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1 minute ago, Mackdogmolly said:

I am wondering what happens if Azamara cancels a cruise. Or significantly altered the itinerary. Would they still only offer FCC?

I was wondering the same thing. If we go ahead and fly to Singapore arriving a week before our cruise what happens if they cancel right before or even the day of?

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39 minutes ago, Vgroom said:

India now saying it will not accept cruise ships 

80C0911D-1A22-4A49-92C0-94F268E78154.png

If this information is correct, and I have no reason to question it, together with Sri Lanka and now India that is all our major stops on our cruise gone and the reason we chose the cruise. This will constitute a substantial change to our cruise and  we will be contacting our TA. I wonder how long will Azamara take to respond to this?

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Celebrity are refunding through OBC to all on Constellation who have been sailing around India with cancelled stops. 
It will be cheaper for cruise lines to tie up and cancel voyages than keep going. 
It’s all messy now. 
I am struggling enough with decision making for my work situation and the impact of the decisions on others. I’d hate to be a travel decision maker. 
The keep calm and carry on mindset is now irresponsible 

To quote Keynes “when the facts change I change my mind what do you do” 

Edited by uktog
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15 minutes ago, chromered7 said:

We officially have no where to go on our cruise we just need Dubai to ban all cruise ships and we will be docked for two weeks on a stationary ship. Over to you Azamara.

Full house, we now cannot stop in Malaysia so that is all our ports not allowing cruise ships to dock .

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Currently there are eight cruise ships docked in Dubai:

EDDCCC89-CFB5-4783-9F8E-7E28D0D0546B.thumb.png.e8efd3417f32c7190e34e2dbbcdda2d1.png
 

The port schedule is only saying 3 are actually due to be there.

We are due to fly to Dubai next Saturday for an 11 day cruise on Quest, we have received nothing from Azamara about any potential changes although we know Doha is closed to cruise ships and Bahrain have turned away ships. It’s obvious there are big problems in the area for cruise ships, it’s ok saying we can cancel and receive a FCC for the cruise but we will lose out big time for flights and hotel.

It’s time Azamara were upfront about the viability of this cruise and at least give us the possibility for reducing our loses. 
Our personal worry is not Covid-19 itself but the current mass hysteria and illogical thinking that surrounds cruising.
 

 

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58 minutes ago, Riocca said:

Currently there are eight cruise ships docked in Dubai:

EDDCCC89-CFB5-4783-9F8E-7E28D0D0546B.thumb.png.e8efd3417f32c7190e34e2dbbcdda2d1.png
 

The port schedule is only saying 3 are actually due to be there.

We are due to fly to Dubai next Saturday for an 11 day cruise on Quest, we have received nothing from Azamara about any potential changes although we know Doha is closed to cruise ships and Bahrain have turned away ships. It’s obvious there are big problems in the area for cruise ships, it’s ok saying we can cancel and receive a FCC for the cruise but we will lose out big time for flights and hotel.

It’s time Azamara were upfront about the viability of this cruise and at least give us the possibility for reducing our loses. 
Our personal worry is not Covid-19 itself but the current mass hysteria and illogical thinking that surrounds cruising.
 

 

Azamara have really appalling communication history currently , but with fewer and fewer places to go where do these cruise go? More importantly at what point does the cruise you have booked resemble a patched up holiday with places you did not want to visit?

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Hello, 

 

We were on the April 11th cruise and we cancelled yesterday. Since we had more than 35 days to fo, we had the surprise of getting back 25% of our payment and 75% in FCC. It's something to think about. 

 

Just to let you know, last night was the best night of sleep I had for the past month.... it was a heartbreaking decision but we are so at peace with it and moving on to something else...priceless.

 

have a great day

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1 hour ago, Riocca said:

Currently there are eight cruise ships docked in Dubai:

EDDCCC89-CFB5-4783-9F8E-7E28D0D0546B.thumb.png.e8efd3417f32c7190e34e2dbbcdda2d1.png
 

The port schedule is only saying 3 are actually due to be there.

We are due to fly to Dubai next Saturday for an 11 day cruise on Quest, we have received nothing from Azamara about any potential changes although we know Doha is closed to cruise ships and Bahrain have turned away ships. It’s obvious there are big problems in the area for cruise ships, it’s ok saying we can cancel and receive a FCC for the cruise but we will lose out big time for flights and hotel.

It’s time Azamara were upfront about the viability of this cruise and at least give us the possibility for reducing our loses. 
Our personal worry is not Covid-19 itself but the current mass hysteria and illogical thinking that surrounds cruising.
 

 

We are on the same cruise and have just been told by Azamara via our TA that there are no planned changes and that they still plan to go to Bahrain and Doha - talk about bury your head in the sand. I have also e-mailed Azamara myself, but received no reply. Indeed, the number of questions that have been raised on here, but again have received no answers from our "Host" is unbelievable. It certainly raise the question of why anyone would ever sail with this company again?

