Booked Thru Australian Azamara Website Only To Be Charged In USD Not AUD

[Land From Down Under]

Hoping someone on this forum might be able to help me with this frustrating situation I find myself in.  Researched then booked days later what was to be our 6^th Azamara cruise only to get the invoice thru in USD instead of AUD.  This has added over $6,300 AUD to the cruise, which I would never have booked at that price if there was any prior warning they were quoting and charging in USD.  All information on the website before I pressed “book”, and on the home page after getting out of the booking, were showing AUD (have screenshots to verify).  Nowhere during the booking process did they tell me I was being directed to a US site.  It’s been a month now and their Australian contact number can’/won’t  help and the 3 emails I have sent (used 3 different ones as the weeks went by and I was getting more frantic) have gone unanswered.  My last email was sent 11 days ago to Loyalty address but still nothing.  I’m not on FB so can’t privately message them
Has anyone else experienced this re currency?  Seems other people have also experienced frustration in trying to contact Azamara in Australia.  Any advice would be appreciated

[Host Jazzbeau]

I never use Facebook either.  But occasionally it is necessary to have a facebook account, so I created one with fake info leading to a special email only used for that purpose – they can tailor ads to 'that guy' and it doesn't bother me.  [Kind of like our accounts here at CC, which deliberately – thank you CC! – don't reveal personal info.]

[Janet&Carl]

I have contacted them directly, and not had any problems so far.  I do speak to someone in America when I ring but have never had a problem.  I made a recent booking through the Australian Azamara website and paid the deposit online - the price for the cruise was listed in Australia $$ and my credit card was charged in Australian $$ the correct deposit amount.   The invoice I have received for the remainder of the booking is in Australian $$ and there has been no variation to the cost. The number I am ringing is  1800 570 552.  Hope this helps.

Edited March 7, 2022 by Janet&Carl

[AJCM]

I haven’t had to book and pay since 2019 due to covid cancellations and progressive continuation of FCC. However, most of my bookings over the years have been direct with Azamara and I’ve always been charged in AUD; which has been calculated at the relevant foreign exchange rate applicable on the booking day. As such, there is always some variance from the amount on their website but it’s always a minimal adjustment- sometimes to my benefit, sometimes theirs.

 

This is either a change in approach due to new ownership and Royal Caribbean perhaps no longer handling Azamara matters from Sydney; or it’s a mistake (very expensive one in your case).

 

You could try azamarabookingsupportAPAC@azamara.com (if you haven’t tried that one). If that doesn’t work,  I’d keep annoying the loyalty email recipients until they respond.

 

Good luck.

 

Tony

 

[AJCM]

An after thought. My bookings have been direct with Azamara Sydney, via phone. You mention you booked direct in their website so maybe that’s a point of difference.  

 

Still doesn’t explain why there’s such a significant price variance though, as the AUD cost on their website should accord with the USD cost, so that the only extra impost should be the credit card charge, usually 2.5% or so, for the card provider’s onerous task to do the conversion.

[Westaussie]

When I sign into my account with Azamara is always recognises that I am in Australia and quotes is AUD.  I am currently watching two cruises with them.  However, if it's just a random ad that I look at (without signing in) then it has sometimes come up in USD.  Hopes this helps.  Never had a problem speaking to someone even in the long gone days of the Guatemala call centre!

[Vivasea]

Have you tried Azasupport@azamara.com - My reply took 3 weeks but eventually received answer to my question.  Hope that helps.

[Land From Down Under]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions.  If only Azamara answered so quickly 😆.  I have tried that phone number and also email address.  Feel like I have fallen down a rabbit hole and landed in a parallel universe re this booking.  I phoned the bank straight away after receiving the USD invoice hoping it was a typo but no my supposed AU$1,100 deposit was converted to AU$1,600 + $48 bank fee.  If their customer service is now non existent (from my perspective) I’m worried what other cost saving measures this new company that own Azamara are implementing on their ships.  
I don’t want to involve Consumer Affairs but as the weeks go by maybe that is the only option left

All I really want is to go on that beautiful ship again and stare out to sea with cocktail in hand not spend all these wasted hours trying to sort this out 

Thank you again for taking the time to try and help me 

[Baynanno1]

@Land From Down Under

Your experience is definitely not typical of others booking in Australia!

I contacted Azamara Australia via Facebook and they have responded very quickly.

 

If you contact them via this address :

azamaraguestexperienceapac@azamara.com

hopefully they may be able to sort it for you.

Good luck!

 

P.S. Our experience booking from home is pretty much the same as the other responders.

We check out what we want on the website, then book via phone.

