Azamara does not communicate well

[BCfisherman2016]

We are on the March 29th Springtime in Asia cruise.. We are trying to figure out our port excursions. Trying to get information from Azamara is brutal!  Example: So for Hong Kong I have called (2X) and they have told me the ocean terminal is the port (it also says that on their website if you dig). Some of my other travelers from the roll call have called and they where told another port. One of my other RC peeps even got an email from a Julie Love in Concierge Groups  saying the port was Kai Tak. (I even emailed this Julie directly for more clarification and never got a reply). This confusion over the port makes it hard to book a tour. Azamara sells itself as "the small ship that can get into ports other cannot. They even say HK  being one of those ports. So why would they go to the big Kai Tak terminal farther out of HK if they can fit in the closer one? Thus my confusion. Who to believe!

 

Also, the website they have sucks. It is super hard to find information. They have no place to email anyone to get information other than to book a new cruise. I have gotten nothing from them EVER! I know they got my money!. In the past when we have booked a higher class of cabin on other cruise lines the concierge or butler or someone has reached out to us  90 days prior. I realize we are 73 days away from sailing but I usually get something from the cruise line by now. A email saying hello, or them trying to sell me a excursions, something to let me know they know I am a customer. Not having anyone give me complete and correct information and no contact at all makes me nervous.

 

So my two main questions are:

1. Does anyone know, from a past cruise, what port in HK does quest dock at?

2. What kind of communication can I expect from Azamara and when?

[audobon_tx]

Ocean Terminal when I was last there on Journey in December 2017.

 

I never get any communication.  I check in online, print the express pass, print luggage tags (if you want, they aren't needed).  I always book a verandah cabin and always through a TA or onboard.

Edited January 15, 2019 by flyingshoes

[tgg]

I understand your frustration at not getting your questions answered.  But I wonder why would you not book through a good travel agent?  You would have someone to get answers to all your questions.

 

This afternoon I used the Azamara web site to book excursions for two upcoming cruises. It was painless, and I was able to use a very generous onboard credit from my travel agent to pay for them. 

 

Nobody from Azamara ever "reaches out" to us before a cruise, but we're well taken care of on the ship. I hope you enjoy your cruise and that you get the information you need.

[BCfisherman2016]

Thank you for your insight  and information.. I did use a  very highly rated travel agent that specializes in cruising. We have used this person before for past cruises and have always had contact from the cruise line as well.. my communication with the agent is excellent but they are not going to provide a definite port location and then stand behind that info if it is wrong. You can understand why that is, they are a third party with no power. As for booking tours thru the ship, we looked at those, some ports we did book, other ports these excursions are lacking or not our interest so we want to book private tours. 

 

I guess i am use to a higher level of service based on my past experiences. I will adjust my expectations!  Thanks for your help. 

[audobon_tx]

According to the Ocean Terminal website and whatsinport, Quest is docked April 5 and 6 at Ocean Terminal.

[BBMacLaird]

Hi BCfisherman, please know we most definitely want to be in contact with you! It’s irregular that you’ve received nothing at all. Your Travel Agent should have been receiving communications from us, and passing them along to us. Or they could supply us with your email. If you think that we DO have your email and you're still not receiving information, you can contact our LCV team to inquire if we have your contact information correctly entered into your reservation. Email the LCV team at LeClubVoyage@Azamara.com or call them at 1.888.532.5828. Trust me, we’ll get to the bottom of this!

As for your voyage's terminal information, I'll see what I can find out for you. But please be aware that terminal information is issued with Guest Documents, which we don't start issuing until around 50-days prior to sailing. If your TA has provided us with YOUR email, you will receive an email advising that your Guest Documents are ready. The email will direct you to our online check-in and Guest Document retrieval. That is where you'd find the exact terminal information.

But as said, I'll ask for you and get back to you tomorrow.

[BCfisherman2016]

thank you all for the replies.. Bonnie, We did fill out the check in online weeks ago, and my email is correct there! I checked it again when I started to wonder what was up.. I will reach out to the email address you provided shortly. I look forward to your confirmation of the terminal.

[BBMacLaird]

I've had it confirmed that the docking location in Hong Kong for your cruise will be Ocean Terminal.

[BCfisherman2016]

that's great!  thanks..

