Consecutive cruise savings now OBC

Azamara has change the Consecutive Cruise Saving also know as B2B

From a cruise fare discount to OBC

This is a for us a big negative

If you book a 9 day cruise on-board you receive $200 OBC

Early Booking discount could be from $300 plus OBC

Then B2B for 9 night cruise would be $400 OBC

Total of $900 for a 9 night cruise

Then some Travel Agents may add even more OBC

Land Discoveries much be having a hard time booking passengers

I just checked the Azamara website and you are right. The monetary savings are much more useful and I struggle to spend OBC as it is. Disappointing.

Phil

Disappointed to see this change. After our Panama Canal cruise in March we will earn 4 free nights. Our plans are to book a cruise that will be a b2b with a cruise that we already have booked for October 2017. It will be our first b2b. One of the things we appreciate about Azamara is that once on board we really don't spend a lot of money and don't need OBC. With our room choice we get internet minutes, laundry, and specialty restaurants. No way would I wait until we are onboard to plan excursions. Our cruises with Azamara are bucket list trips and will be well planned. The possibility of an excursion being full or cancelled due to not enough interest is too great to chance. Azamara, please reconsider.

Although we don't do many back to backs it does not seem like a good move to us, and as we would struggle to spend the OBC it gives little incentive to us. As with the latest sales offer the move seems to be to adding onboard value rather than fare savings, will be interesting to see how this progresses in the coming year.

Azamara has been responsive to us before and maybe will be again. We need to let them know what we think.

I do not take ships tours and would not be able to spend the onboard credit easily. This would be no incentive for us to go b2b.

Plenty of really great wines on the wine list to blow onboard credit on... quite handy given all the whining (pardon the pun) on this forum about the complimentary wines! OBC works fine for me.

Hi Everyone,

I agree that it would be better the previous way, and, that Azamara has a great track record in listening to their guests.

Might I suggest they we kindly ask Bonnie to consider adding this topic to the "Azamara Asks" sub-forum ?

I guess I have always wondered why you get a B2B kick back in the first place. Obvious it is related to brand loyaltly, no need to market to a new guest, etc., but I think OBC is very generous, and while cash is king, it doesn't seem sustainable in today's competitive cruise environment. The cabin on the subsequent cruise would likely be sold to a full paying passenger (especially the suites and upscale cabins I guess) anyway.

John

Hi Everyone,

 

I agree that it would be better the previous way, and, that Azamara has a great track record in listening to their guests.

 

Might I suggest they we kindly ask Bonnie to consider adding this topic to the "Azamara Asks" sub-forum ?

Agree, this move effectively removes the incentive for us. Given the level of disruption on b2bs in Australia (have to disembark and wait until all the ship is disembarked before reboarding, no access to rooms if you are moving room before 11am etc) we certainly are reviewing our b2b strategy

I agree that I would much rather have the cash at booking NOT THE OBC. As a solo traveler the cruise costs are already doubled and the opportunities to spend the OBC halved. This change is not good! Now will definitely have to look at a cruise/land vacation instead of a cruise B-t-b.

Not happy at this "enhancement"?

As we travel cc suite or above OBC is of no use to pay for dining or tours as we arrange those privately as well.

As regards using OBC to upgrade wine the last time we did that the $65 bottle was "not available " and we had to buy $90 bottle but were not offered it at $65 price.

Nice bait and switch as well as kudos for sommelier selling an expensive bottle.

One solution would be to not have OBC's be "use it or lose it". On our booked 2018 WC we get OBC's from AZ and our TA. No way can we spend the combined amount as it is multiple thousands of dollars. I was relieved to discover that my TA OBC's if not used are credited back to my credit card at the end of the cruise. If AZ did this as well it would solve people concerns.

OBC would not incentivize us to book B2B, cash would. We won't be in a position to book B2B till full retirement. This feels like a step on the way to elimination of the "perk". Most people who aren't gambling or drinking top shelf would be hard pressed to spend much OBC at all (I am currently inventing reasons to spend the OBC we were offered) unless they wait to book shore excursions. That has two problems; most of the folks like to plan excursions well in advance, and for some (like us) after reviewing the offerings we have decided to take all our excursions independently.

