Azamara website - you must be kidding.??

First - we are "ex Azamarians" (started in 2009) who decided to part ways when Azamara turned even "more inclusive" (and therefore more expensive)..

Until then we cruised on both ships 6 times and loved the experience. But - as I put it when we said our goodbyes: "we just don't drink enough to justify the new prices"

So life goes on ... and (of course! ) we've found new ships to explore (we now love Celebrity and its longer cruises ).. :)

But today I was suddenly tempted to peek on what's new on Azamara.. So I noticed the ex-Black Sea cruise on the Quest (June 12ve). Nine days (better than the usual 7) and quite attractive prices (due presumably to the last minute change in Ukraine ports): $1499 pp before taxes for an OV does look tempting - doesn't it?

So imagine my amazement when I tried to make an online booking and the price for a "guaranteed OV" jumped suddenly to $ 3960 pp !! (total of $ 8200.52 with taxes).

WOW!

Miriam

First - we are "ex Azamarians" (started in 2009) who decided to part ways when Azamara turned even "more inclusive" (and therefore more expensive)..

Until then we cruised on both ships 6 times and loved the experience. But - as I put it when we said our goodbyes: "we just don't drink enough to justify the new prices"

So life goes on ... and (of course! ) we've found new ships to explore (we now love Celebrity and its longer cruises ).. :)

 

But today I was suddenly tempted to peek on what's new on Azamara.. So I noticed the ex-Black Sea cruise on the Quest (June 12ve). Nine days (better than the usual 7) and quite attractive prices (due presumably to the last minute change in Ukraine ports): $1499 pp before taxes for an OV does look tempting - doesn't it?

So imagine my amazement when I tried to make an online booking and the price for a "guaranteed OV" jumped suddenly to $ 3960 pp !! (total of $ 8200.52 with taxes).

WOW!

 

Miriam

Checked a few internet sites and that price came up as a guaranteed outside

I just checked the online site that I use frequently to check prices. It shows $1,499 plus taxes for the OV. I don't understand why you can't book it. Today is Saturday April 5 at 3:47 pm in the US.

I just checked the online site that I use frequently to check prices. It shows $1,499 plus taxes for the OV. I don't understand why you can't book it. Today is Saturday April 5 at 3:47 pm in the US.

I am talking about the official Azamara website. Of course it says $1499 (that's why it stood out!) ..

But when you go one step further and start booking it.. THEN it changes into $7898 (for 2) plus taxes!

Voyage Cost Quote

$8,200.52 USD

Feel free to try it.. It takes only about 1 minute! (and of course you don't need to go "all the way".. I didn't!) :)

( by the way.. what does the date have to do with anything? :confused:)

Miriam

I am talking about the official Azamara website. Of course it says $1499 (that's why it stood out!) ..

But when you go one step further and start booking it.. THEN it changes into $7898 (for 2) plus taxes!

Voyage Cost Quote

$8,200.52 USD

Feel free to try it.. It takes only about 1 minute! (and of course you don't need to go "all the way".. I didn't!) :)

 

( by the way.. what does the date have to do with anything? :confused:)

 

Miriam

It time-stamps when tgg saw that price.

Is my English really so hard to understand?? :confused:

"That price" - as you call it - has been there indeed at .. 3.47 pm EST.. And is still there now... and probably will be there tomorrow... and beyond. ..

But this price (I can only compare it to a price you see "from outside" in a shop's window) - is not the price that you see when you actually "enter the shop" in order to buy..

So.. as I've suggested - how about try to "mock book" it in order to see if this is indeed the price that you are offered while actually booking?

Just choose this cruise - (I am talking about the Azamara website ) .. click on "pricing and promotions"... then "book this voyage now".. check the "2 guests" - and then "select your stateroom".. All really very clear cut - and as I said - takes about 1 minute. THEN you'll see that the price changes to over 8000.

So either it's a mistake ( and then Azamara should thank me for bringing it to their attention),.. or the "reduced price" is a bogus..

I don't think I can explain it any better than that.. :)

Miriam

Hi Miriam...FWIW, I tried looking at that cruise and got the same result as you did. Initial pricing for outside showed as $1499 plus taxes. But when I went further to book an outside cabin, the price showed as over $8000 for two people. Something is obviously wrong with the website pricing. But I don't think it's intentional...probably just another case of very poor website maintenance (which has been an ongoing problem with Azamara's site.) I always go through a TA (usually an on line one) to book...I just wouldn't trust the website!

mare

Is my English really so hard to understand?? :confused:

 

"That price" - as you call it - has been there indeed at .. 3.47 pm EST.. And is still there now... and probably will be there tomorrow... and beyond. ..

