Black Sea in September

[drcpas]

I just got off the phone with Azamara and they said they hadn't decided until yesterday afternoon and sent out a letter at 4:30pm yesterday.  We haven't receive it but perhaps the TA did and just hasn't gotten around to contacting everyone yet.  We paid for this cruise last year before it was canceled due to covid, so definitely a series of unfortunate events.  She said they would be working throughout the weekend to determine what alternate cities they could offer to allow the cruise to sail and would know "hopefully" by Monday...but she did assure us that there is always their Cruise with Confidence policy.

 

Thank you everyone for the prompt replies..

[Janet&Carl]

7 hours ago, drcpas said:

We are booked on the Black Sea Cruise on May 5th, 2022 and our travel agent has not received any news from them.  I called Azamara yesterday around noon and they had no information yet.  We've never cruised before but this really seems totally tone deaf from a customer service business view point.  I know they have new owners but really?????  Just wondering if anyone on here has received anything from them.

-Gail

 

 

We are August 26th  on the Journey and we have notification via email.  I booked direct with Azamara.  I'd get your travel agent to check their emails.

 

[DS]

2 hours ago, Janet&Carl said:

 

 

We are August 26th  on the Journey and we have notification via email.  I booked direct with Azamara.  I'd get your travel agent to check their emails.

 

We are on the 29 June Black Sea voyage and have  NOT gotten a direct message from Azamara... but our TA did.   Perhaps if you use a TA it goes that way, if you book direct it goes to you?

[Janet&Carl]

20 minutes ago, DS said:

We are on the 29 June Black Sea voyage and have  NOT gotten a direct message from Azamara... but our TA did.   Perhaps if you use a TA it goes that way, if you book direct it goes to you?

 

 

yes, that is my understanding.  That is why you would use an agent - to act as a middle (person) man between you and the company .  I don't think that companies are allowed to contact you directly if you use an agent. I have no direct knowledge of how Azamara do things as this is my first booking with them.   I know with all my MSC cruises that is what has happened - those that use agents are not even allowed to speak directly with MSC.  They cite privacy reasons and refer you back to your agent.

 

Edited February 26, 2022 by Janet&Carl
additional information added

[manc]

We got a notification and our TA forwarded the notice they had received.

It is probably a good idea to check the private email address Azamara have for individual passengers as we get numerous notifications, offers, etc since we updated ours and info on our level and benefits in the scheme I still refer to as Le Club Voyage! 

[futian]

I too was due to be on one of the Black Sea cruises in few months time, but I do not think I will be going and would be very surprised if Azamara even enter the Black Sea given the current situation and the rising cost of maritime insurance for this area......

 

https://gcaptain.com/black-sea-insurance-rates-soar-as-nato-fails-to-protect-commercial-shipping

 

 

[KirkNC]

Heck, we are booked on the 2023 Black Sea cruise and doubt that will go.  Maybe they can find a couple of other ports but Odessa and Sochi will definitely not be on the cruise.

[annandme]

17 hours ago, drcpas said:

...but she did assure us that there is always their Cruise with Confidence policy.

 

I believe the "Cruise with Confidence" policy just results in your money being held by Azamara with your only choice to spend it being to book another cruise with Azamara.  This policy, therefore, does very little for those of us who specifically booked this cruise based on its unique itinerary and would want a full refund if the itinerary is canceled or changed to just another Greek island cruise.

[Grandma Cruising]

2 hours ago, annandme said:

 

I believe the "Cruise with Confidence" policy just results in your money being held by Azamara with your only choice to spend it being to book another cruise with Azamara.  This policy, therefore, does very little for those of us who specifically booked this cruise based on its unique itinerary and would want a full refund if the itinerary is canceled or changed to just another Greek island cruise.

I think the email from Azamara included being able to get your money back if you’re not happy with the changes.

[Janet&Carl]

3 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

I think the email from Azamara included being able to get your money back if you’re not happy with the changes.

 

 

Yes they are offering full refunds - this will be covered for all affected cruises.  I wonder what will happen to the St Petersburg cruises - they are likely to just change the port and continue with the rest of the cruise but St Petersburg is the major destination for the Baltic cruises.  Has anyone had any notification for Baltics ?

