Le Club Voyage Thumbs up or down

One day this debacle will make a great case study - on how to destroy a Brand. As a retired Marketing & Advertising professional, one of the first things you learn is that a consumer's relationship with a brand is predominantly an emotional one. Free internet and laundry consolidate the emotional attachment unlike Azamara Joel's cold theoretical analysis! I read somewhere that Azamara trialled these "enhancements". I can only assume that the they trialled them with the company's Financial people and not cruisers like us. This thread is testament to that observation as I'd say that there is universal condemnation of the "enhancements". Oh, and I notice that Larry has been silent on Twitter these last few days. No more little ditties on customer satisfaction eh Larry?

We are back with Oceania in November and it's just been announced that NCL have taken them over! Just can't win.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I disagree.

Servicing the internet is not a problem

Oceania has many cruises where free internet is a perk for All passengers on identical ships

Perhaps Azamara needs to upgrade

There is no excuse for this

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

I am still completely at a loss though, to understand how someone somewhere thought it a bright idea to combine a service reduction announcement in with some very abstract enhancements and then roll it out with much fanfare as the "l'announcement of the year". I would suggest that une head needs to roll somewhere as a consequence of this fiasco.

As I am about to take my first Azamara cruise, and have one more booked for next year, I have been following these boards closely. I was a little surprised that so many people are bent out of shape over losing internet and laundry and couldn't figure out what the big deal is. However, I also don't cruise with any one specific line too regularly and don't really care about loyalty benefits. But what ikelmay said is what really annoys me about this whole thing. What a PR disaster to prep the public for a big announcement, only to make it detrimental to their most loyal cruisers. Wouldn't it have made more sense to unveil the changes more discreetly, and email their loyal clients to inform them of these changes? Some of the things Azamara has been doing has me scratching my head, and I haven't even set foot onboard one of their ships. Anyway, very sorry for those who are disappointed. Hopefully, the line will find a way to somewhat rectify it.

Michael

I agree that servicing the internet is not the problem. We were onboard one of the ships on the last cruise before the dry dock. During our cruise, there was a large IT group onboard and they were there to upgrade the wifi / satellite. The system was not working during most of our cruise because they had already started the upgrades and replacing the existing system.

I do agree that they have a very large number of higher tiered passengers in their loyalty program that have only taken one cruise on Azamara. But, that is how they designed the program and it seems to resolve that issue Azamara has set a huge threshold between the upper levels of the loyalty program.

Laundry does not cost anything extra for Azamara. They use existing equipment and manpower. Same as internet. Why go to no internet perks when most lines are going in the other direction and offering it as an amenity for everyone?

I for one will be looking elsewhere. I cruised with Azamara 10 times.....was looking forward to 11 - 13 but will not book them on Azamara.

We enjoyed the benefits of Elite on Azamara. After 2012 we have not returned as the prices were too high. We found the sky suite and Elite Plus benefits on Celebrity fit our needs and budget. I was looking forward to new Discover Plus benefits on Azamara . Will be staying with Celebrity and I am only half way to Zentih so don`t see me reaching another level.

Thumbs down. We are regular Oceania and Celebrity Elite cruisers who just two weeks ago booked our first Azamara cruise. The reciprocal LCV benefits were a big factor in getting us to try Azamara. Sadly, we booked a 16 day transatlantic; after we paid our money, Azamara took away the free internet and free laundry, both sorely needed on a two week trip with only 3 port days. The other benefits were fun and would have made us feel good about Azamara, but were less important to us.

I don’t see any upside in the new LCV and there’s no reason to start accumulating points on Azamara when Celebrity gives us immediately useful benefits and Azamara does not. Oceania’s loyalty program is modest, but it’s dependable and you don’t have to spend money to get a benefit once it’s earned. We probably won’t cancel this trip—I refuse to believe that Azamara can also wreck its legendary on-board service before we manage to have our cruise—but I’m pretty sure for our next cruise we’ll be fleeing back to Celebrity and Oceania.

Here is the e-mail I received.

