A suggestion on communication from Azamara during this uncomfortable time for everyone

[Spursgirl]

There is a post on the Royal Caribbean CC site that says that the company are making a statement at 2pm EST. Obviously I have no idea if this is accurate but maybe we will receive some welcome news later today

[Bloodaxe]

2 hours ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

Like others posting here we haven’t felt any diminution of the Azamara product once onboard, but then maybe we haven’t been cruising with them as long as some others have. 
 We’re not personally concerned at present about cruise  cancellation whether by us, or by Azamara, as we haven’t a cruise booked until late October. Who knows what the situation will be then, so there’s little point in us worrying about it until late summer/early autumn.  We do, though, feel very sorry for those with cruises booked in the next few weeks who do not know whether the cruise will go ahead, and if it does, where it will start & finish and which (if any) ports it will go to. We know a couple from the UK who are now in New Zealand and expecting to embark on the Journey in Sydney for the Sydney to Singapore cruise. It seems ridiculous that Azamara seem still to be insisting that this cruise, which starts on March 24th, and the following Singapore to Dubai cruise, will still go ahead as advertised, given the number of ports now closed to cruise ships.

There certainly has been a very noticeable silence from Azamara senior management here and on other social media over the last few months, and especially since COVID-19 reared it’s head. It’s seems like any decisions made will be by Royal Caribbean management and will apply to all three brands - such decisions are long overdue as are communications from the company leaders. At present there doesn’t seem to be any leadership being shown in either decision making, or in top level communication with loyal customers

 

For once Grandma we are almost in agreement but I have seen a deterioration to the onboard experience over the years apart from the staff which are constantly brilliant.

[Lottie A]

Fred Olsen have just announced the suspension of all its cruises until May. They still have the problem of how to get passengers home from Braemar ship in the Caribbean, as they are denied any passenger disembarkation in ports there due to crew and passengers testing positive for Covid-19. 

[cpgrneyes]

I just noticed AZ has a new advisory - https://www.azamara.com/travel-advisory. Boarding will be denied to passengers who have traveled to or through mainland Europe in the past 15 days.

[Kcbates]

This is beyond belief.  All ports are closed including embark and debark for our cruise Singapore to Dubai on April 11...and the most recent Azamara update does not cancel the cruise....and Azamara is still selling tickets for this impossible cruise on their web sites.  Maybe I should be positive and realize I could not get this kind of amusing business planning lesson through another source. I think a university course could never teach me this creative customer management skill.

Gotta laugh.....it seems there is nothing else I can do

[hrhdhd]

16 minutes ago, Kcbates said:

This is beyond belief.  All ports are closed including embark and debark for our cruise Singapore to Dubai on April 11...and the most recent Azamara update does not cancel the cruise....and Azamara is still selling tickets for this impossible cruise on their web sites. <snip>

Gotta laugh.....it seems there is nothing else I can do

 

You can cancel and get an FCC, as described by last week's press release.

[Haworth]

26 minutes ago, cpgrneyes said:

I just noticed AZ has a new advisory - https://www.azamara.com/travel-advisory. Boarding will be denied to passengers who have traveled to or through mainland Europe in the past 15 days.

Its unbelievable, no coronavirus in the US or Canada?

[Lottie A]

Just unbelievable! 
This is completely unacceptable. Apart from the fact that most ports are closed to cruise ships now anyway...and most passengers on Med cruises will be transmitting affected countries so would be denied boarding anyway. 

I am just imagining a British GP’s reaction to being asked to complete that medically ridiculous letter on the updated Azamara travel advisory page! We are completely snowed under with the Covid-19 pandemic and Azamara want us to write letters saying people are fit to board one of their ships? Not professionally advisable or ethically reasonable. 

There are two very obvious words that come to mind and I know a few GP’s who are saying them already. 

 

Azamara must do the decent thing and suspend all cruises until the end of May at least, with a full monetary refund to all affected passengers. Loyalty goes two ways. 

