screen-gem

We recently sailed the Journey B2B from Singapore to Auckland. The only excursions that I know sold out were the new bicycling tours. The Journey now has 15 or so fold-up bikes on board, and they offered 3 (I think) bike tours** at different ports. We would have done one, but by the time we learned about them (on board), they were sold out. We waitlisted for the one in Napier NZ, but it did not open up.

I think the snorkelling excursion on the Great Barrier Reef sold out as well. We booked our own (non-ship) snorkel trip, so I'm not 100% certain if the ship's was SRO.

** these are organized group tours led by one of the Journey's Shorex staff. You can't just sign out a bike and pedal about on your own like you can on Windstar.

@Bonnie,

Some related feedback re customer surveys.

Since returning from B2B voyages on Journey last week, I've received repeated e-mails (3) from Qualtrics.com. That's the same company that RCCL has contracted to administer the survey cited by the OP (which we also received). In this case, we were apparently "handpicked to provide valuable feedback about vacations". Since I didn't respond to the first solicitation, they keep sending me reminders to complete the survey.

The e-mails come from this address:

-> Vacation Industry Reasearch <noreply@qemailserver.com>

That's not a typo. They misspelled the word research when they created the e-mail account for this particular campaign. Sad!

I am quite certain that this "Reasearch" survey was catalysed by Azamara/RCCL, since the address being used is a special account I created specifically when subscribing to the AZ Insider newsletter. No one else has that address.

The lack of attention to proper speeling and proofreading suggests that RCCL/Azamara may wish to retain someone other than Qualtrics to handle customer surveys. Such sloppiness reflects badly on you, the client.

Here's the text of the recent survey I received. You'll have to read read the first sentence carefully to see what I mean about proofreading, a task that is apparently not a priority at Qualtrics:(

From: Vacation Industry Reasearch

Hello,

As an experienced traveler, you have been been handpicked to provide valuable feedback about vacations. Your opinions will be used to help leading companies in the travel industry shape future vacation offerings.

 

Thank you for agreeing to share your comments and opinions with us. This survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.

@Bonnie,

We're just back from 33 wonderful days on the Journey (B2B from Singapore to Sydney to Auckland). I'm writing to applaud RCCL and Azamara on the WWF initiative. We were fortunate to have a WWF Guest Speaker on the second leg: Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf, from the WWF Wildlife division. She's an excellent speaker, and her four presentations were one of the highlights of the cruise! (the AzAmazing evening in Hobart was pretty good too:-). In fact, I can say that her lectures were the best enrichment programme I've ever experienced on-board anywhere.

In addition to the four lectures, she also held a number of informal chit-chats over coffee in the Mosaic Cafe, which were well attended. We learned that while on board she was also engaging with the staff and crew, raising general awareness on ecological issues, and identifying ways in which Azamara can be even more environmentally responsible.

So kudos to your corporate masters for embarking on the partnership with WWF (and making a not- insignificant charitable donation). Please pass this feedback up the COC. I hope you can encourage them to secure more WWF speakers on future itineraries. In particular, getting someone from WWF Australia for next year's voyage through the Great Barrier Reef (Journey, Mar 7, 2018) would be very appropriate.

From my memory of the Samsung TVS onboard they are fixed to the wall and don't have side of TV inputs...

Thanks, Phil.

You are indeed a fount of knowledge* re the Azamara ships. Perhaps you should change your CC id to "WikiHarpenden"...

* and Bonnie too, of course!

It has been confirmed that "Guests may not attach any item to the TVs as it may interfere with the interactive TV system."

LOL! It may also "interfere with the Guests' enjoyment of their experience on-board"..

I promise that I won't tell anyone if I endeavor to connect my camera to the TV:)

I don't believe they do have a HDMI jack. But I'll ask the Hotel Department to confirm.

Bonnie,

Thanks for noticing my query, and following up.