[Land From Down Under]

Thank you I will try that address

We have gone on 29 cruises and also research on line then either book online or phone the cruise company direct and have never had a problem. Something obviously went a miss with their website when I booked that day 🤦‍♀️

[les37b]

6 hours ago, Land From Down Under said:

 Feel like I have fallen down a rabbit hole and landed in a parallel universe re this booking.  

 

I share your pain. The booking I made recently has errors regarding the flights and without going into the detail, Azamara need to amend. This has been going on for weeks. I chased up yesterday (from UK but routes to Wichita). I was on the phone for 40 minutes, explained the issues and that someone contacted me last week to state they would sort it and hadn't". Her response was (and her voice was continually sarcastic) was "well what do you expect me to do about it". I suggested to help to resolve the problem and she put the phone down. I called back... After a long wait I got the same person who didn't apologise for cutting me off. She agreed to speak to the flight department. They seem even worse. My final due date is tomorrow. She agreed to extend that until 16 March. I asked her to send an email to confirm this as I don't trust things I am being told and she agreed to do. She didn't. She did however send an email telling me to contact the airline, despite repeatedly telling her and others before this booking is locked to them and it's only them who can amend.

 

I've never used Azamara before and I 100% will never do so again.

 

I saw a suggestion above to use Facebook. I don't use Facebook and expect companies to employ staff able to engage in helpful conversation and willingness to resolve problems of their making. I don't think that's an unreasonable expectation.

 

If I could cancel and get a full refund, I most certainly would jump at taking it. 

 

Good luck with getting your problem resolved. 

[Baynanno1]

1 hour ago, les37b said:

 

 

 

I saw a suggestion above to use Facebook. I don't use Facebook and expect companies to employ staff able to engage in helpful conversation and willingness to resolve problems of their making. I don't think that's an unreasonable expectation.

 

 

 

There was no suggestion made to use Facebook.

 

I contacted Azamara Australia (privately via Facebook Messenger). They responded quite quickly and I was able to provide an email address for the OP of this thread.

 

It is not an unreasonable expectation to expect staff to be able to engage in helpful conversation and willingness to resolve problems. Although in most instances those problems are unlikely to be due to a mistake by the individual to whom one is speaking. (I understand you have spoken more than once with the same person who gave you incorrect information at the time of booking.)

 

Unfortunately in many areas around the world as a result of staffing difficulties due to Covid there are people working in areas of first contact who are ill equipped to be in that situation.

 

I do hope that the OP of this thread and you both have your current problems sorted.

 

Perhaps, if you haven't already done so, you could try this address :

AzamaraCustomerServiceUK@Azamara.com

[Land From Down Under]

Thank you again for all giving me helpful information.  I will let you know when I finally receive an answer. Fingers crossed it’s a favourable outcome

[Land From Down Under]

Well finally some news after 5 long weeks.  An Azamara representative phoned me yesterday very apologetic re my situation.  “Yes there had been a glitch in the booking system in February”.  Original “USA” booking now cancelled and rebooked on the Australian site and Azamara are honouring the price I booked in good faith.  Any bank costs and difference in exchange rate will be reimbursed with original deposit and when this has come thru I will then pay the deposit again with the new invoice clearly stating it’s in AUD.  Some OBC added to our account.  Thank you to Baynanno 1 for contacted Azamara thru FB private message last week on my behalf.  As it turned out the email address  azamaraguestexperienceapac@azamara.com  was one I had used weeks ago, to no avail, but resent my email again to that address.  With you contacting them they took a screenshot and passed it onto someone higher up.   That triggered yesterday’s phone call, once they matched my email sent last Tuesday  to their address on the screenshot and your query.  Makes no logical sense to me why they just don’t answer everyone’s emails 🤦‍♀️

Would I have booked this cruise had I know the frustration over 5 weeks this would cause “Absolutely not”.  Am I now excited at the prospect of going on a cruise again?  “Absolutely yes”

Thank you again everyone for your help

Edited March 15, 2022 by Land From Down Under
Wrong day

[Janet&Carl]

Iam pleased you were able to resolve this.  I am also excited at the prospect of going on a cruise again.

[NC&KY]

2 hours ago, Land From Down Under said:

 

Would I have booked this cruise had I know the frustration over 5 weeks this would cause “Absolutely not”.  Am I now excited at the prospect of going on a cruise again?  “Absolutely yes”

Thank you again everyone for your help

 

Awesome. Nice to hear about "happily ever after" endings.

[Grandma Cruising]

Thanks for letting us know that you’ve got things sorted out. Great to hear.

[Baynanno1]

@Land From Down Under thanks for posting the good news!

 

I am really pleased you have a satisfactory result and am sure you will enjoy your cruise.