Azamara loyalty to split off from Celebrity 1 February 2023

[cruisestitch]

I just got the email that has Azamara and Celebrity loyalties will finish their split early next year

[_Rick_]

Oh well, I guess I won't be booking the Azamara cruise that I was looking at for Dec '23 now as a S2S with Beyond.  IMO, this is a mistake, because they will lose a lot of bookings from X customers who would have tried Azamara if they retained their loyalty benefits - like me.  It's just as well I suppose, the reviews of the retrofitted ship from Princess were not good.

Edited August 30, 2022 by _Rick_

[the penguins]

14 minutes ago, _Rick_ said:

Oh well, I guess I won't be booking the Azamara cruise that I was looking at for Dec '23 now as a S2S with Beyond.  IMO, this is a mistake, because they will lose a lot of bookings from X customers who would have tried Azamara if they retained their loyalty benefits - like me.  It's just as well I suppose, the reviews of the retrofitted ship from Princess were not good.

A bit off topic but MSC will match your Celebrity status against their nearest equivalent on your first cruise with them. To qualify you must phone MSC before you make a booking.

[jelayne]

 

We tried Azamara once and didn't enjoy it as much as X but it was a itinerary X didn't offer.  Then another booking again for itinerary X didn't.  That got cancelled and refunds were being processed.  30 days later they announced the identical itinerary for exactly 12 months to the day later at a 20% higher price.  Called to see if they would allow a lift & shift and they refused.  That was the end of Azamara in our book.

[Denny01]

1 minute ago, jelayne said:

 

We tried Azamara once and didn't enjoy it as much as X but it was a itinerary X didn't offer.  Then another booking again for itinerary X didn't.  That got cancelled and refunds were being processed.  30 days later they announced the identical itinerary for exactly 12 months to the day later at a 20% higher price.  Called to see if they would allow a lift & shift and they refused.  That was the end of Azamara in our book.

OP, thanks for the info.

 

@jelayne, that type of thing where they offer you a type of voucher at 110% or 125%, but the same itinerary in the future costs more than the voucher has happened on other Lines also. Went through that with Viking and was Not happy; booked a wine cruise in Bordeaux to use their voucher and will not go back to Viking once Ive used the vouchers.

 

den

[RichYak]

19 minutes ago, _Rick_ said:

Oh well, I guess I won't be booking the Azamara cruise that I was looking at for Dec '23 now as a S2S with Beyond.  IMO, this is a mistake, because they will lose a lot of bookings from X customers who would have tried Azamara if they retained their loyalty benefits - like me.  It's just as well I suppose, the reviews of the retrofitted ship from Princess were not good.

My understanding is that you will keep whatever Azamara status you've obtained from Celebrity sailings taken prior to February 2023.

[_Rick_]

2 minutes ago, RichYak said:

My understanding is that you will keep whatever Azamara status you've obtained from Celebrity sailings taken prior to February 2023.

Thanks for that info.  I hope that's true.  I would like to try Azamara sometime.  We were looking at a Carib cruise on Azamara Onward, which is a retrofitted Princess ship, until we read the reviews here on CC.  I guess we will wait to make sure our loyalty remains and perhaps try another cruise in the future on a different ship.

[jelayne]

5 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

OP, thanks for the info.

 

@jelayne, that type of thing where they offer you a type of voucher at 110% or 125%, but the same itinerary in the future costs more than the voucher has happened on other Lines also. Went through that with Viking and was Not happy; booked a wine cruise in Bordeaux to use their voucher and will not go back to Viking once Ive used the vouchers.

 

den

There was no 110% or 125% it was way before final payment and they just refunded the deposit.  It was the fact that about a month later they announced the identical itinerary for the following year, even the identical embarkation and debarkation dates.

 

About 4-5 months later I found out from some others that some regular AZ cruisers had the original fare honored.

 

[bmc alabama]

10 minutes ago, _Rick_ said:

Thanks for that info.  I hope that's true.  I would like to try Azamara sometime.  We were looking at a Carib cruise on Azamara Onward, which is a retrofitted Princess ship, until we read the reviews here on CC.  I guess we will wait to make sure our loyalty remains and perhaps try another cruise in the future on a different ship.

