Warning: Azamara cancels our cruise two days out: Gaurantee is not a guarantee

[jo-b]

Jo,

You’re getting me panicked now.

How do they choose who they kick off the cruise?

 

Don't know Jackie other than as someone else posted it was a Southampton cruise and it was B2B with a transatlantic so maybe others were flying to the UK? The message was via their TA (their bank) we got involved when they got home that night & were looking for another cruise, we spoke to our tA and she said what would usually happen was the TA would be asked "Do you think Mr & Mrs X would be willing to drop out if we paid £y"

 

She said in their case she would have said no because they had strict time off work limitations, had it been us she would have asked. Which she did when the same happened on an O cruise last year, unfortunately our travelling companions wanted to stick with that date so we said no.

[excitedofharpenden]

I wish I could say that I am happy for you, but relieved a better term. $250 Onboard Credit is chump change for what they put you through. The least they can do is pay for your cruise.

If you read on to the Chief Blogging Officer's post you’ll see they have.

 

Phil

[jo-b]

This is a practice not confined to RCI as we have experienced ourselves. We are retired, it was a "local" cruise for us in the Med and we would have happily forfeited it and gone on a similar one a week or two later for the right compensation. Let's hope that someone has had an offer from Azamara they too were happy with and that Lahore has their cabin.

 

What this has demonstrated is how thoughtful other people have been. And Kudos to Bonnie, who has put the complimentary offer in "digital writing" :-)

 

 

Hope you have a great cruise

[puppycanducruise]

So glad that things have been resolved and you get your cruise.

Bon Voyage!

[Grandma Cruising]

Lahore, I’m delighted that you can now go on the cruise and I sincerely hope that Azamara honour Bonnie’s promise that the cruise will be free! It’s the least they can do. I hope you have a great cruise and get to really relax - you will need to after the stress of the last 24 hours or so.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[dcyonce]

Wow !

 

I have been following this thread since it started a couple days ago. And I'm quite impressed with Azamara's responsiveness and customer service.

 

Things go wrong. Problems occur..... But, Azamara's top management responded and showed that they are truly concerned. We don't know what caused the original issue, but we DO know that Azamara responded quickly and turned a very bad situation around !

 

We have been cruising Celebrity for years and always in their top suite (Penthouse). We have been very happy with the accommodations, food and love the crew and staff. Their service and responsiveness to potential issues have been fantastic.

 

I think its time my sweetheart and I started cruising Azamara as well !

 

-- Don

[TravelBugM]

What I hope you find is that the AZ crew welcome you with open arms and treat you to an amazing cruise.

[Cyber Kat]

To everyone who is complimenting Azamara for “doing the right thing”... They didn’t build an extra cabin overnight so let’s hope they had an unexpected cancellation (and lucked out!) and didn’t boot or buy someone else off the ship with less than 24 hours notice. Someone who isn’t posting on Cruise Critic. Just saying.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

 

My thoughts exactly! Apparently what they meant by “guarantee” is actually waitlisted, and they should state that without the flimflam. I understand the need for corporations to make a profit, but they have to remember that without customers there’s no money at all... and no business. That seems to be a lost concept these days.

 

I am, as my Australian friend would say, gobsmacked reading this thread. I had only heard of cruise lines doing this in the case of charters, and with a decent amount of notice - not 2 days before. Neither is right.

 

A contract should afford both sides equal treatment, but sadly that’s not the reality these days, either. They should just make it plain and simple. Just come right out and say, “we hold all the cards, and you’re screwed. Take it or leave it.” That’s the gist of most of them anyway.

 

I don’t think Azamara “stepped up” to do the right thing. They were dragged kicking and screaming by the power of social media, and we would do well to keep that in mind when we hear talk of Net Neutrality. Corporations would love to hobble sites like this where the power of people in large numbers can be marshaled against them.

 

We haven’t cruised Azamara. We are currently booked on 2 Viking cruises, but my TA is telling me we would like Azamara, and some friends enjoyed a recent cruise, so I’ve been checking things out. I’m thinking - at least for now - we will stick with Viking.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Cyber Kat]

I meant to add that I’m glad things worked out for you, lahore. What a horrific time you have had! And I hope what Bonnie wrote about your cruise being complimentary proves true. I hope you and your DH have a wonderful cruise. Use that OBC for some relaxing massages! Bon Voyage!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Wacktle]

I'm so pleased that Lahore now has a cabin and hope that they both have areally lovely cruise.

