling every date in May & June? Not one date is missing! They just changed the itineraries to Ireland and Iceland. They said that one option is to book an identical cruise a year later. But they don't offer anything even close to either of these a year later, so that is an impossible option. However, in Sept of this year, there are two successive cruises that have a very similar itinerary but for a total of 23 nights, instead of 26. I asked what they would do if I switched to Sept instead of May. The answer was that I would have to pay them an additional $2000 for the exact same cabin (despite 3 less nights), plus lose a total of $2000 obc in order to change the dates for a slightly shorter, but almost identical, itinerary. How can this possibly be fair? I am trying to work with them! I am not the one who created this problem! I have been a very loyal Azamara customer (Discoverer Plus) and they are really letting me down. I am hoping that someone with some common sense at Azamara will recognize that there is a better way to resolve this situation. 

I guess it has to be 2021.  Not sure why I asked that stupid question!  At the risk of sounding unsympathetic, you must have booked your business class airfare in at least June or July?  And your two friends also. I think you need to take some responsibility for what you’ve done. You booked at the height of the current covid pandemic with much uncertainty in the cruising industry.  I’m not sure I would have done that.  No, actually I definitely wouldn’t have done that.  

 

You say you aren’t the one who created the problem, but in many ways you are. I think you are being unreasonable expecting it to all fall into place with what is going on in the world and Azamara give you the same price for a cruise at a different time of year.  As for being Discoverer Plus, that’s irrelevant.  Why should you get treated differently to someone who has cruised on Azamara less?

 

Phil  

[avw]

2 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

I guess it has to be 2021.  Not sure why I asked that stupid question!  At the risk of sounding unsympathetic, you must have booked your business class airfare in at least June or July?  And your two friends also. I think you need to take some responsibility for what you’ve done. You booked at the height of the current covid pandemic with much uncertainty in the cruising industry.  I’m not sure I would have done that.  No, actually I definitely wouldn’t have done that.  

 

You say you aren’t the one who created the problem, but in many ways you are. I think you are being unreasonable expecting it to all fall into place with what is going on in the world and Azamara give you the same price for a cruise at a different time of year.  As for being Discoverer Plus, that’s irrelevant.  Why should you get treated differently to someone who has cruised on Azamara less?

 

Phil  

 

Phil,

 

Perhaps there is a misunderstanding. I did NOT cause this problem. Of course, I would have no problem with any cruise being cancelled due to pandemic regulations or restrictions. However, the pandemic did not cancel these cruises. Azamara made the changes/cancellations for  business reasons. I also have no problem with a cruise line making a business decision that is necessary to help them to survive during these incredibly difficult times. However, when this happens, I expect that the cruise line will make the least disruptive accommodation for the customer to fix the problem they have created. I think that any paying customer would expect the same. I am not making an unreasonable request. Just move the date of the trip to an almost identical cruise a few months later on the same terms. Very simple solution. 

 

I am not asking for special treatment. They should treat all customers equally. However, every business knows that it is always cheaper to keep their loyal customers satisfied than to have to find new customers. My status is simply evidence of my loyalty to the brand. Further, in order to survive after sailings ceased for so long, they need to pay attention to customers who are willing to book with them at this time and are willing to sail under the new restrictions. These Boards indicate that many customers are choosing to sit it out for now, which may cause some lines to fail. 

 

avw

[excitedofharpenden]

A question. Are you and your friends going to lose the business class airfare?  Was it non-refundable?

 

Phil 

[nordski]

1 hour ago, avw said:

 

Phil,

 

Perhaps there is a misunderstanding. I did NOT cause this problem. Of course, I would have no problem with any cruise being cancelled due to pandemic regulations or restrictions. However, the pandemic did not cancel these cruises. Azamara made the changes/cancellations for  business reasons. 

 

avw

I imagine that Azamara would argue that, in this case, the pandemic did play a role in cancelling this itinerary since the disease outbreak was the reason the 2020 charter had to be moved.

 

However, it is still true that Azamara and cruise lines with smaller ships may well wish to benefit from the revenues of a charter for purely business reasons. We had a cruise some years ago that we had to rebook for just that reason.

