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Any Speculation on the Two Category Upgrade Promotion Perhaps Next Month?


ChucktownSteve
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I have a suspicious feeling that Azamara may be doing their two category upgrade after the free nights on us expires this month.

 

A large online (not to be named) TA is promoting an AZ two category upgrade sale this labor day period. Anyone heard for sure? I see a 2019 cruise I'd like to book if so.

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The online that sent us info is listing $500 per cabin credit and double upgrade for the next few days. We were hoping for Alaska for next summer, but don't see any until 2019. Have to see what else we are interested and can afford. Too bad you can only get veranda.

 

 

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When we booked last year, it just showed all of the open veranda cabins without the classes. We picked room based on location and it ended up being least expensive veranda class. Ship is small enough that it does not make a lot of difference. We just like to get passenger rooms around us.

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The online that sent us info is listing $500 per cabin credit and double upgrade for the next few days. We were hoping for Alaska for next summer, but don't see any until 2019. Have to see what else we are interested and can afford. Too bad you can only get veranda.

 

You forgot to include the words UP TO with the $500. That usually means $100-$200. :D

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How does the double upgrade work, with the various categories of cabins? For example, if you book the least expensive inside cabin, are you then in the least expensive category of veranda?

 

The way it worked last year was all of the veranda categories were priced at the inside cabin rate. Then you just selected the available veranda cabin you wanted. We selected a V3 because it was aft of the rear elevator bank which is our preferred location.

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I also received the email from an online TA, and mentioned the sale to my TA, who seemed quite miffed that the sale was already being advertised when the promotion hasn't yet been announced. I tried a mock booking for our cruise next year (which was listed as eligible for the double upgrade) and when I selected an interior cabin, the rooms that came up were interior, not veranda. So I'm not sure why they're advertising it if they really can't offer it yet.

 

We're well before final payment so we'll check out the promotion and see how it compares to what we paid onboard, although my TA said we'd probably have to forego the $200 OBC we received if we re-book under the new promotion. I assume the price will be higher than what we paid, but we're currently booked in an OV so if it's a small increase to get a veranda, we might consider it.

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Unfortunately, I'm expecting to be disappointed by this sale. The B2B we had intended to book while on board just recently, fell apart once it was made clear that the advertised prices were net of the "nights on us" discount. What we thought would be a reasonably priced booking was untenable, for an Azamara balcony cabin. I've just been into Az website and the current AUD price, including the nights on us, amounts to $1,411 per day, including taxes, for 2 people in V3.

 

So, assuming that Az will add back the "free nights", I can't see the price being less than $1,200 per day. This seems crazy to us, so we're now looking elsewhere.

 

Seabourn is offering a number of 21 night cruises, in 2018, between Athens and Venice, at average daily price for 2 of AUD1,095, in a veranda suite. Similar itineraries in Azamara, over 2 cruises totalling 15 nights, works out at AUD1,238 per night for a V3.

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I will wait and see what comes up but as a single passenger it's noticeable by its absence that the 25% suppliment is being allowed to die on the vine. No updates for 2018 and just a handful of cruises listed. It's also of note that the Azamara Cruises are jumping in price. But a point for Azamara to realise, if you push the prices too high and bring yourselves into Seabourn or Silverseas territory your loyal passengers will jump ship! I've already booked two on Silverseas for 2018 and none on Azamara! I doubt I will be the only one!!

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And I would hope that Azamara would not continue to ignore suites (most of the time). We have two 2019 cruises that we would dearly love to take but at current "list" prices are likely not within my comfort zone. The 2019 North Cape 16-night cruise works out to $1,146 USD/day for 2 people after our 10% LCV discount in an N1 cabin

 

Regent has a longer 20-day itinerary that is $1,400 USD/day for a comparable category but it includes premium drinks, multiple excursions in each port and larger cabins (301 sq feet for Regent as opposed to 266 for Azamara). And for $2,700 p/p, they will provide business class roundtrip air and airport transfers.

 

Without the LCV discount, Azamara is pushing $1,300 USD for two. They are quickly blurring the price differential between the two lines. Based on reviews from friends, the Regent on-board experience is comparable to Azamara, and in some ways better (hard to believe but they are well-traveled and highly discerning folks). And from my experience working with the shore-based folks for our one Oceania cruise, they are far superior in responsiveness and getting accurate answers to questions.