[java spot]

I re-read my letter from Azamara and don't see any language that is offering a full refund. Could you please post a quote of what your letter said. You may have received a different communication. I really felt I had a choice to either cancel before final payment tomorrow or risk having to leave the $ with Azamara for a future cruise. Given that I just lost a lot of $ with Crystal, I'm a bit gun shy! 

[ECCruise]

Just now, Janet&Carl said:

 

 

Yes they are offering full refunds - this will be covered for all affected cruises. 

Our email says nothing at all like that. And our sailing is the first, on 5 June. 

 

February 24, 2021

 

Dear Azamara Guest,

We have been monitoring the situation between Ukraine and Russia the past several weeks and based on the latest overnight developments, we have found it is necessary to make a change to our voyages currently scheduled to visit either of these countries. As a result, your Black Sea Voyage, which is scheduled to depart on June 5, 2022 on Azamara Journey®, is one of the voyages we will be adjusting to remove Ukraine and/or Russia as a port of call.

We need a little time to ensure the changes we make still result in a memorable, deeply immersive cruise vacation, so we just wanted to inform you that these changes will be shared with you soon.

We greatly appreciate your understanding and thank you for your cooperation throughout our journey as we have worked to manage this fluid situation. We assure you that your upcoming Azamara vacation will deliver the highest standards of service and quality for which we are known.

Should you have any questions, please contact your Travel Advisor for more details or¿visit https://www.azamara.com/contact-us for your local Azamara call center number.

We look forward to welcoming you on board.

Sincerely,

AZAMARA®

[java spot]

The poster is from Australia. Perhaps they received guarantees that people from the U.S. did not. 

[Janet&Carl]

34 minutes ago, java spot said:

The poster is from Australia. Perhaps they received guarantees that people from the U.S. did not. 

 

As per post #36 #45 in this feed - we have had contact with Azamara and feel reassured that any cancellations on Azamara's part will either be accepted by us or refunded by them.  As yet we have only paid a deposit with our FP not due until May.

 

There was mention earlier that Onward cruises have been pulled but they still appear on the Aus website including all the Black Sea cruises still appearing and able to be booked online.

[psygist]

On 2/25/2022 at 5:58 AM, john1970 said:

Thanks for posting that. I am on the June 29th Black Sea Intensive so I am guessing they will make that change as well. I feel very sorry for all the civilians caught up in this war. Very sad.

 

On 2/25/2022 at 6:09 PM, Baynanno1 said:

 

Very strange then that you have not received the same communication as the other posters!

 

 

On 2/25/2022 at 6:02 PM, Baynanno1 said:

 

Gail, where are you located in the world?

Perhaps that may have something to do with lack of information for you and your TA.

Both the poster above and below your post are in USA.

I actually was not notified directly from Azamara about the pending itinerary changes to the June 29 cruise. I found out about it from a friend who is cruising with us. We have not received other communication from Azamara as well, while my friend has received info and shared with me. Apparently, Azamara has gaps in their database when notifying their customers of important information. 

[Baynanno1]

9 hours ago, psygist said:

 

 

I actually was not notified directly from Azamara about the pending itinerary changes to the June 29 cruise. I found out about it from a friend who is cruising with us. We have not received other communication from Azamara as well, while my friend has received info and shared with me. Apparently, Azamara has gaps in their database when notifying their customers of important information. 

 

Did you book separately, or all on the one booking made by your friend?

 

If that was the case, your friend (as the person making the booking) would be the one notified. It is usual for the person making the booking to be notified, not all the people on the same booking.

 

If you booked separately, then you are quite right . . . something is missing from the database.

[psygist]

14 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

Did you book separately, or all on the one booking made by your friend?

 

If that was the case, your friend (as the person making the booking) would be the one notified. It is usual for the person making the booking to be notified, not all the people on the same booking.

 

If you booked separately, then you are quite right . . . something is missing from the database.

We made separate bookings with different booking numbers. However, we had since linked our reservations on Azamara website so that might explain why we only received one notification. 

[john1970]

I am on the  Black Sea intensive June 29th cruise. I haven't had anything from Azamara and neither has my travel agent.

