DavyWavey70

Well the Az agent categorically stating several times that nobody from the agency has contacted them at all to rectify the situation is absolutely untrue. My TA has the names and times of people that they have spoken to. Had the Az agent stated that they "couldn't see any record of" or "I'm unable to access that information" then I wouldn't question their honesty for a second but they repeated to me several times that my TA had not contacted them to confirm the details. I Don't wish to debate semantics so I'll just leave it there. Thanks for the advice all.

Yes it’s all in the confirmation. Sorry, my wording was sloppy. It was the Azamara agent that’s been lying to me, not my TA.

This latest round of confusion came because I called Az to upgrade my onboard package which can’t be done via my agent. I Wanted to upgrade from the Experience more essentials package to experience more for solo travellers. It was then that I was informed that the package that had been there the week before was no longer there so I couldn’t upgrade, just pay the full price of the package. One agent in particular had been dishonest with me so I stand by what I said. What a very, very poor first impression of a company. I’m left regretting that I ever booked it.

I’m sorry to hear that blag, I hope you get things sorted. The IT system is just horrid.

They really have been trying. Like I said, we are 2 months in now and I’m still no closer to getting things sorted.

So 2 months ago I booked a 3 week tour of South Africa that included a 12 night Azamara cruise through a very well reputed UK tour operator. I Was so excited to finally try Azamara. Ever since I booked I have been trying to book my excursions and upgrade my included package to no avail. Firstly it took 2 weeks to see my booking at all, this took several phone calls. It was loaded incorrectly. A Week after it finally showed up, Azamara showed that my booking was cancelled. I Called them several times and they confirmed that the booking was cancelled but they couldn’t tell me how or why. Eventually the tour operator managed to get the booking re-instated. It was reinstated incorrectly with my basic package loaded but with none of the extras included such as the 3 table tour. Several phone calls later they finally loaded the 3 table tour to the booking but at the same time dropped the entire essentials package. I’ve called several times since trying to upgrade my package only to be told that I’ll just have to sort it once onboard. The representative has claimed several times that they have had no communication whatsoever from the operator to confirm what should be included despite the operator confirming 5 separate conversations with them. I Have now wasted dozens of hours of my life trying to make the most basic arrangements for my special trip to be met with nothing other than indifference and incompetence. Azamara reps have consistently put the blame onto my tour operator which I know is absolutely untrue. Their IT systems seem to pre-date the times of Marty McFly, their honesty is extremely fluid, their competence is beyond questionable and their ability to deliver would be easily outdone by a paraplegic sloth. What on earth have I let myself in for?

A Pleasure much enjoyed by myself also. Even more so now knowing that Rojaan is Welsh. Cymru am Byth!

That looks absolutely fabulous M. That will certainly soften the blow!

Not one on the Inquisition? Sorry I forgot, nobody expects the Inquisition.

Have you booked your next one yet onboard? Save travels home both xxx

I’ll look forward to his call 😁

We had a similar problem when we were on the Muse and it was very loud at all sorts of hours. Luckily we aren’t early to bed sorts but it was quite intrusive and our Butler wasn’t much help.

Well she’s in very good company. Dolly Parton has just revealed last week that her ancestry was from Conwy. Do you have any leads? I Believe that a trip to the big house was often, in those days, a pre-curser for a much longer trip.

Would the word adventure be more appropriate? I’m glad you enjoyed it anyway.

I For one always use nwah yee in a Martini. I Agree completely about the sauces Jeff vermouth does add an extra dimension of wine.

I’d have an Icewine tasting might have been in order! Enjoy your last couple of days M. The bunting is ready.

I’m so proud of him, his girls and all that they have achieved. I’m Even more proud of the way he has treated the one that was tasked with putting him out of business that now has a minor roll within the same franchise group. He’s smothered her with kindness. As a bystander, Karma can be sweet.

An example of UK redundancy law is my partner. My partners branch of Travel Agency was closing due to non agreement in a renewal of branch lease. They did everything they could to keep my partner but because he requested redundancy and they couldn’t provide similar terms it was his choice. He walked away with 19k and opened his own travel agency. His previous employer set up an active campaign to run a loss making branch close to him to put him out of business. Thomas Cook luckily went under in Sept 19 on his Birthday. Some of those 30 year+ employees left with only 5k. He has employed every one of those previous employees and is about to open his second shop.

That’s unbelievable. Over here (UK) if you made a person redundant and employed another in the same or similar role you’d be fined out of business.

I’m sorry to hear that you succumbed to the seduction of those Bagels Jeff. They are such temptresses. That could have landed you in a lot of hot water! Luckily for us it was on the way home from the west end clubs (I lived in Victoria Docks by then) and I remember queues out of the door at 4am. It was always salt beef, gherkin, mustard for me occasionally with an egg and onion or a chopped liver as a backup. I Never went for the herring and don’t regret it to this day.

I’ve a Victorian vine, c1850, here that somehow takes tips from Audrey 11 from the little shop of horrors. The grapes are huge with an abundance of pips. We often machete it but it never loses heart. They don’t sweeten every year (the climate of North Wales can be a little melancholy) but I have successfully made wine in good years. If anybody wants cuttings from a 170 year old vine that Putin would have a job getting to die back a bit then let me know.

Have you ever thought about booking through Pam Ann’s one world alliance?

Don’t you have any real laws over there? If somebody was made redundant in the uk it would have to be proved that the position no longer existed. If somebody less senior was brought in to fulfill the role then the company would be hung out to dry with huge fines.

In the 90s the Jewish vibe around Brick Lane was still very evident. The fabric merchants, bagel bakeries and so on. It was a time of change though as the Jewish community moved further North and many more Bengali eateries started to open. I’ve had many authentic Bengali meals in Brick Lane in some truly fine places. I’ve also had some awful ones. Time, unfortunately, has fogged any recommendations from my mind but the advice of joining the longest queue for food always stands. I Don’t think there was a single Indian Restaurant on Brick Lane when I last visited, they are very, very few and far between in the UK. I Just hope that the remaining Jewish element there holds strong as one of the finest post clubbing gastronomical delights (the salt beef bagel) available anywhere in the world still lives on.

Hi Lois, I was in an infinite verandah not a sunset so I’m not sure what they’d have, I had 2 upright chairs and a coffee table in mine. I Found very little to complain about myself. I’m sure you’ll have a great time. 😁