World Cup Cruise and changes to the itinerary!

[mklions]

Really disappointed to receive the email below.

It was billed and sold as a World Cup cruise, my birthday is on th 21st November and was hoping to go to the official fan zone in Doha to watch the England v Iran match. A quite unbelievable change in schedule.

I'm sure a lot of passengers will be gutted.

Mklions.

 

Dear Azamara Guest,

We hope you're looking forward to your 11-Night Arabia & Dubai Voyage departing on November 15, 2022. We're writing to inform you of some important changes made to your itinerary.

Travel authorities in Qatar have recently informed us that they will be closing the port and not allowing cruise ships to enter during the World Cup games. There are a few cruise ships that have been chartered by the government in Doha during the games to host fans - these are being used as parked hotels for the duration and are not considered cruises. Additionally, Qatar has provided logistical information explaining that travelers can only enter the country if they have tickets to the games. This means that it will not be possible for you to visit Qatar without attending a match.

For those of you who weren't planning on going to a World Cup match, we want to continue to provide a wonderful Arabian Gulf experience and give you the option to explore freely off the ship. As a result, we were able to secure berthing in Abu Dhabi from November 21 to 23 so you can experience this exotic region of the world without encountering any travel limitations. Additional itinerary adjustments were made to other ports of calls to help facilitate this change and complete itinerary changes can be viewed in the grid at the end of this letter.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause; despite this change, by giving you more time in Abu Dhabi, you can experience the grandeur of the gold-gilded Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, indulge in High Tea at the Emirates Palace, or, if you prefer, savor a Golden Cappuccino and visit the Louvre Museum, that in collaboration with the Louvre France, features a rich collection of both Arab and world Art. We hope you can look forward to enjoying this beautiful city at a more relaxed pace.

Rest assured, any shore excursions booked through Azamara in Doha will be refunded back to your original method of payment and new shore excursions for your stay in Abu Dhabi are available to book on your Voyage Planner.

For those who purchased World Cup tickets during the days we were staying in Doha, we are working with the Qatar authorities to determine transportation options to attend a game. To determine the best options, we will need to know if you are holding a ticket. If you are a World Cup ticket holder, click here to fill out a quick 5-minute survey. Once completed, our team will review your answers and contact you with further information.

We thank you for your understanding. We take great pride in bringing you and every Azamara guest unforgettable experiences both onboard our ships and within our destinations. Should you have any questions, please contact your Travel Advisor for more details specific to your country of residence or visit https://www.azamara.com/contact-us for your local Azamara call center number. 

Captain Jonas and the entire Azamara Quest® crew can't wait to welcome you aboard in Dubai!

Warm Regards,

AZAMARA®

Full itinerary details can be viewed below:

 

Old Itinerary
Day	Date	Port of Call	Arrive	Depart
Tue	15-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates		Embark
Wed	16-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates		8:00 PM
Thu	17-Nov-22	At Sea
Fri	18-Nov-22	Muscat, Oman	7:30 AM
Sat	19-Nov-22	Muscat, Oman		8:00 PM
Sun	20-Nov-22	At Sea
Mon	21-Nov-22	Doha, Qatar	7:30 AM
Tue	22-Nov-22	Doha, Qatar
Wed	23-Nov-22	Doha, Qatar		6:00 PM
Thu	24-Nov-22	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	8:00 AM
Fri	25-Nov-22	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates		6:00 PM
Sat	26-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	6:00 AM
	New Itinerary
Day	Date	Port of Call	Arrive	Depart
Tue	15-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates		Embark
Wed	16-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates		8:00 PM
Thu	17-Nov-22	At Sea
Fri	18-Nov-22	Muscat, Oman	7:30 AM
Sat	19-Nov-22	Muscat, Oman		6:00 PM
Sun	20-Nov-22	Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates	1:30 PM	9:00 PM
Mon	21-Nov-22	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	7:30 AM
Tue	22-Nov-22	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Wed	23-Nov-22	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates		6:00 PM
Thu	24-Nov-22	Sir Bani Yas, United Arab Emirates	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
Fri	25-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	7:30 AM
Sat	26-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	Debark

[fudgbug]

As it was the travel authorities in Qatar that closed the port and blocked cruise ships, you can't blame Azamara for the change in itinerary.  It seems to me as if Azamara has done the best they can with the hand that they have been dealt.