Most definitely thumbs down.

 

L’EXCITING NEWS FOR LE CLUB VOYAGE. Dear *****, Our Azamara Club Cruises® Le Club Voyage loyalty program is getting an upgrade—and a major one at that. We’ve been hard at work improving your loyalty benefits, and in January 2015, you will reap the new rewards. Le name will remain, but le program will be getting an upgrade. Here’s just some of what you can expect when we roll out le new Le Club Voyage in January 2015:

• USD 199 stateroom upgrades
  
• Complimentary nights
  
• Onboard savings
  
• Savings on future voyages
  
• Ongoing connection with an exclusive social community
  

We will also be introducing a shoreside Le Club Voyage Ambassador, who will be dedicated to communicating with our past guests and continuing to improve the loyalty program. After your first Azamara voyage, your program membership begins. If you’ve sailed with us before, your loyalty level will carry over when the new benefits begin. Stay tuned for more details. Le best is yet to come.

 

Andy...thank you for answering my question.

I hadn't had a letter so was interested to see this. Is the reciprocity with Celebrity to continue as it is currently. It does say 'after your first Azamara voyage your programme membership begins'. We are elite plus and were looking forward to our first Azamara, but I'm not sure now if we will be members at all. :confused:

Someone do the math: It has gone 48 hours since this thread was started and it has close to 200 replies and 7000 views.In 24 hrs Andy's poll is closing up to 200 NOs and a clear 96,5% thumbs down.

If 200 loyal customers ( a very conservative estimate) cancel 2 cruises/year with Azamara that means they have lost more than one whole sailing. I recon that the numbers are much higher since some of the members saying they now are looking elsewhere are loyalists who do 3-5 sailings per year.

Advertising is a tricky bussiness. Some involuntarily get completely out of hand and end up as pure catastrophic events for the companies. In this case it is not so much about the content itself (let's face it, we are not talking huge amounts here), it is also likely due to a lack of eagerness on the part of Azamara customers to purchase a product from a company that is directly insulting them.

The silence of Bonnie and Joel on this thread speaks volumes.

Like most other on this thread I am astonished by the crass attitude of Azamara towards their loyal and supportive customer base who have made them what they are, particularly as the "enhancements" over the years have been penny pinching removing benefits which cost Azamara little, yet did much to promote loyalty.

Having cruised extensively for many years initially with family and now as a couple we discovered Azamara almost three years ago and immediately loved the combination of great crew, great service, and interesting well travelled passenger mix who seemed to gel well with each other, often assisted with the freely poured wine with meals. Since then we have returned three times a year on longer cruises and in good grade cabins, and soon to embark on our eighth journey to the far east, so put a fair bit of cash into Azamara although not approaching the loyalty of many others, but now wonder if enough is enough and time to move on especially after a recent experience with Regency, and the competition from Oceania.

The list of changes since our first Azamara cruise have been many, none of which have added to the product

+Upgrade free wine to all inclusive, not an incentive to most who were not heavy drinkers and where over the bar drinks were signed for as normal, and only served to significantly increase the cruise price.

+Removal of early booking discount for tours.

+Increase in speciality restaurants from 15 to 25 dollars, and now without apres dinner petit fours with coffee, and with significantly unchanged menus.

+Removal of free laundry, which was ideal for daily items on longer cruises.

+Removal of free internet, which at maritime contract rates cost Azamara almost nothing, and now means a "discount" package even to arrange and print off flight arrangements.

+Removal of sparkling wine, not hugely missed, but a nice recognition.

+Removal of Officers Brunch for a get together??

+Removal of harpist and other proficient musicians.

+Unchanging entertainment, cruise after cruise.

I am sure these are not all the negative changes, but are now being compounded by the lengthy off brochure charters and swingers cruises, reducing access to cruise dates, and for the UK market the closure of the first class RCCL facility where the excellent staff were knowledgeable and invariably pleasant and helpful, and transfer to central america where none of these attributes are present.