 

I've read this thread with horror. In her circumstance, I would have flipped. Someone mentioned only switching on a phone sporadically; that's us too. Also, we've only had decent mobile phones for the last few months, and they are PAYG, so wouldn't have allowed all the calls that Lahore has had to make. Heavens know what would have happened if we'd been bumped from a cruise after setting off to the airport. I also wonder how they've "found" a cabin. Hopefully there's not a couple stranded on the quayside.

 

Sadly, I'm thankful that our next cruises are with different lines.

[hiccups]

I also hope another couple did not lose their cabin so OP could have one. It would be relatively easy to check the Meet and Greet list and NOT choose someone attending, to lessen the chance of another CC member being selected to get bumped. I also think were it not for social media and Bonnie's presence, this likely would not have been resolved in this manner. Thank you, Bonnie!

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise--you've earned it after all this stress!

[lizboyle]

I’m so sorry you had all this stress lahore and glad Azamara have sorted things out. Enjoy your cruise.

Liz

Edited February 7, 2018 by lizboyle

[laurieb]

That's stepping up and trying to make a terrible situation right. It restores my faith in Azamara. And yes, I admit my faith was severely shaken. I just hope that somebody sets this up to be a learning process so the multiple very serious mistakes made won't happen again.

 

Very well said!

[excitedofharpenden]

I also hope another couple did not lose their cabin so OP could have one. It would be relatively easy to check the Meet and Greet list and NOT choose someone attending, to lessen the chance of another CC member being selected to get bumped. I also think were it not for social media and Bonnie's presence, this likely would not have been resolved in this manner. Thank you, Bonnie!

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise--you've earned it after all this stress!

Let's not start any conspiracy theories. Just be happy Azamara did something. There is always a chance a cabin becomes available very late because of a no show. I was on Journey last year, wanted to do the follow on cruise, but it had been sold out for a while. I registered an interest and the day before another cabin popped up that I was able to take. It was interesting because there was a large group of travel professionals on that trip. I don’t know whether I had one of their cabins, but I didn’t care! I agree though. Social media I’m sure has played a part too in this case.

 

Phil

[TravelBugM]

lahore - Curious to know if you have received your cabin assignment and had access to luggage tags and EZPass?

[tgg]

If anyone is interested in how a different cruise line handles oversold situations, search the Oceania board for "move over offers".

There is always someone booked on a cruise who is willing to move to another sailing, or a lower priced cabin, for the right price.

If the cruise line has sold you a penthouse guarantee and all the penthouse and above cabins are booked, they will offer large amounts of money (including a free cruise) for someone to move "down" to a balcony so that you get that penthouse.

The offer gets more and more generous until someone agrees to take it.

[rabin1]

My thoughts exactly! Apparently what they meant by “guarantee” is actually waitlisted, and they should state that without the flimflam. I understand the need for corporations to make a profit, but they have to remember that without customers there’s no money at all... and no business. That seems to be a lost concept these days.

 

I am, as my Australian friend would say, gobsmacked reading this thread. I had only heard of cruise lines doing this in the case of charters, and with a decent amount of notice - not 2 days before. Neither is right.

 

A contract should afford both sides equal treatment, but sadly that’s not the reality these days, either. They should just make it plain and simple. Just come right out and say, “we hold all the cards, and you’re screwed. Take it or leave it.” That’s the gist of most of them anyway.

 

I don’t think Azamara “stepped up” to do the right thing. They were dragged kicking and screaming by the power of social media, and we would do well to keep that in mind when we hear talk of Net Neutrality. Corporations would love to hobble sites like this where the power of people in large numbers can be marshaled against them.

 

We haven’t cruised Azamara. We are currently booked on 2 Viking cruises, but my TA is telling me we would like Azamara, and some friends enjoyed a recent cruise, so I’ve been checking things out. I’m thinking - at least for now - we will stick with Viking.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I agree with everything you said.

 

I am very happy they found a cabin for these poor souls and as others have said it should not have happenned in the first place. I also agree it was probably Bonnie that got this to work out for the better.

 

I am not trying to be a Debby Downer but if I were them I would print out Bonnies post about the complimentary cruise so they don;t have to fight for that refund when they get home. They stated they already had paid in full.

 

Have a wonderful relaxing cruise

Kathy

[MNgardens]

Lahore - I hope your migraine is getting better.

