Really disgusted with Azamara

I had booked a b2b for next Sept. 26th and noticed the second leg no longer shows on their website. I called Le Club Voyage and they called Azamara for me and Azamara would not say it was chartered. I found the cruise on another website and called them. It's listed as full so she called Azamara. It is definitely chartered. Now what...do I lose my b2b discount? I don't understNd why Azamara would not notify me that my cruise is no longer available for me. They still have my down payment.

I'm about ready to cancel the first leg of the cruise and just not deal with Azamara any longer. Sorry for the rant, but I was really looking forward to both itineraries.

It looks like the October 4th cruise is chartered also. :mad: :mad: :mad:

We too have a b2b booked starting with the October 4th sailing, using our 4 free nights. The 2nd leg of this cruise has already been shortened and ports changed. Not happy to hear this.

We too have a b2b booked starting with the October 4th sailing, using our 4 free nights. The 2nd leg of this cruise has already been shortened and ports changed. Not happy to hear this.

I don't understand how they can expect people to be loyal to the brand when they pull stuff like this. If they want to charter a cruise, then they shouldn't offer it to the general public and then pull it.

Have you heard anything about your cruise on the 4th? I think it's chartered too.

I don't understand how they can expect people to be loyal to the brand when they pull stuff like this. If they want to charter a cruise, then they shouldn't offer it to the general public and then pull it.

Have you heard anything about your cruise on the 4th? I think it's chartered too.

Based on a Google search the ship is chartered by a UK travel agent from 09/24 to 10/26/2016. This is the same agency that has chartered the Journey in the past. If this information about the charter is correct it is such a shame for those that had plans. Very late on Azamara's part but not the first time. We love the ships and crew but the Miami end of things not so much. So sorry for those booked if this is true.

I don't understand how they can expect people to be loyal to the brand when they pull stuff like this. If they want to charter a cruise, then they shouldn't offer it to the general public and then pull it.

Have you heard anything about your cruise on the 4th? I think it's chartered too.

I'm assuming it is chartered as well. It is showing sold out on one website and has disappeared from Azamara. However, keeping my fingers crossed that maybe it is only a tweak which was the case with the second leg of our b2b when it was shortened by a day with 1 port dropped and one changed. If the first leg is cancelled then we will cancel the whole trip because the 1st leg is the reason we booked. Ugh.....

Based on a Google search the ship is chartered by a UK travel agent from 09/24 to 10/26/2016. This is the same agency that has chartered the Journey in the past. If this information about the charter is correct it is such a shame for those that had plans. Very late on Azamara's part but not the first time. We love the ships and crew but the Miami end of things not so much. So sorry for those booked if this is true.

Well if they are going to cancel one part of our b2b they might as well cancel both ends so we can get OBC for both cruises because we will be canceling both cruises.

Based on a Google search the ship is chartered by a UK travel agent from 09/24 to 10/26/2016. This is the same agency that has chartered the Journey in the past. If this information about the charter is correct it is such a shame for those that had plans. Very late on Azamara's part but not the first time. We love the ships and crew but the Miami end of things not so much. So sorry for those booked if this is true.

Mine is absolutely cancelled and the one preceding the one that isn't cancelled is more expensive than what I Paid for the 10 day cruise that still shows up. I booked this early on and the deal was the best plus had the same VX cabin on both legs...all verandas were priced the same.

Thanks for the apology.

Maybe I should tweet on Larry Pimental's Twitter feed.

I used to cringe when I read how this happened to people...

Well if they are going to cancel one part of our b2b they might as well cancel both ends so we can get OBC for both cruises because we will be canceling both cruises.

If they try and charge you the $50 pp fee for canceling, I hope you stand up to them. Under the circumstances, they should not charge you a penalty.

Based on a Google search the ship is chartered by a UK travel agent from 09/24 to 10/26/2016. This is the same agency that has chartered the Journey in the past. If this information about the charter is correct it is such a shame for those that had plans. Very late on Azamara's part but not the first time. We love the ships and crew but the Miami end of things not so much. So sorry for those booked if this is true.

Wait a minute. Our first leg is from Sept. 16 until the 26th. :eek: :mad: :mad:

I would love to know the name of that website. I've searched again and cannot find it. If they mess up both of these, I'll probably never cruise on Azamara again. The ports have been on my bucket list a long time.

I'm not sure which cruise or cruises we are discussing here but Quest has been chartered for at least a year and a half now by an Aussie cruise agency to do a 32-day Montreal to New Orleans cruise from September 24 to October 26, 2016.

