"For New Bookings Only"

I am getting to the point that I cannot wait to be DONE with this line! My TA called regarding a cruise booked for March 9, 2015 with Open passage. He was told that the 7% discount (we are discoverer plus) is only good for NEW bookings. Figures! The verbiage on the site clearly states: "For Voyages departing after January 2015".

So, for our 2015 cruise, we get no laundry, no internet and no credit! Nice going Azamara!

I am getting to the point that I cannot wait to be DONE with this line! My TA called regarding a cruise booked for March 9, 2015 with Open passage. He was told that the 7% discount (we are discoverer plus) is only good for NEW bookings. Figures! The verbiage on the site clearly states: "For Voyages departing after January 2015".

 

So, for our 2015 cruise, we get no laundry, no internet and no credit! Nice going Azamara!

Hi 3418ahl,

Wow. That seems puzzling to me. It's a benefit - not a promotion. Why would it be for new bookings only ?

If I may suggest - have your TA contact Susanne Bernroth in Miami. As Azamara has posted her email address on this forum, I feel it's ok to repost it. Ms Bernroth's email addy is Sbernroth@azamaraclubcruises.com

Please let us know the outcome, and good luck !

Hi 3418ahl,

Just checked the Azamara website again. I'm curious, did you book onboard ? The discount you've mentioned is for onboard bookings.

As for when it applies, the verbiage is as clear as mud. On the website, it states : ONBOARD BOOKINGS OFFER AS OF VOYAGES DEPARTING ON OR AFTER JAN. 1, 2015.

Does that mean it's only for sailings that you book onboard starting 1/1/15 or, that you can take advantage of now... for sailings that depart after 1/1/15. I can take the above statement either way.

It was booked with open passages on board! I have just sent a letter as you suggested and we will see what happens! I have my doubts!

My thinking is that it will only be for voyages BOOKED after 1/1/15, which would pretty much alleviate having to give ANY benefits for some time!

It was booked with open passages on board! I have just sent a letter as you suggested and we will see what happens! I have my doubts!

My thinking is that it will only be for voyages BOOKED after 1/1/15, which would pretty much alleviate having to give ANY benefits for some time!

I think because you left a deposit on board that you are not considered a new booking. That deposit is considered a booking. That happen to me a few years back. We were not allowed to use our on board booking deposit to book a cruise that Azamara was running a special on. We booked the special and my TA did get back out future cruise deposit for us.

I fully realize that this is not a new booking. What I thought was that, since this is a "level benefit" (as Andy stated above) and not a promotion, it should be offered on cruises departing after 1/1/15, if they were booked with open passages. Unless there are upgrades available, I see ZERO benefits to those cruising the beginning of 2015, just benefits we now DO NOT have.

I fully realize that this is not a new booking. What I thought was that, since this is a "level benefit" (as Andy stated above) and not a promotion, it should be offered on cruises departing after 1/1/15, if they were booked with open passages. Unless there are upgrades available, I see ZERO benefits to those cruising the beginning of 2015, just benefits we now DO NOT have.

I see what you mean. When Azamara did that to us, we did take the cruise and did not leave a future deposit. Then Azamara added the liquor and price hikes in. That is when we stopped sailing with them. Too many changes/problems with Azamara for us to give them our money. Best of luck getting your problem solved.

I am getting to the point that I cannot wait to be DONE with this line! My TA called regarding a cruise booked for March 9, 2015 with Open passage. He was told that the 7% discount (we are discoverer plus) is only good for NEW bookings. Figures! The verbiage on the site clearly states: "For Voyages departing after January 2015".

 

So, for our 2015 cruise, we get no laundry, no internet and no credit! Nice going Azamara!

Just to clarify, do you still get the discount that you had for booking onboard? I would assume so since you have the passage.

Most cruise lines before final payment will let you have a new promotion, but it replaces the old one. Are you sure the current book on board discount is not worth more?

The discount offered on the old passages document was $200-$600 per stateroom. Significantly less than 7%. In addition, I should not have to substitute the

"promotion", since it is NOT a promotion, but a supposed benefit. I would think since Azamara changed all the benefits, I would qualify for the newer one as a "loyal" cruiser...no more!

Hi 3418ahl,

 

Just checked the Azamara website again. I'm curious, did you book onboard ? The discount you've mentioned is for onboard bookings.

 

As for when it applies, the verbiage is as clear as mud. On the website, it states : ONBOARD BOOKINGS OFFER AS OF VOYAGES DEPARTING ON OR AFTER JAN. 1, 2015.

 

Does that mean it's only for sailings that you book onboard starting 1/1/15 or, that you can take advantage of now... for sailings that depart after 1/1/15. I can take the above statement either way.

I have contacted my TA to substitute the new benefits for the old in the case of a sailing we have booked for 2016, based on "ONBOARD BOOKINGS OFFER AS OF VOYAGES DEPARTING ON OR AFTER JAN. 1, 2015."

We booked on board and have a $400.00 discount. The 5% off at Discoverer level should be slightly more since this is an expensive longer cruise, plus the $200.00 OBC.

We will see if Azamara even honors their new benefits.

I just wanted to know if anyone has had success with any of these new benefits. Even though you have to spend something to get something, it appears the best benefit in the new program is the book on board benefit, which is only better than the previous benefit depending on the price of your cruise and level discount.