[govanguy]

2 hours ago, mklions said:

Really disappointed to receive the email below.

It was billed and sold as a World Cup cruise, my birthday is on th 21st November and was hoping to go to the official fan zone in Doha to watch the England v Iran match. A quite unbelievable change in schedule.

I'm sure a lot of passengers will be gutted.

Mklions.

 

Dear Azamara Guest,

We hope you're looking forward to your 11-Night Arabia & Dubai Voyage departing on November 15, 2022. We're writing to inform you of some important changes made to your itinerary.

Travel authorities in Qatar have recently informed us that they will be closing the port and not allowing cruise ships to enter during the World Cup games. There are a few cruise ships that have been chartered by the government in Doha during the games to host fans - these are being used as parked hotels for the duration and are not considered cruises. Additionally, Qatar has provided logistical information explaining that travelers can only enter the country if they have tickets to the games. This means that it will not be possible for you to visit Qatar without attending a match.

For those of you who weren't planning on going to a World Cup match, we want to continue to provide a wonderful Arabian Gulf experience and give you the option to explore freely off the ship. As a result, we were able to secure berthing in Abu Dhabi from November 21 to 23 so you can experience this exotic region of the world without encountering any travel limitations. Additional itinerary adjustments were made to other ports of calls to help facilitate this change and complete itinerary changes can be viewed in the grid at the end of this letter.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause; despite this change, by giving you more time in Abu Dhabi, you can experience the grandeur of the gold-gilded Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, indulge in High Tea at the Emirates Palace, or, if you prefer, savor a Golden Cappuccino and visit the Louvre Museum, that in collaboration with the Louvre France, features a rich collection of both Arab and world Art. We hope you can look forward to enjoying this beautiful city at a more relaxed pace.

Rest assured, any shore excursions booked through Azamara in Doha will be refunded back to your original method of payment and new shore excursions for your stay in Abu Dhabi are available to book on your Voyage Planner.

For those who purchased World Cup tickets during the days we were staying in Doha, we are working with the Qatar authorities to determine transportation options to attend a game. To determine the best options, we will need to know if you are holding a ticket. If you are a World Cup ticket holder, click here to fill out a quick 5-minute survey. Once completed, our team will review your answers and contact you with further information.

We thank you for your understanding. We take great pride in bringing you and every Azamara guest unforgettable experiences both onboard our ships and within our destinations. Should you have any questions, please contact your Travel Advisor for more details specific to your country of residence or visit https://www.azamara.com/contact-us for your local Azamara call center number. 

Captain Jonas and the entire Azamara Quest® crew can't wait to welcome you aboard in Dubai!

Warm Regards,

AZAMARA®

Full itinerary details can be viewed below:

 

Old Itinerary
Day	Date	Port of Call	Arrive	Depart
Tue	15-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates		Embark
Wed	16-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates		8:00 PM
Thu	17-Nov-22	At Sea
Fri	18-Nov-22	Muscat, Oman	7:30 AM
Sat	19-Nov-22	Muscat, Oman		8:00 PM
Sun	20-Nov-22	At Sea
Mon	21-Nov-22	Doha, Qatar	7:30 AM
Tue	22-Nov-22	Doha, Qatar
Wed	23-Nov-22	Doha, Qatar		6:00 PM
Thu	24-Nov-22	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	8:00 AM
Fri	25-Nov-22	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates		6:00 PM
Sat	26-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	6:00 AM
	New Itinerary
Day	Date	Port of Call	Arrive	Depart
Tue	15-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates		Embark
Wed	16-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates		8:00 PM
Thu	17-Nov-22	At Sea
Fri	18-Nov-22	Muscat, Oman	7:30 AM
Sat	19-Nov-22	Muscat, Oman		6:00 PM
Sun	20-Nov-22	Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates	1:30 PM	9:00 PM
Mon	21-Nov-22	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	7:30 AM
Tue	22-Nov-22	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Wed	23-Nov-22	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates		6:00 PM
Thu	24-Nov-22	Sir Bani Yas, United Arab Emirates	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
Fri	25-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	7:30 AM
Sat	26-Nov-22	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	Debark

