Dynacruiser

Financially, no indication of troubles, as far as I can tell. Many people are trying to read more into anything they do. Google “Sycamore Partners”, the Financial Times and Wall Street Journal have some good articles. Yes, they appear to be increasing their prices on some things (specialty restaurants, excursions, drink packages) but likely due to inflation, and trying to overcome difficult COVID years. Yes, I have read they’ve done some stupid things, like cancel cruises and offer insignificant compensation and have destroyed customer plans. They have waited too long to cancel some Middle East cruises. Also downplayed stomach issues in S Africa earlier this year, which pissed me off. They need to do better or customers will leave for other lines. Read my Azamazing review in the Canary Islands from March 2024. Great event. No, they are not perfect. We have sailed 4 or 5 times since COVID and have 4 more booked in the next few months. Despite the website problems and bad land-based customer service, which is improving, we have a great TA agency that helps. We love the onboard experience. Wonderful group of hard-working people who make you feel special.

I agree with @uktog, this is one of my favorite suites and would stay here again. Location is great, and no chair dragging above us. I completely understand the comment about some kind of humming noise outside of the suite. I also wondered what this was, but noise did NOT bother me once we were inside our suite. I was in Pursuit, though.

After reading the different opinions here, I decided that paying for an upcoming cruise a couple of months ahead of time was a low risk financial move, so I took advantage of the 10% OBC offer. TA confirmed that this offer does not change the original cancellation conditions. I can still cancel in accordance with the original deadlines. I received 10% of the total amount including deposit, minus the taxes and fees. TA had to call Azamara, took about 45 min. I am aware from others that special-offer OBC doesn't make it into their system right away, it can be frustrating. Tomorrow April 10 is the deadline if you want to use this promotion. Of course, next week we'll get an even better promotion and I'll regret having used this one.

Dear @commodoredave I appreciate your desire to help us Azamara customers, I read the thread you started back in September, and had the same thought that @laurieb and others expressed here. Your article is based on third party experiences. In addition to the experience of a Toronto couple, you refer to mostly anonymous posters here on Cruisecritic. But you have never cruised with Azamara. This felt like someone writing a strong critique about a restaurant based solely on online reviews, but not having eaten there. In my personal opinion, this greatly reduced the seriousness of your article. I also tried to write these comments on your blog a couple of times in the past few months, but for some reason, my comments didn't get published on your site. This further diminished the credibility of your site, at least in my opinion. However, I believe you can help consumers and that appears to be one of your motives. I believe you can guide folks on how to resolve an issue (or at least try). Or you can continue to share valuable info. For example, I learned from you that Apollo, a private equity group, had taken over Regent and Oceania years ago. I don't follow the industry closely, so this made me search for more info. I became less apprehensive when I learned that Apollo apparently made a good profit selling those lines and didn't have to bankrupt them. I hope Sycamore Partners makes Azamara a successful company, as I have enjoyed every one of my many cruises and I have reserved several future ones. Unfortunately, Private Equity companies are not as transparent as public companies, so it is hard to know what Sycamore is up to. Finally, I do not think Azamara can be described as mediocre, and I have sailed with them around 200 days over the past years. The title of your article felt like clickbait. I hope I am not proven wrong in the future.

I think we have to be able to read through all the noise. The main points are (according to my recollection, won't reread every post): The OP reported that Azamara had sold them a cruise at a low price, OP paid in full. Months later, Azamara informed OP that there was an error and OP would have to pay more or cancel their cruise (but they have bought tickets and hotel already). A couple of folks contributed stating that they had experienced the same problem. At least one different person here said they were able to negotiate with Azamara and retain the original price. While my nosiness would like to have more details, the above info has been clear from reading this thread. For example, I still arrive to the same conclusion regardless of price paid. If OP paid $1 for their cruise, or $10,000, the issue remains the same: Azamara posted an erroneous price, took payment, found the error months later, so Azamara should own up to it and not cancel their cruise. It is reasonable to expect a company like Azamara to adhere to certain ethical behaviors and business practices.

Wow, this thread is full of surprises. How did you find out? We were just becoming comfortable with better customer service, I hope this doesn't affect their performance. I know every company needs to be profitable and the cruise industry struggled for several years, but this is not the time to reduce staff. They already have too many people complaining, they can't afford to lose repeat customers or scare new ones away.

