Really disgusted with Azamara

[midwestchick]

Skysthelimit was talking about 2016. Our 2nd leg isn't affected but we will still cancel it. It was an add on to the first leg which was the main reasoning to book this trip. Our January 2017 cruise on Summit was canceled and now this one. It is frustrating for those of us who plan ahead, choose the staterooms we want and usually tie down a lower cost. We had a wonderful cruise last month on the Journey but before the cruise we had a month of dealing with Miami on a canceled shore excursion due to a port change. They said we owed them money that we did not owe and they wouldn't release our express passes. That bad taste of Azamara and Miami is back. The positive thoughts didn't last long.

 

Oh heavens. I read that one wrong. Thanks for the clarification.

I checked a German website and the cruise on the 26th and the 4th show sold out, so it appears the 4th really is chartered too.

[Riocca]

Whilst I am sure florisdekort is correct as to the current state of play and it may be some time before Azamara are able to contact passengers removing it from their My Azamara accounts is a dead giveaway that something is afoot.

Itineraries are put on sale for 2-3 years before the sailings and customers are actively encouraged to commit their holiday arrangements to the cruise line, however it appears those lines who seek charters for their ships are not as committed to their customers requirements.

We now just need to know what our options are so we can make new plans.

[florisdekort]

Itineraries are put on sale for 2-3 years before the sailings...

 

 

And that's a huge part of the problem. Azamara publishes its itineraries very early. On the one hand many of us like that, on the other hand it leads to situations like these. The itineraries all the way through December 2018 have been out for quite a while already. On the other hand, Seabourn, my other line of choice, only has itineraries available through October 2017 - 15 months less. That makes early planing difficult but the chance of unexpected charters much smaller... Not sure what I prefer!

 

Floris

[jkadventures]

Wow, this info is disheartening. We were ready to book a September 2017 and a December 2018 voyage, both for very special occasions. Will definitely hold off for quite some time and explore other options.

[Riocca]

That makes early planing difficult but the chance of unexpected charters much smaller... Not sure what I prefer!

 

Floris

 

 

I do like to plan well ahead but especially with cruises on Azamara Quest appreciate the risk. If this is a charter, it could of course be an itinerary change although I can't see a logical reason for that, then we do have time to rearrange our plans.

Hopefully Azamara will offer reasonable alternatives, looking at the bright side our anniversary cruise is still intact at the moment. It's just that we could do without all the additional aggravation at the moment.

[compliance]

We are also booked on the Oct4th 2017 and the following leg to Barcelona. Not much point in doing the last leg without the first. I am disgusted if this trip is cancelled and will never cruise with them again. It is immoral to use people's deposits for months when they know the trip isn't going ahead. It is less than two weeks since they posted my OBC for the follow on cruise. My TA still hasn't heard anything.

[Lottie A]

So sorry to hear your cruise is cancelled midwestchick and also everyone else affected. Yes, we all know that charters make big profits for cruise lines but I think they need to provide you with alternatives and some compensation. It would be such a shame for your appreciation and loyalty to Az to be affected by this. I know I would be furious.

Hope it all works out for you.

[BBMacLaird]

It does seem that the Sept 26, 2017 (Venice-Venice) & October 4, 2017 (Venice-Rome) voyages on the Azamara Quest are in the process of being chartered.

 

I'm very sorry for those of you already booked, and understandably disappointed. When I have more information for you I'll pass it along on this thread.

[midwestchick]

It does seem that the Sept 26, 2017 (Venice-Venice) & October 4, 2017 (Venice-Rome) voyages on the Azamara Quest are in the process of being chartered.

 

I'm very sorry for those of you already booked, and understandably disappointed. When I have more information for you I'll pass it along on this thread.

 

Thank you, Bonnie. Disappointed is not the word for it. If I could duplicate the itineraries on another cruiseline, I would do it. I searched and searched last night. I was increasingly upset because I called Le Club Voyage yesterday and they called Azamara and asked and they still would not tell me. As much as I love Azamara, I have a hard time defending them or recommending them to any friends or fellow cruise pax. I'm not so sure we want to cruise with them any longer. I have no idea what they'll do to compensate those of us whose cruises were chartered. How does one make up for that? I've felt bad for other posters when their cruises were chartered. Azamara should not have drug their feet and delayed notifying TA's or pax.

This is the e-mail I got from my TA today.

 

I called Azamara and after holding 20 minutes they came back and confirmed the 9/26/17 sailing is definitely charter and they are working on the compensation information which should be out within a week.

 

 

[florisdekort]

Why would there be compensation? It's 16 months out, nobody can have booked air or made any other expenses and deposits will be refunded. I'm not sure I understand what the damages are apart from understandable disappointment. If anything, Azamara should perhaps offer a small discount on a future cruise.

