Significant itinerary change stories please? What is Azamara approach? (apart from embark/debark ports)

[Grandma Cruising]

11 hours ago, ruthnlarry said:

We are booked on an Intensive Black Sea Voyage in June 2023.  This cruise is not going to happen.  There will have to be major revisions to the present itinerary, and none of the Black Sea ports will be visited.

To date, we have received no communication from Azamara regarding this cruise.  In fact, Azamara still lists this cruise on their website for booking, and there is no disclaimer about the need to change the itinerary.  Azamara is still advertising a late night stay in Odessa for this cruise.  

We were booked on one for May 23. Like you we had heard nothing from Azamara, but decided it’s likely to be changed to Greece/Turkey which didn’t appeal. We asked our TA to transfer our booking to a Nov 23 Dubai to Singapore cruise instead. Azamara were happy to do this but did charge us £150 (£75 each) transfer fee (which is in their T’s &C’s).

[ruthnlarry]

6 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

We were booked on one for May 23. Like you we had heard nothing from Azamara, but decided it’s likely to be changed to Greece/Turkey which didn’t appeal. We asked our TA to transfer our booking to a Nov 23 Dubai to Singapore cruise instead. Azamara were happy to do this but did charge us £150 (£75 each) transfer fee (which is in their T’s &C’s).

Yes, our cruise will probably be changed to a Greece and Turkey intensive cruise.  However, we would not be interested in such an itinerary because we will be doing one in August and September.  The only reason that we booked our June 2023 cruise was because of the Black Sea itinerary.

Azamara is not truthful in still advertising these intensive Black Sea cruises.  No ship will be stopping in Ukraine or Russia because of the current war.  The Quest can't stay late in Odessa because it has been destroyed.  Azamara wants to use deposits on a cruise that will not sail as originally booked, and is still being advertised.  So, I would not want to pay any transfer or cancellation fee even though it is in their Terms & Conditions.    

 

 

[Benthayer Gonbak]

22 hours ago, ruthnlarry said:

We are booked on an Intensive Black Sea Voyage in June 2023.  This cruise is not going to happen.  There will have to be major revisions to the present itinerary, and none of the Black Sea ports will be visited.

To date, we have received no communication from Azamara regarding this cruise.  In fact, Azamara still lists this cruise on their website for booking, and there is no disclaimer about the need to change the itinerary.  Azamara is still advertising a late night stay in Odessa for this cruise.  

 

Several years back now Azamara did in fact abandon the Black Sea Itineraries, for several years. 

[travelberlin]

On 6/3/2022 at 8:40 AM, Grandma Cruising said:

We were booked on one for May 23. Like you we had heard nothing from Azamara, but decided it’s likely to be changed to Greece/Turkey which didn’t appeal. We asked our TA to transfer our booking to a Nov 23 Dubai to Singapore cruise instead. Azamara were happy to do this but did charge us £150 (£75 each) transfer fee (which is in their T’s &C’s).

I did not know that Azamara charged a transfer fee. I was told onboard by the cruise sales representative that the fee is charged  when you cancel. 
Ivi

[travelberlin]

We were on the Black Sea Itinerary from Azamara in 2009. It was the Azamara Quest, Azamara was not all inclusive but the fee for eating at the specialty restaurants was only US 5 per person. It was a wonderful itinerary and interesting, historical cities. We were in Yalta, Odessa, Sevastopol, among others. I am afraid that it is very unlikely that cruise ships will be sailing in the black sea in the next years. 
 

Ivi

[Grandma Cruising]

1 hour ago, travelberlin said:

I did not know that Azamara charged a transfer fee. I was told onboard by the cruise sales representative that the fee is charged  when you cancel. 
Ivi

It is in the UK Booking Conditions 

“Should you wish to make any changes to your confirmed holiday, you must notify us in writing as soon as possible. Whilst we will endeavor to assist you, we cannot guarantee we will be able to meet any such request. For guests wishing to make a significant amendment to their booking outside of 90 days from departure, such as changing the ship or sail date, note that a booking transfer fee is applicable. Please note that any amendments for hotels, transfers and flights may result in the loss of the amount that was collected at the time of booking for these additional components. The transfer fee is £75 per guest which is limited to the first two guests on a booking, therefore any additional guests will not be charged as well”

[uktog]

8 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

It is in the UK Booking Conditions 

“Should you wish to make any changes to your confirmed holiday, you must notify us in writing as soon as possible. Whilst we will endeavor to assist you, we cannot guarantee we will be able to meet any such request. For guests wishing to make a significant amendment to their booking outside of 90 days from departure, such as changing the ship or sail date, note that a booking transfer fee is applicable. Please note that any amendments for hotels, transfers and flights may result in the loss of the amount that was collected at the time of booking for these additional components. The transfer fee is £75 per guest which is limited to the first two guests on a booking, therefore any additional guests will not be charged as well”

Correct. My experience of the future sales onboard is they now have an appalling lack of knowledge of anything non US market.  Didn’t used to be the case and very disappointing.  They’re just after sales regardless of the subsequent consequences for agents on land who have to clear up the confusion or misinformation after. 

[Aardvaark]

We were aboard Quest when the virus really hit.  As the ship found out that a country would not admit us, they changed the itinerary to a similar place and changed the excursions.  Finally, of course, the whole thing fell apart and the cruise ended early in Muscat, Oman.  ChoiseAir had our return reservations read at the airport and we flew home.  Azamara did their level best to entertain us.  Then they gave us 75% Future Boarding Credit.