I am going to make lemonade - Re: Cancellation

[jccruiser]

On a positive note - just saw this on Facebook

"The Azamara Journey will resume its regular schedule on March 17. The 17 Night "The Explorer's Asia" cruise, departing from Hong Kong, will begin on this date as planned."

Enjoy!!

[cat616]

On a positive note - just saw this on Facebook

"The Azamara Journey will resume its regular schedule on March 17. The 17 Night "The Explorer's Asia" cruise, departing from Hong Kong, will begin on this date as planned."

Enjoy!!

 

That is much needed good news. I now await the announcement to be made shortly about refunds etc…

[kathy9]

I have decided to do the Windstar cruise of the Panama Canal and Costa Rica.....Good luck if you make it to China.

Kathy

[cat616]

I have decided to do the Windstar cruise of the Panama Canal and Costa Rica.....Good luck if you make it to China.

Kathy[/quote

 

More good news. I am very happy for you.

[Trend]

Having visited many times and returning in June I can make some suggestions. First if you are in Shanghai several days their is not hard to pass with enjoyment and a side trip to Suzhou is lovely. We stay at a reasonably priced Renaissance at Yu Yuan gardens great area to explore. You can leave a bag with them locked away if you will depart later from there and fly to Chongching for a short Yang zee river cruise use the Victoria cruises as they are geared toward European and North Americans.

Hope this gives you an idea and most visas in China are good for 30 days one or multiple entries. If you tour in China you only need one entry.

[AzamaraJoel]

Cat616 and Others,

 

I have been communicating up to date information with all of you on several threads in this forum. I want to be crystal clear in stating that the 17 March Azamara Journey Voyage will take place as scheduled. The ship will be repaired by then and continue on its normal operating schedule.

 

Thank You, Raul Parquet

Azamara Club Cruises

[AzamaraJoel]

Azamara Journey – March 3, 2014 Sailing Cancelled

 

February 27, 2014

2:26 p.m. E.S.T

 

Unfortunately, due to the time needed to make the necessary repairs to Azamara Journey, it is necessary to cancel the March 3, 2014, voyage.

 

We do not take any decision that impacts our guests’ vacations lightly, and are deeply sorry that this unexpected development has affected those guests’ upcoming vacation.

 

Azamara Club Cruses will provide each guest with a full refund of the cruise fare paid. Azamara Club Cruises would also like to have another opportunity to show guests booked what the Azamara experience is all about. We will be providing guests with a future cruise certificate for 75% of the cruise fare paid for their March 3, 2014, Azamara Journey sailing.

 

If guests have any additional questions regarding Azamara Journey, they may call us toll free 1-855-292-4636 from the United States and Canada. Outside of North America please contact your local Azamara Club Cruises office.

 

Thank You, Azamara Club Cruises

[AzamaraJoel]

More detail here on the compensation details related to airfare and Visa's. This is content from the letter that is sent to all affected travel partners and guests.

 

Thank You, Raul Parquet

Azamara Club Cruises

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Clients who booked their air transportation through Azamara Club Cruises will receive a full refund. If you did not purchase air transportation through Azamara Club Cruises, we will assist by paying for any airline change fee, up to $500 per person. We suggest that guests whose airfare change fee exceeds $500 contact their travel insurance provider for additional assistance.

 

Additionally, if you purchased a visa for the March 3 sailing, we will provide you with a refund of that fee. Guests should send a copy of the receipt for the airline change fee and visa, along with a brief note explaining that they were booked on the March 3, sailing of Azamara Journey to the following address:

 

Azamara Club Cruises, Customer Service – JR March 3, 1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132-2096. Please ensure that you include full name and reservation number with their receipts. Guests may also or scan their receipts and e-mail them to AzamaraGuestRelations@AzamaraClubCruises.com

 

If you have already traveled to Shanghai, we will work with you directly to get back home.

 

Again, we sincerely apologize for this unexpected development and its impact on you vacation. As always, we thank you for your ongoing support of Azamara Club Cruses.

 

Sincerely,

 

Azamara Club Cruises

[cat616]

Actually we do not have anything finalized yet.

 

We are looking at several days in Shanghai with several day tours to the interesting spots. A Land tour including Beijing and Xian is being seriously considered. We will possibly end with a few days in Hong Kong waiting for the 17th to round out our 14 days.

 

We are waiting on ground tour availability and date possibilities before finalizing and booking necessary hotels not included in land tours.

 

I will be packing tonight as I will be at the office tomorrow night until late.

 

Thank you all for your kindness, help and support.

 

I will keep you updated on what we decide to do.

[cat616]

Cat616 and Others,

 

I have been communicating up to date information with all of you on several threads in this forum. I want to be crystal clear in stating that the 17 March Azamara Journey Voyage will take place as scheduled. The ship will be repaired by then and continue on its normal operating schedule.

 

Thank You, Raul Parquet

Azamara Club Cruises

 

Hi Raul,

 

We have been anticipating that the 17th will move ahead as scheduled and are making our plans with that in mind. Thank you for keeping us all informed.

[Christine Frances]

Actually we do not have anything finalized yet.