And that retrofitted Princess ship was a retrofitted Renaissance Cruises ship 🙂

[cruisestitch]

37 minutes ago, RichYak said:

My understanding is that you will keep whatever Azamara status you've obtained from Celebrity sailings taken prior to February 2023.

However you must have sailed on Azamara at least once to keep that status.

[cruisestitch]

30 minutes ago, _Rick_ said:

Thanks for that info.  I hope that's true.  I would like to try Azamara sometime.  We were looking at a Carib cruise on Azamara Onward, which is a retrofitted Princess ship, until we read the reviews here on CC.  I guess we will wait to make sure our loyalty remains and perhaps try another cruise in the future on a different ship.

If you have not already sailed on Azamara, as I understand your status from Celebrity will be disappearing.

[pmd1037]

1 hour ago, cruisestitch said:

I just got the email that has Azamara and Celebrity loyalties will finish their split early next year

Thanks but I am confused. 

 

I am currently Elite Plus. 

 

In Azamara new loyalty program after February 1, 2023 will I have a similar level status or will I be pushed to the bottom? If so, how is that good news?

[pmd1037]

To clarify, I did sail on Azamara 

[SkystheLimit]

20 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

However you must have sailed on Azamara at least once to keep that status.

This is correct based on what I was told by Azamara.  As for Azamara, we are looking forward to their new ownership.  Know it will have some hiccups ,but ,truthfully Celebrity never made this brand a priority.  We love the size of the R/A ships.

[WestLakeGirl]

43 minutes ago, pmd1037 said:

To clarify, I did sail on Azamara 

If you have already sailed on Azamara you keep your points

[cruisestitch]

From the letter I received

 

 

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, cruisestitch said:

However you must have sailed on Azamara at least once to keep that status.

Ah bummer

[The_Big_M]

14 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

From the letter I received

 

 

 

I don't see how the above shows that you must have sailed at least once to get the benefits.

 

I haven't seen that as a requirement anywhere, and it would actually increase complexity to the change so not sure why they would do that. Sailing once on Azamara doesn't make you incredibly more loyal than never sailing at all, so doesn't make sense to add as a condition.

[RichYak]

26 minutes ago, The_Big_M said:

 

I don't see how the above shows that you must have sailed at least once to get the benefits.

 

I haven't seen that as a requirement anywhere, and it would actually increase complexity to the change so not sure why they would do that. Sailing once on Azamara doesn't make you incredibly more loyal than never sailing at all, so doesn't make sense to add as a condition.

When I log into my Azamara account, it shows me as "Discoverer" despite never having sailed with them. If I was boarding tomorrow, I would expect benefits. Nothing, to me, indicates otherwise.

[HskrCrsr]

47 minutes ago, RichYak said:

When I log into my Azamara account, it shows me as "Discoverer" despite never having sailed with them. If I was boarding tomorrow, I would expect benefits. Nothing, to me, indicates otherwise.

 

Check out this statement:

• As a Captain's Club member, will I have status and points with Azamara if I have only ever sailed with Celebrity?

  No. To have had status or points with Azamara, you must have at least one past sailing with Azamara.

 

found here: https://www.azamara.com/loyalty/azamara-circle/transition

 

This could change, of course.

[takemewithyou]

I read the Azamara boards faithfully.  What I have read from first time Azamara cruisers who are Celebrity Captains Club members  is that they are receiving reciprocal status with Azamara currently, so-long as they provide their Captains Club number to Azamara.

[WestLakeGirl]

Currently yes nut it ends in February

[takemewithyou]

5 minutes ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Currently yes nut it ends in February

Correct.

[DCPIV]

I'd heard it get kicked around that the split finally would happen Q1 of next year.  It's good to see a set date.

[RichYak]

25 minutes ago, HskrCrsr said:

Check out this statement:

I hate it when my bubble bursts. 🤣