The same agency has also chartered Quest for a 34-day Med cruise starting the day after tomorrow. Neither of these charters is new news.

Our cruise is October 2017, not 2016.

Our cruise is October 2017, not 2016.

My two cruises are also in 2017 and I booked them on August 11 during a promo Azamara ran on their website. if a cruise is chartered, it is not able to be booked. These changes were just made recently.

We were also booked on the Oct 4 in 2017. When I booked I had read here about Quest being available for booking only to be chartered TWO years in a row around this time of year, so we knew this was a distinct possibility. Sad really because we had a good first (and probably last) cruise on Azamara. I don't book trips last minute, and I won't waste energy and time planning a cruise on a line that would charter a destination focused cruise out from under you after offering itineraries so far ahead. It's unethical for Azamara to take and make interest on deposits they are actively trying to charter. There's no reason to release dates 2 years in or more in advance, no one else does it. But this ensures you miss the early booking arrangements of their competitors and then they "cancel" with no consideration for using your deposit for a year or more and too late to get the best cabins on the competition. It may work as a revenue stream, but it doesn't work for me.

I haven't heard officially from my agent because she's traveling in Africa herself. Our 30 th anniversary dollars will be spent elsewhere. As will likely future travel dollars. I'll see what they are offering my TA, but this was planned for a specific date and I'm not impressed with the itinerary at the same time on Journey. A real turn off after a good first experience.

We were also booked on the Oct 4 in 2017. When I booked I had read here about Quest being available for booking only to be chartered TWO years in a row around this time of year, so we knew this was a distinct possibility. Sad really because we had a good first (and probably last) cruise on Azamara. I don't book trips last minute, and I won't waste energy and time planning a cruise on a line that would charter a destination focused cruise out from under you after offering itineraries so far ahead. It's unethical for Azamara to take and make interest on deposits they are actively trying to charter. There's no reason to release dates 2 years in or more in advance, no one else does it. But this ensures you miss the early booking arrangements of their competitors and then they "cancel" with no consideration for using your deposit for a year or more and too late to get the best cabins on the competition. It may work as a revenue stream, but it doesn't work for me.

 

I haven't heard officially from my agent because she's traveling in Africa herself. Our 30 th anniversary dollars will be spent elsewhere. As will likely future travel dollars. I'll see what they are offering my TA, but this was planned for a specific date and I'm not impressed with the itinerary at the same time on Journey. A real turn off after a good first experience.

I don't think they've notified the TA's yet. Mine was not aware of it. I called that A**** Travel Agency because I saw it on their website but it showed it was full. She called Azamara and they told her it was chartered. I think it's pretty low of them not to notify us immediately and refund our money.

I should have known those VX cabins were too good to be true without an upcharge.

I don't think they've notified the TA's yet. Mine was not aware of it. I called that A**** Travel Agency because I saw it on their website but it showed it was full. She called Azamara and they told her it was chartered. I think it's pretty low of them not to notify us immediately and refund our money.

I should have known those VX cabins were too good to be true without an upcharge.

 

Yes, I also discovered the likely charter when a price watch site I use came up all "sold out" on Saturday morning, which told me they basically pulled the inventory back from sales. Of course, they have to come up with the "comp" to try to get us to stay before they contact the travel agents, But we've all seen the ending of this story before, it's not new! It's just unfortunate that they haven't discovered a better way to handle their business, because alienating customers seems like bad business. It's also bad word of mouth. But it's their business, they can do it their way. I get to vote with my dollars.

Yes, I also discovered the likely charter when a price watch site I use came up all "sold out" on Saturday morning, which told me they basically pulled the inventory back from sales. Of course, they have to come up with the "comp" to try to get us to stay before they contact the travel agents, But we've all seen the ending of this story before, it's not new! It's just unfortunate that they haven't discovered a better way to handle their business, because alienating customers seems like bad business. It's also bad word of mouth. But it's their business, they can do it their way. I get to vote with my dollars.

I can't repeat on her what my DH said....well, I could but would probably be banned from cc.

What do you mean a comp? I never get e-mails from them and I've signed up so many times, it's pathetic.

I don't know what they could do to make up for the way I feel.

I looked at next year's Journey itineraries and these itineraries are not on there.

I wonder if the charters are making up for the $$$$$$ they spent on the refit. :mad:

I can't repeat on her what my DH said....well, I could but would probably be banned from cc.

What do you mean a comp? I never get e-mails from them and I've signed up so many times, it's pathetic.

