The Incredible Disappearing Cruise

[Grandma Cruising]

 

8 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

It’s received an email with a change of ports on this sailing.   Key West is deleted, we will also sail from Bermuda at 3:39 PM.    They are replacing Key West with Miami.   Doesn’t make sense unless we will go through immigration at our first stop in Miami.

Roll Call has a post saying the change is due to US regulation changes which mean ships can only sail for Cuba from Miami.

[Cruise Junky]

6 hours ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

 

Roll Call has a post saying the change is due to US regulation changes which mean ships can only sail for Cuba from Miami.

Wowza. If that’s true Cuba cruises will be scheduling chaos. A quick look shows only about half of the over 1,500 cruises to Cuba have Miami on the schedule. 

[ECCruise]

6 hours ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

 

Roll Call has a post saying the change is due to US regulation changes which mean ships can only sail for Cuba from Miami.

Yeah, I don't know if that washes. Carnival and NCL have a number of cruises that leave Tampa or Port Canaveral then Key West then Havana. 

[uktog]

 Bonnie 

please can we have the real reason for the change re Key West and also why the late change also re Bermuda so everyone understands exactly what has or has not happened. 

Thanks 🙏 

[PSULion]

Obviously, Azamara could care less what I think, but I booked this cruise at least in part because of the longer stay in Bermuda and the Key West stop. While I guess I could cancel with fees, I also have flights booked that I am sure are non-refundable. 

 

Bonnie, please an explanation is an order for a seemingly late change.

Thanks, John R.

[ECCruise]

I think someone suggested why not overnight in Hamilton then straight to Havana.  Customs & immigration only once and a fairly decent compromise. 

[PSULion]

I most definitely DO NOT want to go to Miami twice, especially as a cruise port stop. I sure hope someone rethinks this, and really like ECCruise's idea! John R.

[need2bespoiled]

I spend far too much time in FL and even Miami (no offense, not my thing anymore) to want to stop there. Bermuda overnight would redeem this itinerary as half day stops in Gilbrator and Bermuda is far from the immersive (if a cruise can be) experience we enjoy. We’re likely to cancel. 

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna 

[BBMacLaird]

We do apologize! Rules and regulations are in unprecedented flux lately. As of very recently we can no longer use Key West as the first port-of-entry into US. This new rule, combined with the multitude of rules we abide by that allow us to call on Cuba, have led to this itinerary correction.

 

Here's the letter:

 

May 28, 2019

Dear Azamara Guest,

 

We hope you’re looking forward to your Westward Journey aboard Azamara Journey as you set out from Barcelona, Spain on Tuesday, November5, 2019.  This letter is to inform you of a recent change to your itinerary.

 

Due to immigration and border clearance rules we are unable to cruise directly from Bermuda to Key West, Florida then to Havana, Cuba.  This new regulation was recently brought to our attention by government officials.  In order to have an acceptable port sequence we will be replacing our call to Key West on November 18, 2019 with a port of call to Miami, Florida from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

 

Secondarily, the port officials in Bermuda have advised us that due to the sunset rules of the Port of Hamilton, we will need to sail away at 3:30p.m. in order for the ship to be completely out of Bermuda waters before sunset.

 

We do believe the added opportunities to explore Miami’s historic, artistic, and culinary scene, will be a great experience. Naturally, if you’ve booked and paid for shore excursions in Key West, you’ll receive a full refund. Or, better yet, allow us to apply those charges to experiences in Miami.

 

In the meantime, should you have any questions, or wish to explore shore excursion opportunities in Miami, or any other port of call, please contact us at 1-855-AZAMARA and press menu option 3.

 

Thank you for choosing Azamara. We look forward to welcoming you aboard in Barcelona.

 

Warm Regards,

 

Azamara Club Cruises

 

 

[boco010]

15 minutes ago, BBMacLaird said:

We do apologize! Rules and regulations are in unprecedented flux lately. As of very recently we can no longer use Key West as the first port-of-entry into US. This new rule, combined with the multitude of rules we abide by that allow us to call on Cuba, have led to this itinerary correction.

 

Here's the letter:

 

May 28, 2019

 

 

Dear Azamara Guest,

 

 

 

We hope you’re looking forward to your Westward Journey aboard Azamara Journey as you set out from Barcelona, Spain on Tuesday, November5, 2019.  This letter is to inform you of a recent change to your itinerary.

 

 

 

Due to immigration and border clearance rules we are unable to cruise directly from Bermuda to Key West, Florida then to Havana, Cuba.  This new regulation was recently brought to our attention by government officials.  In order to have an acceptable port sequence we will be replacing our call to Key West on November 18, 2019 with a port of call to Miami, Florida from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

 

 

 

Secondarily, the port officials in Bermuda have advised us that due to the sunset rules of the Port of Hamilton, we will need to sail away at 3:30p.m. in order for the ship to be completely out of Bermuda waters before sunset.

 

 

 

We do believe the added opportunities to explore Miami’s historic, artistic, and culinary scene, will be a great experience. Naturally, if you’ve booked and paid for shore excursions in Key West, you’ll receive a full refund. Or, better yet, allow us to apply those charges to experiences in Miami.

 

 

 

In the meantime, should you have any questions, or wish to explore shore excursion opportunities in Miami, or any other port of call, please contact us at 1-855-AZAMARA and press menu option 3.

 

 

 

Thank you for choosing Azamara. We look forward to welcoming you aboard in Barcelona.

 

 

 

Warm Regards,

 

 

 

Azamara Club Cruises

 

 

 

Nice to see this here. But we did not receive this.  Poor customer service!

[BBMacLaird]

1 minute ago, boco010 said:

Nice to see this here. But we did not receive this.  Poor customer service!

