OBC

[read2learn]

If you receive OBC from Azamara when does it usually appear on your account? Mine shows the OBC certificate but no amount. The cruise is in Dec so maybe it is too early. The website has changed

since my last cruise with them.Thanks!

[beatnix]

Unfortunately because of IT change the OBC coupons show $ 0. We do have 3 coupons showing 0 instead of 1200.

[fruitmachine]

8 hours ago, beatnix said:

Unfortunately because of IT change the OBC coupons show $ 0. We do have 3 coupons showing 0 instead of 1200.

I think the zero figure is the cost to you.  My rationale is that OBC is always in US$, but here in the UK we see "GBP" and a £ sign in front of the zero.

[Heartfelttraveler]

I am sailing in January 2024.  I booked through an online (USA) travel agency.  My confirmation from them showed the OBC amount.  On Azamara's website it just shows two coupons without amounts.  I used the Azamara contact portal on the website (after I signed in) on July 4, requesting that they use my Azamara OBC to book two excursions (leaving a $4 credit).  It was taken care of within 24 hours.  My TA said that it showed that I owed for the excursions.  The TA called Azamara and they said that it shows as prepaid and conveyed that to the TA who sent me a correct confirmation.  I can't complain.

[the_dylaness]

My situation is very similar (I have over $1000 in OBC but none shows on Azamara's page). I wrote them and got this incomprehensible reply:

 

"We have your onboard credits with your reservation. I apologize that it does not show on our end. Ahead of your cruise you may use your obc to reserve your shore excursions. When you are onboard you may use obc to pay for anything offered onboard, such as the spa or booking more excursions."

 

I wrote back to inquire how to use them if they don't show up...

 

[laurieb]

If you're US and have a TA, they can give you your cruise ticket that shows your OBC, even if it's all the way to 2025.  Reach out to them.  I'm not sure what it's like if you book direct, but they should be able to do the same.

[takemewithyou]

10 minutes ago, laurieb said:

If you're US and have a TA, they can give you your cruise ticket that shows your OBC, even if it's all the way to 2025.  Reach out to them.  I'm not sure what it's like if you book direct, but they should be able to do the same.

Is Azamara working to get the OBC to show again on our reservation that we can see on the customer side again?   Or will we have to always contact our TA for that?

[laurieb]

47 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

Is Azamara working to get the OBC to show again on our reservation that we can see on the customer side again?   Or will we have to always contact our TA for that?

That I don't know, but I have no doubt your TA is able to help!

[uktog]

It’s ridiculous we have to talk to our agents for things like this. I want quick answers and able to check up on things when I want to not when my agent is open. 
Im reading elsewhere of franchise agents  being exhausted having to do so much and never getting a day off. Agents should be able just to concentrate on core booking and servicing and guests should have information available on the website 

[crzrr]

11 hours ago, laurieb said:

If you're US and have a TA, they can give you your cruise ticket that shows your OBC, even if it's all the way to 2025.  Reach out to them.  I'm not sure what it's like if you book direct, but they should be able to do the same.

Thank you for letting us know about this.  I emailed our TA and she was immediately able to send us our docs for our upcoming Sept. cruise and the two cruises that we have in Feb/March 2024.  Unfortunately, our OBC's were incorrect so she worked things out with Azamara.  We all agreed on what the OBC should be but it was not reflected correctly in the docs.  I really only got them to check the OBC's since we don't really need them to board.

[AllisonJames]

Such a mystery to me. I couldn’t find anywhere in my account where the onboard credit was showing…the system did however allow me to book some shore excursions without asking for payment…so can I assume it was just deducting from my credit?

[fruitmachine]

7 minutes ago, AllisonJames said:

Such a mystery to me. I couldn’t find anywhere in my account where the onboard credit was showing…the system did however allow me to book some shore excursions without asking for payment…so can I assume it was just deducting from my credit?

I suspect both the credit and the excursions will appear on your onboard account, with the reckoning-up (and settling of any outstanding balance) done on that account just before you disembark.

[Whitby100]

Don’t assume they haven’t debited your credit card.  I found a $25 charge from AZ on my credit card when I reviewed my last statement. No reason for them to do this so I had my TA call.  They informed her it had already been credited back but no explanation was given for the initial charge.  I will monitor ….

[k0k0]

On 7/21/2023 at 8:30 AM, fruitmachine said:

I think the zero figure is the cost to you.  My rationale is that OBC is always in US$, but here in the UK we see "GBP" and a £ sign in front of the zero.

I have the same issue - OBC showing as £0, so I cannot book excursions (Azamara takes payment from my credit card instead).

Azamara seem unable to help.  Over the phone they told me that I have more OBC than I ever imagined, but getting them to email confirmation of this OBC, or to fix the OBC in my account seems to be impossible.