Disappointed for you. I really think Azamara should endeavour to get you on the same transport to Doha as afforded to ticket holders and bear any expense that could be involved.

I`m surprised they didn't`t give you an option to cancel . But...small print..

 

As an aside, I happened to be in Seville this year when the Europa League final was being held...we sailed on the day of the final but experienced the atmosphere on the lead up to the game. 

Unfortunately, Rangers lost...

All the best...

 

Edited September 26, 2022 by govanguy
Missing text

[combine]

 Hopefully you will be able to make the most of the new ports of call as it doesn't look like there is room for any regular cruise ships in Doha☹️

 

I have just been reading on the MSC boards that they have just completely cancelled their 27 November MSC Opera cruise and the early December one also.  This ship will now join MSC Poesia and MSC World Europe as hotel ships docked at the port for 13,000 football fans.

 

Edited September 26, 2022 by combine

[beatnix]

TUI Cruises also cancelled Doha on their intiarys during the championships .

But they announced it weeks ago. 

[mchell810]

4 hours ago, beatnix said:

TUI Cruises also cancelled Doha on their intiarys during the championships .

But they announced it weeks ago. 

 

^^ This is may issue with Azamara -- they always seem very late to the game with things like this.  For example, they were very late in announcing the use of Ravenna to replace Venice. 

 

I am not on any sailing to the region during the games, I am not even a soccer fan; yet, even I know Qatar had banned travel for anyone who did not have a ticket to the games.  I read that weeks ago.

 

Edited September 27, 2022 by mchell810

[laurieb]

5 hours ago, govanguy said:

Disappointed for you. I really think Azamara should endeavour to get you on the same transport to Doha as afforded to ticket holders and bear any expense that could be involved.

I`m surprised they didn't`t give you an option to cancel . But...small print..

 

As an aside, I happened to be in Seville this year when the Europa League final was being held...we sailed on the day of the final but experienced the atmosphere on the lead up to the game. 

Unfortunately, Rangers lost...

All the best...

 

Why should Azamara be responsible for private tours?  Purchasing tickets outside of Azamara (or any other cruise line) is considered private.

[laurieb]

Meant to say (couldn’t edit) the notification from Azamara states that no one will be allowed to enter Qatar unless they hold a ticket.  

[Baynanno1]

25 minutes ago, laurieb said:

Why should Azamara be responsible for private tours?  Purchasing tickets outside of Azamara (or any other cruise line) is considered private.

 

Personally I would be quite happy with the amended itinerary Azamara has been able to arrange.

 

However, if I was a world cup fan and had

booked the cruise as advertised in order to attend the game in Doha,

I think it is quite reasonable to expect some effort on the part of Azamara to transport guests to that event in spite of the fact that the booked (in good faith by the cruise line) port of call was cancelled by said port.

I applaud Azamara for their efforts in initiating an attempt to get guests with tickets to the game.

[laurieb]

41 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

Personally I would be quite happy with the amended itinerary Azamara has been able to arrange.

 

However, if I was a world cup fan and had

booked the cruise as advertised in order to attend the game in Doha,

I think it is quite reasonable to expect some effort on the part of Azamara to transport guests to that event in spite of the fact that the booked (in good faith by the cruise line) port of call was cancelled by said port.

I applaud Azamara for their efforts in initiating an attempt to get guests with tickets to the game.

Please see post #8.  It doesn’t sound like there were any tickets purchased by the OP.  Sounds like Azamara is trying to arrange transportation for ticket holders.