 

I certainly agree that the cruise line should ensure that affected passengers should be financially compensated as a recognition of the issues created.

 

I hope Azamara can address your concerns.

 

 

Edited October 5, 2020 by nordski

[avw]

1 hour ago, excitedofharpenden said:

A question. Are you and your friends going to lose the business class airfare?  Was it non-refundable?

 

Phil 

We don't know the answer on flights yet. The airlines were allowing greater flexibility than usual for tickets purchased at the time we booked (so we weren't as stupid as you might think), but we have to see how it works out. Azamara will compensate for change fees or airfare cancellations up to $1000 for international flights.  That wouldn't cover the cost of the tickets, but we are looking into the possibility of changing them for a later trip we have booked.

[Mackdogmolly]

I have a cruise booked for March 2021. It will probably be cancelled. No way I would have booked no refundable airfare in these uncertain times. In fact,  I haven’t yet booked airfare at all.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I don't blame @avw for booking airfare for this cruise – as long as they expect to resume traveling whenever it becomes possible.  The airlines are being very good about waiving change fees so by booking now you lock in your airfare if the cruise goes, and the payment can be used on future flights if it gets canceled.  When our Mar. 2020 NZ cruise was cancelled, Air New Zealand was nice enough to give me my money back – but I immediately rebooked a United code share for the Jan. 2021 rescheduled cruise.  Even if I never get to NZ, it seems like a safe bet that I will fly somewhere that United goes, someday.

 

I recognize that different people react in different ways to uncertainty.  I would feel anxious if I had a cruise locked in and didn't have air tickets to get to the ship, so I'm willing to take the risk noted above.  Others may feel more anxious about tying their money up so far in advance.  But if you're taking a SKI trip [spending the kids' inheritance], it isn't your money anyway!!!

[excitedofharpenden]

7 hours ago, avw said:

We don't know the answer on flights yet. The airlines were allowing greater flexibility than usual for tickets purchased at the time we booked (so we weren't as stupid as you might think), but we have to see how it works out. Azamara will compensate for change fees or airfare cancellations up to $1000 for international flights.  That wouldn't cover the cost of the tickets, but we are looking into the possibility of changing them for a later trip we have booked.

Thanks for the clarification. Just to be clear, I did not say you were stupid. But you did take a risk and that risk was two fold. Firstly that you booked a cruise during a pandemic at a time when there was no certainty that the trip would go ahead unaffected (with all three Azamara ships out of action and tied up). Secondly that you booked your own business class airfare for it separately and not through Azamara. 

 

It seems you may have some flexibility in the airfare you booked, which is good. Whenever I book business class flights (I always fly at least business class longhaul) I don't get this flexibility, but realise I'm taking a risk. It's why I try to use miles as they offer the flexibility. 

 

My main point is I think your post unfair on Azamara, given what challenges there are, in expecting to transfer to another cruise of your choice without cost.  Airfare and cruisefare are two very different things with cruise prices much more variable depending upon when you go. 

 

I hope you get it all sorted out, but as I said before, you took a risk. 

 

Phil 

 

 

[excitedofharpenden]

@Host Jazzbeau you missed the point I was making. See my post above. 

 

Phil 

[AJCM]

1 hour ago, excitedofharpenden said:

 

 

My main point is I think your post unfair on Azamara, given what challenges there are, in expecting to transfer to another cruise of your choice without cost.  

 

I hope you get it all sorted out, but as I said before, you took a risk. 

 

Phil 

 

 

Well, we’re booked on the same now disappeared cruises. Our bookings pre-date Covid. No risk taken on our part - does that make us more worthy of fair treatment by Azamara? 

 

We haven’t even been notified by Azamara that our cruises are gone.

 

Ive sought clarification from Azamara, including the suggestion that our bookings be moved to the Sep comparable but at the same per day rate of our existing bookings. So, we are most certainly expecting the transfer without a higher cost. We think that would be absolutely unreasonable. I hope that avw and other cruisers adversely impacted by such changes (and isn’t that everyone who has booked in good faith) get better treatment than what the Azamara Rep told avw.

 

Tony

[excitedofharpenden]

2 hours ago, AJCM said:

Well, we’re booked on the same now disappeared cruises. Our bookings pre-date Covid. No risk taken on our part - does that make us more worthy of fair treatment by Azamara? 

