Ayden

1 hour ago, uktog said:

On Azamara journey at present there is a really bad cough going round - it’s not hayfever as people say because it’s a rasping rattling chest cough and unfortunately when you’re on tour you have people bringing up phlegm beside you and doing very little to take care of where they dispose of their tissues.
Also, the concept of putting your hand to your mouth is not something that many of the older guests seem to want to do.  Despite being extremely careful we now are coming down with it and I think we can pinpoint which shore excursion that happened on - even our guide spoke to the guest about her coughing fits. 

Many crew have the cough as well and I really think the ship should have been more open about the problems and perhaps to have made facemasks more readily available. For several guests the argument for not wearing one when they should be as they did not bring any with them 

If embarking tomorrow you might want to get some cough medicine before boarding 

Not a nice way to end a wonderful trip. Hope you and others feel better soon.

59 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Did anyone get an email today announcing the big news?  Or is it just the new itineraries on the website?  That hardly seemed worth the build up.

I agree...big disappointment, especially after all the build up and having to look for it in my junk mail.  Check yours.

42 minutes ago, JsMom2 said:

Azamara just laid off 20% of their shoreside personnel.  Hopefully that will free up revenue enhance the onboard experiences. 

Shame when someone loses their job.  Other thoughts come to my mind....perhaps the precruise customer service will be adversely affected once again.

When companies downsize it usually indicates they want to save money, not spend.

Let's be hopeful though.

43 minutes ago, Whitby100 said:

Well if that’s the big announcement, they’re certainly misunderstanding what this patron ‘will love’ lol!  I don’t follow personnel shifts, other than a few captains I have had the pleasure to sail with.  

I agree completely. I hope if that is the announcement, they at the least tie it to a fabulous sale.

2 minutes ago, Whitby100 said:

I awoke to an AZ email this morning announcing big news next week!  Something I love is on its way!  Can’t say more!  Any idea what the big news is?

My guess is the already announced incoming CEO. 

1 hour ago, tgg said:

I received this offer today, and it seems the terms have changed.  Our cruise departs Nov. 20.

 

Originally, this offer was for either a 5% discount or 5% OBC. I guess I don't know what is meant by "5% OBC to be used in future sailing."

 

Anyone have any idea?

 

PAY-IN-FULL PROGRAM:   The Pay-In-Full Benefits Program (the “Offer”) is available to guests who choose the option to pay for their remaining cruise fare balance in full after receiving an email indicating they are eligible. Participation in the “Offer” does not change the refundability of the cruise fare and guests will retain their normal cancellation policies. The Offer is available for select guests booked on sailings departing in more than 180 days. Guests who accept this offer and pay their sailing in full will receive 5% Onboard Credit to be used in future sailing. Guests must call the Contact Center or their Travel Advisors to redeem the Offer. The Offer is combinable with Back-to-Back OBC, Loyalty quarterly savings, National Account amenity or hosted programs, reduced single supplements, and onboard booking savings. The Offer does not combine with onboard booking reduced deposits, net rates, travel agent rates, groups, some statement agencies, or employee rates. Offer and pricing are subject to availability and change without notice and may be withdrawn by Azamara at any time. Unless otherwise noted, all amounts referred to herein are in USD (United States Dollars). Other terms and conditions may apply, please refer to the Azamara Cruise Ticket Contract. After the offer period, if a guest changes their ship and sail date, changes their category, or requests a refund, the Pay In Full Benefits will be forfeited.   ELIGIBLE PAY-IN-FULL SAILINGS:   The Offer is available for select guests booked on sailings that are departing in more than 180 days.    REDEEMING PAY-IN-FULL OFFER:   Eligible guests must call the Azamara Contact Center or their Travel Advisors to redeem the offer. Sailing must be more than 180 days to redeem the offer.   EXCLUSIONS:   Any bookings already paid in full are not eligible for this offer.   ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS:   Upon submission of payment [or last payment], the guest will acknowledge that they have read, understand, and accept the terms and conditions of the Cruise Ticket Contract, including the Cancellation Policy.

©2024 Azamara. Ships registered in Malta.   Azamara, 3059 Grand Ave, Suite 205, Miami, Florida, 33133, United States

We received the same offer today and i can't even be bothered to wade into the confusion so will pass. 

Too bad they can't get it right. 

Similarly, the Talbots offer,lol 

I will follow and wish you well on a positive outcome.

14 minutes ago, KC Cruiser 54 said:

Wife and I are considering our first Azamara cruise, primarily based on itinerary in the Baltics. In a separate thread I asked for comments on Azamara vs. Celebrity where we have cruised the most (Elite +). I'm concerned from reading reviews that since being sold by RCCL, the Azamara experience has significantly declined, so much so that longtime Azamara cruisers are saying never again.  Can anyone who has experiences on Azamara over time and recently comment? Thanks in advance!

Not in our case by any stretch.  We instead, count the days til our next Azamara cruise.

We have done five since the changeover and all have met or exceeded our expectations.

We have been cruising with Azamara since 2008 but have done lots of cruises on other lines so we feel confident in our ability to compare. We are also Elite+ on Celebrity.

