AZAMARA REDEPLOYMENT: ~JOURNEY June-Aug 2016

[Redtravel]

Istanbul is beautiful. Unfortunately, it is not safe. When I asked my TA ti book a cruise that embarked in Istanbul, he told me to pick a different cruise. If you follow events in Turkey, you can understand the changes. Be happy that it does not go to Turkey. Last fall I went to Israel. It was after the war. The tour company assured us that it was safe. It was not safe. There were still demonstrations, bombs, and unrest. I was happy to come home. As much as I wanted to see Israel, I would have had more respect for the tour company if they had canceled the tour. My advice is to stay away from Turkey. The middle East is not safe.

[TxnAquarian]

My patience with Azamara is wearing thin.

 

This is no way to run a customer centered business!

 

 

I hate to break it to you, but a customer - centered business is one that changes plans based on safety-related concerns or one who changes plans according to demand, and still give you over a year of notice. You can't even book airfare or hotels this far out. You still have plenty of time to make alternative arrangements.

 

 

Michael

[mara01]

Istanbul is beautiful. Unfortunately, it is not safe. When I asked my TA ti book a cruise that embarked in Istanbul, he told me to pick a different cruise. If you follow events in Turkey, you can understand the changes. Be happy that it does not go to Turkey. Last fall I went to Israel. It was after the war. The tour company assured us that it was safe. It was not safe. There were still demonstrations, bombs, and unrest. I was happy to come home. As much as I wanted to see Israel, I would have had more respect for the tour company if they had canceled the tour. My advice is to stay away from Turkey. The middle East is not safe.

 

Im afraid I can't agree with this statement. Turkey is a very large country and the only British FCO advice is not to go within 10km of its border with Syria. Yes there have been demonstrations and the occasional suicide bomber in Istanbul, but is this any more serious than what happened recently in Paris? We have two holidays booked in the next 6 months to Turkey, one is on Azamara, the other is a family holiday to Bodrum with our children and grandchildren. Over 2.5 million Brits go to Turkey every year and it still remains as safe as many other countries in that part of the Med.

 

If you want to go with your TA's advice that's fine, it's your choice.

[cruisinskier]

Hi all. earlier today we heard what our options are for the Journey redeployment. We are (were) booked on the July 10, 2016 11 night Adriatic and Greek Isles voyage. This has now been changed to an 11 night Classic Mediterranean cruise, with all ports changed except the departure from Venice and the first stop in Dubrovnik. It no longer goes to the Greek Islands which was our reason for booking this cruise.

 

Our options are:

 

1. Stay with the new itinerary and receive our booked rate and a $200 OBC. While the new itinerary is nice and visits great ports, we have been lucky enough to have visited all but one of those ports. No new adventure in staying with this itinerary for us.

 

2. Book any other cruise at the current prevailing rate. Yep, we get to pay current rates on the cruise of our choice (they will give us the lowest rate in the category). The only real cruise that appealed to us is the British Isles cruise which would depart July 11, 2016 (one day after our current schedule) and they are generous enough to let us do this as long as we pay an additional $3,305. We currently are booked under the BOGOHO rate which they will not honor if we change to a cruise that is not the replacement itinerary. Oh, and the $200 OBC would not apply either. They did offer to let us select from the current promotions...but of course those promotions do not apply to the British isles cruise we are looking at.....

 

3. Cancel and get a full refund.

 

We chose Azamara as friends (who are booked with us on this cruise) have done 4 Azamara cruises and highly recommended them. We have enjoyed both Royal and Celebrity and were looking to move up! We were truly looking forward to what for us is a very expensive splurge for a special event.....but not if it costs us another $3300 to do so.

 

So CC friends, I ask you, am I being unreasonable to expect that Azamara would let us move from an 11 day cruise on July 10 to an 11 day cruise on July 11 and honor our existing rate?? Seems of equal value to me and after all, they changed the itinerary. We spoke to 3 different Azamara staff today (including a supervisor) as I was surprised they basically are offering nothing if we get a choice in OUR cruise.

 

As it sits right now, cancelling and booking with another cruise company appears to be our only real option. Appears we may never get to sail on Azamara....

