Sale? Define sale!

[syam]

I've been watching for the double upgrade sale. Over the past few months I did screen shots of several cruises I was interested in to do comparisons before and after the new prices were posted. There is a very significant discrepancy between the previous prices for inside cabins and the new ones. Over $1000pp at least. They may as well call this a double downgrade, since what's really going on is that inside cabins are now priced more like the previous cost of balconies!

I am very disappointed, since we love Azamara's small ships and stuck with them as prices crept up and up, but this is uncomfortably deceptive. I wish them well but realize we will have to look elsewhere.

[Melissaghoti]

I thought this offer might yield a bargain on an itinerary to B2B with my Oct 6, 2018 cruise, but the savings weren't that impressive. I don't know what the prices were previously, but the cruise following mine was a little more money for a balcony and two days shorter. I considered an OV, but that and even an inside cabin were more than the verandas. I'm not that crazy about the itinerary anyway, so I'll probably pass. I'm curious about the strategy of a sort of 'top down' sale, but I'm still not willing to look elsewhere. The Azamara experience is worth the price to me, and as a solo traveler, it's not ever bargain! I'll just have to hope that something a little more tempting comes up.

 

 

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[geosand]

I totally agree! We have a cruise booked for July 2018. I was pleased to see it listed on this "sale" last night west coast time. The double upgrade was advertised and clicking through to our cruise the price for inside cabin was 6500CDN but this morning I see the price for that category is now 8900CDN so 2400 pp increase to take advantage of this "sale" Very disappointing tactics!

[vada_9]

Looks like the spring sale in 2015,(BOGOHO) where the prices I was looking at jumped up approx $2000 aus per person. So nothing new here.

[laurieb]

I totally agree! We have a cruise booked for July 2018. I was pleased to see it listed on this "sale" last night west coast time. The double upgrade was advertised and clicking through to our cruise the price for inside cabin was 6500CDN but this morning I see the price for that category is now 8900CDN so 2400 pp increase to take advantage of this "sale" Very disappointing tactics!

 

I'm really surprised to read this! I wrote down all of the inside prices yesterday on the offered cruises, and every one I have looked up today is the same as yesterday.

[Melissaghoti]

If the pre-sale inside cabin prices haven't changed, there IS a sale, because veranda cabins are pricing out at less than inside and OV.

 

 

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[BBQ Lover]

If the pre-sale inside cabin prices haven't changed, there IS a sale, because veranda cabins are pricing out at less than inside and OV.

 

 

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The price of the inside cabins were raised to match the price of the verandas, not the other way around. Very deceiving.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our first Azamara cruise this year, but the current deceptive pricing trends of Azamara will probably push us away from doing a second Azamara cruise.

 

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[Melissaghoti]

That's discouraging, BBQ. As I'd said, I hadn't seen prior prices on the itineraries offered, so couldn't make real comparisons. Lots of people will have been though, and will feel as you do.

Consumers are pretty hip, Azamara. Don't insult us.

 

 

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[laurieb]

The price of the inside cabins were raised to match the price of the verandas, not the other way around. Very deceiving.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our first Azamara cruise this year, but the current deceptive pricing trends of Azamara will probably push us away from doing a second Azamara cruise.

 

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Really? What dates are you looking at? What I've seen is not that way. They didn't change from yesterday to today.

The price of the insides may not be what they were 6 months ago, or even one month ago, but please show me a cruise line that hasn't raised their prices.

I agree that they are getting way too expensive, but certainly not being deceptive

 

 

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[hiccups]

Really? What dates are you looking at? What I've seen is not that way. They didn't change from yesterday to today.

The price of the insides may not be what they were 6 months ago, or even one month ago, but please show me a cruise line that hasn't raised their prices.

I agree that they are getting way too expensive, but certainly not being deceptive

 

 

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As I mentioned in another thread, for our cruise, yesterday the price of an inside was $2173 (previously under the Nights on Us sale it was as low as $1763--it increased twice). Today it's $2899.