 

But this price (I can only compare it to a price you see "from outside" in a shop's window) - is not the price that you see when you actually "enter the shop" in order to buy..

 

So.. as I've suggested - how about try to "mock book" it in order to see if this is indeed the price that you are offered while actually booking?

 

Just choose this cruise - (I am talking about the Azamara website ) .. click on "pricing and promotions"... then "book this voyage now".. check the "2 guests" - and then "select your stateroom".. All really very clear cut - and as I said - takes about 1 minute. THEN you'll see that the price changes to over 8000.

So either it's a mistake ( and then Azamara should thank me for bringing it to their attention),.. or the "reduced price" is a bogus..

 

I don't think I can explain it any better than that.. :)

 

Miriam

 

 

 

 

Everyone knows Azamara's website is screwy. You're not telling us anything we don't already know, and they don't already know. Old news! Azamara doesn't need to thank you for anything, unless of course you book the cruise you're interested in, in which case I'm sure they'll be happy for your booking. If you want to stand on principal you could say you can't book since the price comes out wrong....or you could simply pick up the phone and call them and book, or use a travel agency. What do you want to do?

But isn't it about time they sorted it. It has been many months since problems were identified. I tried to navigate it without success the other day, gave up and called the UK call centre. It was no problem for me to do that but in less than three weeks that call centre will be based in Guatamala and having a functioning website will become more important to me.

It is indeed about time. It has been mentioned in various threads here for months. I've posted about it myself on numerous occasions. Spurred on by the latest double upgrade offer I checked on a cruise for early next year as it was one of those on the list. I even entered the special promotion code "FREEUP" and it was still wrong. The problem seems to be that once you are on the pricing and promotions link and click "book now" it takes you to another booking engine and that does not give the correct figure.

In the spirit of helping myself I am now no longer looking at the Azamara site for pricing. I have found a couple of travel agent websites that give me accurate information. However it does beggar belief that a cruiseline can't even provide correct pricing of it's cruises on it's own website. Yes, I find it very frustrating. Don't even get me on Guatemala!

Phil

Based on the experience of booking 'an offer'. The website is a disaster, the prices quoted indeed do become something else when you get to the summary and the offers miraculously can vanish sometime after booking. I used a TA who had many contrary replies when trying to clarify what exactly was the problem with the particular offer we booked through, nothing indicated there would be a problem.

In the end, the TA, Azamara and I agreed a compromise which I am exceptionally happy with and it only got better. You need to use a TA.

I have the wrong luggage tags (inc the print your own) and the edocs have the wrong cabin etc, luckily the express pass is correct.

I love Azamara, but that website must put so many people off, it's a threat to its survival.

Yvonne

It is indeed about time. It has been mentioned in various threads here for months. I've posted about it myself on numerous occasions. ........... However it does beggar belief that a cruiseline can't even provide correct pricing of it's cruises on it's own website. Yes, I find it very frustrating. Don't even get me on Guatemala!

 

Phil

Absolutely, and I have sympathy for the OP, perhaps as they say some of their original message got list in translation.

Despite all the platitudes thrown out from time to time by Azamara reps on these boards about the importance of the non US market, I wonder if they have any real handle about how awful our cruising research experience can be. They and many posters here certainly do not understand that our travel agent market is very different as well

Having had very good support indeed from Azamara UK support team when our Journey cruise was cancelled last month, I was horrified to hear that on the day they were providing most support, they also received their redundancy notices as the final transfer to Guatemala was put in place.

Maybe one day I will be proved wrong, but I cannot accept that Guatemala will provide the same level of support or really understand what the UK cruiser wants

Use a good TA

I would NEVER book any cruise on a website -- especially not Azamara's.

In the spirit of helping myself I am now no longer looking at the Azamara site for pricing. I have found a couple of travel agent websites that give me accurate information. However it does beggar belief that a cruiseline can't even provide

Phil

Hi Phil - Please can you tell us which couple of websites they are? Or at least drop some hints if it's not allowable? Thanks.

Hi Wacktle. I did reply to you the other day, but can't find the post now. Unfortunately I can't share or even give clues as the Cruise Critic guidelines preclude it. Sorry.

Phil

Use a good TA

 

I would NEVER book any cruise on a website -- especially not Azamara's.

But you are in the USA, my post above emphasises, we do not have Travel Agents who operate as your agents do, in terms of their business model or the services they offer.

The OP is based in a country where, like us, online is the route that has to be used virtually all the time = either that or use large impersonal travel agencies where the staff know less about the cruise than we do.