 

We are looking at several days in Shanghai with several day tours to the interesting spots. A Land tour including Beijing and Xian is being seriously considered. We will possibly end with a few days in Hong Kong waiting for the 17th to round out our 14 days.

 

We are waiting on ground tour availability and date possibilities before finalizing and booking necessary hotels not included in land tours.

 

I will be packing tonight as I will be at the office tomorrow night until late.

 

Thank you all for your kindness, help and support.

 

I will keep you updated on what we decide to do.

 

If you are interested this is the company that we used (4pp) to do a 2 week land tour of China before our Azamara Hong Kong to Singapore cruise. They have been in business for a long time and they can tailor any tour to your specific needs if their standard tours don't interest. We were so well taken care of I know you won't be disappointed.

 

www.chinapac.com

 

All the best

Edited February 27, 2014 by Christine Frances

[cat616]

Having visited many times and returning in June I can make some suggestions. First if you are in Shanghai several days their is not hard to pass with enjoyment and a side trip to Suzhou is lovely. We stay at a reasonably priced Renaissance at Yu Yuan gardens great area to explore. You can leave a bag with them locked away if you will depart later from there and fly to Chongching for a short Yang zee river cruise use the Victoria cruises as they are geared toward European and North Americans.

Hope this gives you an idea and most visas in China are good for 30 days one or multiple entries. If you tour in China you only need one entry.

 

Hi Trend,

Thank you for your suggestions. I will look at the hotel you suggest and research Suzhou. I would love to do the river cruise but probably will not at this time.

[cat616]

If you are interested this is the company that we used (4pp) to do a 2 week land tour of China before our Azamara Hong Kong to Singapore cruise. They have been in business for a long time and they can tailor any tour to your specific needs if their standard tours don't interest. We were so well taken care of I know you won't be disappointed.

 

www.chinapac.com

 

All the best

 

Hi Christine Francis, Thank you for your suggestions. I will look at the Chinapac website.

[maryann ns]

We debarked in Shanghai after our cruise in 2011. We spent a fabulous two weeks in China on our own. I booked everything myself, but since you would have no time, go with China Highlights. I worked with them and they are very professional and reasonable.

 

Here's what we did: (1) flew to Beijing for four nights. Took private tour to see the Great Wall at Mutianyu. The rest we had no problem doing on our own.

 

2. Flew to Xi'an. Had private tour to see the Terra Cotta Warriors as well as some things in Xi'an. We were there three nights. It is a great city to wander about.

 

3. Flew to Chongqing where we were picked up, toured a bit and then taken to board a Victoria Cruise down the Yangtze to Yichang.

 

4. Flew from Yichang to Shanghai where we spent several more days on our own.

 

This is all easy to do. Street signs in these cities have English as do the subways in Beijing and Shanghai.

 

That would be really delicious lemonaide. The people were friendly and there is so much to see. We hope to go back sometime to see other places.

[cat616]

Thank you all for your kind words and helpful suggestions. Every suggestion helped us to come up with a good plan. We have been on a wild ride the last two days but we have turned it around and are getting ready this morning to head to Hong Kong. It is a surprise to me that I find myself with a few minutes to post an update.

 

I am a very hands on travel planner and only have a TA because the Cruise Lines will not allow me to book direct. On this occasion, due to the lack of time for research and reflection, I called our TA to help us. Caroline really came through for us. She has spent many hours pulling together a china tour for us in spite of the fact that she is part time now. The tour allows us to really see China in depth over 12 days. This is not something we would have been able to do on our cruise. It will still be a trip of a lifetime as our cruise would have been. It includes many interesting things such as cycling the Great Wall, the Terra Cotta Warriors, Thai Chi lessons, cooking demonstration, rock climbing and many other things that we will enjoy even if some of them will take us out of our comfort zone. Honestly I have not had the time to even read the entire tour schedule. I will be doing that over the next two days of transit.

 

As it was so last minute the tour is expensive. This is easily offset by the full refund Azamara will be providing (hopefully sooner rather than later as the Credit Card is just about maxed out at this time:p). We will be leaving home in under two hours. We do not look forward to the long travel time to get to where we are going or the jet lag we will endure but we truly believe that it will be worth the effort and inconvenience.

 

Thank you Azamara for your quick response and prompt decision making. Thank you for your gift of 75% of what our cruise cost toward our next Azamara cruise. I cannot imagine what more you could have done in this situation other than inform the TA's a little better. Mine had a hard time believing me that the cruise had been cancelled and when she called Azamara to ensure our contact information was up to date on my request, she was told that the cruise was still on.

 

Host Andy, I have done my best to point Caroline in the direction of Cruise Critic. Maybe now she will believe me that if something is happening in the cruise industry then Cruise Critic Forums are the first place to look to find out about it. Thank you to all who work at Cruise Critic to keep it running smoothly. Thank you Host Andy for doing a fine job of moderating the Forums that I read.

 

We are very lucky that we will be joining the Azamara Journey when she leaves Hong Kong on the 17th. I think the first thing I will ask for when I get aboard is a nice tall glass of Lemonade spiked heavily, of course, with something good and strong.:D

 

Safe Travels to all.

