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Upgrade bid experiences


Grandma Cruising
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1 hour ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

If you are on the UK try emailing Richard Twynam at RTwynam@azamaraclubcruises.com.

He’s the UK MD.

 

Thank you, are they offered on every cruise, does it depend on what you paid, 

 

Elizabeth. 

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10 hours ago, Jem 12 said:

 

Thank you, are they offered on every cruise, does it depend on what you paid, 

 

Elizabeth. 

As far asI am aware they are offered unless the cruise is full, or a particular type of cabin is sold out ( for example if you booked ocean view and all the verandah cabins are sold out, then there wouldn’t be the chance to upgrade to a Verandah cabin).

As I understand it, the upgrade is not available if you booked through certain travel agents who have said they don’t want to be involved in the upgrade process.

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I know I digress here but I had an experience on our last cruise Back to back Rome to Barcelona and then to London. Tall Ships and Remembrance. We met a lovely couple on this fantastic cruise who had not sailed with Azamara before but were upgraded to a suite (not asked for) or bid for and we felt a bit put out.  Loyal LCV members should have been offered this suite before any one else and especially someone who had not sailed with AZAMARA before. They had sailed mainly Regent and Seaborn.

Do others feel this is unfair ? We did enjoy both legs of this cruise and would sail with AZAMARA again. Currently Discoverer level.

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8 minutes ago, BABS 47 said:

I know I digress here but I had an experience on our last cruise Back to back Rome to Barcelona and then to London. Tall Ships and Remembrance. We met a lovely couple on this fantastic cruise who had not sailed with Azamara before but were upgraded to a suite (not asked for) or bid for and we felt a bit put out.  Loyal LCV members should have been offered this suite before any one else and especially someone who had not sailed with AZAMARA before. They had sailed mainly Regent and Seaborn.

Do others feel this is unfair ? We did enjoy both legs of this cruise and would sail with AZAMARA again. Currently Discoverer level.

My view having been on both these legs as well and having had lovely cruises and having talked to some shoreside people is that the upgrade processes did not fully work on these two cruises and there were glitches in the computer programme resulting in loyalty not being correctly factored in in every case.  I have no issue if there are also incentive upgrades, these always happened and they should continue to happen where they are trying to attract new people.  However I do have an issue with the transparency reliability and suitability of the current pay for process.

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3 minutes ago, uktog said:

My view having been on both these legs as well and having had lovely cruises and having talked to some shoreside people is that the upgrade processes did not fully work on these two cruises and there were glitches in the computer programme resulting in loyalty not being correctly factored in in every case.  I have no issue if there are also incentive upgrades, these always happened and they should continue to happen where they are trying to attract new people.  However I do have an issue with the transparency reliability and suitability of the current pay for process.

Where is the loyalty to existing LCV members, do not agree with incentive upgrades at our expense. These people will not sail with Azamara again as they felt it was inferior to Regent and other cruise lines. Their opinion only, not ours but think current bidding system is wrong.

 

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4 hours ago, BABS 47 said:

Where is the loyalty to existing LCV members, do not agree with incentive upgrades at our expense. These people will not sail with Azamara again as they felt it was inferior to Regent and other cruise lines. Their opinion only, not ours but think current bidding system is wrong.

 

You are right.  The new system is an insult to LCV members.

 

Regent impressed us not at all...seven weeks worth.

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7 hours ago, marinaro44 said:

You are right.  The new system is an insult to LCV members.

 

Regent impressed us not at all...seven weeks worth.

 

WOW..7 weeks and you didn't like it? TBH Regent is WAY TOO expensive for us...but we have friends that have sailed with us on O and AZ and love Regent!! Thank goodness what is "good for the goose is not good for the gander" right?? LuAnn 

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12 minutes ago, LuAnn said:

 

WOW..7 weeks and you didn't like it? TBH Regent is WAY TOO expensive for us...but we have friends that have sailed with us on O and AZ and love Regent!! Thank goodness what is "good for the goose is not good for the gander" right?? LuAnn 

Cold, impersonal; CD walks past you like you're not there; captain is heard but not seen; ditto general manager (their hotel director); some like the trappings of luxury and are good candidates for Regent...those who judge with a checklist (caviar? check...single malt? check...warm ambiance? uncheck).