Dear OP, Azamara did something TERRIBLE to you. Their business practices are completely unacceptable. I have traveled with them almost 15-20 cruises, and have not had something like that happen to me yet. I don't have a lot to ideas to offer except to tell you that if I was in your place, I'd MAKE A LOT OF NOISE. I'd get on every relevant website, contact consumer advocates, email every person at Azamara (you can find some email addresses here and elsewhere), contact consumer protection groups, government agencies, trade associations, journalists, bloggers, influencers, call Azamara every day, etc, until you get a satisfactory solution. Or until you feel tired. Azamara may be legally protected, perhaps. I do not know, but likely their terms and conditions protect them. But they did something wrong. You may not get them to match the original price you paid, but they may throw in some OBC or some deal to soften the blow. If it's any satisfaction, folks like you will cause them to improve their business practices and be more careful next time. No need to tell you this, but next time, use a STRONG travel agent, one that will fight for you and has the muscle to convince Azamara. And if a deal is too good to be true, then be cautious. Don't pay in full. Try to book flights that you can cancel (some airlines allow that, it may cost you a couple hundred dollars more). Keep making noise, and good luck.

Here's a reason why I USUALLY like to have OBC to pay for "overpriced cruise excursions in crowded buses with bad tour guides" instead of "less expensive private tours traveling in limousines with local experts" https://www.yahoo.com/news/eight-passengers-stranded-african-island-153209876.html Eight passengers stranded on African island after Norwegian cruise ship left without them ...group of eight tourists was late to return to the ship by more than an hour for the all-aboard time of 3 p.m. from a private excursion on the island, which was not organized by the cruise line. ...the group have been stranded for days on the island off Nigeria EDIT: I do feel bad for these folks. That could happen to any of us.☹️

When my room is not clean (it happens), I personally prefer to complain directly to the cleaning person. Their jobs are hard enough and I feel they could get in trouble if I talk to the hotel director. But I hope Azamara is a good employer and uses negative feedback from guests to better train their employees, rather than punish them.

Agree with others. Better to do it yourself. The times available are, to the best of my recollection: 6, 630, 8 and 830 pm. I hear from others here that you can negotiate different times, but I try to stick to the assigned time slots. Sometimes, one restaurant may be closed or booked solid one night, so you'll have to be flexible and go to the other restaurant at a different time that you prefer. If you ask your butler, butler will come back to your suite and say "I couldn't get you in at the time you requested, but I found you a table at midnight".

yup, new destinations.

@Mrs Miggins You are probably experience one of those times when Azamara land-based team is disorganized, and they may be given you and your TA incorrect information. It's also possible that Azamara is willing to negotiate on some cruises that they really want to sell? My suggestions: 1) Make sure you have a very strong TA, a company with enough muscle to negotiate on your behalf in case there is a misunderstanding. (search this forum, I remember reading somewhere that a somebody got a deal too-good-to-be true, and then Azamara reneged on it ?). 2) in general, I think it's better to book with a TA. You usually get additional perks, and somebody to do the heavy lifting for you, as well as give you advice. 3) If Azamara gives you the lowest price, then tell your TA the deal you are getting from Azamara, the name of the person from Azamara you are speaking to, and ask your TA to match it, and give it to you in writing and buy it. 4) If Azamara gives you the lowest price, but your TA dos not want to negotiate on your behalf and you must buy from Azamara, then document your conversations. Perhaps you could send Azamara an email stating: this is what I understand I will pay, and the OBC I will receive, and then buy it from Azamara. I believe you can transfer it to your TA then. Good luck.

Oops, @Host Jazzbeau comparison was Azamara to Silversea.

You both described two great reasons why I like Azamara: A sense of camaraderie, perhaps encouraged by the egalitarian nature described by @java spot, and no formal nights. I love the sense of casual ease on board, no need to show off wealth. It seems to relax attitudes, even if folks disembark, fly home, and get into their gucci clothes and expensive vehicles!

I apologize for misunderstanding your original comment of "Party on board". I have only traveled with Celebrity, and it was disappointing. I decided I'll stick to Azamara unless I see compelling reasons to try a different line (and I do read about other cruise lines). Luckily, a lot of people take time to post great comparisons of cruise lines here and elsewhere (for example @Host Jazzbeau's comparison of Azamara and Regency). Many reasons to stick to Azamara, but must mention that fellow passengers are fantastic. @java spot described very well the sense of equality in her post here. This really encourages a sense of camaraderie where passengers don't feel the need to show off their wealth.