[geosand]

Really? What dates are you looking at? What I've seen is not that way. They didn't change from yesterday to today.

The price of the insides may not be what they were 6 months ago, or even one month ago, but please show me a cruise line that hasn't raised their prices.

I agree that they are getting way too expensive, but certainly not being deceptive

 

 

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They most certainly did increase on the Azamara website within 12 hours. When the sale was first announced on the evening of August 31 west coast time I was able to go through to checkout for the inside cabins for 6500 CDN and by morning they were 8900 CDN. This is definitely deceptive!

[uktog]

This might explain why the said "sale" is not available to U.K. Guests. We have strict advertising standards regulations which preclude promotions like this. The word sale requires the vendor to show that a higher price has been required to buy the identical product in the previous 28 days.

[Duck Duck Cruise]

Our experience: For us it was a true sale

 

We booked on August 22 a category 10 inside stateroom for the new transatlantic for October 23, 2018. Yesterday we asked our TA to get us the double category upgrade.

Original price was 2669 USD per person for the inside.

The new price is 2469 per person for the upgrade to the veranda. That is 200 per person less.

Our OBC for booking more than a year out went from 150 per person to 200 per person. (And it happened on my husbands birthday!)

[BBQ Lover]

Really? What dates are you looking at? What I've seen is not that way. They didn't change from yesterday to today.

The price of the insides may not be what they were 6 months ago, or even one month ago, but please show me a cruise line that hasn't raised their prices.

I agree that they are getting way too expensive, but certainly not being deceptive

 

 

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I've been looking at quite a few sailing dates, an example of which would be July 24, 2018 on Journey. The inside price was roughly $5000 USD on August 31, now it's $6999. An ocean view is $8999 which is $600 a night per person. When was the last time you saw an ocean view priced that high. The only reason it is that high is because they had to make it higher than the inside cabins. Similar circumstances have applied to all of the cruises that I have been looking at.

 

This trend is nothing new for Azamara. The nights on us sale included a raise to the base fair so that sale price was exactly the same as the pre-sale price on most sailings. Does Azamara think that we are so naive that we won't notice these deceptive pricing trends? I think that Azamara is no longer concerned with trying to maintain their savvy loyal customer base. I think they are more concerned with fleecing the naive traveler that doesn't take the time to do their homework.

Edited September 2, 2017 by BBQ Lover

[excitedofharpenden]

I think that Azamara is no longer concerned with trying to maintain their savvy loyal customer base. I think they are more concerned with fleecing the naive traveler that doesn't take the time to do their homework.

And it was their loyal customer base that banged the drum, talked to others and came back time after time that helped fill up the ships. As I've said elsewhere here, I don't mind an increase in fares to keep up with costs, but the latest rises are way beyond that. We will see how it pans out. What I REALLY don't want to see is Azamara struggling to fill ships at their current rates, having lots of cabins left to fill prior to sailing and then handing them over to the small number of agents they use to fire sale them. As I said, we will see.

 

Phil

[laurieb]

I've been looking at quite a few sailing dates, an example of which would be July 24, 2018 on Journey. The inside price was roughly $5000 USD on August 31, now it's $6999. An ocean view is $8999 which is $600 a night per person. When was the last time you saw an ocean view priced that high. The only reason it is that high is because they had to make it higher than the inside cabins. Similar circumstances have applied to all of the cruises that I have been looking at.

 

August 31st, on the US TA booking site, a category 12 stateroom was 6999.00, same price as Sept. 1. I don't know where you saw a lower price, but 6999.00 is what was offered to TA's booking a Cat 12 cabin on Aug 31.

I totally agree, the pricing is ridiculously high! I've been looking at the July 1 2019 cruise and simply cannot justify the cost, even with 4 free LCV nights

[AllisonJames]

I too am disappointed to report that none of the cruises I have been tracking are any less expensive with this new "sales" -- anyone who has managed to find a better price is lucky. This is now the second "sale" in a row with some proven price manipulation/deceptive practices. I was really hopeful for the double upgrade because in September 2015 it saved me nearly $1,000 on my existing booking. I'm now looking at Seabourn and Crystal River Cruises (brand new ships) which are more all-inclusive and a step up in luxury than Azamara and are pricing out at less per day. We will probably continue to sail Azamara for the Perry Golf cruises which my husband loves but not any other sailings. Also anxious to experience Viking Ocean which is our next cruise over the holidays.

