Promotions were NOT honored

[flaminkokid]

We sailed on an Azamara ship for the fifth time this December. Once again we were absolutely delighted with the excellent customer service in every area of the ship. The repeat business speaks for itself. Almost everyone we spoke to had been on Azamara before. The subject of loyalty came up many times. We have been called “Azamareans” and greeted with “Welcome home.”

 

We put a deposit down on our next cruise while we were onboard. In exchange we would get a $400 ship’s credit when we booked a veranda.

 

We got home and hadn't even totally unpacked before we decided to book another cruise with Azamara. We found a great deal on the 1/14/14 Caldera to L.A. cruise. We called Azamara to inquire about the Choice Air rebate and were told, “Yes,” this was one of the select cruises and we could get the Choice Air promotion even if we booked travel on our own. I said, “Boy, that sounds too good to be true,” and I called to verify. Another Azamara representative said, “Yes, you can book the trip with an on-line agency and book your own airfare and still get the rebate.” So we proceeded to book the trip. We asked the booking agent to verify whether we would get the Choice Air Promotion. He called back to say, “NO.” He was told the rate we were getting could not be combined with any other promotion. Oh, well, we said, it’s still a good deal, even without the Choice Air rebate, and we told him to proceed with the booking.

 

We assumed we would still get the $550 on board deposit applied to the fare along with the $400 shipboard credit. The small print reads: “Passages” Discount is combinable with 2-for-1 pricing, and most OBC and dollars off offers.” Our agent told us that Azamara would NOT give us the shipboard credit and that Azamara would NOT apply our onboard deposit to the fare. After a good deal of back and forth, Azamara finally agreed to apply our deposit but will not honor the ship board credit that was promised.

 

The fare we got was excellent but I was stunned by Azamara's responses. We received misinformation over and over and we were treated as if we were buying tickets on a Greyhound Bus. Azamara crews and on-board staff have been outstanding but their cousins in the back office could use a lesson in customer relations. It makes me sad to write this. I have been talking up this company since our first cruise. Be very careful before leaving a deposit. We were given to believe that this promotion would be valid no matter who we booked with or what the rate was.

[marinaro44]

We put a deposit down on our next cruise while we were onboard. In exchange we would get a $400 ship’s credit when we booked a veranda.

I'm guessing you booked an "Open Passage" while on-board, since it reads like you didn't choose a specific cruise until a later time. I don't know the complete terms of the promotion you booked but the terms and conditions of an Open Passage include the statement: "A Passage booking may not be combined with more than two other OBC and dollars-off offers." The ChoiceAir promotion does count as a "dollars-off offer."

[dln929]

I am all confused. You booked a sailing for 1/14/14 and you wanted to use your Passages for it? Why would you want to do that? If you booked that in December, it was within final payment and you'd have to pay the entire thing at once, so your $550 deposit is not even part of the equation except to reduce the final amount owed. It's a shame to waste a Passages on a voyage you're going to take right away.

 

I don't understand why they wouldn't offer you the OBC though, especially since you chose to book at a rate that precluded the Choice Air promo. You didn't take advantage of any offers so combinability wasn't an issue. That's so odd! Why would Azamara not want you to use your Passages if you wanted to?

[flaminkokid]

Deirdre, I don't know why I didn't get the obc. No one explained other than to say NO promotions would be applied. They begrudgingly allowed me to apply my $550 deposit but disallowed the obc. I don't want this to put a damper on my cruise so I guess I'll have to suck it up. No one likes a sourpuss complainer, even if the complaints are legitimate. But I just can't figure out why Azamara would do this . . . particularly to repeat customers. This will be our Sixth Azamara cruise.

[dln929]

Deirdre, I don't know why I didn't get the obc. No one explained other than to say NO promotions would be applied. They begrudgingly allowed me to apply my $550 deposit but disallowed the obc. I don't want this to put a damper on my cruise so I guess I'll have to suck it up. No one likes a sourpuss complainer, even if the complaints are legitimate. But I just can't figure out why Azamara would do this . . . particularly to repeat customers. This will be our Sixth Azamara cruise.

I don't get it either. We ran into the same situation as you on our Christmas cruise. I know that other passengers were able to take advantage of a Choice Air credit but because we booked late in the game with a guaranteed veranda cabin, we couldn't. Our pricing wasn't eligible for the offer but like yours, it was a wonderful deal and we didn't care. (Plus I read the Fine Print and knew exactly what cabins were eligible so it wasn't a surprise.) However! because we took advantage of no offers, we WERE able to apply for our Royal Caribbean shareholder's benefit of $100 OBC and it was granted immediately. That's why I'm surprised that we got our OBC and you didn't. If I were you, I'd call and try to find out. You still have some days before you sail to at least make an attempt to get your Passages benefits fulfilled. Or at best, find out why not. :(

 

[flaminkokid]

I sent a message to Azamara on Facebook asking why they wouldn't apply the passage promotion. This was this answer:

 

• A published promotion is one that we (Azamara Club Cruises) go to market with to all consumers/guests and travel agents, i.e. promotions such as double upgrades, free shore excursions, etc. The onboard savings program is combinable with all of those.
  However, from time to time we will give some of our travel partners exclusive offers to go to market with. Those are not public offers, they are exclusive to those agents. The discount is typically so deep (as in this case), that we are not able to combine our other offers (including the onboard booking savings) with such promotions.
  Has this clarified the situation? Our apologies for the confusion, and we are looking forward to having you onboard again!
   
   
  My response was:
  
• Yes, that does clarify somewhat. I guess the consumer is supposed to determine whether the deal is public or exclusive. Perhaps the sales rep should say specifically that the passages promotion cannot be used with an exclusive deal. We asked many questions at the time of the sale trying to determine if there were exclusions but came away thinking there were none. Thank you for your reply.
  

Usually, when you compare cruise prices on line you get rates that are all pretty close in range. In this case, the price was significantly lower than everyone else so I guess I was supposed to know that no promotions (including a deposit!) won't apply. Well now I know.

[dln929]

Ok, this makes sense to me but the lesson I take from it is to ask upfront whether this/that/the other is combinable with this/that/the other. Because. If you don't ask, they're likely not to tell you. Sheesh! The minute you said to your TA that you were going to use the Passages, he or she ought to have checked to see if you could...before you proceeded with your booking. That would have saved you a lot of grief.

 

BTW, when we were on the Quest I got to talking to Ross, the music director, and he commented that the sailing you're on is a really nice one. If we weren't already booked on the Reflection next month, I'd have been all over that like white on rice. Lucky you! Have a great cruise.

Edited January 3, 2014 by dln929

[flaminkokid]

Thanks for taking an interest. When we put the deposit down, we asked all kinds of questions trying to make sure it would apply to any booking. I think it's up to them to say "There are times when this promotion doesn't apply" or something to that effect.

 

Looking forward to another wonderful cruise on the Quest. The Azamazing evening looks like fun if they can carry it off okay. I was reading another thread that some efforts were less than amazing. We were on the Yorktown in Charleston and my husband was in 7th heaven--thought it was wonderful. I thought it was just okay. Different strokes for different folks.

 

2 feet of snow here in Chicago. We're mighty glad to be getting out of Dodge.