One week into the new program and now there are booking problems. Amazed? No. Azamara seems to make it as they go. They ought to firm with their policies. They make the rules. I guess that they also break the rules. Good luck.

Since the news of the "new" loyalty progam was announced, I have received atleast one or more e-mails a day from Azamara promoting some offer or cruise. The only communcation I want from Azamara is news that they have made a BIG mistake and are re-instating our former loyalty rewards.

I feel that the cruise critic forum has been a lot of free advertising for Azamara - promoting their product.

Unfortunately, they are still getting free advertising - but not the good kind any longer.

Big thanks to Andy...after sending an email to the address he suggested above, our 7% credit has been applied to our future cruise. Hopefully, by the time we take it, some changes will have been made to the loyalty program!

Big thanks to Andy...after sending an email to the address he suggested above, our 7% credit has been applied to our future cruise. Hopefully, by the time we take it, some changes will have been made to the loyalty program!

So, that replaced the $400.00 or so discount that you had originally received for booking onboard, correct? Did you also get the $200.00 OBC?

Yes, replaces the discount. Did not receive the OBC originally, since we did not book a specific voyage, just open passages, so don't know how that is affected.

After asking again for an update I was notified that the 5% discount would be applied "as a courtesy", however Azamara would not give us the $200.00 OBC.

It is about another $100.00 off from the discount we had received from booking onboad.

What kind of BS is this as Azamara changed the book on board benefits for cruises departing after January 2015. So, they do not want to give the OBC (and did not want to give the discount) but find it OK to take away the free internet and laundry?

This is CLEARLY in violation of the statement on their website, which states that both the discount and the OBC are applicable. ( Savings of 3%* to 10%* on open and reserved passage voyages when booking onboard. Plus, a $200 onboard credit for the future voyage when a reserved passage is booked.) I had to go through hoops just to get the 7% credit. These new "benefits" are actually NOT, since they seem to be impossible to obtain!

This is CLEARLY in violation of the statement on their website, which states that both the discount and the OBC are applicable. ( Savings of 3%* to 10%* on open and reserved passage voyages when booking onboard. Plus, a $200 onboard credit for the future voyage when a reserved passage is booked.) I had to go through hoops just to get the 7% credit. These new "benefits" are actually NOT, since they seem to be impossible to obtain!

The big issue for me is that they told our TA that they would give the 5% discount as a "courtesy" as if we are making an unreasonable request.

We were on the Quest in August and I booked a B2B for March/April of 2015. I received the 7% discount plus the $200.00 OBC plus the $500.00 OBC for each leg for the promotion they were having plus the B2B discount on each leg. No problems at all.

Seems to be--to put it kindly--evolving and situational...

When I asked my Travel Agent to secure the 7% discount for my February 2015 sailings--both booked via Open Passages Certificates--the Rep told her that she would need to reprice both sailings and that the result would be disadvantageous to me... Knowing that my circumstances are virtually identical to those of the Cruise Critic Member who originated this post--we are friends, we were aboard Journey together in Asia, we purchased our Open Passages Certificates at the same time to cover the Compensatory Future Cruise Discount Certificates issued as a result of Journey having become disabled in Japan [one cruise terminated early; another was fully cancelled], and we do speak frequently/compare notes [i even know exactly how the 7% was calculated]--the recent response just doesn't ring true to me in the context of what has been reported here...

My first inclination was to save the hassle--they've been endless for these trips from multiple perspectives--and forego the incremental $200+ loyalty-based benefit increase/cost reduction [versus the flat dollar discount amounts previously featured via Open Passages based upon cruise duration and cabin level]... But the more I think about it, the more I am inclined to send my Travel Agent back to the drawing board--on the basis of principle and fairness--to advocate on my behalf once again... Our disparate experiences as reported here suggest there is something seriously amiss in terms of consistent administration...

Oh... And I've already been told through my Travel Agent--not that it came as a particular surprise--that Azamara candidly shared that I shouldn't plan on availing myself of a $398 loyalty-based upgrade/upsell on either of my upcoming sailings despite my fairly hefty Cruise Point total... On my 7 February cruise, the next higher cabin category is virtually sold out with four months to go; on my 19 February cruise, the next higher cabin category has been sold out for months...

As I initially--and unfortunately--surmised, it's all proving to be so arduous and illusory... We'll see what tomorrow brings...

We are looking into the root of these issues.

I'll get back to you.

Bonnie

We are looking into the root of these issues.

I'll get back to you.

Bonnie

Thank you.

We were on the Quest in August and I booked a B2B for March/April of 2015. I received the 7% discount plus the $200.00 OBC plus the $500.00 OBC for each leg for the promotion they were having plus the B2B discount on each leg. No problems at all.

I assume the $500.00 OBC per leg ($1,000.00 OBC) was a promotion instead of the BOGO, correct? So, $1,200.00 OBC, not bad.

I keep reading the boards. I think that Azamara's promotions/benefits have not been thoroughly thought out. The people who propose the changes probably cannot understand that people are upset. Whoever proposed the changes needs some training in human factors. Perception is reality. It seems that as more people discover the changes, the reality is that people are getting upset. Upset cruisers on Azamara have lots of other vacation options. Why would any cruise line want to make potential guests upset? That's what puzzles me.

We are looking into the root of these issues.

I'll get back to you.

I appreciate it!