 I too would be disappointed if that was the only reason I had booked the cruise 

[Cornish Maid]

•  

  How quick will the team review our answers as match ticket holders and contact us with further information? Why have the Qatar authorities approved issue of Hayya passes showing our alternative accommodation as Azamara Quest cruise ship? So many questions let’s hope for a quick positive response although I fear it is unlikely that a reasonable compromise will be forthcoming.  Note also final ticket sales released on sale today for tournament via FIFA let’s hope all are aware of this last minute change of itinerary and do not purchase any further tickets for matches during the original scheduled Qatar ports.
•  

[joe grumble]

7 hours ago, laurieb said:

Please see post #8.  It doesn’t sound like there were any tickets purchased by the OP.  Sounds like Azamara is trying to arrange transportation for ticket holders.

 I too would be disappointed if that was the only reason I had booked the cruise 

i am one of those guests who booked this cruise only for the world cup experience. my wife is not pleased that i have shelled out £5000 to do this cruise. i have tickets for the world cup. 3 games over 2 days. the problem is its over 400 miles from abu dhabi to doha. a long journey, twice. as they will not put me up in a hotel. and the first game is a 1pm kick off. i'm fuming. its my 60th birthday treat. i do not want to go now and it doesnt help people saying so what. if you order steak dont be pleased when they bring pizza.

i only got my hayya card approved yesterday after weeks of trying. not a good start to our 1st azamara cruise. i feel like i have been mis-sold.

[john1970]

That would be very annoying especially as they always seem late to make difficult decisions and always after the final balance has been paid. For UK bookers remember that you are entitled to a full refund if their are 'significant changes' to your holiday. I would consider this a significant change for sure. You will find the the information on the website under key rights. I know it's not ideal but I wonder if you can cancel and book an alternative holiday which has a stop in Qatar. Azamara had to let me cancel and refund my Black Sea cruise once I quoted the relevant key rights and package travel regulations. 

[uktog]

I so feel for all the football fans who have been so affected by this. Being in the fan zone is a dream in itself. Qatar should never have been awarded this event. I’m sure there will be some solutions- not ideal - but for UK non match ticket holders sadly exploring the cancellation route might be an option given the significant change 

[Cornish Maid]

Speed is of the essence to get a response from Azamara on this as we need to explore our options quickly as to what match day ticket holders are able to rearrange if they are not able to come up with a suitable solution to get us into Qatar. They are as previously posted very slow to respond it makes me question how long they may have known about this as they never responded to an email sent regarding accommodation providers address for Hayya on 8th September.  To add further insult our accommodation was approved and Hayya passes received digitally and via courier only at the weekend.

[ugsugs]

Apologies, I commented on this earlier but maybe on a wrong thread. i don't get the view expressed by some that it is out of Azamara's control if you book a private tour (Football Match). The cruise was advertised as a World Cup event but they didn't provide tickets so what else are you supposed to do?  My reading of the Azamara notification is that they could dock but those without match tickets can't get go ashore. In my view that is too bad as it is the people who bought match tickets on a cruise that is badged "World Cup" that are being penalised.  My view is that as they will have to reimburse those that have non-football related excursions booked through Azamara (as they cant now get off the ship) it is a commercial decision as they can now sell excursions in Abu Dhabi. Really catch 22 as cant be sure we can't a refund and in the meantime alternatives are few and far between. 5 hour coach travel each way to Qatar from Abu Dhabi is a non-starter especially for those of us attending matches on consecutive days. 

[floridafolks]

52 minutes ago, ugsugs said:

Apologies, I commented on this earlier but maybe on a wrong thread. i don't get the view expressed by some that it is out of Azamara's control if you book a private tour (Football Match). The cruise was advertised as a World Cup event but they didn't provide tickets so what else are you supposed to do?  My reading of the Azamara notification is that they could dock but those without match tickets can't get go ashore. In my view that is too bad as it is the people who bought match tickets on a cruise that is badged "World Cup" that are being penalised.  My view is that as they will have to reimburse those that have non-football related excursions booked through Azamara (as they cant now get off the ship) it is a commercial decision as they can now sell excursions in Abu Dhabi. Really catch 22 as cant be sure we can't a refund and in the meantime alternatives are few and far between. 5 hour coach travel each way to Qatar from Abu Dhabi is a non-starter especially for those of us attending matches on consecutive days. 