It wouldn't surprise me if the 'hotel' doesn't officially want pax to mess around with wires and TVs and such:-) In the past, I've found it very useful to connect my Panasonic point n' shoot camera to in-cabin TVs to review the photos we've taken.

Happy New Year!!

The other issue would be whether you can switch the TV's input to another HDMI slot.

Quite true.

In my experience, modern HDMI sets generally have a few control buttons hidden away on the edge of the unit so one can control power, volume and input select when the remote control goes missing or dead. Hopefully, someone on the Journey will have tried to connect an external HDMI device and will be able to report their success or failure.

Can any recent passengers on the Journey tell me if the flat-screen TVs in the cabins on the newly-reimagined Journey have an available HDMI jack that's accessible? Some TVs have an HDMI jack one edge. Others have one on the rear panel. If the TVs are firmly mounted to the wall, a rear panel jack might not be accessible.

Of course, some low-end TVs won't have an extra HDMI jack at all.

My objective to to connect a Chromecast to the set so we can view our pictures and movies on the big screen.

Thanks.

@lisiamc,

Excellent. Thanks!

If you want your own bank to do the conversion, do ensure that you tick the correct box on the embarkation form AND double-check this when onboard. I ticked this box and the check-in agent asked me to confirm this verbally. However Azamara still converted our account from USD to GBP. Fortunately we had spent very little and so the exchange rate loss was negligible.

My question has nothing to do with FX conversions.

I'm asking about the location of the bank/clearing house the AZ uses to post their on-board charges. Such charges are in USD. I have CCards denominated in USD. Even so, some American credit card companies charge a transaction fee for charges posted fom offshore, even though such charges are in USD.

Can any past passengers tell me from where AZ posts the on-board credit card charges? Are they posted through a US bank, or from a bank off-shore somewhere? From past experience, I know that some cruise companies post their CC charges through foreign banks. Some US credit card companies then apply a transaction fee (1.5 - 2%) on the amount, even though the on-board charges are in USD.

I've encountered this surprise in the past, so I want be sure I select the appropriate credit card for my onboard account.

Thanks.

Related question: in Australia, one apparently requires passport + visa (the ETA form) in order to purchase an in-country SIM card for cellphones. If Azamara does collect and retain passports at embarkation (on Singapore to Sydney cruise), can they be retrieved when going ashore at the first Australia port stop?

I'll be sure to have a copy of passport + ETA, but I don't know how picky the SIM vendors are about verifying personal ID.

Just one day? Not enough!

As many others have said, see the Sagrada Familia. If either of the towers is open (and you're not averse to heights), take the add-on tower visit. Spectacular views.

I recommend the Runner Bean Gaudi walking tour. It was great. Low-key, low-cost, high value, and lots of fun. We took the 11am tour, which ends at Sagrada Famila around 1:30pm. We pre-booked our Sagrada tickets for 2pm entrance, and the timing worked out perfectly.

http://www.runnerbeantours.com/barcelona-tours/free-walking-tour-gaudi/12

If you have energy for an evening adventure, check out the Palau de la Música ('palace of music', i.e., Symphony Hall). It was right around the corner from our hotel (Hotel Yurbban Trafalgar), and it happened there was a 9pm performance by a fabulous flamenco guitarist. The building itself is an architectural marvel, and tours are available.

Check the calendar and see if there's a performance on the night you're there:

http://www.palaumusica.cat/en

Indeed it is.

They just installed a brand-new & correctly configured SSL certificate. The UK web site now rates a "B" grade, in terms of security:-)

That's actually pretty good.

Just tried accessing Azamara UK website from my desktop and Google Chrome is now coming up with no green padlock and informs me the site is not secure, tells me the connection is not private. The https:// is crossed out in red.