We have been deeply disappointed by recent Celebrity cruise reviews and our last in Spring 2022 will probably be our last.

Your criteria may be different from others, so best to keep this in mind.

Good luck and hopefully this helps you with your decision.

13 minutes ago, laurieb said:

Celebrity has changed their "All in" package which used to include upgraded drink package, wi-fi and gratuities; now it's a "some in" package as they have removed the complimentary gratuities.  This is even for those staying in the Retreat.  So yes, other cruise lines are also scaling back and increasing prices.

Agreed, which is why after many cruises over the years we have left Celebrity behind and find Azamara a much better choice in terms of quality and price.

My hope is the new CEO won't bring in too many changes to Azamara from her days at Celebrity in the name of profit.

There are some recent ones that leave me wondering?

6 minutes ago, gddeluca said:

I'm getting the impression that the prices I saw have somehow become the 'norm' for Azamara. If so, they certainly won't become our 'norm'. Our most recent cruises were with Silversea and Regent, so we were isolated as trips there were included. But there were two others on Seabourn and Celebrity, where they weren't included. Azamara's prices seem to be more than double what's expected. Yes, I know, inflation etc. etc. ... but US$450 for 2 people on a 3 hr bus tour?

I think the excursion prices often reflect the part of the world area you are visiting.

Also tour operator supply and demand in each of the ports.

Maybe have a look at other itineraries to see if this is the case to help you decide.

We have had many memorable Azamara shore excursions over the years and found them comparable to Celebrity tours.

I agree, the price you are quoting is ridiculous.

12 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

It is an advantage, because OBC will carry over from one cruise to the next.

It is an advantage, but what would even better is booking 2 legs with one deposit.

Unrealistic but wishful thinking.

11 hours ago, Lynda S said:

My TA just called me.  She spoke with Azamara again and they said, the OBC is in Canadian dollars :-).  So that means the $400.00 for each leg for booking a back to back is only $290.00 CDN each leg.  And the $1000 OBC that was offered with the cruise?  That's $740.00 USD to those of us who live north of the border, not the $1000.00 USD that those south of the border would get.

 

I am SO disappointed!  Our travel agent has offered to make up the difference, which is really nice, but I am disappointed in Azamara. 

Not our experience.  We always receive US OBC. Four separate cruises this year alone.

I would push your agent to continue to obtain clarification on this by escalating the file in case it is a misunderstanding, which i believe may be the case. 

Good luck. 

4 hours ago, SunnyNy said:

I haven't booked with Azamara in the past year, having read about the website and customer service issues, but I'm considering a cruise for next June and am hoping those things have improved.  This cruise comes with some OBC which I'd like to use to book shore excursions prior to departure.  Is that still possible?  Also, has anyone booked air with Azamara Air, which replaced Choice Air?

 I miss the opportunity to see which cabins are available online, but I can get past that and from what I read here, the onboard experience is still excellent.  

The issues seem to have resolved in most instances but nothing that can't be solved by having a good travel agent working on your behalf. 

We are currently onboard and our experience has been effortless and entirely enjoyable.

Don't hestitate!

1 hour ago, Riocca said:

Same here, it was definitely showing a few days ago but as it’s the same on all 5 of our bookings we will wait and see what transpires.

It's definitely wonky and changes are being applied.  On the "add on"category there is now a listing of all the extras which can be purchased.  This is new.  I couldn't find our obc but when i played around with the "back" arrow it popped up 3 screens as they were before...all listing on board credits. Some of which are mysterious amounts?

It will all work out in the end I'm sure.

1 hour ago, gymfreak said:

Received this generic email from Azamara today for our upcoming cruise in November 

 

Dear VICKI,

 

We can't wait to welcome you onboard for your upcoming cruise! Now through October 20, 2023, you can save up to 20% on immersive Shore Excursions, Unlimited Internet Package, or upgrade to top-shelf liquors and wines with the Ultimate Beverage Package. Whether you want to explore like a local with shore excursions, share your favorite memories of your cruise in real time, or enjoy exquisite wines and cocktails, we have the perfect package to make your voyage truly exceptional.

 

Book your package or excursion today to take advantage of this limited-time offer.

 

Change The Way You Sea

 

As Discoverer Plus with over 20 plus cruises I already get 20% saving on the drink package advertised.Also again due to status will get savings on my Wifi

So it seems someone who has never cruised with Azamara before will get exactly the same discount on their upgraded drinks package as I would. You would think they would a little more to loyalty members who already qualify for the discount offered

I really think it’s another “ downgrade “ of he loyalty scheme for loyal cruisers. 

Agreed.

I received the same email and to be honest can't be bothered to chase these "savings" on their  messed up website.  Sometimes a deal is no deal when you factor in the frustration factor. 

I will do my bookings onboard.

1 hour ago, tgg said:

Our account for our upcoming December cruise was screwed up again when I checked it last night.  Instead of more than $700 in OBC remaining after we booked excursions, we owed over $400. Our b2b OBC of $400 had also magically disappeared.

 

Our travel agent called Azamara and got someone who seemed to know what he was doing. He fixed it.