I agree with your thoughts, but I think there is more to the decision than changing itinerary so all could go ashore-  This is a Perry Golf cruise as well- They were to play on at least two courses in Qatar. As soon as we received the itinerary change email, I went to the Perry Golf website and they already had the new itinerary listed with new golf course offerings/schedules and new included shore excursions in the new port schedule. ( We still do not have new shorex offered or refunds for Qatar excursions, but Perry Golf folks have new golf events and included shore excursions already in place! ) This did not happen overnite-it took some time to organize those changes, so Azamara let those with World Cup tickets go through the frustrating effort to get the required Hayaa cards, knowing we were no longer docking in Doha!  The itinerary change email did not even mention that .
Disclaimer- I was not able to get 2 tickets to the match I wanted, but I still feel for those with tickets who jumped through so many hoops. - and I was really looking forward to FanFest!

Edited September 27, 2022 by floridafolks

[ShopperfiendTO]

3 hours ago, ugsugs said:

Apologies, I commented on this earlier but maybe on a wrong thread. i don't get the view expressed by some that it is out of Azamara's control if you book a private tour (Football Match). The cruise was advertised as a World Cup event but they didn't provide tickets so what else are you supposed to do?  My reading of the Azamara notification is that they could dock but those without match tickets can't get go ashore. In my view that is too bad as it is the people who bought match tickets on a cruise that is badged "World Cup" that are being penalised.  My view is that as they will have to reimburse those that have non-football related excursions booked through Azamara (as they cant now get off the ship) it is a commercial decision as they can now sell excursions in Abu Dhabi. Really catch 22 as cant be sure we can't a refund and in the meantime alternatives are few and far between. 5 hour coach travel each way to Qatar from Abu Dhabi is a non-starter especially for those of us attending matches on consecutive days. 

 

Are you sure about your reading given the first part of the notice in the original post?:

 

"Travel authorities in Qatar have recently informed us that they will be closing the port and not allowing cruise ships to enter during the World Cup games. There are a few cruise ships that have been chartered by the government in Doha during the games to host fans - these are being used as parked hotels for the duration and are not considered cruises. Additionally, Qatar has provided logistical information explaining that travelers can only enter the country if they have tickets to the games. This means that it will not be possible for you to visit Qatar without attending a match."

 

The above seems to read as follows:

1. Cruise ships can't enter Qatar during the World Cup (other than the ones being "parked hotels").

2. People (tourists) can't even enter Qatar during the World Cup unless they have a ticket to a game.

Edited September 27, 2022 by ShopperfiendTO

[Port Power]

22 hours ago, joe grumble said:

i am one of those guests who booked this cruise only for the world cup experience. my wife is not pleased that i have shelled out £5000 to do this cruise. i have tickets for the world cup. 3 games over 2 days. the problem is its over 400 miles from abu dhabi to doha. a long journey, twice. as they will not put me up in a hotel. and the first game is a 1pm kick off. i'm fuming. its my 60th birthday treat. i do not want to go now and it doesnt help people saying so what. if you order steak dont be pleased when they bring pizza.

i only got my hayya card approved yesterday after weeks of trying. not a good start to our 1st azamara cruise. i feel like i have been mis-sold.

That is so extremely disappointing for you.  However, don't blame Azamara: they did not mis-sell the cruise to you.  It is Doha that has cancelled permission to dock or tender!  Let's hope Azamara can come to some arrangement, although having to drive from Abu Dhabi is not really a good option.

 

You might be able to cancel without penalty, although again, it is not Azamara's fault.  Qatar really should have compromised, but they obviously have enough income from all those people being housed on floating hotels to bother about a handful of passengers on AZ!