The problem is that the SSL security certificate being used on the AZ.uk website is not properly configured. (The certificate is how the website 'proves' that it's really Azamara and not some impostor). It's not registered to azamara. Instead, it's registered to "test.edgekey.net". Your Chrome browser is warning you (via the red broken padlock) that you may not be connected to the Azamara website. In fact, you probably are, but Chrome is (correctly) being picky and warning about the possibility that your internet connection might have been hijacked.

@Bonnie,

Let your IT wizards know that they have two problems to fix on the UK website.

One is that the certificate's Common Name is invalid. (it needs to be "azamaraclubcruises.co.uk" instead of "test.edgekey.net").

The second is that the intermediate SSL certificate is using a weak security protocol.

Complete details on the security status of the UK website can be found here:

https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/analyze.html?d=www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk

Testing reveals that the main AZ website (azamaraclubcruises.com) also has security issues. It scores a failing "F" grade as seen here:

https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/analyze.html?d=azamaraclubcruises.com

Effective 10/18/2016, we will no longer allow Samsung Galaxy Note 7 cell phones onboard our ships.

This decision was made in light of recent incidents and safety concerns raised by Samsung about this particular device, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recent ban of the phone from all airplanes.

We ask that guests who own a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 not bring the device on your cruise.

Impressive leadership from Azamara. Thanks for putting Safety First.

This may sound extreme, but I hope AZ will be scanning pax at embarkation (as is happening now at airport security checkpoints) to ensure these hazardous Samsung cellphones don't find their way on board.

As an indication of the magnitude of the issue, this was reported on ABC 7 in San Francisco this week:

We have a new partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to protect and conserve the oceans.

On various upcoming voyages we will be featuring WWF Guest Speakers.

Check out the line-up so far at: https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/WWFSpeakers

 

Bonnie,

This is a wonderful initiative.

I followed the link you posted, and see that there is a WWF speaker scheduled on the Feb 19, 2017 Journey voyage (Sydney to Auckland).

If the AZ prime who is coordinating the WWF partnership is still looking for a speaker for the preceding voyage (Feb 1st, Singapore to Sydney), an excellent topic would be the health and welfare of the Great Barrier Reef.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/07/the-great-barrier-reef-a-catastrophe-laid-bare

It's a topic of keen interest at the WWF. Possible WWF Guest Speakers include Nick Heath and Richard Leck. Perhaps you could pass this up the CoC:-)

Cheers.

 

Beyond these updates, I can tell you that the proper managers are aware of this thread (and your complaints). Hopefully everything will go smoother now.

I am pleased to report that after escalation by our TA, manager(s) in Miami reviewed our request for the Best Price Guarantee and came to the correct conclusion:-)

Thanks to Bonnie for sensitizing the proper personnel about the importance of honoring the Guarantee program in a responsive manner.

Azamara advertises in all of those places; it wouldn't be fair to Azamara or to other TA's to match a discounters rate ( or to other cruisers)

That makes sense.

So one might have seen a lower price (or heard about a sale) advertised by AZ on TV, radio, via e-mail, etc. In order to make a request under the BPG, the price submitted needs to be published on the AZ website.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

For those of you currently having trouble getting the BPG honored, please be sure the lower price you are submitting is on the Azamara website. We do not match prices or promotions you may find out in the market, e.g., on other travel seller's sites.

Bonnie,

Thanks for intervening and getting the BPG form back on-line. That should certainly help future customers who attempt to submit a request.

I'm not sure about your assertion that the lower price must be published on the AZ website. The on-line form asks 'Where Did You See the Lower Rate advertised: Email, Radio, TV, website, other?" If AZ won't honor the Guarantee for prices found on Radio, TV, etc, why does the form imply that you will?? It seems to me that the new on-line form adds to confusion/uncertainty about the BPG program.

Here are two tips that may improve the probability of success for others hoping to claim the BPG.

1) Be sure the lower price you are submitting is still available when your request is processed by AZ. Depending on workload, holidays, etc, it may take a few days or more before the request you submitted gets to the top of the queue. If the lower price is no longer published, the rep handling your request will be unable to verify it. If that's the case, don't be surprised if they reject your request.