Count yourself lucky you can take the stance you do re websites

But you are in the USA, my post above emphasises, we do not have Travel Agents who operate as your agents do, in terms of their business model or the services they offer.

The OP is based in a country where, like us, online is the route that has to be used virtually all the time = either that or use large impersonal travel agencies where the staff know less about the cruise than we do.

Count yourself lucky you can take the stance you do re websites

You are not looking for advice - so the agency's knowledge or lack of it is irrelevant.

Just a price

Let a TA (even from a big agency) get you the correct answer

Apparently you are not going to get it from the website.

You are not looking for advice - so the agency's knowledge or lack of it is irrelevant.

Just a price

Let a TA (even from a big agency) get you the correct answer

Apparently you are not going to get it from the website.

I am not sure on what grounds you can say I am not looking for advice. I often am, not least of all when I am thinking about other lines or, in relation to Azamara, when I am trying to sort out flight options.

There is absolutely NO guarantee the person you interface with in the majority of travel agents over here has even stepped on a cruise ship, all they do is call up the cruise ships website to answer your questions.

There are a very few travel agents here who are competent in answering cruise related queries, the majority of travellers will not know where to find them.

A USA perspective of what does or does not work re agents is not really helpful, sorry.

I am not sure on what grounds you can say I am not looking for advice. I often am, not least of all when I am thinking about other lines or, in relation to Azamara, when I am trying to sort out flight options.

 

There is absolutely NO guarantee the person you interface with in the majority of travel agents over here has even stepped on a cruise ship, all they do is call up the cruise ships website to answer your questions.

 

There are a very few travel agents here who are competent in answering cruise related queries, the majority of travellers will not know where to find them.

 

A USA perspective of what does or does not work re agents is not really helpful, sorry.

The OP (not you personally) was just looking for a price on a cruise -- not advice. An agency can easily obtain that information

BTW I know MANY folks in the UK and Australia who use US TAs. It can be done.

Hi Phil - Please can you tell us which couple of websites they are? Or at least drop some hints if it's not allowable? Thanks.

Just go to the deals tab on the Cruise Critic home page.. Plenty of websites to choose from!

David

Hi Wacktle. I did reply to you the other day, but can't find the post now. Unfortunately I can't share or even give clues as the Cruise Critic guidelines preclude it. Sorry.

 

Phil

What a shame. It's info that would be so useful. If I could readily see prices and availability, I'd be more inclined to book something, or at least start to persuade my OH. When I have to jump through hoops, it's easier to just give up.

What a shame. It's info that would be so useful. If I could readily see prices and availability, I'd be more inclined to book something, or at least start to persuade my OH. When I have to jump through hoops, it's easier to just give up.

Cruise Critic is, as always, your friend. http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles.cfm?ID=827

Thanks - I'll read that. I've never come across that page before.

After a previous post recommending an agent with a particular word in their website name, I've now found the one that shows the cabin availability info. It's so useful to be able to see it, but we shouldn't have to go elsewhere for the info.

First - we are "ex Azamarians" (started in 2009) who decided to part ways when Azamara turned even "more inclusive" (and therefore more expensive)..

Until then we cruised on both ships 6 times and loved the experience. But - as I put it when we said our goodbyes: "we just don't drink enough to justify the new prices"

So life goes on ... and (of course! ) we've found new ships to explore (we now love Celebrity and its longer cruises ).. :)

 

But today I was suddenly tempted to peek on what's new on Azamara.. So I noticed the ex-Black Sea cruise on the Quest (June 12ve). Nine days (better than the usual 7) and quite attractive prices (due presumably to the last minute change in Ukraine ports): $1499 pp before taxes for an OV does look tempting - doesn't it?

So imagine my amazement when I tried to make an online booking and the price for a "guaranteed OV" jumped suddenly to $ 3960 pp !! (total of $ 8200.52 with taxes).

WOW!

 

Miriam

Hi Miriam,

Thanks so much for posting about this! There is indeed a problem with the pricing on this cruise in our website. We have our technical people working on it. I'll let you know when they've fixed it.

B.rgds, bonnie

Hi Miriam,

Thanks so much for posting about this! There is indeed a problem with the pricing on this cruise in our website. We have our technical people working on it. I'll let you know when they've fixed it.

B.rgds, bonnie

Hi Bonnie,

I appreciate your speedy and very appropriate response to Miriam's post. She raised a legitimate point; Azamara needed to hear about the problem. We now learn that they have heard, and a solution is hopefully forthcoming. So glad to have your presence on the Azamara boards :)

Teri

I'm told the techies have reviewed, and fixed where necessary, the cruise pricing. Thanks again for letting me know.../Bonnie