Azamazing OBC Deal...!!

[hamrag]

We are new to Azamara, having sailed 44 cruises on 14 different cruiselines. Being aware of the recent Cuba cancellations, across many cruiselines, we went looking for value seeking some winter sunshine in the Caribbean. Journey has 4 cruises available being 21 Nov, 30 Nov, 7 Dec and 14 Dec so we have booked two B2B 7 night sailings from San Juan. We noticed that Az had a special 'Spark of Summer' promotion for sailings between November 2019 and February 2020 giving $500 OBC. Our TA then advised us that by booking back to back cruises we were entitled to a further $300 OBC, which we assumed was in total....then we discovered it was $300 per cruise.

 

I know most Az cruisers will be aware but, for us, this is just incredible. These sailings are already heavily discounted (40%??) because of the Cuba situations and now for each leg we have $800 OBC plus some from our TA. Now we need to work out how we would spend $1900 on board across both cruises!! Any advice will be more than welcome.

 

Hopefully this will also alert some to this deal available through Wednesday 10th July.

Edited July 8, 2019 by hamrag

[Host Jazzbeau]

We ran into a similar situation of more OBC than we know what to do with once.  The biggest piece of advice I can give you is make sure you spend it all before the last day.  Because of the weather forecast our Captain decided to get to the final port quite early, which caused the shops to close in mid-transaction – so many people (including us) never got to use up our OBC.

[hamrag]

1 minute ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

We ran into a similar situation of more OBC than we know what to do with once.  The biggest piece of advice I can give you is make sure you spend it all before the last day.  Because of the weather forecast our Captain decided to get to the final port quite early, which caused the shops to close in mid-transaction – so many people (including us) never got to use up our OBC.

 

Thank you for that sound advice. What I am expecting is my DW to find something she fancies in the jewellery shop. Do you know if any of the shops on board would sell us a 'gift card' on the first cruise, to be redeemed on our second cruise along with the OBC for that cruise?

[Host Jazzbeau]

Never had occasion to ask that, sorry.  We did learn that the shops are a concession, not under the control of Azamara.  So I don't know if Bonnie would even know the answer to this question.

[uktog]

Unfortunately no. If only they would same goes for the spa

[BBMacLaird]

Here is the web link to our Spark of Summer 'flash sale'.

 

https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/luxury-cruise-deals/spark-summer

[tiggertom]

Every time I click on the link and then list of voyages  it comes up with 0 voyages on this offer. Is this not valid in the UK?

[hamrag]

18 minutes ago, tiggertom said:

Every time I click on the link and then list of voyages  it comes up with 0 voyages on this offer. Is this not valid in the UK?

 

Yes, it is available here!!

[BBMacLaird]

45 minutes ago, tiggertom said:

Every time I click on the link and then list of voyages  it comes up with 0 voyages on this offer. Is this not valid in the UK?

The UK promotion is called Summer Sale.

Here is the link to the UK page: https://www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk/luxury-cruise-deals/summer-special

[tiggertom]

2 minutes ago, BBMacLaird said:

The UK promotion is called Summer Sale.

Here is the link to the UK page: https://www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk/luxury-cruise-deals/summer-special

That works now, Bonnie, thank you

[Lookyboy]

Just now, hamrag said:

 

Thank you for that sound advice. What I am expecting is my DW to find something she fancies in the jewellery shop. Do you know if any of the shops on board would sell us a 'gift card' on the first cruise, to be redeemed on our second cruise along with the OBC for that cruise?

Elemis products from the spa (bought VERY EARLY on the cruises) are always a good buy if you are looking for ways to use any OBC. They make wonderful Christmas gifts...... if not used!!! (just saying!)

[Doh15]

If bought through a travel agent will the OBC show up in voyage planner, or do some TAs not participate?

[hamrag]

17 minutes ago, Doh15 said:

If bought through a travel agent will the OBC show up in voyage planner, or do some TAs not participate?

The OBC is provided by Azamara, so no reason for non-participation. If it doesn't show on voyage planner, simply contact your TA in that case.

[ellbon]

I buy wine, caviar  and the spa. if you use a ships tour you can use your OBC for it.

[hrhdhd]

I had an absurd amount of OBC on two AZ cruises and treated myself to pieces of Roberto Coin jewelry in the shop. If your wife likes something, tell her to get it when she sees it because it's likely it'll be the only piece of its kind.

[hamrag]

7 hours ago, hrhdhd said:

I had an absurd amount of OBC on two AZ cruises and treated myself to pieces of Roberto Coin jewelry in the shop. If your wife likes something, tell her to get it when she sees it because it's likely it'll be the only piece of its kind.

 

Thank you for that advice. Despite a comment to the contrary by another poster, I do not see why the onboard jeweller wouldn't do a deal for a customer to combine OBC for two cruises by making it two payments i.e. first cruise a deposit, jeweller retains item and second cruise final payment? 