 

I hope you and your spouse have a lovely time celebrating his recovery from such a serious illness. The time together is priceless!

[Spursgirl]

I am so glad that Lahore is a member of the CC family. If our collective outpouring of horror helped her even a little bit I am thrilled.

 

We are fortunate that the company has provided us with the resource of Bonnie too. On this occasion I am sure her intervention was crucial.

 

I have no doubt that Lahore and her husband quite rightly will enjoy this cruise with compliments from Azamara. Can you imagine the howls of outrage from this community if Lahore informed us in a few weeks time that this offer was not honoured?

 

If someone is offered the opportunity to change their cruise with compensation and it suits them that is fine. Arbitrarily cancelling their vacation when they are at the airport waiting to board their flight is not.

 

Hopefully this unhappy episode has given Azamara pause for thought

[diana11]

I cannot believe what I have read.

 

I have just completed my online check in for an Azamara cruise next month and just logged on for a catch up. I would be horrified if that now happened to me. I have bought my American ESTAs, my dog is booked into kennels, hotel booked etc. It beggars belief that Azamara staff thought that they could get away with it. Just thankful that Bonnie and senior management got involved and hopefully lessons have been learnt.

 

My confidence in Azamara was severely dented last year when our cruise itinerary was completely changed. Hearing these stories just fills me with dread however I am delighted to learn of the happy ending.

[Unibok]

Great news Lahore!

 

Some thoughts on how Azamara might express their apologies for their handling of your situation:

 

- upgrade drinks

- include shore excursions

- unlimited internet for the duration of your cruise

- unlimited gratis reservations in Prime C and Aqualina

- prepaid spa services to help you relax :D

 

They could do these things at almost no cost to the cruise line. It's the least they could do, don't you think?

 

So much LIKE to this post -- yes! Lahore, know that many hearts are with you, wishing you and your DH a rejuvenating and restorative experience in spite of what it has taken out of you to get there.

[bob278]

Agree Bob, if what Bonnie says is what happens then I will be so happily recompensed for the heartache and it restores my faith too.

 

That being said, I am a lecturer in a Business College in university and will be using this as a case study in social media, customer relations and process mapping. I do think Azamara can turn this into a positive for themselves by looking at what happened here and making sure it doesn’t happen again, for their own sake as well as their customer’s.

 

I’m one hopeful lady at the moment, and DH has started to ask about food again so that’s a good sign. :)

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Great attitude!

 

Please come back and let us know your impressions as you meet the universally praised on-board staff and they help you put this sordid mess behind you.

[MMDown Under]

Bon Voyage, lahore. Today is the day - enjoy!

[mimii]

Lahore, I’m delighted that you can now go on the cruise and I sincerely hope that Azamara honour Bonnie’s promise that the cruise will be free! It’s the least they can do. I hope you have a great cruise and get to really relax - you will need to after the stress of the last 24 hours or so.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Hello there! I happened to find this thread today and was shocked at the situation, but delighted to see how Azamara resolved it. After our cruise to Costa Rica last month, I came away with only Azamara on my mind for future cruises. I've never had an onboard experience like it!

 

Host Grandma, your help, advice and kindness both here on Cruise Critic and also in person on that cruise we're a blessing to me and others. I think early on in this thread, a few misinterpreted the intent of your words, but I understood them because of my own experience with Azamara, and with you. I admit this case concerns me for future cruising, because the reasons behind it are unknown and therefore I don't know how to prevent it, but I join you in sharing that my experience with Azamara so far was great - in fact, it was the best.

 

Pam

[AllisonJames]

Lahore, what a very nice thought to decide to make a gift to charity since your cruise will now be comped. I'm a professional fundraiser, and I can tell you it's the generosity of people like you that makes the world go round! I was so traumatized by your situation and so happy that it was resolved and then when I read of your charitable intent it put in perspective how fortunate we are all to have these "first world problems" however unpleasant and stressful they are, we are still blessed to be able to take such a cruise. I can tell you with confidence your onboard experience will hopefully make the pre-cruise debacle a distant memory and I hope you have a wonderful time.

 

And kudos to Bonnie for whatever "magic" she made happen to make a cabin available. It should never have happened, but at least it has a good resolution and I think the cruise being totally comped is an appropriate gesture on the part of Azamara. I practically felt a "class-action lawsuit" coming on from all of us in the CruiseCritic who experienced the second-hand trauma as had it been me, I would have definitely lost my mind!