[midwestchick]

So sorry to hear your cruise is cancelled midwestchick and also everyone else affected. Yes, we all know that charters make big profits for cruise lines but I think they need to provide you with alternatives and some compensation. It would be such a shame for your appreciation and loyalty to Az to be affected by this. I know I would be furious.

Hope it all works out for you.

 

 

Thank you, Lottie. We'll see what happens. They've been holding my deposit and haven't heard when it will be refunded.

[Host Jazzbeau]

This happens every year. Azamara publishes their schedules well before any other cruise line -- for which I, as a longterm-advance planner, am grateful. But that leaves a very long time for their charter department to entertain requests. Any cancellations before 330 days out cause no damages other than disappointed hopes. And yes, because Azamara's itineraries are so unique, when they cancel you usually can't replace the cruise -- but isn't that a big reason we sail Azamara in the first place? The only solution is for Azamara to get more ships, and the only way for that to happen is for Azamara to generate enough revenue to satisfy the RCL beancounters -- and the guaranteed profit from charters is a big part of that. [i realize this is much easier for me to say, because my 2016 cruise wasn't cancelled -- but I have one booked for 2018 and I'm fully prepared to see it go poof some day. I'm already thinking about Plan B...]

[KazLoudspeaker]

Why would there be compensation? It's 16 months out, nobody can have booked air or made any other expenses and deposits will be refunded. I'm not sure I understand what the damages are apart from understandable disappointment. If anything, Azamara should perhaps offer a small discount on a future cruise.

It is difficult to understand everyone's various obstacles in having a vacation altered after the fact. Especially, when so much work goes into deciding before actually booking. I have to work around an annual leave planner at work, that only allows 2 people leave at the same time, I have 2 daughters, 3 nephews and 1 cousin getting married in 2017, plus many other considerations to work around. Our deposits are not as minimal or refunded the same as elsewhere in the world.

I would be hugely disappointed if a trip of a lifetime was planned and researched, booked & confirmed, only to have it cancelled after the fact by the company I booked with, because their money is better than mine, even if I had not made any other arrangements.

Not sure I wouldn't feel similar to the other posters that feel dudded. Not certain if there is adequate compensation. Hope that all is resolved to the OP satisfaction, & it doesn't negatively effect your future choices.

Karyn

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Edited April 20, 2016 by KazLoudspeaker

[Riocca]

Disappointed but it will be interesting to see what the offer is, Azamara's t&c's (at least for the UK) give specific terms for this, term 5.5(b) says that we should be offered an alternative cruise of equal or higher standard for the same cost, but if it's of lower cost you get a refund of the different, or if you accept the cancellation a full and quick refund.

But as we and it looks like a number of others have booked b2b there's nothing I can see that covers the other un-cancelled cruise.

We have formulated a plan B and for that matter a plan C so we will wait now for the official confirmation.

[excitedofharpenden]

These charters are becoming an issue. There are quite a number of them. I'm hoping to hear some news on ship acquisitions this year that would alleviate the problem. Journey is chartered for the next 35 nights, so if I'd wanted to stay on after the TA then no luck.

 

Phil

[pvkatmom]

I so feel for those, who like me, plan way ahead. Even if its a cancellation more than 330 days prior and you haven't booked air. But, in the past charters have shared space with booked passengers and it wasn't always a happy story, per CC posts. There was apparently a "Bear guy" (I forget what they call themselves, but it is for gay guys) mostly chartered cruise on a line (maybe not Azamara, could've been some other line) and a woman posted that there was a guy in the elevator wearing only a leather thong in the elevator with her and her grandkids. And after our Rio Christmas/ New Years Cruise 2014/2015 on Azamara Journey, the next group coming on was for a chartered "Swingers' Cruise." (But maybe there were no non-charter pax for that, I've no idea). Then I also read of an unhappy passenger's trip on a cruise (may not have been AZ, but think it was) that consisted 85+ percent of a convention for dentists (or some group of professionals... from a specific country--anyway the poster said it was a grumpy group of people that kept to themselves, used up a lot of the public spaces a lot of the time, and didn't engage whatsoever with other pax) Or if they did, were unpleasant. I semi-forgot my own rule (after I'd read all of these posts quite a while ago) which is to try to find out if a large group has chartered a large portion of the cruise. Not that AZ may be likely to tell my TA... Anyway, I posted this bc honestly, if the charters are for specifically targeted groups, even if the charters don't sell out ( and not to be un "PC"), you may not want to be on a cruise with some particular group being the majority. We like being on a cruise with a "usual " mix of pax, and talking to and engaging with other pax (and the great crew). All the above said, my husband and I love Az and are looking forward to being on the Journey in December 2016.

