Best price Guarantee help

[yvrcruzer]

Has anyone ever tried claiming this?

This price on my booked cruise has dropped and I have the choice of canceling and rebooking or submitting the "easy to fill in claim form". Sadly, I have searched the Azamara website to no avail. If said form exists I have not been able to find it. Does anyone have a link to the form?

[laurieb]

I believe you or your TA will need to call Azamara in order to get the form you need

[yvrcruzer]

Thanks. I suspected that might be the case. The website doesn't give any information as to what to do. I was hoping the form would be like the upgrade form that I could just fill in on-line and submit. Unfortunately I didn't use my TA for this one so I guess I will have to bite the bullet and face the "we are experiencing higher than normal call volumes" message myself.

[screen-gem]

@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.

[yvrcruzer]

Screen-Gem

Sorry to hear this.

 

I have had similar experiences with other companies and found it is more scam than guarantee. Case in point, a few years ago Westjet ran a best price guarantee. I booked a flight expecting the price to drop, which it did. A few weeks before the flight, the price dropped $25.00. Not much right, but 3 phone calls to their service centre and 2 letters to their head office and I was still hearing the same story. That I didn't qualify for the price reduction. All to save $25. Finally I filed a complaint with the federal airline regulatory body and suddenly Westjet was phoning me and couldn't do enough to solve the problem. Cheque arrived a few days later.

 

I was hoping Azamara was different. The onboard experience is wonderful but their customer service not so much.

 

I will probably just cancel the cruise and rebook at the lower price. Means losing the early booking credit but saves me the grief of having to deal with Azamara customer service. Who knows, the price may fall again and by then Azamara may have their "claim form" fixed and I'll still have my "one time only" chance to ask for a a price reduction.

[MightyQuinn]

Has anyone ever tried claiming this?

This price on my booked cruise has dropped and I have the choice of canceling and rebooking or submitting the "easy to fill in claim form". Sadly, I have searched the Azamara website to no avail. If said form exists I have not been able to find it. Does anyone have a link to the form?

I did the Best Price Guarantee twice (2012 & 2014) and both times AZ made it difficult but I prevailed. It seemed the default position was to deny the claim, even if all T&C were met. I think I was successful because both bookings were direct with AZ (later transferred to TA for cashback) and I was dealing with a very competent Azamara Vacation Planner who went to bat for me. She was as frustrated as me with how the "system" kept rejecting my legitimate request. In the end, she intervened and worked her magic to get the reduced price for me.

 

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!

[screen-gem]

 

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:

[Spursgirl]

We are unable to take advantage of the Best Price Guarantee here in the UK but if it is offered to North American guests and you have a legitimate claim it MUST be honoured.

 

I can understand the frustration and disappointment of guests who have yet to sail with the brand as Azamara's Customer Service can be poor, BUT the on board experience is wonderful and I hope you will experience it for yourself soon.

 

Bonnie, would you be able to assist these guests?

[BBMacLaird]

I apologize for my tardiness in reading this thread. I wasn't online much over our Labor Day weekend. I'm trying to catch up with all the threads now.

 

I will definitely bring these complaints to the attention of our senior management. And I do apologize for the run-around a few of you have received. This is not our normal way of honoring our Best Price Guarantee.

[BBMacLaird]

The Best Price Guarantee online form is back online!

Thank you for letting us know it had disappeared.

You will find it on this page: https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/plan/best-price-guarantee

 

Mightyquinn, I've been told the system has been simplified since your 2012 and 2014 issues you mention. Changes were made as the result of our guests' concerns (possibly yours?). We made the online form easy to use and revamped the Terms & Conditions to ensure they were clear and easy to understand.

 

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.

 

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.

[screen-gem]

 

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.

Edited September 7, 2016 by screen-gem

[laurieb]

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)

[screen-gem]

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.

Edited September 8, 2016 by screen-gem
fix typo

[Arizonasunshine]

I've had the price go down on a cruise a number of times over the past few years. I called my TA and he handled it. On one occasion when an online agent posted a lower price than AZ the TA matched it, if he had not, and the price was significantly lower I would have canceled and rebooked with the online agent.

[screen-gem]

 

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.

[BBMacLaird]

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.

 

I'm glad to hear it's been straightened out and you're happy with us again :)

Thank you for letting me know.