2) When you submit a request, it is prudent to take a screenshot of the lower price so you have some backup (in case AZ challenges your claim). You have to do so in a way that displays the currency of the lower fare (USD, CAD, Australian dollars, Pounds, Trumps, etc). I know of BPG requests that were not accepted because the customer couldn't prove the currency of the lower price.

Getting such a screenshot is easier said than done. The AZ booking confirmation screen doesn't actually state the currency, as seen here.

 

In both instances, I was able to find and complete the form online but I see that's now gone. Hopefully a determined TA can get results. Good luck!

The "easy claim form" is still missing from the AZ website. They really should update the web page describing the Best Price Guarantee:

"To apply for your Onboard Credit, simply fill out our impossible-to-find claim form".

My TA is now on the case. She called AZ but got nowhere. She is now escalating to her district rep. AZ is impressing me less and less, and I have yet to step on board:mad:

@YVRcruzer,

I too found that the 'easy claim form' was missing from the website, so I called Azamara last week. The rep told me that the form had been removed from the website and is being revised. She said to e-mail a screenshot of the lower price, and a screenshot of my invoice showing the price in our existing booking. The address to use is: AzamaraCustomerService@AzamaraClubCruises.com

So I did. A few days later (Sep 1st), I got an email back asking me to send a screenshot of the lower price. Seems the rep that was handling the e-mail missed the attachment. So I sent them the screenshot again, in both JPEG and PDF formats.

Rep mailed me back telling me that he was unable to verify the price that was captured in the screenshot. Told me to get my TA to verify the price and have her call AZ to request the Best Price Guarantee. My TA is on vacation; back next week. But the fares went up on Sept 1 when AZ's mid-summer sale ended, so when she gets back she's not going to see last week's sale price; she's going to see the current (much higher) pricing, which is what the rep saw yesterday. The lower price that I captured in the screen shot was from last week (Aug 2016), when the sale was on. Rep doesn't believe my screenshot. Rep can't see last week's price. The rep said he would escalate my request to his manager.

That's Story 1. Here's Story 2, about our friends' similar experience, (and it's relevant to you since you're in YVR and we're in YOW).

We're all taking the same cruise on the Journey next year, same category, same pricing.

Last week, they sent in the exact same documents (screenshot of the lower sale price, screenshot of their invoice) to AZ. A different rep wrote back, saying 'the screenshot doesn't show the currency. Please send a screenshot showing that the sale price is in $CAN'. As you know, when customers in Canada visit the AZ website, the prices shown are in Canadian currency. The web screen that quotes a specific cabin has no explicit legend indicating "$CAN", or "Canadian currency". Their AZ rep won't honor the price in the screenshot, and our friends have no way to 'prove' that it's $CAN.

I'm hoping the manager in Customer Service to whom my case has been referred will do the right thing. If so, I'll update this thread. If not, it will be time for a post to Bonnie to see if she can influence Miami, and/or a letter to Larry Pimentel.

Given these two separate interactions with AZ Customer Service, it appears that the reps are being incented (either implictly or explictly) to do everything possible to avoid honoring the Best Price Guarantee. This will be our first voyage on AZ. It's well known that you only get one chance to make a first impression. Sadly, this is not the best way to make a good one.

Should you submit your request to AzamaraCustomerService, please post back here and let us know how you make out.

Hi,

We have a club room booked at the Fairmont for our Nov. trip. It's a lovely hotel, excellent location and we have spent time there with other travelers who were staying there before, although we have never stayed there ourselves.

Thanks, Judy.

Any feedback pro or con re the Singapore Fairmont?

Another thumbs up for Smiths.

We arranged pick-up by ther driver at the dock, then on to Stonehenge for a 2 hour visit (we always wanted to see it, and it's sort of on the way), then onward to London.