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7 minutes ago, chromered7 said:

Azamara have really appalling communication history currently , but with fewer and fewer places to go where do these cruise go? More importantly at what point does the cruise you have booked resemble a patched up holiday with places you did not want to visit?

The silence is deafening, since posting this I have read that the Bahrain F1 GP will be held behind closed doors this will be the same day we are due to dock so doesn't bode well for allowing cruise ships to dock.

Problem with this cruise area is that there are few, and getting fewer, alternative ports. My fear is at some stage the UAE will get fed up taking in cruise ships no one else wants and those ports will be closed as well.

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I think you have made the correct decision. If we cancel we would still have flights and our stay in Singapore beforehand that we would lose. My TA is now going down the route of substantial change and we should get everything back. I cannot understand AZ and the position they are going with, that there will be no change in itinerary. Are they just not getting it? The virus is now just exploding in all parts of the world and if they think things are going to get better in the next 4-6 weeks they really must be deluded!

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2 minutes ago, nigelc said:

We are on the same cruise and have just been told by Azamara via our TA that there are no planned changes and that they still plan to go to Bahrain and Doha - talk about bury your head in the sand. I have also e-mailed Azamara myself, but received no reply. Indeed, the number of questions that have been raised on here, but again have received no answers from our "Host" is unbelievable. It certainly raise the question of why anyone would ever sail with this company again?

I realise that they are probably busy dealing with the current cruise having Sri Lanka and Indian ports closed but blindly believing that they will be docking in Doha, a port that clearly says its closed to cruise ships, is beyond belief.

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5 minutes ago, nigelc said:

We are on the same cruise and have just been told by Azamara via our TA that there are no planned changes and that they still plan to go to Bahrain and Doha - talk about bury your head in the sand. I have also e-mailed Azamara myself, but received no reply. Indeed, the number of questions that have been raised on here, but again have received no answers from our "Host" is unbelievable. It certainly raise the question of why anyone would ever sail with this company again?

I too have emailed AZ directly and have not had a reply. Very poor!

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Azamara has messed up enough people over the years without a corona virus where they cancelled cruises which went to charter or arbitrarily changed ports to the disadvantage of passengers. I will think long and hard before going on a cruise again for that reason alone. 

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As per my previous posts (eg post 220 on page 9), if you have booked a 'package' (i.e. flights & cruise) from the UK (or the EU) then you have a right to a full cash refund if there are significant changes to the package.

 

Azamara's own website page on 'Key rights' confirms this:

 

Key rights under Directive (EU) 2015/2302 is available below:

  • Travellers will receive all essential information about the package before concluding the package travel contract.
  • There is always at least one trader who is liable for the proper performance of all the travel services included in the contract.
  • Travellers are given an emergency number or details of a contact point where they can get in touch with the organiser or travel agent.
  • Travellers may transfer the package to another person, on reasonable notice and possibly subject to additional costs.
  • The price of the package may only be increased if specific costs rise (for instance fuel prices), and if expressly provided for in the contract, and in any event not later than 20 days before the start of the package. If the price increase exceeds 8% of the price of the package, the traveller may terminate the contract. If the organiser reserves the right to a price increase, the traveller has a right to a price reduction if there is a decrease in the relevant costs.
  • Travellers may terminate the contract without paying any termination fee and get a full refund of any payments if any of the essential elements of the package, other than the price, are changed significantly. If before the start of the package the trader responsible for the package cancels the package, travellers are entitled to a refund and compensation where appropriate. 
  • Travellers may terminate the contract without paying any termination fee before the start of the package in the event of exceptional circumstances, for instance if there are serious security problems at the destination which are likely to affect the package

The UK legislations includes these rights from the EU directive.

 

If you booked through a TA they should refund everything (flights, cruise, hotels, transfers etc). If you booked through the cruise line's UK based office they should refund everything you have paid them. Note - unfortunately the legislation probably doesn't apply if you just booked the cruise, as this is not a 'package'. Refunds must be cash (although if you used some FCC I don't think they have to give this back) - I suggest you don't accept FCC unless it is very generous (ie a lot more than the cash would be).

 

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16 minutes ago, Janet&David said:

As per my previous posts (eg post 220 on page 9), if you have booked a 'package' (i.e. flights & cruise) from the UK (or the EU) then you have a right to a full cash refund if there are significant changes to the package.

