Customer Service following cancellation

[Norn Iron Man]

Hi

I know some of you have been following my story of a couple of other threads about how my TA and Azamara (allegedly) have dealt with me ove my October cruise booking.

 

Long story short 

Jan 20 Cruise booked of Azamara Journey ex Venice 10th October deposit almost £900.00 paid 

March 20 Coronavirus in UK

Jun 20. Final Balance due. Several email reminders from TA and despit me sending the 7 emails no response from TA

Jun 20 email from Azamara extending date for final payment by 30 days

July 20 Phone call from TA requesting final payment and warning of dire consequences of non payment.  Advised them of Azamara email and also goverment advice re cruising holidays. Not really their concern money still required to be paid. Stated they would "check" with Azamara and get back to me. Rang back an hour later to say that Azamara had "agreed" to a week's extension.

AUG 3rd Phone call from TA requiring balance of £3000 or I would lose deposit.  Tried explaining that it was common knowledge that the cruise would be cancelled within a short space of time and that the Government advice was still against cruising. Again TA mentioned losing deposit or rebooking a new cruise. I felt pressurised into paying balance and reluctantly did so.

 

August 5th.  Read on Internet all cruises cancelled. Messages on Facebook, YouTube, Cruise Critic etc. No official notification from Azamara or TA

 

Went online to Azamara site and requested refund for cancelled cruise. Message stated that I would receive an email confirmation shortly.  Contacted CC company requesting cashback

 

7th August NO email from Azamara yet.   No email or telephone calls from TA.

 

[welwyngirl]

37 minutes ago, Norn Iron Man said:

Hi

I know some of you have been following my story of a couple of other threads about how my TA and Azamara (allegedly) have dealt with me ove my October cruise booking.

 

Long story short 

Jan 20 Cruise booked of Azamara Journey ex Venice 10th October deposit almost £900.00 paid 

March 20 Coronavirus in UK

Jun 20. Final Balance due. Several email reminders from TA and despit me sending the 7 emails no response from TA

Jun 20 email from Azamara extending date for final payment by 30 days

July 20 Phone call from TA requesting final payment and warning of dire consequences of non payment.  Advised them of Azamara email and also goverment advice re cruising holidays. Not really their concern money still required to be paid. Stated they would "check" with Azamara and get back to me. Rang back an hour later to say that Azamara had "agreed" to a week's extension.

AUG 3rd Phone call from TA requiring balance of £3000 or I would lose deposit.  Tried explaining that it was common knowledge that the cruise would be cancelled within a short space of time and that the Government advice was still against cruising. Again TA mentioned losing deposit or rebooking a new cruise. I felt pressurised into paying balance and reluctantly did so.

 

August 5th.  Read on Internet all cruises cancelled. Messages on Facebook, YouTube, Cruise Critic etc. No official notification from Azamara or TA

 

Went online to Azamara site and requested refund for cancelled cruise. Message stated that I would receive an email confirmation shortly.  Contacted CC company requesting cashback

 

7th August NO email from Azamara yet.   No email or telephone calls from TA.

 

We've had similar problems with RCI cruise.  It's shocking and shameful.  Unfortunately most cruise lines seem to be doing an equally dismal job at customer service.  Although I appreciate the problems they are having it leaves a distinctly bad taste.  If I didn't love cruising so much I would boycott most of them in future. 

 

Good Luck with your refund.

 

Lesley

[Riocca]

47 minutes ago, Norn Iron Man said:

Hi

I know some of you have been following my story of a couple of other threads about how my TA and Azamara (allegedly) have dealt with me ove my October cruise booking.

 

Long story short 

Jan 20 Cruise booked of Azamara Journey ex Venice 10th October deposit almost £900.00 paid 

March 20 Coronavirus in UK

Jun 20. Final Balance due. Several email reminders from TA and despit me sending the 7 emails no response from TA

Jun 20 email from Azamara extending date for final payment by 30 days

July 20 Phone call from TA requesting final payment and warning of dire consequences of non payment.  Advised them of Azamara email and also goverment advice re cruising holidays. Not really their concern money still required to be paid. Stated they would "check" with Azamara and get back to me. Rang back an hour later to say that Azamara had "agreed" to a week's extension.

AUG 3rd Phone call from TA requiring balance of £3000 or I would lose deposit.  Tried explaining that it was common knowledge that the cruise would be cancelled within a short space of time and that the Government advice was still against cruising. Again TA mentioned losing deposit or rebooking a new cruise. I felt pressurised into paying balance and reluctantly did so.