 

Don't get me started on included air or onboard management responsiveness to screw-ups.

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So far no chance to join the bid option (not eligable but no idea why, fully paid cruise etc), sent email (and reminders) to azamara but no answer.. so far the worst customer services I have experienced on cruise companies... by far....

It looks like they simply don't care, maybe cruise is full and they don't care.. not a good service to be frank..

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On 7/1/2019 at 5:25 PM, marinaro44 said:

Cold, impersonal; CD walks past you like you're not there; captain is heard but not seen; ditto general manager (their hotel director); some like the trappings of luxury and are good candidates for Regent...those who judge with a checklist (caviar? check...single malt? check...warm ambiance? uncheck).

 

Don't get me started on included air or onboard management responsiveness to screw-ups.

 

Sure doesn't sound like the warmth of AZ right?? Guess I shouldn't be too disappointed I won't be going with them!!! ;) LuAnn

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Bonnie

 

can you confirm this? It seems fundamentally wrong that someone who booked an inside can outbid someone who booked a verandah, without regard to the significant price differential on the original bookings.

 

Tony

On 6/9/2019 at 7:52 PM, islington said:

Somebody on our recent cruise, two categories lower than us, bid $80 more than we did and were successful for a CC suite; we were unsuccessful.

 

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2 hours ago, AJCM said:

Bonnie

 

can you confirm this? It seems fundamentally wrong that someone who booked an inside can outbid someone who booked a verandah, without regard to the significant price differential on the original bookings.

 

Tony

 

Sorry Tony, I didn’t phrase that well; I meant two  below us in the LCV. 

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Cruise is 86 days off, full amount paid.

Just tried to log onto upgrade programme. Reply states " not eligible".

I,m Discoverer Plus, paid appropriate fare and am registered on the Azamara system. 

Don't understand the rejection.

Has anyone else had this response?

 

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4 minutes ago, nokewood20 said:

Cruise is 86 days off, full amount paid.

Just tried to log onto upgrade programme. Reply states " not eligible".

I,m Discoverer Plus, paid appropriate fare and am registered on the Azamara system. 

Don't understand the rejection.

Has anyone else had this response?

 

My experience exactly, only suites left now, i was hoping for to bid for a balcony.

 

We will still have a fab time I’m sure. 

 

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I normally don't bother with these promos and concentrate on enjoying what I have paid for. This has always worked in the past and have always had a great cruise experience.

 

Had a little time on my hands so was just experimenting. Just like to know why I'm not eligible. Your suggestion , which seems reasonable , suggests that "not eligible" is  code for the next level up is unavailable.

 

Thanks for the reply , was informative.

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23 minutes ago, nokewood20 said:

Your suggestion , which seems reasonable , suggests that "not eligible" is  code for the next level up is unavailable.

 

Not true - I had the same experiences with the “not eligible" notification, but on our cruise the next levels were available, so there must be another reason why some people are eligible and others are not. Our next Azamara cruise will start in 40 days and the system still tells me I'm not eligible (although fare is fully paid, we are Discoverer+, opted for marketing emails etc.). Sent various emails to Azamara, most of them were not answered at all and if I received an answer, it was a standardized text module which didn't respond to the specific question I had.

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38 minutes ago, Klaus234 said:

 

Not true - I had the same experiences with the “not eligible" notification, but on our cruise the next levels were available, so there must be another reason why some people are eligible and others are not. Our next Azamara cruise will start in 40 days and the system still tells me I'm not eligible (although fare is fully paid, we are Discoverer+, opted for marketing emails etc.). Sent various emails to Azamara, most of them were not answered at all and if I received an answer, it was a standardized text module which didn't respond to the specific question I had.

Did you use a TA for your booking? 

Not all TA's are "opted in" to the Upgrade Bidding Scheme so if your's isn't.... then that would make you "not eligible". 

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1 hour ago, nokewood20 said:

Cruise is 86 days off, full amount paid.

