Beware AZ shore excursions that are not as advertised

[Grandma Cruising]

20 minutes ago, NC&KY said:

Surely there is a solution to what has become a very uncomfortable stalemate. I note that some Hosts, e.g., Jazzbeau, have a cruise critic e-mail included in their signature. I know Grandma Cruising does not. But perhaps someone associated with Azamara could post an e-mail address on this thread to which OP could then send his contact information?

Sending an email to a host would not help. Although I look after the Azamara boards, I have no special route to Azamara. My obligations are to CC not Azamara.

I’m happy to publish my CC email address. It’s hostgrandmacruising@cruisecritic.com. As far as I’m aware the CC email addresses of all hosts follow the same format.

[rallydave]

5 minutes ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

Sending an email to a host would not help. Although I look after the Azamara boards, I have no special route to Azamara. My obligations are to CC not Azamara.

I’m happy to publish my CC email address. It’s hostgrandmacruising@cruisecritic.com. As far as I’m aware the CC email addresses of all hosts follow the same format.

Believe NC&KY was asking Bonnie to post an email address so that he could reply directly to Azamara.  As has been typical of Azamara, they have been unwilling to go the extra yard or meter to help the customer.  Bonnie has been asked numerous times for an email so that someone can send private information that would not be appropriate for a message board and she has refused.  When she has posted email addresses to send information to various, mostly IT issues, Azamara, she has often posted incorrect email addresses or generic addresses that have not responded appropriately to the customer.

 

As the OP has posted several times he has sent emails to Azamara several times without resolving the issue or in some cases without responses.  This is so typical of Azamaras almost complete lack of taking responsibility nor taking care of their issues.  Posters need to be aware of these issues before spending large sums of money on Azamara cruises. 

[laurieb]

I just did a google search, and an email for ms. Cabezas popped up; have you tried this?

[NC&KY]

50 minutes ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

Sending an email to a host would not help. Although I look after the Azamara boards, I have no special route to Azamara. My obligations are to CC not Azamara.

I’m happy to publish my CC email address. It’s hostgrandmacruising@cruisecritic.com. As far as I’m aware the CC email addresses of all hosts follow the same format.

What if OP sends his contact information to you. At the same time Bonnie could e-mail you asking for that information. Then you can connect the 2.

[uktog]

This is getting so messy - it should have been so simple from Day 1 - Azamara responding appropriately to feedback from a guest.  Its got messy because since being highlighted on these board there has become an entrenchment of positions.  Unfortunately it does not reflect well on the cruise line.  

Personally I would not post my email address through a third party and if the OP is still wanting resolution I think laurieb has given the best solution.

There are still some fundamentals about the consistency of quality of information, delivery of the product and onboard experience re excursions.  I would like to see a response from Azamara on this as the issue is not going to go away and it is not giving them a positive profile.  They of course may be very happy with how things are going - there choice

[Grandma Cruising]

On 7/22/2019 at 3:05 PM, NC&KY said:

What if OP sends his contact information to you. At the same time Bonnie could e-mail you asking for that information. Then you can connect the 2.

I’m concerned about this setting a precedent, and I suspect Bonnie might be too.

Edited July 24, 2019 by Host Grandma Cruising

[screen-gem]

On 7/21/2019 at 12:20 PM, snowglobe said:

You know, it’s not really the nit-picking details that are at issue in the shore excursion descriptions - it’s the substantive ones, for example:

- the OP’s experience of a tour delivery that differed greatly from what had been booked.

- a nature tour that is dependent on the tides being currently sold, when the sub-contractor themselves have said that the tour will be a no-go (because the tides will be wrong when the ship shall be in port.)

- a tour also currently sold for a ship that arrives in port mid-afternoon, for a visit to 3 stops that close by 5pm, hence logistically impossible to deliver as described.

- or tours sold for a different port of call (this one caught by CCers, not Azamara itself.)

 

At issue is being able to trust that the product that you buy from Azamara will be the one that you will actually get to experience. Your expectations, as an Azamara Guest, are built on being presented with accurate shorex/land product descriptions.

 

- Be it Romanesque or Norman, you expect to see Durham Cathedral.

- If you buy a shore excursion to ‘Walk the Wall’, that is what you should get.

- If you buy a tour that promises wine tastings at 3 wineries in 4 hours, you should not be rushed to do them all in the first hour or so. etc., etc..

 

The fact that one can do any given activity or tour independently than with a ship-bought shore excursion is besides the point... a Guest should simply get the product that they have bought from Azamara, with a reasonable expectation of satisfaction in the experience.

 

The OP did not get that, and many guests will also not get satisfaction with some of the current shore excursions being sold by Azamara in their Voyage Planners.

 

 

Sincere thanks to @snowglobe for composing such an articulate and cogent summary.  Having read the flurry of replies on this thread in the last couple of days, I was about to respond with something very similar, but there's not much more I could add.

 

Several recent posts suggested creative ways by which direct contact might be made with Ms. Cabezas, without publishing  my personal information that Bonnie repeatedly requested. Thanks to procter, NC&KY, HGC, and rallydave for those ideas. However, they are not necessary.  I really have no compelling reason to personally communicate with the COO, and I'm sure she has better things to do with her executive day.  I'm not seeking 'resolution' for the sub-standard excursion Azamara delivered in Dubrovnik, nor the repeated lack of promised follow-up.  The intention of this thread was to make the broader CC community aware that they may not get what is advertised when they book an AZ shore excursion.  It's abundantly clear from replies here that my experience is not an isolated case, and as snowglobe observes "many guests will also not get satisfaction with some of the current shore excursions being sold by Azamara in their Voyage Planners".  It's also become evident that purchasing excursions from Azamara is really a matter of buyer beware.  Ya pays your money and ya takes yer chances.

 

My reason for tracking down and then citing Azamara's COO was to encourage Bonnie to bring this issue to the attention of the senior executive responsible. Not my issue with a misadvertised and poorly delivered shore excursion, but the systemic issues that have emerged in various replies here. I attempted to summarize in post #43 so Ms. Cabezas wouldn't have to read through a 4-page long CC thread.  In a past life, I used to be a CxO. If the myriad customer-impacting issues that have surfaced here had been going on in my organization, I would have wanted to know about them. 

 

Frankly, I think the COO could spend a fruitful, perhaps eye-opening, half-hour reading through this thread, and another recent thread about the Masters of Procrastination. The latter highlights a number of areas where Azamara might also wish to focus some attention.  As they now roll out their new Land Program, one hopes some meaningful improvements will be forthcoming. In the meantime, those considering Azamara shore excursions should take the published descriptions with grains of (sea) salt, be aware that they may not get what was advertised, and set their expectations accordingly.

 

[Grandma Cruising]

Now that you have summed up the topic, I think it’s time to lock it, as there seems little more to be said.