 

August 5th.  Read on Internet all cruises cancelled. Messages on Facebook, YouTube, Cruise Critic etc. No official notification from Azamara or TA

 

Went online to Azamara site and requested refund for cancelled cruise. Message stated that I would receive an email confirmation shortly.  Contacted CC company requesting cashback

 

7th August NO email from Azamara yet.   No email or telephone calls from TA.

 

Good luck, took us 3 months to get a refund for our March cruise that was cancelled by Azamara and almost 5 months before it was all sorted, it was the reason there was no way we were going to pay the balance for our October cruises. However you will get there in the end I’m sure, but it will be frustrating.

[uktog]

I feel for you

I am afraid you are in for a very long haul and based on my experience, although emails were answered up to about 6 weeks ago, I have one I have sent and then after two weeks resent again but no joy so I still await refunds for taxes for three cruises cancelled in April.  I notice also no one picking up on issues here now.

I am with Welwyngirl, much as I would want to support the onboard team I am not sure I can forget how we have been treated as customers.

[royallondon]

I fear the deterioration of customer service will continue with the resumption of cruising seemingly being further away then originally envisaged.  

Regards

[uktog]

6 minutes ago, royallondon said:

I fear the deterioration of customer service will continue with the resumption of cruising seemingly being further away then originally envisaged.  

Regards

Indeed and when they start up, will anyone know the products, how lean under resourced will service operations be etc etc

[eggcream3]

Be pro active!  If you have booked a cruise for this year and the first quarter of next year and have not paid for the cruise in full. Cancell the cruise now and get you deposit back.  Do NOT expect any cruising until maybe the second quarter of 2021

[excitedofharpenden]

40 minutes ago, eggcream3 said:

Be pro active!  If you have booked a cruise for this year and the first quarter of next year and have not paid for the cruise in full. Cancell the cruise now and get you deposit back.  Do NOT expect any cruising until maybe the second quarter of 2021

Unfortunately the OP is bound by non refundable deposits that we have here, hence the whole point of his posts here.  

 

Phil

[welwyngirl]

56 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Unfortunately the OP is bound by non refundable deposits that we have here, hence the whole point of his posts here.  

 

Phil

Too true Phil.  We've had problems getting our deposit back from RCI even though they cancelled.  Apparently I'll get it in October!!!  

 

Lesley

[Norn Iron Man]

1 hour ago, excitedofharpenden said:

 

6 minutes ago, welwyngirl said:

Too true Phil.  We've had problems getting our deposit back from RCI even though they cancelled.  Apparently I'll get it in October!!!  

 

Lesley

Lesley

A cynic would say they were possibly waiting for people whose payments were due in July to cough up so they can pay you. If that is the case then I will probably have to wait until the people due to make their final payments in October cough up. Saves RCI/Azamara going to their Merchant Bankers and borrowing the money to pay their debts to customers. 

[laurieb]

If you're working with a TA, it's the TA's responsibility to inform their clients.  I think that is a major problem when you work with a large agency that probably heavily discounts/ offers lots of OBC etc; the agents don't care about the clients (I'm assuming that's the case here).  They will have taken a big cut in their commission to give you that discount so doing any kind of work for you isn't important to them.  Just my 2 cents

[uktog]

28 minutes ago, laurieb said:

If you're working with a TA, it's the TA's responsibility to inform their clients.  I think that is a major problem when you work with a large agency that probably heavily discounts/ offers lots of OBC etc; the agents don't care about the clients (I'm assuming that's the case here).  They will have taken a big cut in their commission to give you that discount so doing any kind of work for you isn't important to them.  Just my 2 cents

I agree but if Azamara has refunded the agency money should be paid over immediately not months later. Azamara need to sort their big agency friends out. 

[laurieb]

59 minutes ago, uktog said:

I agree but if Azamara has refunded the agency money should be paid over immediately not months later. Azamara need to sort their big agency friends out. 