[BBQ Lover]

I've been looking at quite a few sailing dates, an example of which would be July 24, 2018 on Journey. The inside price was roughly $5000 USD on August 31, now it's $6999. An ocean view is $8999 which is $600 a night per person. When was the last time you saw an ocean view priced that high. The only reason it is that high is because they had to make it higher than the inside cabins. Similar circumstances have applied to all of the cruises that I have been looking at.

 

August 31st, on the US TA booking site, a category 12 stateroom was 6999.00, same price as Sept. 1. I don't know where you saw a lower price, but 6999.00 is what was offered to TA's booking a Cat 12 cabin on Aug 31.

I totally agree, the pricing is ridiculously high! I've been looking at the July 1 2019 cruise and simply cannot justify the cost, even with 4 free LCV nights

My pricing came directly from the Azamara website. I've been checking the prices quite regularly the past six months and I know what the trends have been. I also checked the prices on both Thursday and Friday.

 

You continue to want to tell everybody that we aren't seeing what we actually saw, but we know differently.

 

 

 

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[travelberlin]

Not the first time that Azamara offers something at higher prices to make it look like a sale. They must think we are stupid...

Like I have written before, sale or no sale, there is a limit price per person per night we are willing to pay for Azamara. If the price Azamara is asking is beyond that, we cruise with other lines.

[Baynanno1]

For several years we have tracked prices and found that "sale" prices are increased well over the previously advertised price for any given category.

Booking an ocean view (our preference) is out of the question when a "double upgrade" promotion is in place, as the ocean view is well above the price of the double upgrade from inside to balcony.

[coldweathergirl]

Not the first time that Azamara offers something at higher prices to make it look like a sale. They must think we are stupid....

 

 

I think those of us on cruisecritic are in the know about price drops and sales. The majority of people we know book either with a travel agent or online and then never go back to check prices.

 

We've met many people that truly believe the cruises that are always advertised as 50% off are on sale so they think they're getting a great deal.

[workingtocruise-59]

And it was their loyal customer base that banged the drum, talked to others and came back time after time that helped fill up the ships. As I've said elsewhere here, I don't mind an increase in fares to keep up with costs, but the latest rises are way beyond that. We will see how it pans out. What I REALLY don't want to see is Azamara struggling to fill ships at their current rates, having lots of cabins left to fill prior to sailing and then handing them over to the small number of agents they use to fire sale them. As I said, we will see.

Phil

 

I think that this has happened on our forthcoming Quest cruise in October... firstly lots of balcony availability (over 100) ,then (overnight) none,and then, after weeks of waiting, only guarantee balconies/CWO suites on the ACC website...

We've (unfortunately) already booked ( ACC cruise 22, I think) but wished I knew who the "fire sale" agents are ...

Edited September 2, 2017 by workingtocruise-59

[Melissaghoti]

Guests on a cruise don't often compare what they paid and there are many variables, but some very heated discussions could arise if those who thought they were getting a great deal happen to compare prices with people who paid less the day before. It could certainly dampen their Azamara experience. Azamara can probably replace everyone who is unhappy about this with fresh, new guests, but that's a pretty sad way to do business.

 

 

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[Grandma Cruising]

Comparing prices of holidays is the same whether it's a cruise or other holiday. All holiday companies including cruise companies vary their pricing to match demand, which means lots of different prices throughout the year.

 

 

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[procter]

Sadly though there is a difference between "adjusting" prices for demand and cresting false pricing where an inside is more than OV to create an illusion.

It is bad practice to annoy your best customers.

Do Rolls Bentley Audi or even Ford or Apple put prices up for a sale.

I think not and they have the most loyal customers.

 

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