Got a call from Azamara Shore Excursions

[hiccups]

I got a phone call today from an unknown number in Miami, so I didn't answer.  When I listened to the voicemail it was from someone with the Azamara Shore Excursions department, asking if we needed any assistance booking excursions for our upcoming cruise.  I know it might not bother other people, but I didn't care for Azamara using the information I provided for my cruise to try to sell me something that is easily purchased online or onboard.

[donaldsc]

Wouldn't bother me.  I get calls from travel companies all the time.  If I am interested, I ask for more information.  If I aren't, I say "thanks a lot" and hang up.  Better than all the robo calls that we get.

 

DON

[excitedofharpenden]

It wouldn't bother me either. Just say no if you don't want to buy one. I get emails on the same subject from Azamara and if I'm not interested then they go in "trash". 

 

Phil 

[Marmaduke]

6 hours ago, hiccups said:

I got a phone call today from an unknown number in Miami, so I didn't answer.  When I listened to the voicemail it was from someone with the Azamara Shore Excursions department, asking if we needed any assistance booking excursions for our upcoming cruise.  I know it might not bother other people, but I didn't care for Azamara using the information I provided for my cruise to try to sell me something that is easily purchased online or onboard.

 

I got a similar call regarding my last Azamara Cruise a few months ago.  When I asked some detailed questions regarding specific ports of call, they were unable to answer them.

[excitedofharpenden]

2 hours ago, Marmaduke said:

 

I got a similar call regarding my last Azamara Cruise a few months ago.  When I asked some detailed questions regarding specific ports of call, they were unable to answer them.

That does not surprise me at all. Not sure what your detailed questions were, but they are Azamara sales people trying to promote their shore excursion offerings, not port experts. 

 

Phil 

[hiccups]

2 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

That does not surprise me at all. Not sure what your detailed questions were, but they are Azamara sales people trying to promote their shore excursion offerings, not port experts. 

 

Phil 

If they can't answer questions, then their calls are useless, and to me, an unwanted intrusion.  I don't give them my phone number for them to bother me--I provide it so they can contact me should something happen with my cruise.

[excitedofharpenden]

42 minutes ago, hiccups said:

If they can't answer questions, then their calls are useless, and to me, an unwanted intrusion.  I don't give them my phone number for them to bother me--I provide it so they can contact me should something happen with my cruise.

It depends what questions you ask.  Google searching is a much better source of info and Azamara bring on a port guide person in each stop for those who are not sure what to do and want to wing it on the day. I just think you are complaining unnecessarily. And they won't ring you if something is up with your cruise. Email directly to you or your travel agent if you use one. 

 

Phil 

[hiccups]

48 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

It depends what questions you ask.  Google searching is a much better source of info and Azamara bring on a port guide person in each stop for those who are not sure what to do and want to wing it on the day. I just think you are complaining unnecessarily. And they won't ring you if something is up with your cruise. Email directly to you or your travel agent if you use one. 

 

Phil 

 

Good to know they won't contact me if something is up with my cruise--now I can remove my phone number and they can't contact me again.

I have a phone for my convenience--not for Azamara or anyone else to contact me unless I initiate it.  To me it's no different than robocalls, and I don't like those, either.  Sorry you feel that's complaining unnecessarily.

[excitedofharpenden]

You know. In the grand scheme of cruising things this is such a non issue, but I'm through arguing with you. Hope your phone now stays silent as far as Azamara is concerned. 

 

Phil 

[donaldsc]

You are over responding.

 

DON

[excitedofharpenden]

15 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

You are over responding.

 

DON

Yep. You are right. 

 

Phil 

[hiccups]

Bonnie reads most of the threads on this board, so I felt it was worth providing my opinion.  You all are free to scroll on by if you aren't interested in the topic.
 

[AllisonJames]

Marmaduke -- my experience was just the same.  I was actually glad to get the call since there was a shore excursion where the length of time was clearly incorrect and didn't match with the description and I was interested in the excursion but couldn't figure out why 12 hours were scheduled when we were going somewhere that was located only a little way outside the city.  But they could not answer any of my questions or even direct me to someone who could.  Just useless.  And they had called and said "we were checking to see why you hadn't signed up for any excursions" and when they couldn't answer any of my questions I said "well, now you know why I haven't signed up for any!"

[marinaro44]

2 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

You know. In the grand scheme of cruising things this is such a non issue, but I'm through arguing with you. Hope your phone now stays silent as far as Azamara is concerned. 

Ccouldn't have said it better.  Amazing what some will rush to the internet to complain about.

[florisdekort]

11 hours ago, marinaro44 said:

Ccouldn't have said it better.  Amazing what some will rush to the internet to complain about.

 

Although I totally agree with you and Phil that this is a non issue for me, I don’t think it’s necessary to flame the opp for having a different opinion. 