 

I would hate to leave Azamara, but my wife and I worked too hard for too many years to spend our money and not get sufficient value for it. Even people who prefer suites have a tolerance level they won't exceed. Azamara wold do real to remember that.

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I will wait and see what comes up but as a single passenger it's noticeable by its absence that the 25% suppliment is being allowed to die on the vine. No updates for 2018 and just a handful of cruises listed. It's also of note that the Azamara Cruises are jumping in price. But a point for Azamara to realise, if you push the prices too high and bring yourselves into Seabourn or Silverseas territory your loyal passengers will jump ship! I've already booked two on Silverseas for 2018 and none on Azamara! I doubt I will be the only one!!

 

I'll see if I can find out for you when our 25%single occupancy voyages for 2018 will be published.

https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/int/luxury-cruise-deals/savings-singles

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Here in the U.K. we seem to be out of step with everyone else, the "Nights on Us" promotion ended on the 20th August and was replaced by a new promotion. This now runs until the 28th September and offers up to 30% off of selected 2018 Europe itineraries.

Whilst the headline 30% looks generous it does say "up to" and if you look at pricing a cruise the price you see includes the discount so it's actually impossible to know what discount there is, if any, as prices look remarkably close to those in the previous promotion.

It would be interesting to know why the U.K. had been singled out for a different promotion.

 

 

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I wonder if there is some way of checking the original price before the "up to" 30% discount has been applied? It would make planning much easier. I have my eye on a Med cruise next summer but if a full 30% has been applied then it will be really expensive after the current offer expires. Any thoughts on this?

 

And it does irritate me when the UK website differs from the USA. Why can they not be brought in line with each other. :((That is rhetorical)

 

As I have just come back from a fabulous cruise on Quest I am keen to get something booked for next year ...:D

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I wonder if there is some way of checking the original price before the "up to" 30% discount has been applied? It would make planning much easier. I have my eye on a Med cruise next summer but if a full 30% has been applied then it will be really expensive after the current offer expires. Any thoughts on this?

 

 

 

And it does irritate me when the UK website differs from the USA. Why can they not be brought in line with each other. :((That is rhetorical)

 

 

 

As I have just come back from a fabulous cruise on Quest I am keen to get something booked for next year ...:D

 

 

 

During the Nights on Us promotion I did see the pre discounted price quoted online when you looked at a cruise but not this time. Only way to really know if a deal is good would be to track the price of a cruise from launch.

It's where we lose out in the UK in that American customers can book early and take advantage of later price drops but it's not an option for us.

 

 

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John, funnily enough I was just talking to Spursgirl about that very thing of UK clients being unable to take advantage of any price drops once we had booked a cruise.

 

When we booked our June 2018 B2B on Quest onboard in May 2017 we were definitely told by Amanda the LCV hostess, that any future price drops in our cruise cost would be honoured or an upgrade allocated, even though we were UK passengers. Someone else on the board suggested this is only applicable to onboard bookings so I'm not sure of the precise rules, but Amanda definitely told us a price drop would be honoured or alternatively a cabin upgrade offered. To be honest, I think we had such a good deal that a price lower than our quote is unlikely, but it may possibly turn out in our favour as both the cruises are on the recent 30% off list.

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John, funnily enough I was just talking to Spursgirl about that very thing of UK clients being unable to take advantage of any price drops once we had booked a cruise.

 

 

 

When we booked our June 2018 B2B on Quest onboard in May 2017 we were definitely told by Amanda the LCV hostess, that any future price drops in our cruise cost would be honoured or an upgrade allocated, even though we were UK passengers. Someone else on the board suggested this is only applicable to onboard bookings so I'm not sure of the precise rules, but Amanda definitely told us a price drop would be honoured or alternatively a cabin upgrade offered. To be honest, I think we had such a good deal that a price lower than our quote is unlikely, but it may possibly turn out in our favour as both the cruises are on the recent 30% off list.

 

 

 

Lottie, I would like to see something in writing before I tried to put it to the test, not sure if Amanda is on Quest at the moment but if so I'll ask the question.

Crystal honoured two price drops for our January cruise on Symphony, I had to spot them and ask but it was done without question, saved ourselves £2500 which is fantastic especially as the cruise is currently selling well above the price we originally booked at.

Like many we are concerned at what appear to be big increases in Azamara's pricing, but on the other hand can't criticise the way we've been treated over changes to out September 2018 Azamara cruise.

Looking forward to 20 days of Azamara hospitality on Quest and, for us at least, a relaxing itinerary.

 

 

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