We were there a month after Carnival had ended. I realize that not every cruise will have an Azamazing evening, but I hope that budget issues don't kill these celebrations. And to the person who posted the video online, thanks!

About the financial health, this has been discussed at length in this and other threads, you can read those opinions. I am also always questioning the financial stability of a cruise company owned by a Private Equity company. However, I always conclude that we have no evidence of financial problems, just some cost cutting perhaps, and continue to book more. Difficult to get a refund? It may be, one time my cruise was canceled it took about 3 months to get my cash back? Other times have been faster. It would help if you have a good Travel Agent on your side. We are lucky to have a great one, and when cruises are cancelled, they negotiate a quick return, but others have not had such luck (you can find many threads about this). Cruises to Israel, Egypt, and Suez Canal this year will be tricky. Tough decision. Good luck!

Vineyard, I have traveled with Azamara about 20 times in the past 10 years, 4 or 5 of those since COVID. In short, my experience is that while there are some things that have increased in price, some items have decreased in quality, service is still top notch. I enjoy the service, the itineraries, the size of the ship, time at port, the food, few children, and the fellow travelers, enough to book 4 more cruises in the next 12 months. Of course, you know that online, we usually find folks like me who come to vent their frustrations and express [usually valid] complaints. When things go well, we forget to post. We always look for an online soapbox where we can shame a company for failing to fulfill our satisfaction. So it is expected to find lots of complaints here. However, Azamara is full of repeat passengers. During the pre-dinner cocktail for Azamara Loyalty Program members, you’ll hear that a large percentage of passengers are return travelers. When you talk to fellow travelers in the bar, during the excursions, you’ll see that everybody is enjoying their trips and booking new ones. The Future Cruise Desk has a long line of people like me who are booking more and more cruises and want the onboard discounts. Overall, there is a high perceived satisfaction in the people who travel with Azamara. Now, you mentioned a few things in your initial post: “Azamara is a party on board now” I think that depends on the time of the year and the itinerary. I have seen professional trade groups that book several rooms, they may have some lectures on board and then they party. Some sunny destinations during school holidays attract folks who drink large volumes of pina coladas and daiquiries and travel with friends and family, they also party. But for the most part, Azamara guests tend to be older, more restrained, don’t “try to get their money’s worth” drinking til they drop. Many guests tend to be well traveled and well off but yet humble and friendly. “Cost cutting” Yes, in general, Azamara is raising prices. This may reflect on the new ownership, but also on the state of the food and hospitality industry. Everything is more expensive around the world! Azamara’s HUGE mistake, in my opinion, is that they have not kept uniform prices. People expect consistency, but Azamara has raised prices in some ships and not others. More expensive drink packages force me to drink less (not a bad thing for me), more expensive specialty restaurants lead me to enjoy the MDR or a burger at the Patio. More expensive excursions force me to just walk around and enjoy the port city, find a hidden gem, or hire a local tour operator. The included wine quality is probably the part I complain about the most, they probably lost the buying power of their previous parent company. Still, I usually find a drinkable wine in the included list, or I just buy a bottle at port and bring it to dinner. I have accused Azamara of cost cutting, but look at my surprising experience with an Azamazing event in Tenerife. “Owners have devalued the brand” I think this is an exaggeration. I would say that the new owners have indeed made big noticeable mistakes. Their IT system and website have been a total disgrace but they are now improving it. They had made wrong purchases of furniture (perhaps? I have not seen that yet). But the ship is not falling apart with broken furniture everywhere, as you may perceive from our posts here. During my March 2024 trip in the Pursuit, I did not hear any complaints from passengers, and even new travelers said they were already trying to buy their next Azamara trip. There are some gaps in service. I believe that Azamara grew from 2 to 4 ships, then COVID hit, world-wide inflation, and perhaps they lowered their hiring and/or training standards. During my last cruise, I found one waiter and one restaurant manager who were very unpolished and could have used more training, but the rest were excellent folks. Two people don't represent the entire crew. There are many things I have complained about (e.g., hours-long boarding in Athens, impossible to get a Chef's table, Specialty Restaurants already booked at my preferred times, a dirty bathroom, bad land-based customer service, a bad excursion bus in Alexandria, people who reserve the loungers for hours, etc etc). Azamara is not perfect. I don’t want to sound as a fan-boy, or an Azamara apologist, but I can summarize how i feel by restating that I just purchased several more cruises, and plan to enjoy them. If you decide to travel with Azamara, I hope you and your family have a great time!