[RedBlu]

We are also on this cruise, our first with Azamara & have to agree with BCfisherman regarding communication. The only contact we’ve had is a letter sent via our TA advising about the change in disembarkation port from Tokyo to Yokohama. This was a disappointment to us as we’ve booked a hotel in Tokyo Bay post cruise. Our TA has been in touch with Azamara who have no plans to provide any transportation so we have the option of an expensive taxi (£120 approx) or the train which isn’t ideal with luggage, we shall wait and see once we are on board. We are very much looking forward to this trip & hope the experience is as promised 🤔

[BCfisherman2016]

Thanks RedBlu! I have emailed my agent this morning to see if she has gotten anything like the letter you mentioned. She usually is very good about keeping  us in the loop! I also found this ports in japan a challenge. (I only learned the port location from the RC) We are staying a couple of days in Tokyo as well. This is the kind of communication and help I think Azamara should be giving us.  

[hubofhockey]

There is a list on the website what terminal they port in each city.  This is the link to that list.  Hong Kong does say Ocean Terminal.

 

 

[BCfisherman2016]

correct, and that is information I used to book my tour which includes some other folks on the cruise. then one of the other tour folks called AZ and where told a different terminal (Kai Tak) . She was even sent an email saying Kai Tak. (I got a forward of this email)

 

So now I have the website and my calls saying Ocean terminal, and others cruisers calling multiple times as well as  getting an email saying Kai Tak terminal.

 

thanks to Bonnie it is all settled now,  I know this is going to be Ocean terminal. But frankly this should not be this hard or confusion and AZ should not be giving out wrong ports.

 

[hubofhockey]

53 minutes ago, BCfisherman2016 said:

correct, and that is information I used to book my tour which includes some other folks on the cruise. then one of the other tour folks called AZ and where told a different terminal (Kai Tak) . She was even sent an email saying Kai Tak. (I got a forward of this email)

 

So now I have the website and my calls saying Ocean terminal, and others cruisers calling multiple times as well as  getting an email saying Kai Tak terminal.

 

thanks to Bonnie it is all settled now,  I know this is going to be Ocean terminal. But frankly this should not be this hard or confusion and AZ should not be giving out wrong ports.

 

 

First of all, I agree with you that Azamara does not communicate well.  A couple of years ago, I had deposit down on a cruise that was canceled because of turmoil in Turkey.  Did I find out about it from Azamara or even my travel agent?  NO!!!  My travel agent was never notified by Azamara and Azamara didn't notify passengers either.  So, my October SE Asia trip is a second chance from them.

 

Second, if I got an email saying it was the other terminal, I would usually go with that email as an override of the information on the website.  We booked a hotel convenient to Ocean terminal because of what is on the website.

 

Third, my cruise has an overnight in Halong Bay and Azamara lists this as a tender even though they built a full dock at the terminal to service cruise ships like Azamara.  I highly doubt they will communicate this to passengers anytime soon, if at all.

 

You would hope that Azamara would beef up its back office since it now has three ships.  If they don't these types of issues will continue to grow.  The pre-cruise experience on Azamara is frustrating.  They are very lucky that they have large group of loyal passengers who enjoy the cruises so much, because they are not a customer friendly organization and those companies like them will eventually pay the price.

[BCfisherman2016]

good comment and exactly how I feel Hubofhockey, When I cruised on Uniworld last year they where so attentive before the cruise. I have also done suites on other cruises and have always felt as if the ship knew I was coming and wanted enhance my experience on and off the ship. (may times by selling me more stuff like before and after tours and booze packages). I do have a CO suite booked for this trip so I was thinking this would rate more contact.

Additionally, we had some questions about some tours and there is no one to ask, so we booked thru another provider.

 

thanks again for you insight!

[Arizonasunshine]

Hub of Hockey:

"The pre-cruise experience on Azamara is frustrating.  They are very lucky that they have large group of loyal passengers who enjoy the cruises so much, because they are not a customer friendly organization and those companies like them will eventually pay the price."

 

Totally agree, if it was not for this forum I would not have known about a number of changes to my upcoming cruises. Azamara claims that they notify my TA, but he claims that he never receives the notices.

 

Bonnie is a huge asset and has helped with a number of issues in just the last few days. Azamara's shoreside staff is sorely lacking. If the ship's crew behaved like the shoreside staff Azamara would be long gone.