Considering Azamara. Any discounts?

I'm considering Azamara next summer for our 10yr anniversary after reading much positive reviews on this board. What should I look for in terms of getting the best deal? I've read that sometimes they have air credits promos. Is it best to book directly or through TA? Any suggestions would be helpful!

Always book through a travel agent. Azamara is not known for their onshore experience, as you can see in the current threads on this forum, so having a TA deal with Azamara pre-boarding is a big plus IMO.

I never book direct. I work with a highly experienced travel agent at an online agency who is always good at finding the best deal around. Large agencies also book group space (large blocks of cabins) that they can sell at a better rate than you can buy from someone else. You do not have to be part of a "group" to take advantage of these deals. Travel agents may also give you shipboard credit that is refundable. That lowers the cost of your cruise. Generally, the more business an agency does with a particular cruise line, the better the deals they can offer. SHOP AROUND. And don't believe every agent who tells you that theirs is the best deal you will find, and that everyone offers the same price.

A good deal is not the only thing to consider when looking for a travel agent. A good agent also knows the layout of the ship you're considering. She knows which cabins are under the hot tub or swimming pool. She knows which cabins are under or over the theater. This information is valuable - and you won't get it booking direct. The board rules forbid me from even hinting at the name of the agency I use. I wish I could.

A ta is the only way to go. In the us you will always do better with a great ta. Make sure your ta is a cruise specialist

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Thank you all for the kind replies. I will seek out a good TA rather than booking direct. =) As for any promotion opportunities, we are not locked down on dates, just know we want to do Mediterranean itinerary next summer. Does Azamara run any specials certain times of the year I should watch out for? Or is it like Disney, where price tends to be the best the earlier you book?

Thank you all for the kind replies. I will seek out a good TA rather than booking direct. =) As for any promotion opportunities, we are not locked down on dates, just know we want to do Mediterranean itinerary next summer. Does Azamara run any specials certain times of the year I should watch out for? Or is it like Disney, where price tends to be the best the earlier you book?

Promotions have been all over the lot. Generally prices do NOT tend to be the best the earlier you book. If there is excess capacity, prices tend to be better closer to the sail date. Booking late, however, means that you may have to pay top dollar for airfare.

Keep reading this board because people will post the details of the latest promotions they've found. READ THE DETAILS VERY CAREFULLY. A recent promotion that trumpeted "Free companion airfare" turned out to be "free" only from certain cities and did not include taxes (which are considerable.) If you find a promotion that sounds good to you, try posting here and asking if readers consider it a good deal. I'm sure you'll get many responses.

Happy hunting.;)

Promotions have been all over the lot. Generally prices do NOT tend to be the best the earlier you book. If there is excess capacity, prices tend to be better closer to the sail date. Booking late, however, means that you may have to pay top dollar for airfare.

 

Keep reading this board because people will post the details of the latest promotions they've found. READ THE DETAILS VERY CAREFULLY. A recent promotion that trumpeted "Free companion airfare" turned out to be "free" only from certain cities and did not include taxes (which are considerable.) If you find a promotion that sounds good to you, try posting here and asking if readers consider it a good deal. I'm sure you'll get many responses.

 

Happy hunting.;)

Thank you! Just what I was hoping to find out from this board. :)

Thank you all for the kind replies. I will seek out a good TA rather than booking direct. =) As for any promotion opportunities, we are not locked down on dates, just know we want to do Mediterranean itinerary next summer. Does Azamara run any specials certain times of the year I should watch out for? Or is it like Disney, where price tends to be the best the earlier you book?

We've booked 2 ACC cruises. The first one was a last minute, 2 for 1 cruise. I had gotten an E-mail from my TA and when I looked at the itinerary, we made a snap decision and booked it.

This time, I found a great deal last Sept. for our upcoming cruises...it's actually the best promo from ACC that I've ever seen....my TA said the same thing.

Cruise lines have a lot of different promotions. You may want to sign up to be on their E-mail list....I have several cruise lines that send me promos. When I find something I really want, I call my TA and let him take care of the booking and it seems he can offer me a better deal than booking direct with the cruise line....X included.

Good luck...I hope you find a great TA and a fantastic itinerary. As someone said, be sure you get a TA that specializes in cruises.

Mine happens to deal a lot with ACC. :D

We booked during the BOOK INSIDE GET BALCONY plus $1000 ...we were very happy with the price we paid....we would book again under that promo...

Azamara....are you listening?? I hope so... ;)

We booked during the BOOK INSIDE GET BALCONY plus $1000 ...we were very happy with the price we paid....we would book again under that promo...

 

Azamara....are you listening?? I hope so... ;)

That was the same promo we had....and I hope they're listening. :p :D

That sounds like a great promo. I already signed up for the emails, so hopefully something good will come along soon! :)

That sounds like a great promo. I already signed up for the emails, so hopefully something good will come along soon! :)

If you're on facebook, check out Azamara Club Cruises and "Like" their page and you will also see promos. They advertise them on there too.

The great promotions come and go. Unfortunately, Azamara is not great at sending emails or postal mail advertising their promotions. If you are interested, contact a travel agent or keep logging onto their website and check for specials. Some are good. Some are not. Use a scanning program to check fluctuations in prices. Cruise critic has one. Often your best prices occur either way before the cruise date or just before it sails. If the cruise is one that you really want to take, book way in advance. Up until the final payment due date, you can rebook if prices go down. If you are flexible, you may wait and snag a last minute price drop. I have done both. Be careful if you wait. Often the cruise fare goes down and plane fares go up as you get closer to the sailing date. If you live close enough to the embarkation port, waiting can save you money. I just took a cruise (not Azamara) that I booked a week before it sailed. Saved a substantial amount of money. Luckily I live close to the port and was able to drive in. Good luck.

Bookings made this month get a choice air credit up to $1500/cabin.

Bookings made this month get a choice air credit up to $1500/cabin.

TA is also offering $500 OBC in addition to the choice air credit. Would this be considered a good discount? :confused:

TA is also offering $500 OBC in addition to the choice air credit. Would this be considered a good discount? :confused:

You asked if $500 would be considered a good OBC. It all depends on how much you paid for the cruise. What I mean is: if you paid $2700 each for the cruise, this would be a good OBC. If you paid $6500 each for the cruise, it would be not very good at all. I look for 10% OBC based on the cruise fare alone (not including port charges and taxes).

You also have to consider whether the OBC is refundable or not. If you have to spend the OBC, it may not be worth as much as getting a credit on your credit card at the end of the cruise for the unspent amount. If the OBC is coming from the cruise line, it has to be spent. If it is coming from your travel agent, it may be refundable.

I hope I've answered your question rather than confusing you further.:)

TA is also offering $500 OBC in addition to the choice air credit. Would this be considered a good discount? :confused:

Are you sure that is not $500 from Azamara? Right now Azamara is offering $500 OBC on some cruises.