 

We haven’t even been notified by Azamara that our cruises are gone.

 

Ive sought clarification from Azamara, including the suggestion that our bookings be moved to the Sep comparable but at the same per day rate of our existing bookings. So, we are most certainly expecting the transfer without a higher cost. We think that would be absolutely unreasonable. I hope that avw and other cruisers adversely impacted by such changes (and isn’t that everyone who has booked in good faith) get better treatment than what the Azamara Rep told avw.

 

Tony

2021 will have a very different look, that's for sure. I'm not even convinced of cruises in May and June next year. That might be too soon still. 

 

I'm pretty philosophical by nature. When I look at the bigger picture and how it is affecting the livelihoods of those crew I know so well on the ships I just count myself lucky that it's just some (luxury) trips that are being messed up. Not being preachy . Just trying to put myself in the shoes of those affected and what I'd be thinking. We have to get on with it best we can. 

 

Hoping that you all can get something fixed up. I've been there with the disappointment so I know how it feels. 

 

Phil 

Edited October 6, 2020 by excitedofharpenden

[avw]

On 10/6/2020 at 12:53 AM, excitedofharpenden said:

Firstly that you booked a cruise during a pandemic at a time when there was no certainty that the trip would go ahead unaffected (with all three Azamara ships out of action and tied up).

 

1. You made an assumption that is incorrect. My cancelled cruise was booked in May 2019.

2. If no customers book for the future, we can all say goodbye to the cruising industry. If cruise lines have no bookings, and. thus, no demonstrable prospects for future income, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to get the financing needed to hold them over.

[excitedofharpenden]

But you booked the flights to get there during the pandemic, right?

 

Phil 

[conman]

Put me down as a disappointed Azamara customer.  Last year my family took our first Azamara Cruise from Venice through Croatia and down to Greece.  We were set to be repeat customers that had booked on the immersive Ireland Cruise 21 Jun 2021 that evidently was scrapped in favor of a rescheduled charter on the Journey.  We heard nothing from Azamara.  Yes we booked flights and now have to figure what to do with the credit, if there is one from the airline.  This is supposedly a high-end line that left us high and dry and is only offering a $500 credit on the substitution Cruise that leaves earlier in June.  I’m a loyal guy but I’m also one that goes elsewhere when I get screwed. Bye bye Azamara.

Edited October 10, 2020 by conman

[avw]

On 10/4/2020 at 1:37 AM, avw said:

I am VERY unhappy with Azamara. Their cancellations included my TWO b2b cruises, totalling 26 nights, that have both been cancelled: (1) 14 night May 26 Spain Intensive and (2) 12 night June 9 France intensive. My business class air is already booked. I convinced 2 friends to join me for the Spain cruise (first time they were booking Azamara) and they also have business class air paid for. Azamara's excuse is a moved charter date, but, if that is true, why is Azamara now selling every date in May & June? Not one date is missing! They just changed the itineraries to Ireland and Iceland. They said that one option is to book an identical cruise a year later. But they don't offer anything even close to either of these a year later, so that is an impossible option. However, in Sept of this year, there are two successive cruises that have a very similar itinerary but for a total of 23 nights, instead of 26. I asked what they would do if I switched to Sept instead of May. The answer was that I would have to pay them an additional $2000 for the exact same cabin (despite 3 less nights), plus lose a total of $2000 obc in order to change the dates for a slightly shorter, but almost identical, itinerary. How can this possibly be fair? I am trying to work with them! I am not the one who created this problem! I have been a very loyal Azamara customer (Discoverer Plus) and they are really letting me down. I am hoping that someone with some common sense at Azamara will recognize that there is a better way to resolve this situation. 

As a follow up, after several weeks and many hours of communication with 4 different Azamara employees, I finally was able to reach someone who took the initiative to get this reviewed by someone with the authority and common sense to resolve it in a satisfactory way. Unfortunately, employees are working from home now and do not have ready access to supervisors and people with authority to solve problems. I am pleased that it was finally resolved, but disappointed that it took so much time and effort. I anticipate that the onboard experience should make up for the frustration.