Jan 19 2013 Journey cruise - is it cancelled?

There is rather a nice looking Journey cruise in our Azamara brochure leaving Singapore on the 19th January 2013. I understand this is immediately post dry-dock and is listed on a third party website.

However - I can't find it on the AZ website or any travel agents! Does anyone know if it has been cancelled or is it just on hold for new bookings at the moment? Apologies if this has been mentioned elsewhere. I did a search but couldn't find anything.

I believe that the Journey will be in dry dock in Singapore about that time. That is probably the issue

Hello Thom -

Please give me some time to check-out your question.

Please stand-by and thanks for your patience.

Regards,

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(* CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

Thanks Bill! Your assistance much appreciated.

Having heard tantilising generalities about the new look post makeover you can tell we are very keen to see one or other of the ships as soon as they emerge from dry-dock!

Best wishes

Thom

Hello to those concerned -

Earlier this year, we reported that the Azamara Journey's scheduled 13-night Dry-Dock would begin in Singapore on January 6, 2013; however, while finalizing the refurbishment details, our technical management has decided to extend the 13-night Dry-Dock to 20-nights.

Because of this need for more time (extra-days) it is necessary to redeploy the Azamara Journey’s 15-Night Discover Thailand & Vietnam voyage that was to immediately follow the dry dock on January 19, 2013, to an 8-Night "Discover Thailand & Vietnam voyage, departing on January 26, 2013.

The communication about this itinerary change was completed today by Miami headquarters through "call-outs" to the US/Canada markets. The other markets have received their electronic notification today; however, it will arrive after the close of today's (Friday) business day.

The compensation that will offered to guests booked and deposited with name(s) on the reservation for Azamara Journey January 19, 2013, will be as follows:

§ Remain on the altered itinerary at the new lower rate, or choose to rebook on any other Azamara Club Cruises voyage in like accommodations, at the protected or lowest available rate. Black-out dates apply: Azamara Journey 5/25/13, 8/18/13, 12/23/13; Azamara Quest 1/15/13, 1/31/13, 5/23/13, 7/14/13,12/20/13, and 12/28/13.

§ Guests can still choose to move to one of the black-out sailings, however, the cost will be at prevailing rates. Guest who choose one of these options, will receive a $500 onboard spending credit per stateroom.

§ Guests who incur an airline or hotel booking fee due to this change, will be reimbursed up to $500 per person. In this case, we ask that a faxed copy of such charged fees be provided for reimbursement.

§ Guests who decide to cancel will receive a full refund for amounts paid to the original form of payment.

§ [Compensation program is time-sensitive: In the US/Canada markets a help-desk will be in operation from Friday, April 27, 2012 until Friday, May 27, 2012. All reservations that have not been changed within that time-period, to an alternative Azamara Club Cruises sailing will be cancelled and ineligible for the compensation offered. [/

Please contact your travel professional or reservations with your questions.

We're very sorry that as a result of our difficult decision to extend our time in dry-dock that it has created this unexpected itinerary deviation. We're hopeful that when the Azamara Journey begins it first voyage following its extended dry-dock in Singapore, that you'll find the improvements Azamazing!

We appreciate your loyalty and extend our best wishes for a wonderful vacation when you rebook again.

Sincerely,

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

Thank you for the update Bill.

I'd be interested to know if anyone has seen the itinerary for the new 8 night trip; it isn't on the AZ website yet.

The result of the 26/3/12 cruise was that we spent a bit more time in those "hotel" things than we otherwise would (you know the ones - like a cruise ship except they don't move). I'm thinking I could build a nice little holiday in the Far East around 8 nights on the Journey and a couple of hotel stays either end...

 

The compensation that will offered to guests booked and deposited with name(s) on the reservation for Azamara Journey January 19, 2013, will be as follows, Remain on the altered itinerary at the new lower rate, or choose to rebook on any other Azamara Club Cruises voyage in like accommodations, at the protected or lowest available rate. Black-out dates apply: Azamara Journey 5/25/13, 8/18/13, 12/23/13; Azamara Quest 1/15/13, 1/31/13, 5/23/13, 7/14/13,12/20/13, and 12/28/13.

Guests can still choose to move to one of the black-out sailings, however, the cost will be at prevailing rates. Guest who choose one of these options, will receive a $500 onboard spending credit per stateroom.

 

 

We appreciate your loyalty and extend our best wishes for a wonderful vacation when you rebook again.

Sincerely,

Bill Leiber

Bill,

I wanted to commend Azamara for finally doing the right thing and offering price protection for guests booked on the canceled January 19, 2013 cruise on Azamara Journey who want to move to another itinerary and date. I understand there are some black out dates, and if any of those cruises are booked guests have the option of booking them with $500.00 OBC as compensation. I always felt strongly that this is the compensation that should be offered for cancelations that take place within a certain time period (which I personally believe should be for cancelations that take place within one year).

Ok, you never answered my question which got mixed in with the issues regarding the Quest fire/cruise cancelation and a canceled cruise itinerary for Egypt in November 2013 (And, no, I don't think price protection should be offered for a cruise canceled over a year in advance, but one year is when those working get vacation approvals, start booking and paying for pre or post cruise hotels, and may pay for non-refundable airfare which opens up 11 months in advance).

We were booked on the Azamara Journey 10 Night Red Sea cruise on November 5, 2012 which was canceled. There is no other way but to consider this a cancelation. It was suppose to be a Presidents cruise starting and ending in Suez Egypt. The new itinerary is from Venice to Athens on different dates, starting November 4 with all different ports, and in a different part of the World (Middle East to Europe). It does not resemble the original cruise in any way.

We had a short time period to move our canceled November 5, 2012 booking for the $500.00 OBC and moved to a cruise which is listed as a "black-out date" as far as price protection for the 2013 canceled January cruise on Journey (we were always told we could move this cruise/itinerary and the OBC would stay as it is attached to the booking number). We need to rebook this cruise because it is too close in time to another Azamara booking in 2013 (we are still working), but have never received a good explanation why this cancelation has not been treated the same as others as far as compensation. We would like to move the itinerary with price protection (instead of $500.00 OBC) from our canceled November 5, 2012 Red Sea cruise. The only reason I can think this has not been addressed is that there are very few from Cruise Critic who were on this cruise and realize it was never treated the same as the other recent cancelations (and different than an itinerary that just exchanged Egypt for more time in Israel).

Can you comment?

As always, thank you for representing Azamara on Cruise Critic.