 

We've been booking with the travel agent for many years. She's a pro. She told me that she will not book Azamara unless a customer insists on a particular Azamara cruise. She's spent too many hours on the phone trying to sort out the transition 

So frustrating especially after this length of time. 

Travel agents don't get paid enough to keep babysitting accounts unnecessarily.

For this reason I'm not booking excursions til I am onboard.

2 hours ago, Bo1331 said:

I just got my invoice fromAZ and I got the Ultimate with the 20% off.  I was told if you ordered it thru your account on the web site you would not get the discount.  Nuts.

I wish they would leave these sale offers alone for the time being and concentrate on the disastrous website and giving guests the ability to successfully navigate the most basic functions such as booking shore excursions without fear of having obc accounting issues.

2 hours ago, norn iron said:

Have you ever been in a cricket ground West Indies?

They are full of atmosphere during a Test match, however, Kensington Oval holds 28000 people, so when 500 turn up for an Azamazing evening, the atmosphere could be hard to recreate in such a large venue.

 

Yes, agreed.  Especially since the event had nothing at all to do with cricket and was more of a musical and cultural dance presentation.  Keep in mind the Caribbean doesn't offer as many possibilities as Europe or Asia for "grand cultural events".

We thought a nice beach location would have been ideal background.

Ship is next logical.  It never entered my mind that this was cost cutting.  My guess was based in guest feedback.

1 hour ago, BuddyR said:

Our Azamazing Evening in Barbados on the November 30 sailing on the Onward has recently changed from a performance in the cricket stadium to an onboard event with 2 show times, 6:30 and 8:30.  When the events are brought onboard, how is dinner handled?  Will Discoveries be opened for a la carte dining or will buffets be the only option?

We attended this cricket stadium event last January and consider yourself fortunate not to be herded over to the stadium.  Our least favorite Aza Evening ever.  The performance can be enjoyed from the comfort of the ship.

Enjoy!

Each if us have our own tolerance for risk and aggravation so it would be a personal decision however, if you do go ahead use a good agent to alleviate at least some of your concerns.

Many of us have had great onboard experiences but there are also many IT booking hiccups being reported by others.

Good luck whatever you decide.

11 minutes ago, nordski said:

I apologize that the humour in my response was not clearer.

 

 

Must be a Canadian thing.  I thought it was pretty humorous and a refreshing change of pace..

5 hours ago, uktog said:

The problems continue, love the reference to attention to detail 

I found it curious that it mentions this date and wonder if it will be expanded to other upcoming sailings as well. Why just this date?  

10 hours ago, takemewithyou said:

There were some clothes that didn’t interest me.  They were some high end polo / golf shirts for men that were about $130!!  There were those fancy beaded Mary Francis purses ( I think that’s the name), some Louis Vuitton resale purses, some Azamara branded items, like sunglasses, key chains, etc.  I found a new Coach purse that was marked down to use OBC for….it actually turned out to to be quite a good deal as I compared prices at home.  There were also the usual assorted perfumes and cosmetic items.

Good description.  One word of advice, shop early.  Quantity and selection of most items is very limited and everyone crowds the shops the last day/night desperately trying to use up obc.

We enjoyed the spa and managed a few shop items.

2 hours ago, laurieb said:

It's actually just 3 nights, and the bonus obc expired days ago.  Price seems fine seeing as it's a holiday sailing over Christmas and New Years.  Oh, and there are only 5 verandahs left

Actually there is a 4 night, 600 obc promo ongoing running 18th til 28th.  I'm looking at it now as a sidebar ad on my CC page.

2 hours ago, uktog said:

I sat with the agent this morning and listened to the experience.
All I can say is no wonder some agents are avoiding. Once we got through the agent was constantly having to put us on hold even regarding basic questions (ok that happens) but she was also very very curt and abrupt and at times was what is considered rude in the UK. She also gave information that has now been found to be factually incorrect the cruise is not sold out. 
So Azamara got no extra revenue from us and a travel agency’s less positive view about Azamara has been reinforced. 

Valuable lessons to be learned for Azamara if they take time to read these boards. 

Shame you couldn't be accommodated.

35 minutes ago, uktog said:

I think you make a very valid point about judging the entertainment as a first timer vs a repeater. It’s all fresh for the first timer so their views differ. Azamara has a high number of repeat guests. I think that’s where the challenge comes in (I will ignore the serial repeaters no entertainment schedule can give them variety). Azamara are now rotating the production shows and cast between ships which may or may not give variety depending on what goes where. I find some of the guest acts shows haven’t changed for years. But the worst same old same old is the cruise directors shows. Some change over time some are same old same old. That’s disappointing given the range of new pieces available every year. 
Personally I also think White Night needs a change. Again on some ships it’s the same play list from 10 years ago. They also need two versions the indoor and the outdoor as some of the numbers don’t “transfer inside” as well. 
For me a good player in the Den and some talent in the living room is what makes or breaks a cruise 

I have to agree with your assessment of White Night.  A few new songs would be welcome to many of us who are repeat Azamara guests. Perhaps there is also a way to inject some local flavour into the night reflecting the chosen itinerary?  Just a thought.