Azamara were developing an excellent product being delivered onboard by superb ships crew from Captain down, yet once again they are being hugely let down by senior management and head office decision makers who seem unable to focus on achieving a proper five star experience, and unable to predict the negative reactions to their unnecessary penny pinching changes, whilst the competition from Oceania, Viking, Regent, is becoming more competitive and properly delivered.

Sadly I do not think Mr.P or senior management will take any account of the adverse reactions from loyal guests, and will continue to lead Azamara downmarket.

Perhaps time for us to jump ship!! Don't think we will be alone.

Well said Alfredo1.

I worked in the marketing department at HBS years ago. What an interesting case study this would make.

Thumbs down from me also.

You do not enhance a benefit by removing previous perks.

Not bothered about wine tasting but all others were a nice enhancement which I thought meant that Azamara valued us as a customer/client/guest rather than a money making opportunity.

Sayonara

Sayonara

Japanese for 'goodbye'; however, it carries more finality. Instead of being used at the end of a day, as in "Goodbye see you tomorrow," it would be used in situations where you will either not see the person for a long time, if ever again.

 

Sums up my feelings or possibly "Say no to Azamara"

Any recco as to where next

Oceania or Viking???

 

Top tier member currently.

We always loved Oceania (having sailed on three different ships) before finding Azamara. Their three smaller ships are sister ships to the Quest and Journey. Now, after hearing about Azamara's "wonderful" new loyalty program, we learned that Norwegian has purchased Oceania and Regent. Should be interesting to see what happens there

Hope many of the delightful crew come over to Celebrity as that is where I will be. Elite Plus perks are great.

Like you Phil, I've never had an email from Azamara, but then I've only sailed with them 10 times. so maybe after November's cruise when they have the info again, I might get one?? I've never had a welcome gift either, didn't want one, but I'm really sad that on my 17 day Antarctic cruise in January, I won't get my free laundry.

I've already checked out alternatives to my 2016 back to back cruises to Oz and NZ and will change them when I get back from my Crystal cruise in 2 weeks.

I hasten to add that my decision is due to an accumulation of issues and not solely the loss of the Le Club Voyage perks ...

I will contact Azamara Club cruises and ask how they can alter a contract on their own. Those of us who have booked passages sailing after January 1, 2015 did so with the information provided by Azamara. The features internet and laundry were part of the legal consideration for the agreement. This is not a situation in which an "at sea" issue arose; but was simply a business decision by Azamara. I believe a good legal argument can be made that all passengers who have made initial payments for a cruise are legally entitled to what was promised by Azamara.

I received an email today about all this even though I haven't sailed with Azamara yet! I'm not sure now if I can join the scheme until after I have sailed on Azamara despite being Elite + on Celebrity.... Then again there doesn't seem much in it for me.

We are experienced Celebrity cruisers who have also sailed with HAL, Crystal, Princess and Cunard. More recently we have been enjoying Oceania but have been considering some new Azamara itineraries in late 2015 and early 2016, especially in Australia. I have been noticing recently an exceptionally negative tone on the Cruise Critic Azamara boards that make Azamara stand out in a very bad way. Given the more evenhanded or positive tone generally present on other message boards, I have to believe this negativity has much validity. News such as Guatemala customer service, reduced loyalty benefits, cancellations of cruises in favor of long charters, arrogant justification of all of this from Azamara senior management plus news of generally declining service means that we will not be trying Azamara. Indeed, We have booked two Oceania cruises and one Crystal cruise instead.

Just a little irony to add to the mix

In my mailbox today a gorgeous thick brochure from Viking Oceans (I have not yet sailed with Viking but they seem to have found me whereas I never got any promotional material (not even an email) from Azamara). On the front page they boast about their THREE new vessels -- and they haven't even had their first sailing.

Small ships, all inclusive -- sounds like another option for all of us who are disillusioned with Azamara's lack of concern for its loyal clientele.