[kent4489]

On 7/24/2023 at 8:43 PM, laurieb said:

If you're US and have a TA, they can give you your cruise ticket that shows your OBC, even if it's all the way to 2025.  Reach out to them.  I'm not sure what it's like if you book direct, but they should be able to do the same.

Laurie, you need to understand that not everyone here has your magical TA. At this point, I think my husband would divorce me if I ever use a TA again! It has been a fiasco and I am now stuck to not be able to fight for our issue.

And I sure as hell will never speak to our TA again.

Edited July 26, 2023 by kent4489

[fruitmachine]

6 hours ago, k0k0 said:

I have the same issue - OBC showing as £0, so I cannot book excursions (Azamara takes payment from my credit card instead).

It's somewhat convoluted, but the instructions are in the attachment to post #1776 on the New Website thread: 

You need to "Store" then "Cancel" in the booking process.

[shank63]

On 7/21/2023 at 3:23 PM, Heartfelttraveler said:

I am sailing in January 2024.  I booked through an online (USA) travel agency.  My confirmation from them showed the OBC amount.  On Azamara's website it just shows two coupons without amounts.  I used the Azamara contact portal on the website (after I signed in) on July 4, requesting that they use my Azamara OBC to book two excursions (leaving a $4 credit).  It was taken care of within 24 hours.  My TA said that it showed that I owed for the excursions.  The TA called Azamara and they said that it shows as prepaid and conveyed that to the TA who sent me a correct confirmation.  I can't complain.

We are also sailing in January with $900 in OBC which does not show on the website but was confirmed by Azamara customer service.  I proceeded to book excursions on the website but could not apply the OBC.  My TA contacted Azamara on a conference call with me and the ruling from the Azamara rep was that my OBC was not eligible to be used until after final payment had been made.  I questioned that policy in light of others reporting to use OCE, and was told that my OBC was “promotional” and their by not eligible to used before final payment. They suggested that I pay fro the excursions now with a credit card and after boarding request applying the OBC and refunding the credit card payment. Made absolutely no sense to me. 

Edited July 26, 2023 by shank63

[Heartfelttraveler]

1 hour ago, shank63 said:

We are also sailing in January with $900 in OBC which does not show on the website but was confirmed by Azamara customer service.  I proceeded to book excursions on the website but could not apply the OBC.  My TA contacted Azamara on a conference call with me and the ruling from the Azamara rep was that my OBC was not eligible to be used until after final payment had been made.  I questioned that policy in light of others reporting to use OCE, and was told that my OBC was “promotional” and their by not eligible to used before final payment. They suggested that I pay fro the excursions now with a credit card and after boarding request applying the OBC and refunding the credit card payment. Made absolutely no sense to me. 

Is the OBC from Azamara?  Or from you Travel Agency?  I cannot use the OBC from my Travel Agency until I am onboard.  But I was able to use the Azamara OBC to book some excursions.

[shank63]

51 minutes ago, Heartfelttraveler said:

Is the OBC from Azamara?  Or from you Travel Agency?  I cannot use the OBC from my Travel Agency until I am onboard.  But I was able to use the Azamara OBC to book some excursions.

The OBC is from Azamara, not the TA.  It is from an onboard booking.  The Azamara agent referred to it as “promotional” and not available to use until full payment is made. But isn’t ALL OBC promotional?  

[Grandma Cruising]

7 minutes ago, shank63 said:

The OBC is from Azamara, not the TA.  It is from an onboard booking.  The Azamara agent referred to it as “promotional” and not available to use until full payment is made. But isn’t ALL OBC promotional?  

Never heard of that before. We’ve been able to use our $300 Shore Excursion OBC which was part of an Experience More package which was the promotion when we booked the cruise. 
I think I’d email them querying that.  I think you’re right that all Azamara OBC is ‘promotional’, so that means you wouldn’t be able to book any excursions beforehand using OBC - yet they sent out an email explaining exactly how to do that using the website! 

[Heartfelttraveler]

11 hours ago, Heartfelttraveler said:

Is the OBC from Azamara?  Or from you Travel Agency?  I cannot use the OBC from my Travel Agency until I am onboard.  But I was able to use the Azamara OBC to book some excursions.

I used Azamara OBC to booked two excursions.  I have TA OBC that I can use when I am actually on board.

[k0k0]

On 7/26/2023 at 7:58 AM, fruitmachine said:

It's somewhat convoluted, but the instructions are in the attachment to post #1776 on the New Website thread: 

You need to "Store" then "Cancel" in the booking process.

Thanks so much for this - it reflects very poorly on Azamara’s management that their Customer Services Representatives  are not aware that this pdf (Azamara’s own advice) exists, and instead waste their own time and ours with long and utterly useless email chains blaming the web transition, rather than providing this much more useful advice!