 

Jerry

Edited March 4, 2015 by cruisinskier

[NAVFAM]

Im afraid I can't agree with this statement. Turkey is a very large country and the only British FCO advice is not to go within 10km of its border with Syria. Yes there have been demonstrations and the occasional suicide bomber in Istanbul, but is this any more serious than what happened recently in Paris? We have two holidays booked in the next 6 months to Turkey, one is on Azamara, the other is a family holiday to Bodrum with our children and grandchildren. Over 2.5 million Brits go to Turkey every year and it still remains as safe as many other countries in that part of the Med.

 

If you want to go with your TA's advice that's fine, it's your choice.

 

Agree wholeheartedly. We start a cruise every year from Istanbul and are getting there three days early for the 23 June 2015 Journey cruise. It's our favorite city on the planet and I feel safer there than where I live today - Wash DC, or where I grew up - LA. On the other hand, I've lived in Seoul, Bangkok, Naples & Saigon. Maybe my risk tolerance is greater, but I still fear DC & LA more than Istanbul. ;);)

 

MARK

[uktog]

Im afraid I can't agree with this statement. Turkey is a very large country and the only British FCO advice is not to go within 10km of its border with Syria. Yes there have been demonstrations and the occasional suicide bomber in Istanbul, but is this any more serious than what happened recently in Paris? We have two holidays booked in the next 6 months to Turkey, one is on Azamara, the other is a family holiday to Bodrum with our children and grandchildren. Over 2.5 million Brits go to Turkey every year and it still remains as safe as many other countries in that part of the Med.

 

If you want to go with your TA's advice that's fine, it's your choice.

 

Totally agree. Yes caution and risk awareness has to be there 100% and what is blanket hysteria has no place.

 

I agree the FCO website which is accessible world wide is the place to go for quality well measured advice on all things relating to the safety of travel. In the UK this site is the basis of decisions everyday by business people considering whether to travel of not. It has to be accurate and whilst no one can accurately predict risk, their assessment will not under or over play the situation. I would recommend this site to anyone wherever they are based

[Leo_On_Geo]

 

As it sits right now, cancelling and booking with another cruise company appears to be our only real option. Appears we may never get to sail on Azamara....

 

Jerry

 

Jerry,

 

I feel for your situation, but another option is to wait a bit. The current promotion ends March/April 2015. Perhaps another better deal with different cruises will be available in the future, and you are 18 months out. Last year I booked the British Isles cruise "at a 125% single rate" at two months before sailing. It was eventually sold out, but offers changes as they try to fill the ship. I hope it works out, don't give up on Azamara. It is a great cruiseline.

 

Lisa

Edited March 4, 2015 by leo178
spelling

[cruisinskier]

Jerry,

 

I feel for your situation, but another option is to wait a bit. The current promotion ends March/April 2015. Perhaps another better deal with different cruises will be available in the future, and you are 18 months out. Last year I booked the British Isles cruise "at a 125% single rate" at two months before sailing. It was eventually sold out, but offers changes as they try to fill the ship. I hope it works out, don't give up on Azamara. It is a great cruiseline.

 

Lisa

 

Thanks Lisa. I appreciate your comments. Frankly I am having trouble getting past the fact Azamara will not honour the BOGOHO rate if I pick a cruise that is of interest to us. I will be sending a letter to Azamara's executive and we will see what their response is. I do not feel I am being unreasonable, just want what I previously had on a cruise of my choice. I will advise if any updates to this scenario.

[nordski]

Jerry,

 

I feel for your situation, but another option is to wait a bit. The current promotion ends March/April 2015. Perhaps another better deal with different cruises will be available in the future, and you are 18 months out. Last year I booked the British Isles cruise "at a 125% single rate" at two months before sailing. It was eventually sold out, but offers changes as they try to fill the ship. I hope it works out, don't give up on Azamara. It is a great cruiseline.

 

Lisa

 

That single rate was a wonderful opportunity. Congratulations!

 

Having followed the summer British Isles' itineraries for a while, I don't think I've ever seen them as part of a significant sale. Perhaps this is because one itinerary is usually linked to the "Open" and thus quite popular. The cost, therefore, seems daunting and opportunities limited.

 

I'm not surprised, then, that they are not including them in any offer to compensate those, who through no fault of their own, need to rebook.

 

Sadly, the Celebrity alternatives in the Isles seem wanting.