A very large thumbs down from two long time Azamara cruisers. The free laundry and free internet minutes (contrary to Azamara's claims) do enhance the cruise experience. I imagine everyone on this board has suffered with the congestion in the laundry rooms while on board, especially when one or more of the machines is broken. We generally do b2b cruises and laundry does become an issue. I hate the thought of spending valuable time running back and forth to an overcrowded, congested space. And we've all heard tales of horror of "laundry room altercations." And a slow internet is almost acceptable if it's not costing anything. We have discovered Seabourn and will continue taking our future business there. They really know how to treat their guests.

We have discovered Seabourn and will continue taking our future business there. They really know how to treat their guests.

I have heard only great things about Seabourn and booked 2 TAs on Seabourn. Glad to hear you feel as others do.

I just wanted to take a look at the new enhanced loyalty program from A my oh my this reminds me of the last takeaway A did that drove us away and they are at it again. What a shame I am not sure how much more A can take away from their repeat customers before they look at other options which looking at this thread seems to be happening.

I find it very sad and disappointing. I loved both of our cruises and the staff are very special and glad we had to opportunity to cruise with A but I find myself shaking my head and saying how sad.

We had been keeping summer 2015 to early September open for an Azamara cruise deal. We almost booked an Azamara cruise for August (last month) but had already booked a France land tour for September (leaving soon for it) and would have lost our deposit for it. We decided to stay with our France trip instead of sacrificing the deposit and keep next summer open for Azamara instead. Well, not now. Given the lack of appreciation for LCV members as demonstrated by removing two key benefits (Internet minutes & laundry), today we booked another land tour (Germany) for next September. We are frequent Celebrity cruisers and will just continue our loyalty there for cruises where we feel our loyalty is valued.

Kathy

Just got home tonight from our cruise on the Journey. I was shocked when I read the email about the new LCV. Nothing was mentioned about the changes while I was on the cruise. Sadly, the internet on the Journey was often down and when it was available, it was exceedingly slow. My spouse and I each had the LCV 235 complimentary internet minutes. We used most of that time trying to connect. We lost connections often. The internet service was a disaster. Many cruisers were angry having to pay for the poor internet service. As for the free laundry, it was one of the better perks. There are washers and dryers on the ship. They run constantly from 7 am to 10 pm. Want to do a wash? Be ready to wait. I also saw guests fighting to use a washer. I did use the free washers a few times. I really liked the 2 free bags of laundry on a 14 day cruise. The only LCV benefits that we used were the free laundry and internet. The elimination of these perks will not make cruisers more loyal. It may just annoy them. In some cases, it will drive them away.

Just got home tonight from our cruise on the Journey. I was shocked when I read the email about the new LCV. Nothing was mentioned about the changes while I was on the cruise. Sadly, the internet on the Journey was often down and when it was available, it was exceedingly slow. My spouse and I each had the LCV 235 complimentary internet minutes. We used most of that time trying to connect. We lost connections often. The internet service was a disaster. Many cruisers were angry having to pay for the poor internet service. As for the free laundry, it was one of the better perks. There are washers and dryers on the ship. They run constantly from 7 am to 10 pm. Want to do a wash? Be ready to wait. I also saw guests fighting to use a washer. I did use the free washers a few times. I really liked the 2 free bags of laundry on a 14 day cruise. The only LCV benefits that we used were the free laundry and internet. The elimination of these perks will not make cruisers more loyal. It may just annoy them. In some cases, it will drive them away.

That certainly doesn't sound good...I hope it's better on the Saturday when most pax disembark on our b2b. I plan on washing that day, otherwise I won't be using the laundry facility.

Another slap in the face for me was when they did away with the About Rose room fragrance. Yes, I know it's a small thing (actually may sound a bit petty to some) but something I really looked forward to. Granted, I don't have as much to lose as many do, but it's just not right and I do feel badly for all the people who were at the highest levels for LCV. It sounds like a lot of people are "jumping ship".

Another thought I had was are they trying to anger people so they have an excuse to do mostly charters? Seems to me as though the charters are another way to increase revenue and they won't have to worry about loyalty. :eek: :rolleyes: Hmmmmmmm!