[uktog]

6 minutes ago, hamrag said:

 

Thank you for that advice. Despite a comment to the contrary by another poster, I do not see why the onboard jeweller wouldn't do a deal for a customer to combine OBC for two cruises by making it two payments i.e. first cruise a deposit, jeweller retains item and second cruise final payment? 

They won’t we asked. Each cruise is a separate book keeping event and they cannot process part payments 

[hamrag]

2 minutes ago, uktog said:

They won’t we asked. Each cruise is a separate book keeping event and they cannot process part payments 

 

OK, disappointing but I now get the reason i.e. having to square off each cruise, for accounting purposes!! Thanks for following up with the reasoning.

[excitedofharpenden]

They used to give a discount on the cruise price for b2bs which was great. Money off each leg.  Then they introduced OBC instead. I never want to appear to look a gift horse in the mouth, but whilst Azamara prices have been increasing, there has been much more concentration on giving out more OBCs to the extent I really struggle to spend it.

 

In January I actually bought two paintings by the onboard artist that she had done during the Azamazing Evenings in Montevideo. These spur of the moment souvenirs  serve as a nice reminder. Otherwise, as I rarely do ship excursions, it's hard to spend. 

 

Azamara offering OBC so that it can be spent onboard isn't as generous as it first seems. I'd rather a bit more transparency with the pricing of the actual cruise rather than all the "deals", but like the double glazing industry I don't think it's going to change anytime soon. 

 

Phil 

[Lindy028]

We are looking at one of these cruises, with a 3 night stay in Miami, then the 21st November cruise to SAN Juan. We’ve sailed Azamara many times before but never the Caribbean, and one of the stops is Labadee. I understand that only the area that is leased to Royal Caribbean is accessible and is sealed off and patrolled by security guards! It sounds a bit scary, so, anyone who has first hand experience, do we treat it as a sea day or is there enough to see and do to venture off the ship!

[Bloodaxe]

30 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

They used to give a discount on the cruise price for b2bs which was great. Money off each leg.  Then they introduced OBC instead. I never want to appear to look a gift horse in the mouth, but whilst Azamara prices have been increasing, there has been much more concentration on giving out more OBCs to the extent I really struggle to spend it.

 

In January I actually bought two paintings by the onboard artist that she had done during the Azamazing Evenings in Montevideo. These spur of the moment souvenirs  serve as a nice reminder. Otherwise, as I rarely do ship excursions, it's hard to spend. 

 

Azamara offering OBC so that it can be spent onboard isn't as generous as it first seems. I'd rather a bit more transparency with the pricing of the actual cruise rather than all the "deals", but like the double glazing industry I don't think it's going to change anytime soon. 

 

Phil 

 

 

I totally agree Phil, I would much rather see more reasonable prices and they could keep the OBC.

It is not going to happen while the gimmicky offers and extra OBC are working for Azamara has they seem to be.

[uktog]

19 minutes ago, Lindy028 said:

We are looking at one of these cruises, with a 3 night stay in Miami, then the 21st November cruise to SAN Juan. We’ve sailed Azamara many times before but never the Caribbean, and one of the stops is Labadee. I understand that only the area that is leased to Royal Caribbean is accessible and is sealed off and patrolled by security guards! It sounds a bit scary, so, anyone who has first hand experience, do we treat it as a sea day or is there enough to see and do to venture off the ship!

Labadee is a lovely beach stop with the whole area fully supported by the ship's personnel e.g. bar set up included, buffet lunch etc.  We are on 21 November trip and the included excursions include a sail off the peninsula as well as some activities in the resort area.  I am certainly looking forward to this stop, have been before on Celebrity and it was a love4ly (and safe) day

[hamrag]

50 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

.....Azamara offering OBC so that it can be spent onboard isn't as generous as it first seems. I'd rather a bit more transparency with the pricing of the actual cruise rather than all the "deals", but like the double glazing industry I don't think it's going to change anytime soon. 

 

Phil 

 

Presumably, given the fact they replaced reduced B2B pricing with OBC and like many cruiselines, it cannot be used as a down payment against a future cruise onboard? 

[uktog]

2 minutes ago, hamrag said:

 

Presumably, given the fact they replaced reduced B2B pricing with OBC and like many cruiselines, it cannot be used as a down payment against a future cruise onboard? 

Correct

It can only be used in shops, spa, bar, restaurants and excursions and all for that cruise only.  Kind of a problem on a transatlantic where the OBC hits 4 figures and you are already in a suite.  

[hamrag]

11 minutes ago, uktog said:

It can only be used in shops, spa, bar, restaurants and excursions and all for that cruise only.  Kind of a problem on a transatlantic where the OBC hits 4 figures and you are already in a suite.  

 

Indeed!