 

Hi Boco010, and welcome to the forum (at least I haven't noticed your name before.)

Your notification is most likely coming to you via your Travel Professional. In most European countries we are not permitted to contact guests directly. We must abide by each country's travel selling regulations.

[ECCruise]

16 minutes ago, BBMacLaird said:

We do apologize! Rules and regulations are in unprecedented flux lately. As of very recently we can no longer use Key West as the first port-of-entry into US. This new rule, combined with the multitude of rules we abide by that allow us to call on Cuba, have led to this itinerary correction.

 

16 minutes ago, BBMacLaird said:

Got that and understand.  So make Miami first port of entry when we disembark.  

Meaning, Barcelona, Gibraltar, Crossing, Bermuda arrival day 1, Bermuda departure day 2 (early), straight to Havana day 1, day 2 departure, Miami disembarkation.

I really feel that without a modification such as this, you will be finding a flood of cancellations.

 

 

 

 

[BBMacLaird]

1 minute ago, ECCruise said:

 

 

Unfortunately we cannot go to Cuba from a foreign port. I too wish we could...it would make a better experience for you.

[PSULion]

Nothing like a few pesky regulations deflating your vacation excitement. 😕

[damugs]

We were just notified that our 7 night Intensive Croatia cruise on the Azamara Quest departing on May 2, 2020 has been canceled due to the fact that a private group has charted the ship that week. We still haven't gotten a confirmation on what they intend to do. This is what they notified us, but customer service at Azamara and our travel agent has no clue, even though the website has the new revamped cruise.

 "We invite you to embark on a 10-Night Dalmatian & Amalfi Coasts Voyage that departs Venice, Italy on May 9, 2020. That's just one week later than the originally scheduled departure and you'll still sail aboard the beautiful Azamara Quest. Re-book on this recently modified voyage, in like accommodations and we will honor the lower rate. Consider the extra three nights a complimentary "thank you" from Azamara. What's more, this new itinerary happens to include many of the Croatian ports of call on the original voyage."

So we are in the dark, until we get a confirmation.

Azamara not as great as it once was!!!
 

[boco010]

 

44 minutes ago, BBMacLaird said:

Hi Boco010, and welcome to the forum (at least I haven't noticed your name before.)

Your notification is most likely coming to you via your Travel Professional. In most European countries we are not permitted to contact guests directly. We must abide by each country's travel selling regulations.

 

[ECCruise]

39 minutes ago, BBMacLaird said:

Unfortunately we cannot go to Cuba from a foreign port. I too wish we could...it would make a better experience for you.

Thanks 

I guess I assumed that since Azamara is foreign flagged and other foreign flagged ships visit Cuba without ever even touching a US port, that we would be OK going straight from Bermuda.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

5 minutes ago, damugs said:

We were just notified that our 7 night Intensive Croatia cruise on the Azamara Quest departing on May 2, 2020 has been canceled due to the fact that a private group has charted the ship that week. We still haven't gotten a confirmation on what they intend to do. This is what they notified us, but customer service at Azamara and our travel agent has no clue, even though the website has the new revamped cruise.

 "We invite you to embark on a 10-Night Dalmatian & Amalfi Coasts Voyage that departs Venice, Italy on May 9, 2020. That's just one week later than the originally scheduled departure and you'll still sail aboard the beautiful Azamara Quest. Re-book on this recently modified voyage, in like accommodations and we will honor the lower rate. Consider the extra three nights a complimentary "thank you" from Azamara. What's more, this new itinerary happens to include many of the Croatian ports of call on the original voyage."

So we are in the dark, until we get a confirmation.

Azamara not as great as it once was!!!
 

 

Azamara has always chartered cruises even after people had booked, so that's nothing new.  Offering a 10-day cruise for the previously booked 7-day price sounds quite fair to me.

[boco010]

Hello Bonny, we already posted pur concerns in another post a few months ago when this cruise already disapearred. But blaming our travelagent for not informing us about the change is not very nice. We booked a  Premium cruise and we receive all kinds off offers through pur email  and you cannot inform is about a change off ports? How much we like Azamara this will be our last, too  many issues the last years. We did receive a change off port from Celebrity for our cruise in 2021! So same company but different rules?

[damugs]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Azamara has always chartered cruises even after people had booked, so that's nothing new.  Offering a 10-day cruise for the previously booked 7-day price sounds quite fair to me.

While this perhaps sounds fair, it isn't for us who have booked a second cruise on another line leaving the day after we were disembarking in Venice. It leaves us in a conundrum of decision making. We need to cancel one of them!

[PSULion]

While Azamara, of course, can change anything, it does give one pause when booking if you try to plan a trip that requires flights and other arrangments, some of which are non-refundable, not to mention vacation requests at work for two or more travellers, childcare arrangments, house/pet sitters, etc. John R.

[Covepointcruiser]

1 hour ago, damugs said:

While this perhaps sounds fair, it isn't for us who have booked a second cruise on another line leaving the day after we were disembarking in Venice. It leaves us in a conundrum of decision making. We need to cancel one of them!

What does this have to do with the 11/5 cruise?   Did you mean to post on a different thread?

[PSULion]

The thread has expanded to include issues with other cancelled cruises, charters, etc. 

[need2bespoiled]

I wish there were options to stay in Bermuda longer.  Other ships do:

 

 

 

Just not in town in Hamilton, there is also St. George. I know the experience onboard will be better, based on our previous experience with Celebrity and these shenanigans, but so far this is disappointing.

We're working on options.

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

 

[PSULion]

Now I somewhat wish I booked that competitor's cruise listed above. 🤔