 

Azamara delaying the announcement of Doha's port closure is very wrong though.  They obviously knew earlier in order to make Abu Dhabi arrangements.  Very poor!

Edited September 28, 2022 by Port Power
Delay in announcement

[Baynanno1]

On one hand, it would have been good had cruisers been notified at the time Doha "pulled the plug" on Azamara's contracted berth.

On the other hand, I can understand Azamara wanting to be able to provide an alternative itinerary rather than several blank days in the itinerary - and that takes some time to arrange.

[Port Power]

46 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

On one hand, it would have been good had cruisers been notified at the time Doha "pulled the plug" on Azamara's contracted berth.

On the other hand, I can understand Azamara wanting to be able to provide an alternative itinerary rather than several blank days in the itinerary - and that takes some time to arrange.

True.  Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

[Host Jazzbeau]

33 minutes ago, Port Power said:

True.  Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

And, sadly, the dial on 'damned' is turned up to 11 🤯    No possibility that there were good reasons behind a decision, anything corporate does is automatically 'shameful.'

 

My Oct. 6 cruise was changed from Venice to Ravenna; other cruise lines had announced such changes earlier – but my assumption is that Azamara was negotiating their options and also making sure that this one would work.

 

I always told my reports:  don't bring me a problem unless you have a suggested solution.  I might or might not accept it, but the folks with boots on the ground have a valuable perspective into issues I wouldn't have thought of.

[Riocca]

4 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

And, sadly, the dial on 'damned' is turned up to 11 🤯    No possibility that there were good reasons behind a decision, anything corporate does is automatically 'shameful.'

 

My Oct. 6 cruise was changed from Venice to Ravenna; other cruise lines had announced such changes earlier – but my assumption is that Azamara was negotiating their options and also making sure that this one would work.

 

I always told my reports:  don't bring me a problem unless you have a suggested solution.  I might or might not accept it, but the folks with boots on the ground have a valuable perspective into issues I wouldn't have thought of.

My understanding is that originally Azamara were told that the ban would be for ships over 30,000 Tonnes and when the 25,000 Tonnes limit was announced they were caught out. They did try to see if there was any wriggle room but having originally thought they were going to be ok it put them behind the lines using larger ships who knew they would be banned.

 

 

 

[Cornish Maid]

2 hours ago, Riocca said:

My understanding is that originally Azamara were told that the ban would be for ships over 30,000 Tonnes and when the 25,000 Tonnes limit was announced they were caught out. They did try to see if there was any wriggle room but having originally thought they were going to be ok it put them behind the lines using larger ships who knew they would be banned.

 

 

 

May I ask where your information on this ban is from?  It is so frustrating for match ticket holders awaiting further information from Azamara and I am curious if your understanding is correct how long they may have known before dropping this rather last minute bombshell change. Qatar authorities were insistent  on Hayya, a requirement for match day ticket holders to provide accommodation details and accepted and processed these passes when Quest was stated as accommodation provider so finding this period of not knowing what will happen and waiting very difficult.

[Riocca]

29 minutes ago, Cornish Maid said:

May I ask where your information on this ban is from?  It is so frustrating for match ticket holders awaiting further information from Azamara and I am curious if your understanding is correct how long they may have known before dropping this rather last minute bombshell change. Qatar authorities were insistent  on Hayya, a requirement for match day ticket holders to provide accommodation details and accepted and processed these passes when Quest was stated as accommodation provider so finding this period of not knowing what will happen and waiting very difficult.

Sorry this referred to the Venice / Ravenna change that Host Jazzbeau mentioned, I should have made this clear.

I do feel for those affected as it’s one of those “lifetime “ events, but agree with the dammed if you do comments Azamara have taken a lot of grief on here for announcing cancelled ports before the replacements have been established.

This sort of thing seems to be happening more and more with local authorities making changes without a thought as to the implications to cruise ship passengers, I wouldn’t like to be running a cruise line at the moment.