[Kcbates]

5 minutes ago, hrhdhd said:

 

You can cancel and get an FCC, as described by last week's press release.

The FCC is feeling like an old boyfriend that you broke up ....with but he still wants to borrow your car or "friends with benefits clause"....I'd have to tell him....take a hike buddy....the relationship just isn't working for me anymore....sigh

[Haworth]

2 minutes ago, Lottie A said:

Just unbelievable! 
This is completely unacceptable. Apart from the fact that most ports are closed to cruise ships now anyway...and most passengers on Med cruises will be transmitting affected countries so would be denied boarding anyway. 

I am just imagining a British GP’s reaction to being asked to complete that medically ridiculous letter on the updated Azamara travel advisory page! We are completely snowed under with the Covid-19 pandemic and Azamara want us to write letters saying people are fit to board one of their ships? Not professionally advisable or ethically reasonable. 

There are two very obvious words that come to mind and I know a few GP’s who are saying them already. 

 

Azamara must do the decent thing and suspend all cruises until the end of May at least, with a full monetary refund to all affected passengers. Loyalty goes two ways. 

100% correct and I will add not insult their European customers.

[Lottie A]

11 minutes ago, Haworth said:

100% correct and I will add not insult their European customers.

Hadn't even thought of that John, but you are correct.

 

There is so much steam coming out of my ears at the moment I am likely to explode! 

 

Will probably be seeing you on Viking in the future. 

[Haworth]

4 minutes ago, Lottie A said:

Hadn't even thought of that John, but you are correct.

 

There is so much steam coming out of my ears at the moment I am likely to explode! 

 

Will probably be seeing you on Viking in the future. 

It would be a real pleasure

[sunlover33]

1 hour ago, Spursgirl said:

There is a post on the Royal Caribbean CC site that says that the company are making a statement at 2pm EST. Obviously I have no idea if this is accurate but maybe we will receive some welcome news later today

Only 30 minutes to go!!! finally there may be some end in sight  to this ridiculous situation, of people not having a clue if their cruises are going ahead or not, but on past form I’m not holding my breath. 

[Mackdogmolly]

57 minutes ago, Lottie A said:

Just unbelievable! 
This is completely unacceptable. Apart from the fact that most ports are closed to cruise ships now anyway...and most passengers on Med cruises will be transmitting affected countries so would be denied boarding anyway. 

I am just imagining a British GP’s reaction to being asked to complete that medically ridiculous letter on the updated Azamara travel advisory page! We are completely snowed under with the Covid-19 pandemic and Azamara want us to write letters saying people are fit to board one of their ships? Not professionally advisable or ethically reasonable. 

There are two very obvious words that come to mind and I know a few GP’s who are saying them already. 

 

Azamara must do the decent thing and suspend all cruises until the end of May at least, with a full monetary refund to all affected passengers. Loyalty goes two ways. 

I can’t imagine anyone signing it here either, when the advice is for older people and especially those with preexisting conditions NOT to cruise. When we purchased our cruise, we bought travel insurance ( from the TA) with a preexisting condition waiver. Really hoping that would qualify for a refund 

[chromered7]

3 hours ago, Spursgirl said:

There is a post on the Royal Caribbean CC site that says that the company are making a statement at 2pm EST. Obviously I have no idea if this is accurate but maybe we will receive some welcome news later today

Has this happened ?

[Grandma Cruising]

30 minutes ago, chromered7 said:

Has this happened ?

Nothing on their website at the moment.

[uktog]

Celebrity UK Facebook has just posted an update.......basically a q and a reiterating the fairly limiting terms for the use of future cruise certificates

 

 

Edited March 13, 2020 by uktog

[chromered7]

At least AZ are consistent .