[Antonintassie]

I am self employed and run my business whilst I travel and it is not unusual to plan a trip well in advance of 330 days. In fact with cruising it has become a necessity to book this far in advance secure a suite .

Frankly if a cruise company released an itinerary and then chartered the ship completely disrupting my plans I would be "rather" upset

[Familygoboston]

It does seem that the Sept 26, 2017 (Venice-Venice) & October 4, 2017 (Venice-Rome) voyages on the Azamara Quest are in the process of being chartered.

 

I'm very sorry for those of you already booked, and understandably disappointed. When I have more information for you I'll pass it along on this thread.

 

Thank you Bonnie, for officially letting us know what's happening. It is one of the things I appreciated about Azamara, this ability to respond quickly to customers.

 

However, from a customers point of view- when the company plans and sells itineraries so far ahead of the competitors,(thereby denying the customer the opportunity to get the early booking specials with the competitiors) and yet is actively planning to charter the itinerary, it looks and feels to customers like they are trying to raise money from deposits as a financial strategy. Of course charters happen, I've been canceled on other cruise lines, but the level to which it happens with Azamara (weeks at a time, every year) It's either unpredictable, in which case it no longer works for me to book with Azamara, or it's predictable, in which case Azmara should not be selling these itineraries to the public.

 

As for what people "lose" when a cancellation happens early- time spent researching which crusie to book,(all of us back to the drawing board again n planning) and dollars from the lost opportunity to book early elsewhere, (wherever I chose to spend my vacation dollars now will have less choice and cost me more because departure is closer) as well as actual dollars in interest on the high deposits. In the end, it's not much money, but my ability to trust that Azmara will run the itinerary I've booked is also lost.

[midwestchick]

It is difficult to understand everyone's various obstacles in having a vacation altered after the fact. Especially, when so much work goes into deciding before actually booking. I have to work around an annual leave planner at work, that only allows 2 people leave at the same time, I have 2 daughters, 3 nephews and 1 cousin getting married in 2017, plus many other considerations to work around. Our deposits are not as minimal or refunded the same as elsewhere in the world.

I would be hugely disappointed if a trip of a lifetime was planned and researched, booked & confirmed, only to have it cancelled after the fact by the company I booked with, because their money is better than mine, even if I had not made any other arrangements.

Not sure I wouldn't feel similar to the other posters that feel dudded. Not certain if there is adequate compensation. Hope that all is resolved to the OP satisfaction, & it doesn't negatively effect your future choices.

Karyn

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

Very well put, Karyn.

[BBMacLaird]

Some news for those of you booked on the QUEST October 4, 2017 sailing. This voyage is NOT chartered.

But there is one change...the voyage will begin on October 3 with an overnight stay in Venice.

Those already booked will keep the same fare and same cabin as originally booked.

[Riocca]

Thank you Bonnie, obviously not such good news for those of us on the 26th September sailing, does bring into question Azamara's priorities. How much damage could this do to Azamara regarding future bookings from previously loyal customers? All for the sake of a 7 night charter.

[JVNYC]

I guess I will not be booking the B2B I was eyeing in July, 2018. Seems too risky.

[Familygoboston]

Some news for those of you booked on the QUEST October 4, 2017 sailing. This voyage is NOT chartered.

But there is one change...the voyage will begin on October 3 with an overnight stay in Venice.

Those already booked will keep the same fare and same cabin as originally booked.

 

Wow, Bonnie, I am very happily surprised! But also a bit nervous...how much longer is this "charter sales window"? Thanks for continuing to advise us and I'll wait to hear more about the itinerary changes. Again thank you for being so responsive!

[BBMacLaird]

I guess I will not be booking the B2B I was eyeing in July, 2018. Seems too risky.

 

Charters are a very small % ... a few per year if we are lucky. I'd say the chances are far in your favor that the voyages you choose will not be chartered ~95% +/-. So go ahead and book the B2B! It's better to make plans than to not make plans because of fear something may change, IMHO.

[sunlover33]

I really don't understand how a cruise can be chartered when it has already been booked and deposits paid by other members of the public, who subsequently then are cancelled. Surely there is a contractual / legally binding agreement once money had changed hands? I would be very upset if this happened as booking a cruise takes time to plan and find a suitable itinerary with a cruise company that is the right 'fit' and also with a timescale schedule that fits into work or other home life plans. I know I wouldn't book again with that cruise company if they value their guest so little. Wouldn't it be better to plan the charters BEFORE putting out itineraries to the public?