I don't know what they could do to make up for the way I feel.

I looked at next year's Journey itineraries and these itineraries are not on there.

I wonder if the charters are making up for the $$$$$$ they spent on the refit. :mad:

They have to decide what sort of "deal" to offer- can you book another crusie for the price you've already locked in? (Highly unlikely) Will they offer OBC (which is worthless to me and costs them next to nothing to offer) to get you to book another itinerary with your deposit? How long before any "deals" they offer expire - do you have to travel within a year, 18 mos? These details have to be ironed out before they contact agents who then contact clients.

They have to decide what sort of "deal" to offer- can you book another crusie for the price you've already locked in? (Highly unlikely) Will they offer OBC (which is worthless to me and costs them next to nothing to offer) to get you to book another itinerary with your deposit? How long before any "deals" they offer expire - do you have to travel within a year, 18 mos? These details have to be ironed out before they contact agents who then contact clients.

OBC is pretty useless on Azamara. We don't do ship excursions.

If it's true that it's chartered beginning the 24th, then that affects my first leg also.

I think I need a drink. Maybe it will put me to sleep. :rolleyes:

If it's true that it's chartered beginning the 24th, then that affects my first leg also.

Skysthelimit was talking about 2016. Our 2nd leg isn't affected but we will still cancel it. It was an add on to the first leg which was the main reasoning to book this trip. Our January 2017 cruise on Summit was canceled and now this one. It is frustrating for those of us who plan ahead, choose the staterooms we want and usually tie down a lower cost. We had a wonderful cruise last month on the Journey but before the cruise we had a month of dealing with Miami on a canceled shore excursion due to a port change. They said we owed them money that we did not owe and they wouldn't release our express passes. That bad taste of Azamara and Miami is back. The positive thoughts didn't last long.

This is all not very good news, at all. I, too, make plans way in advance. At least for anything in Fall of 2017, people wouldn't have been able to make air arrangements-- as no one can until something like 330 days before flight departure. But, if I ever got canceled on a Fall 2016 cruise in April 2016, I'd be furious, as I'd have already booked air, hotels, private guides, excursions-- well, everything by now. For example we're going on Azamara Journey December 23, 2016 and all the big stuff (air and hotels) has been booked for months, as well as most guides-- just still working on a few more private guides/stuff to do for some of the ports. I really feel bad for those of you that were canceled on... so sorry. :(

This is so disappointing for those that have booked cruises which are now chartered.

I know ths doesn't work for many people but it is one of the reasons we don't book cruises too far out.

Hope Azamara offers some decent compensation to lessen the blow.

I'm not sure which cruise or cruises we are discussing here but Quest has been chartered for at least a year and a half now by an Aussie cruise agency to do a 32-day Montreal to New Orleans cruise from September 24 to October 26, 2016.

 

 

 

The same agency has also chartered Quest for a 34-day Med cruise starting the day after tomorrow. Neither of these charters is new news.

I hope that's not correct we are planning to board the Quest in 12 days time and no one has told us it's not going to be in Dubai, I think that may come as a shock to all the b2b who are currently sailing the spice route! [emoji1]

The charter in April in on the Journey

We are booked on b2b's for the 16th and 26th September 2017 and the 26th has now been removed from My Azamara, this one was booked with our 6 free nights and we received the b2b discount for the other cruise. It's disappointing that we always seem to find out these things from CC rather than Azamara.

It will be interesting to see what the offer from Azamara is so won't panic until we know facts, but it was booked for our 20th Wedding anniversary so will review our options when we know.

As this possible new charter is for August 2017, 16 months out, nobody should be surprised - unfortunately. All cruise lines charter ships and in almost every case this happens before air becomes available (generally 330 days out). It would have been a much bigger issue had the charter been announced within this window and people had booked flights, etc. I don't take any cruise for granted until air is available, on any cruise line.

As for the handling of a charter, this is a "can't win situation" that always leads to complaints on all Cruise Critic boards of all cruise lines. If they close a sailing for new reservations while negotiating/finalizing a charter (a process that can take many months), someone on here will notice and immediately people then start complaining "tell us what's going on / the call center rep didn't know anything / we're being lied to". If they continue to take bookings during this time, afterwards, people on here complain about dishonesty along the lines of "how could you sell this cruise to me while...".

The only solution is no charters but cruise lines are in business to make money - which in the long term is in all our interest. So in short - as long as charters are announced more than 330 days out, however unfortunate, I can live with it.