 

I do agree that if they call me to sell shore excisions they better have the knowledge ready to answer questions. 

[marinaro44]

5 hours ago, florisdekort said:

I do agree that if they call me to sell shore excisions they better have the knowledge ready to answer questions. 

See Phil's response #5.  Azamara probably has over 1000 different shore excursions available for booking at any point in time.  If you really expect someone at headquarters to be able to answer detailed questions about every one of them you are dreaming. 

 

They are trying to help by letting people know excursions can be booked ahead of time.  If more people were to do this, there would be fewer canceled excursions, something uktog (correctly) complains about often.  Not everyone knows the ins and outs of getting things done at Azamara.  See, for just one example, the frequent questions here about whether specialty restaurant reservations can be booked in advance.

 

Seems to me all one has to do is answer the phone and say he or she is aware of being able to book in advance but has chosen not to do so...and thanks for the reminder.

Edited September 14, 2019 by marinaro44

[uktog]

But it’s a pointless activity when you book and then they cancel due to lack of demand before guests even board 

[chromered7]

Surely if you wanted to book a shore excursion prior to a cruise you would. Unless AZ had an offer on excursions, don’t be crazy, why would they need to contact you.The price of  shore excursions across all cruise lines is out of control . The mark up is incredible and they play the fear card to ensure you pay over the odds on some excursions. You only have to do it on your own once to realise what a rip off they can be. Of course it depends on what area of the world you are cruising in , we used all the ships excursions in the Middle East.

[Grandma Cruising]

4 hours ago, chromered7 said:

Surely if you wanted to book a shore excursion prior to a cruise you would. Unless AZ had an offer on excursions, don’t be crazy, why would they need to contact you.The price of  shore excursions across all cruise lines is out of control . The mark up is incredible and they play the fear card to ensure you pay over the odds on some excursions. You only have to do it on your own once to realise what a rip off they can be. Of course it depends on what area of the world you are cruising in , we used all the ships excursions in the Middle East.

But there’s no need to there either. We took a fantastic 2 day private tour from Safaga to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. It was very well done, we stayed in a 5 star hotel in Luxor, they looked after us very well and it was much, much cheaper than Azamara’s price - less than 50%.

[marinaro44]

4 hours ago, chromered7 said:

Surely if you wanted to book a shore excursion prior to a cruise you would. Unless AZ had an offer on excursions, don’t be crazy, why would they need to contact you.

Maybe because someone who's booked their first Azamara cruise might not know you can book excursions in advance...or how to.  People ask here if specialty coffees are included, if restaurant reservations can be made in advance, if wine is included.

 

I just don't understand the brouhaha over this harmless, and potentially helpful, phone call.

[dabear]

I also got a call from Azamara for shore excursions on our upcoming cruise. Agree, it's a non issue. Additionally unless their prices are competitive or we only have a short window to tour, we'll continue to book tourd privately.

[florisdekort]

On 9/14/2019 at 9:23 PM, marinaro44 said:

See Phil's response #5.  Azamara probably has over 1000 different shore excursions available for booking at any point in time.  If you really expect someone at headquarters to be able to answer detailed questions about every one of them you are dreaming. 

 

We can agree to disagree. I’m not calling them and therefore don’t randomly get one of 100+ RCI call center agents. They are calling me and have probably assigned 2 people to this outbound sales effort. They can afford to properly train these people and they should. 

[excitedofharpenden]

2 hours ago, florisdekort said:

 

We can agree to disagree. I’m not calling them and therefore don’t randomly get one of 100+ RCI call center agents. They are calling me and have probably assigned 2 people to this outbound sales effort. They can afford to properly train these people and they should. 

I don't disagree that they should be properly trained. You can say that about many people on Azamara. Well, through all walks of life in fact. My point was that it's such a trifling matter to deal with oneself and unnecessary for a thread to be started here at all.  Still, it's got some discussion started. I prefer to worry about much bigger things in my cruse life. 

 

Phil 

[oddjob16]

This might be a bit over the top, but my first reaction to the original post was: « Azamara ShoreExcursions department» !!! Do they really excist??? 🤪🤪😂😂

[hiccups]

5 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

I don't disagree that they should be properly trained. You can say that about many people on Azamara. Well, through all walks of life in fact. My point was that it's such a trifling matter to deal with oneself and unnecessary for a thread to be started here at all.  Still, it's got some discussion started. I prefer to worry about much bigger things in my cruse life. 

 

Phil 

People have different opinions on many matters.  I could not care less about what kind of tonic water is carried onboard, yet there's a thread that's been going on about it for two years.  You've been free to pass on by this topic, yet have felt the need to chastise me multiple times.  Your judgment has been duly noted.

 

Please feel free in the future to continue to tell people when their threads are unnecessary based on your standards--I'm sure we'll all appreciate your diligent board monitoring so we can save ourselves time reading "trifling" threads.