What is the policy for cashing out OBC in the casino? (Buying chips and cashing them in) Is there are way to look at this as receiving the cash (by doing a casino conversion) and just accpting that the cash offered for B2B reduced by X % because you have to pay the casino a percentage now? i would like to know if anyone has had success trying this.

Has anyone had experience of applying for the b2b OBC via the link on the Azamara website? I've recently submitted a couple of forms and didn't receive an acknowledgement back from Azamara. As the terms and conditions make it time critical (within 14 days of booking a b2b voyage) I thought I would have received something like the confirmation I get if I apply for an LCV upgrade. Any recent knowledge of how you were advised and how long it took?

Thanks.

Phil

Has anyone had experience of applying for the b2b OBC via the link on the Azamara website? I've recently submitted a couple of forms and didn't receive an acknowledgement back from Azamara. As the terms and conditions make it time critical (within 14 days of booking a b2b voyage) I thought I would have received something like the confirmation I get if I apply for an LCV upgrade. Any recent knowledge of how you were advised and how long it took?

 

Thanks.

 

Phil

I've always had it done by the agent immediately the b2b was added and the confirmation invoice showing the OBC came through within a day. Certainly that's what happened last month when I made an existing b2b into a b2b2b.

I would worry the link is owing into a black hole so you might want to also push with whoever you made the booking through.

Thanks Ann. I was told by my travel agent that the consecutive cruising benefit has to be done via the website so a bit confusing. It might have something to do with him being unaware of the b2b OBCs available. I've reached out to Nicole Lukacs and hopefully she will point me in the right direction.

Phil

Agree, this move effectively removes the incentive for us. Given the level of disruption on b2bs in Australia (have to disembark and wait until all the ship is disembarked before reboarding, no access to rooms if you are moving room before 11am etc) we certainly are reviewing our b2b strategy

Ann, I did not change rooms in AU. But have in the past. Do you think this was due to being in AU vs anywhere else? On the norm I switch by 9 am and left the ship- As I plan this summer..

Update. I didn't get a written acknowledgment via the website, but it was sorted out by the Azamara Miami office. I'm always mightily impressed with the dealings I have with Nicole Lukacs and the team there. Knowing I can speak to people who care and not just a faceless back office makes a huge difference to my Azamara experience.

Phil

Totally agree

I do worry about overwhelming Nicole likewise Richard Twynam but they save the situation when Guatemala scores the own goals for us in the UK

Totally agree

I do worry about overwhelming Nicole likewise Richard Twynam but they save the situation when Guatemala scores the own goals for us in the UK

Guatemala? Who's dat den?;)

Phil

I'm very curious as to the business rationale behind back to back discounts. Why would someone who cruises back to back deserve a discount and someone who books an equal (if not larger) amount of cruises during a calendar year not?

I'm very curious as to the business rationale behind back to back discounts. Why would someone who cruises back to back deserve a discount and someone who books an equal (if not larger) amount of cruises during a calendar year not?

I wonder too. I know that our old favorite line, RSSC, does this, but then they include air, so it makes sense then. I guess I always thought there would be some logistical and/or administrative savings not having to turn over a cabin. But then if you have to change cabins, where's the saving?

Rewarding a certainty of multiple bookings I suppose. The fact that a guest is locking themselves into more than one cruise at a time. Just to clarify, it's not a discount any longer, it's onboard spending money.

Phil

Rewarding a certainty of multiple bookings I suppose. The fact that a guest is locking themselves into more than one cruise at a time. Just to clarify, it's not a discount any longer, it's onboard spending money.

 

 

 

Phil

It still feels weird. I don't see why someone who makes one back to back cruise each year would 'deserve' more onboard spending money than someone who makes let's say 4 separate cruises. Usually it's quite easy to understand the business rational behind promotions (why certain outcomes are financially beneficial to the company); in this case I just don't get it.

Floris

It still feels weird. I don't see why someone who makes one back to back cruise each year would 'deserve' more onboard spending money than someone who makes let's say 4 separate cruises. Usually it's quite easy to understand the business rational behind promotions (why certain outcomes are financially beneficial to the company); in this case I just don't get it.

Floris

Hello Floris,

you raise an interesting question. I've passed it up the chain of command for them to contemplate.