I don't think any of the passengers in the Pursuit March 2024 Canary Islands cruise posted about the Azamazing event in Tenerife. I was frankly VERY IMPRESSED. I did not expect something as grandiose and enjoyable as this. It was held in the beautiful Auditorium of Santa Cruz and it featured... 50 or many more performers? First, they had several drum lines and carnival dancers escorting passengers from the buses to the Auditorium. We all danced/walked behind a Samba-style band. Once in the Auditorium, because of the explosive drums, the live music and many colorful and extravagant costumes, it felt like we were surrounded by hundreds of performers. Different beats filled different areas of the Auditorium. Every time I tried to take a picture there was another dancer, or Harpo, or Michael Jackson appearing out of nowhere! Even the carnival Queen in her barely-there outfit accidentally walked in front of my camera... I found the enclosed video online (not mine), but it may not entirely capture the feeling of happiness in the room. The auditorium was massive, but the Samba music beats filled every space and made folks move to the music, even nondancers like me. And the bar was open for extra pours for those who approached the bartenders. Absolutely a great event and made for an unforgettable evening. This evening celebration was not cheap and it greatly exceeded my expectations. Great job, Azamara!

That’s a separate discussion. Some folks like me are ok with paying “higher cruise line tour prices and getting into crowded big buses with subpar experiences” for exchange for what we perceive as convenience booking and peace of mind if there are delays or cancellations. The point being discussed in this thread is that IF you are already a person who will buy ship excursions or spa treatments or enjoy buying at the gift shop, then getting OBC is as good as cash. Again, this promotion may not be for everybody, but for some, makes good sense!

As others have said, if you have use for OBC, then it's a good deal. The nice thing about this promotion is that if it works for you, you pay early, and if you think it's not worth it, you skip it. Personally, we can always spend OBC on excursions. Promotions are fun, we all like getting a few hundred dollars to spend. Reminds me of that line in Crazy Rich Asians: "Nobody likes free stuff more than rich people". Of course, I still have a lingering concern that I may lose my money if the cruise line declares bankruptcy, but as I stated earlier, I believe that Azamara will continue to be successful.

Hahaha, great observation, made me realize that we say "Professor of MathematicS", but shorten it to "He teaches math".

Considering you are getting 10% in much less than a year, annualized, that's like 15%. Ain't no bank going to match that rate. And thanks for not writing "maths". I never understood the use of the plural! 😁 EDIT: The annualized interest is probably MUCH higher than 15%. I erroneously assumed that you had paid 8 months earlier, but I think you paid 3 months earlier? I wish I was better at math...

@Grandma CruisingYour argument makes a lot of sense, but why hadn't they done it before? They surely have smart financial people who can see opportunities. Perhaps they make 40 to 50% profit on everything they sell onboard? So the offers only cost them half of what they give us in OBC? I don't know the numbers, I am just speculating. But why hadn't they done it before? You could argue that it's because of recent high interest rates. Interest rates in the US started going up in 2022, and the US Fed rate reached 4% in late November 2022. My bank was calling me in mid 2022 to offer me great fixed-term deposit rates. Azamara could have started offering this since 2022, but I think we didn't start seeing them until late 2023. @saltymac Yes, it makes me a bit nervous, but I am committed to this brand and my last trip a couple of weeks ago was as enjoyable as any other, so I'm taking the risk. @ChucktownSteve I don't think Sycamore intends to run down the company, it's probably worth pennies to the dollar if it goes belly up, but they probably want to make it much more profitable (or just profitable), and they don't want to infuse any more cash into it. They just want to get profits and distribute to their private equity shareholders. I don't buy trip insurance. I probably should, but it's too expensive and I perhaps I may could take a loss of <$10K, but also assume the risk is low. I use a credit card and a travel agency, I hope I get some protection from them. I should review the protection included in my credit card, which a very old legacy Chase bank card that provides travel protection benefits no longer available, but I don't think it includes bankruptcies. I am hoping other folks here can share their financial wisdom.

Is this new? My apologies if this thread already exists, but I was surprised by 10%. Seems like a better deal than previous offers, but as always some of us will be suspicious if they are in desperate need of cash. Personally, I would consider this for a cruise that I am taking in October. Pay in full on any eligible bookings sailing 150+ days from departure by April 10, 2024, and you’ll receive a 10% onboard credit.