[Grandma Cruising]

1 hour ago, Mackdogmolly said:

I can’t imagine anyone signing it here either, when the advice is for older people and especially those with preexisting conditions NOT to cruise. When we purchased our cruise, we bought travel insurance ( from the TA) with a preexisting condition waiver. Really hoping that would qualify for a refund 

I checked with our (UK) travel insurer today. We were told that if we cancelled within 31 days of a booked holiday we would be covered for anything not refunded/compensated if we were following British Government advice, as recorded on the FCO website. At the moment the FCO website includes the advice that over 70s should not cruise. If that’s the same in September/October then we would be able to claim for our flights etc.

[Mackdogmolly]

2 minutes ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

I checked with our (UK) travel insurer today. We were told that if we cancelled within 31 days of a booked holiday we would be covered for anything not refunded/compensated if we were following British Government advice, as recorded on the FCO website. At the moment the FCO website includes the advice that over 70s should not cruise. If that’s the same in September/October then we would be able to claim for our flights etc.

So right now at between 60-90 days out, I believe if I canceled, be would be entitled to 50% refund. I wonder if insurance would cover the rest or if I would have to wait until closer to the cruise 

[Grandma Cruising]

3 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

So right now at between 60-90 days out, I believe if I canceled, be would be entitled to 50% refund. I wonder if insurance would cover the rest or if I would have to wait until closer to the cruise 

Depends on your insurer I guess. Ours won’t consider a claim if you cancel more than 31 days before the cruise/holiday.

Edited March 13, 2020 by Host Grandma Cruising

[the mice]

2 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

So right now at between 60-90 days out, I believe if I canceled, be would be entitled to 50% refund. I wonder if insurance would cover the rest or if I would have to wait until closer to the cruise 

That's a question that has been asked of Bonnie since the annoucement of the Cruise with Confidence refund policy and no answer has been forthcoming.    

Last week a few people cancelled and were told, sorry new policy is only 100% FCC, but a couple of them fought it and got refunded under the orginal booking terms.

 

[Cahpek]

23 minutes ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

I checked with our (UK) travel insurer today. We were told that if we cancelled within 31 days of a booked holiday we would be covered for anything not refunded/compensated if we were following British Government advice, as recorded on the FCO website. At the moment the FCO website includes the advice that over 70s should not cruise. If that’s the same in September/October then we would be able to claim for our flights etc.

 

 

There is something I am not very clear about with regards to your insurance.

 

1) If you are British, andover 70 and if you decide to cancel your cruise within 31 days,  following the advice of the British Govt/FCO , what happens when Azamara would still hold on to your money and it only offersyou with a FCC but NOT really giving you back a full cash refund (which is what its policy is at the moment, am I correct)? Would your insurance pay you in cash as compensation?

 

2) If your husband (or wife) is under 70 but traveling with you, if both of you cancel the cruise (he cannot travel alone in a cabin booked for two!) , will your insurance compensation cover your partner as well? 

Edited March 13, 2020 by Cahpek

[Grandma Cruising]

16 minutes ago, Cahpek said:

 

 

There is something I am not very clear about with regards to your insurance.

 

1) If you are British, andover 70 and if you decide to cancel your cruise within 31 days,  following the advice of the British Govt/FCO , what happens when Azamara would still hold on to your money and it only offersyou with a FCC but NOT really giving you back a full cash refund (which is what its policy is at the moment, am I correct)? Would your insurance pay you in cash as compensation?

 

2) If your husband (or wife) is under 70 but traveling with you, if both of you cancel the cruise (he cannot travel alone in a cabin booked for two!) , will your insurance compensation cover your partner as well? 

As I understand it, our insurers would consider the FCC as equivalent to a cash refund. I think all we would be able to claim is any costs not covered by Azamara, for example non refundable flights, transfers, car parking etc.

[Lottie A]

NCL have just suspended all Cruising until April 11th, including their brands of Norwegian Cruise line, Oceania, and Regent. All guests currently cruising with them will be disembarked as soon as possible and assisted with travel arrangements home. All guests on impacted cruises can either choose a FCC of 125% or a 100% cash refund. 

 

Azamara?