My travel agent says that Azamara still expect full payment in around three weeks. I feel Azamara really should withdraw the cruise from the the website and stop selling tours to Odessa and Russia. The Ukraine Russia conflict has been widely predicted for many weeks and Azamara should already have the contingency plans formulated or well under way. I love Azamara at sea and we are joining them again in April but their back office operations have always seemed to fall short of the onboard standard. 

[DS]

WE'RE ON THE 29 jUNE TRIP....Our TA got this last week...   We have also had our final payment moved back from 1 March to 1 April...

Dear Travel Partner,

We have been monitoring the situation between Ukraine and Russia the past several weeks and based on the latest overnight developments, we have found it is necessary to make a change to our voyages currently scheduled to visit either of these countries. As a result, your clients Black Sea Voyage, listed below, is one of the voyages we will be adjusting to remove Ukraine and/or Russia as a port of call.

We need a little time to ensure the changes we make still result in a memorable, deeply immersive cruise vacation, so we just wanted to inform you that these changes will be shared with you soon.

We greatly appreciate your understanding and thank you for your cooperation throughout our journey as we have worked to manage this fluid situation. We assure you that their upcoming Azamara vacation will deliver the highest standards of service and quality for which we are known.

Should you have any questions, please give us a call.

• For North America Individual Reservations: 1-877-222-2526; press menu option 1, then menu option 1, again
• For North America Group Reservations: 1-800-556-8208; press menu option 1
• For U.K. Individual & Group Reservations: 0344 4934016
• For AUS Individual & Group Reservations: 1800 754 500
• For New Zealand Individual & Group Reservations: 0800 102 123
• For all other countries, please visit: https://www.Azamara.com/contact-us for your local Azamara call center phone number.

We look forward to welcoming your clients on board.

Sincerely,

AZAMARA®

[SailorJack]

We received the same email.  What I didn't understand was the the statement saying that they were removing "Ukraine and/or Russia."  And/Or? Both ports have to be cancelled - there can't be any "or" about it. As another poster noted on another stream, how can we even contemplate sailing on the Black Sea when the two biggest nations bordering the sea are at war. Not to mention that Russian warships have now entered the Black Sea.

Edited March 8, 2022 by SailorJack

[lisiamc]

14 hours ago, SailorJack said:

We received the same email.  What I didn't understand was the the statement saying that they were removing "Ukraine and/or Russia."  And/Or? Both ports have to be cancelled - there can't be any "or" about it. As another poster noted on another stream, how can we even contemplate sailing on the Black Sea when the two biggest nations bordering the sea are at war. Not to mention that Russian warships have now entered the Black Sea.

That was a fairly generic email shown above, and covered people on a few different cruises stopping in Ukraine, or in Russia.  Some people may have planned a Black Sea cruise and a Baltic cruise.  What they could have said is “If your cruise has port stops in Ukraine or in Russia, all of those stops have been cancelled.” They are obviously not planning to take any ships or passengers anywhere near a war zone.  

[annandme]

It seems to me that Azamara could have developed a definitive itinerary by now.  Final payment is coming fast and we, as passengers, have no idea where the heck we are going.  Talking about buying a "pig in a poke"!  This is no way for Azamara to treat its customers!

 

If anyone hears anything from their TA or Azamara, please try to quickly post what they learn here so us poor saps can understand just what the heck is happening?

Edited March 8, 2022 by annandme

[john1970]

I have sent them a facebook message. I will let you know if I get a reply. I have had nothing at all from them nor has my TA. I am due to pay my final balance in two weeks. They are obviously desperate not to lose the revenue but they have to look at the bigger picture re loyalty and reputation.

[annandme]

Got an email today announcing the "godmother" for our ship, the Onward.  Now with that priority out of the way, maybe they can get to working on our new itinerary!  One can only hope.

[audobon_tx]

40 minutes ago, john1970 said:

I have sent them a facebook message. I will let you know if I get a reply. I have had nothing at all from them nor has my TA. I am due to pay my final balance in two weeks. They are obviously desperate not to lose the revenue but they have to look at the bigger picture re loyalty and reputation.

 

Silversea had a BS in May and pax just heard from the line. As expected it turned into a Greco-Turk cruise.  SS didn't relax their cancelation terms but threw in some OBC to try to keep bookings.  To be fair, this is Vlad's doing, not theirs.