 

Azamara's own website page on 'Key rights' confirms this:

 

Key rights under Directive (EU) 2015/2302 is available below:

  • Travellers will receive all essential information about the package before concluding the package travel contract.
  • There is always at least one trader who is liable for the proper performance of all the travel services included in the contract.
  • Travellers are given an emergency number or details of a contact point where they can get in touch with the organiser or travel agent.
  • Travellers may transfer the package to another person, on reasonable notice and possibly subject to additional costs.
  • The price of the package may only be increased if specific costs rise (for instance fuel prices), and if expressly provided for in the contract, and in any event not later than 20 days before the start of the package. If the price increase exceeds 8% of the price of the package, the traveller may terminate the contract. If the organiser reserves the right to a price increase, the traveller has a right to a price reduction if there is a decrease in the relevant costs.
  • Travellers may terminate the contract without paying any termination fee and get a full refund of any payments if any of the essential elements of the package, other than the price, are changed significantly. If before the start of the package the trader responsible for the package cancels the package, travellers are entitled to a refund and compensation where appropriate. 
  • Travellers may terminate the contract without paying any termination fee before the start of the package in the event of exceptional circumstances, for instance if there are serious security problems at the destination which are likely to affect the package

The UK legislations includes these rights from the EU directive.

 

If you booked through a TA they should refund everything (flights, cruise, hotels, transfers etc). If you booked through the cruise line's UK based office they should refund everything you have paid them. Note - unfortunately the legislation probably doesn't apply if you just booked the cruise, as this is not a 'package'. Refunds must be cash (although if you used some FCC I don't think they have to give this back) - I suggest you don't accept FCC unless it is very generous (ie a lot more than the cash would be).

 

The old 1992 regulations were better in that respect because it wasn't so specific about being two separate elements so travelling in a cabin on a ship was covered. However certainly in the UK Azamara's t&c's allow cancelation if there's been a significant change:

What is a significant change?
A significant change is a change to your confirmed holiday, which we can reasonably expect will have a significant effect on it. Examples of what we consider are significant and minor (defined 
below) changes are as follows:

Significant change: Examples include a change from two days port of calls to two days sailing instead; a change in UK departure airport (excluding changes between the local airports) and a change in the time of your outbound flight by more than 12 hours on a 14 night holiday.

 

 

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10 minutes ago, Riocca said:

The old 1992 regulations were better in that respect because it wasn't so specific about being two separate elements so travelling in a cabin on a ship was covered. However certainly in the UK Azamara's t&c's allow cancelation if there's been a significant change:

What is a significant change?
A significant change is a change to your confirmed holiday, which we can reasonably expect will have a significant effect on it. Examples of what we consider are significant and minor (defined 
below) changes are as follows:

Significant change: Examples include a change from two days port of calls to two days sailing instead; a change in UK departure airport (excluding changes between the local airports) and a change in the time of your outbound flight by more than 12 hours on a 14 night holiday.

 

 

A positive is that the UK can now make new regulations post Brexit to protect consumers. 

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We are booked on the 17th March 2020 sailing out of Dubai. While there are numerous reports of ports on the itinerary not being open to cruise ships, Azamara is still telling everyone that there are no issues and that the itinerary remains unchanged. With no changes being confirmed by Azamara, the legislation does not seem to apply. My thoughts at the moment is to go on the cruise, relying on the numerous statements made by Azamara that everything is going ahead as planned, and if it turns out that the information provided was not accurate, seek address via the small claims courts under the common law "estoppel rule".

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29 minutes ago, nigelc said:

We are booked on the 17th March 2020 sailing out of Dubai. While there are numerous reports of ports on the itinerary not being open to cruise ships, Azamara is still telling everyone that there are no issues and that the itinerary remains unchanged. With no changes being confirmed by Azamara, the legislation does not seem to apply. My thoughts at the moment is to go on the cruise, relying on the numerous statements made by Azamara that everything is going ahead as planned, and if it turns out that the information provided was not accurate, seek address via the small claims courts under the common law "estoppel rule".

 

 

This is worth noting ~
 


https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/holiday-cancellations-and-compensation/cancelling-a-package-holiday/#h-if-a-holiday-company-changes-the-holiday-after-you-book-it

 

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2 hours ago, Janet&David said:

Note - unfortunately the legislation probably doesn't apply if you just booked the cruise, as this is not a 'package'

 

Has anyone any idea what our rights are if we booked cruise only with a TA and booked  flights and hotels ourselves?

 

I'm assuming that if Azamara cancel or change the cruise significantly we should be entitled to a refund under their terms and conditions and then we would claim the rest through our insurance?

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We need to put pressure in AZ to cancel.  Celebrity have cancelled their sailing which was visiting India. Surely AZ have to follow this decision.  I have written to them again and asked for an answer and not just a standard reply echoing what is on their website.  It is common knowledge now that India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia are not closed to cruise ships. How can they keep denying this. 

 

DB24472B-FECB-46E7-8533-E452B0E1A877.png

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