Just tried to log onto upgrade programme. Reply states " not eligible".

I,m Discoverer Plus, paid appropriate fare and am registered on the Azamara system. 

Don't understand the rejection.

Has anyone else had this response?

 

Unless I'm missing something, you need to be invited to bid not go looking for it. This is how it has worked for my last couple of cruises. You get invited by receiving an email inviting you to bid if you want to.

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36 minutes ago, Belfastman said:

Unless I'm missing something, you need to be invited to bid not go looking for it. This is how it has worked for my last couple of cruises. You get invited by receiving an email inviting you to bid if you want to.

 

Based on my "limited" experience ...we are sailing in early August...the T/P from Alaska to Japan...that's what "happened" to me! I'm happy with what I have on this cruise...but not on my up-coming "holiday cruise"...long story..which I'm sure you all don't care about...but would like to know if I can/should find that "offer" in my in-box...no my TA's in box...as I NEVER get emails from AZ!! :) :) ...but that's "a whole other kettle of fish"!!! ..is this really a "system"???? 

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20 minutes ago, LuAnn said:

 

Based on my "limited" experience ...we are sailing in early August...the T/P from Alaska to Japan...that's what "happened" to me! I'm happy with what I have on this cruise...but not on my up-coming "holiday cruise"...long story..which I'm sure you all don't care about...but would like to know if I can/should find that "offer" in my in-box...no my TA's in box...as I NEVER get emails from AZ!! 🙂 🙂 ...but that's "a whole other kettle of fish"!!! ..is this really a "system"???? 

LuAnn.... Go to Azamara.com, click on Booked, click on Azamara Ugrade, enter your last name and Reservation ID.  If you are eligible for an upgrade will show your bid options.  May not be available till inside 45 days of sail date.  Good Luck!

 

Art

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2 hours ago, Lottie A said:

Did you use a TA for your booking? 

Not all TA's are "opted in" to the Upgrade Bidding Scheme so if your's isn't.... then that would make you "not eligible". 

Lottie, thank you very much for this information, I will check with my TA immediately.

But besides this: why do I have to get this information from you, wouldn't it be on Azamara to tell me this in response to one of my many unanswered emails?

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Klaus234, it's a frustration we all have with the Azamara booking system, lack of reliable info and the IT system in general.

 

However, when you get onboard you will see why we all sigh deeply and then persevere with the awful pre cruise experience....because the onboard experience is so good. 

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Just now, Klaus234 said:

Lottie, thank you very much for this information, I will check with my TA immediately.

But besides this: why do I have to get this information from you, wouldn't it be on Azamara to tell me this in response to one of my many unanswered emails?

We use Azamara as our booking agent for our cruises.... so on our recent cruise  (June 2019), we thought we would try out the new upgrade system.....as we don't receive e-mails......we took the initiative.....and went into the web site as suggested..... NOT ELIGIBLE .....

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14 hours ago, Lookyboy said:

We use Azamara as our booking agent for our cruises.... so on our recent cruise  (June 2019), we thought we would try out the new upgrade system.....as we don't receive e-mails......we took the initiative.....and went into the web site as suggested..... NOT ELIGIBLE .....

I assume you mean you don't get marketing emails - do you not get emails from Azamara such as your invoice for a booked cruise and a reminder close to when final payment is due? I book with Azamara and do receive an email invoice and final payment reminder. It is with these that the email about upgrades is generated.

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12 hours ago, Belfastman said:

I assume you mean you don't get marketing emails - do you not get emails from Azamara such as your invoice for a booked cruise and a reminder close to when final payment is due? I book with Azamara and do receive an email invoice and final payment reminder. It is with these that the email about upgrades is generated.

 

Belfastman...I do book with a TA and not direct with AZ...and I receive reminders etc from her re final payment etc...and I received from her the notice that AZ sent her re an opportunity to upgrade...but I'm still trying to figure out how to receive any emails direct from AZ...re sales etc...I'm not even getting the "loyalty quarterly"!! I have a very nice young lady working on it at AZ...but even she seems to be baffled by how to "get it done"!!! :(  LuAnn

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