I agree the agency should refund immediately!  Perhaps Azamara management Needs to receive complaints regarding the agencies that aren’t following through 

[uktog]

11 minutes ago, laurieb said:

I agree the agency should refund immediately!  Perhaps Azamara management Needs to receive complaints regarding the agencies that aren’t following through 

They are getting them but not acknowledging them or helping

[Norn Iron Man]

The final payment I made to the TA  had not gone to Azamara by the time the cruise was cancelled 

[uktog]

40 minutes ago, Norn Iron Man said:

The final payment I made to the TA  had not gone to Azamara by the time the cruise was cancelled 

Thats great should make your refund very straight forward (note I said should!!!)

[Norn Iron Man]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

Thats great should make your refund very straight forward (note I said should!!!)

Getting the TA to actually answer their emails or telephones is a problem.  I thought it was the law in the UK that refunds must be paid within a fortnight no matter about Covid

[Werangels]

So sorry to read all of this Norn Iron Man and hope you get refunded quickly.  I am/will be in the same position.  Balance due next week for December cruise which TA has extended until the end of this month but, the cruise is not going to get cancelled yet when they have only cancelled up to the end of October.

 

It sticks in my throat to hand over thousands knowing full well the cruise won’t happen.

[Grandma Cruising]

8 hours ago, Norn Iron Man said:

Getting the TA to actually answer their emails or telephones is a problem.  I thought it was the law in the UK that refunds must be paid within a fortnight no matter about Covid

That should make your CC chargeback easier. Has the card paid you yet? I did a simultaneous chargeback & section 75 claim to my credit card for an Aegean air fare for a cancelled flight and the money was there in a few days (albeit marked as ‘Credit for Disputed Charge’).

[Norn Iron Man]

2 hours ago, Werangels said:

So sorry to read all of this Norn Iron Man and hope you get refunded quickly.  I am/will be in the same position.  Balance due next week for December cruise which TA has extended until the end of this month but, the cruise is not going to get cancelled yet when they have only cancelled up to the end of October.

 

It sticks in my throat to hand over thousands knowing full well the cruise won’t happen.

It seems that they are deliberately delaying cancellations in order to get more money in to pay refunds . A real case of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

[Norn Iron Man]

32 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

That should make your CC chargeback easier. Has the card paid you yet? I did a simultaneous chargeback & section 75 claim to my credit card for an Aegean air fare for a cancelled flight and the money was there in a few days (albeit marked as ‘Credit for Disputed Charge’).

The card has not paid me yet. I am hopeful that they will at least freeze the charges. 

[uktog]

28 minutes ago, Norn Iron Man said:

The card has not paid me yet. I am hopeful that they will at least freeze the charges. 

Following Laurie’s suggestion you should also contacted Azamara by email and notify them on the issues with their agent. They will probably not even respond but someone might just start to think that non US agency arrangements mean our customers are not looked after.

If I had a company and I’d paid an agent to refund a customer and they did not immediately do that or claiming I was demanding money when I wasn’t I’d be kicking their backsides red. 

Edited August 8, 2020 by uktog

[excitedofharpenden]

Keeping fingers crossed Norn Iron that you get the money back from your credit card at least and can then deal with the deposit. 

 

Phil 

[Norn Iron Man]

Update

Received the following standard response from Azamara

 

Thank you for contacting Azamara. We are deeply sorry for the delay in our reply and hope this email finds you in good health.
I have reviewed your reservation and see your have requested the refund online. This is dated 05AUG20. Please contact your travel agent so they are aware of your request.
The refund will be completed in 45 days to the original form of payment. We appreciate your patience while this is being completed.

 

The Travel Agent is yet to respond and indeed has not even contacted me to tell me my Cruise has been cancelled. I have emailed 4 different departments within the Travel Agents and not 1 has even acknowledged.  Quick enough to chase for the Balance though.  

 

Still waiting on update from Bank.

 

[welwyngirl]

50 minutes ago, Norn Iron Man said:

Update

Received the following standard response from Azamara

 

Thank you for contacting Azamara. We are deeply sorry for the delay in our reply and hope this email finds you in good health.
I have reviewed your reservation and see your have requested the refund online. This is dated 05AUG20. Please contact your travel agent so they are aware of your request.
The refund will be completed in 45 days to the original form of payment. We appreciate your patience while this is being completed.

 

The Travel Agent is yet to respond and indeed has not even contacted me to tell me my Cruise has been cancelled. I have emailed 4 different departments within the Travel Agents and not 1 has even acknowledged.  Quick enough to chase for the Balance though.  

 

Still waiting on update from Bank.

 

If I were you I'd have a face like a Lurgan spade as my Belfast friend says!