[kathy9]

I am a very hands on travel planner and only have a TA because the Cruise Lines will not allow me to book direct. On this occasion, due to the lack of time for research and reflection, I called our TA to help us. Caroline really came through for us. She has spent many hours pulling together a china tour for us in spite of the fact that she is part time now. The tour allows us to really see China in depth over 12 days. This is not something we would have been able to do on our cruise. It will still be a trip of a lifetime as our cruise would have been. It includes many interesting things such as cycling the Great Wall, the Terra Cotta Warriors, Thai Chi lessons, cooking demonstration, rock climbing and many other things that we will enjoy even if some of them will take us out of our comfort zone. Honestly I have not had the time to even read the entire tour schedule. I will be doing that over the next two days of transit.

 

I am so happy it all worked out for you...Please let us know all about it when you return! Now go off and have a great time! Safe travels...and have fun!!!!!

Kathy

[uktog]

Cat

So glad you have something sorted out and, as one who will be back in Beijing on 18th I can see its a good itinerary

I hope some of us can help Azamara get some good news stories out there. They have handled this well

 

I think one interesting point given Azamaras target demographics most of their cruisers have "credit card headroom" to set up quick fixes ahead of refunds your plans and ours reflect that.

 

Good luck with your travels China I'd a fascinating place, I am only sorry I cannot yet share it with my husband

[tiggertom]

Hello Cat

I am glad you managed to arrange something else at such short notice and that you can join the ship on 17/3.

All of us who have cruises with Azamara in the coming months feel for you and your fellow passengers and can only imagine how disappointed you must have felt when you received the news. I know how I felt a few years ago when I arrived at the airport to find out that our flight to Houston was cancelled because of the volcano gurgling in Iceland. This meant we couldn't 't join our cruise ship in Galveston and we had to cancel. We managed to get something with another cruise line a few weeks later but had to wait 6 weeks for a refund which didn't include airport hotel, car parking, etc.

I think Azamara have done everything they can to help but nothing can make up for disappointment.

I hope you have a fab holiday in China and that you fellow passengers have also managed to make alternative arrangements at such short notice.

Best wishes

[kimanjo]

I just wanted to say to the OP what a terrific attitude you have!!!

 

It is so refreshing to see someone with a "glass is half-full" real trooper, sunny disposition in the face of a travel challenge!!

 

I bet you are a lovely passenger to travel with. :)

[tommui987]

There is a Viking River Cruise that leaves Shanghai on the 7th of March. 10 or 14 days - forgot which)

 

The interior of China is absolutely fascinating and the trip ends up in Beijing.

 

For those in Shanghai already, you can really explore Shanghai and perhaps a couple of day excursions to Suzhou, and Hangzhou.

[cat616]

I just wanted to say to the OP what a terrific attitude you have!!!

 

It is so refreshing to see someone with a "glass is half-full" real trooper, sunny disposition in the face of a travel challenge!!

 

I bet you are a lovely passenger to travel with. :)

 

Thank you. My DH might disagree with you though.:roll eyes:

[bigbenboys]

I'd look at the Eastern and Oriental Express. Mar 3 BANGKOK-SINGAPORE, Spend some time in Singapore and then back to Hong Kong. Richard

[DrCarl]

We arrived in Shanghai Friday afternoon (Feb 28) for the March 3rd Journey sailing, and upon opening our e-mail, learned Azamara had cancelled via our travel agent.

 

Thirty-six hours later, inspite of several of our e-mail queries to Azamara's Emergency Team (emergencyteam@rccl.com), we have received no useful info other than an apology from Azamara Club Services. Verbal info from Azamara reps to our travel agent have been replete with incorrect data and specious descriptions of their action plan other than to say they were busy taking care of stranded passengers in Kobe, Japan where the Journey has gone for dry-dock repairs.

 

One lesson we, as Le Club Voyage members, ought to learn is that Azamara's shore staff suck at effective communication.

 

Dr Carl

[taniacat]

I think we all have to remember that each person may want different things from Azamara. With over 600 people cancelled for your cruise it will not be easy.

We did not get our refunds from the Quest fire for some time, but trusted that it would come and nearly all passengers found something to see or fly to until our original flights back home. Keep positive it will turn out ok. We are trying again for the aborted cruise starting on the 17/3 . Shirley

[cat616]

Cat

So glad you have something sorted out and, as one who will be back in Beijing on 18th I can see its a good itinerary

I hope some of us can help Azamara get some good news stories out there. They have handled this well

 

I think one interesting point given Azamaras target demographics most of their cruisers have "credit card headroom" to set up quick fixes ahead of refunds your plans and ours reflect that.

 

Good luck with your travels China I'd a fascinating place, I am only sorry I cannot yet share it with my husband

 

Yes UKTOG we are fortunate to have a little wiggle room in the Credit Card department. I have a strict policy to pay off the cards in full every month so there were no charges on the card when disaster struck. I had also overpaid one by a generous amount to avoid interest charges when I use it to get foreign currency in the many countries we were anticipating visiting over the cruises. That helped tremendously when I had to pay for the land tour all in one go.