Are you tired of the continuous cancellations by Azamara?

[earlvolfan]

I just received notice of cancellation of the October 27th Israel Intensive cruise from Athens that I had booked. I'm a fully vaccinated US citizen and thought since this cruise was departing from Athens, with Greece fully open, and Israel having led the world in vaccinations that I would get to check off a bucket list item.

 

This is my fourth Azamara cancellation, a cruise line that my wife and I came to love and cruise frequently before the pandemic, but have become frustrated with after these seemingly random cancellations without detailed explanation for the reason for the cancellations. We have one other cruise booked with them to Iceland next August, but I am just about ready to get a refund of the tens of thousands of dollars that we have given them and invest them with other cruise lines that seemed to have been able to adjust their post pandemic schedules more effectively. I hope that these difficulties aren't related to the new ownership. 

 

For instance, we will be leaving for Athens in a little over 30 days for a Greek Island/Turkey cruise on Windstar. We also just received an email stating that ship's tours would no longer be required to leave the ship in Greek ports. I do realize that Azamara is now offering Greek Island tours as well, but I already had Windstar booked after Azamara canceled our previous Greek Island tour earlier this year.

 

It seems that Azamara could do a better job adjusting to and communicating about their post pandemic itineraries.

Edited July 4, 2021 by earlvolfan
grammar

[uktog]

I am afraid I cannot agree. Azamara are juggling with changing rules in Europe issues getting crew back and lots of in country challenges and new variants emerging. It’s not just a case of you being vaccinated it’s a much bigger issue. The size of the vessel changes the rules so what goes on Windstar doesn’t apply to Azamara 

Edited July 4, 2021 by uktog

[laurieb]

1 hour ago, earlvolfan said:

I just received notice of cancellation of the October 27th Israel Intensive cruise from Athens that I had booked. I'm a fully vaccinated US citizen and thought since this cruise was departing from Athens, with Greece fully open, and Israel having led the world in vaccinations that I would get to check off a bucket list item.

 

This is my fourth Azamara cancellation, a cruise line that my wife and I came to love and cruise frequently before the pandemic, but have become frustrated with after these seemingly random cancellations without detailed explanation for the reason for the cancellations. We have one other cruise booked with them to Iceland next August, but I am just about ready to get a refund of the tens of thousands of dollars that we have given them and invest them with other cruise lines that seemed to have been able to adjust their post pandemic schedules more effectively. I hope that these difficulties aren't related to the new ownership. 

 

For instance, we will be leaving for Athens in a little over 30 days for a Greek Island/Turkey cruise on Windstar. We also just received an email stating that ship's tours would no longer be required to leave the ship in Greek ports. I do realize that Azamara is now offering Greek Island tours as well, but I already had Windstar booked after Azamara canceled our previous Greek Island tour earlier this year.

 

It seems that Azamara could do a better job adjusting to and communicating about their post pandemic itineraries.

I think Azamara is doing a very good job communicating; it's an ever changing world right now, and not every country is to the point of being safe or even open for travel.  Azamara is not the only cruise line in the process of canceling cruises right now either.  Not all the world is safe to travel to right now period.  I'm happy that they are canceling many of these now and not waiting until a month before.  Better safe...

Edited July 4, 2021 by laurieb

[manc]

Having had several cruises cancelled we feel Azamara are doing a good job. They are  protecting passengers and keeping us informed. Europe isn't easy to travel around. Rates of infection are rising and cruisers safety is the priority. 

[royallondon]

It’s always disappointing when you have a cruise cancelled.  However, in these complicated times of Covid travel, I have to respect any cruise lines decision in adjusting/cancelling their itineraries in response to the prevailing Covid landscape.

 

Frustrating yes, but I don’t put the blame at Azamara’s door.

 

 

Regards

[MNgardens]

As much as we would like it to be, we are not living in "normal" times. Expectations cannot be the same. No amount of good mental attitude will make it so.

 

Azamara gave you several months notification for the cruise that canceled. Compare that with Windstar that recently gave people only days for canceled cruises in the Caribbean that could have had a couple weeks notification.  That would have had me truly steamed.

 

I enjoy both Windstar and Azamara but I am holding off on making reservations. Part of that hesitancy is because I know I am not a super flexible personality; part of it is because of how our family has been impacted by the pandemic and not feeling particularly courageous.

[jelayne]

We have had a dozen cruises cancelled on various lines.  The situation with  Covid is continuing around the world.  You and I are fortunate to live in the US where the vaccine is widely available. Many countries are not as fortunate.  Places who had made excellent  progress in getting Covid under control have experienced 2nd or 3rd surges.  IMO Azamara and other lines are doing a good job of trying to get back operating, keeping passengers and crew safe and adjusting to a ever changing situations around the world.

[mj_holiday]

While it is frustrating to have a cruise canceled that we were depending on. But it would be very bad for a cruise to sail and then have difficulties finding spaces at ports and safe excursions for people. 

[Leo_On_Geo]

I understand that Azamara is doing the best thay can with the Covid restrictions in so many countries, so may thing are out of their control. 

 

I AM upset with their lift and shift options.  The option given for my Nov 2, 21 and Nov 18, 21 B-2-B are two 2022 cruises with a 11 day break between them. Really I am supposed to spend 11 days in Dubai between the cruises.  That is UNACCEPTABLE and that is somthing Azamara can control.  Frustrating.

[earlvolfan]

Well, both Greece and Israel are open to vaccinated visitors, so I don't think that it's unreasonable to expect Azamara to let us know the actual reasons that they are canceling the cruise.

[hiccups]

37 minutes ago, earlvolfan said:

Well, both Greece and Israel are open to vaccinated visitors, so I don't think that it's unreasonable to expect Azamara to let us know the actual reasons that they are canceling the cruise.

From the website:  "In addition, the conditions in certain parts of the Middle East and Western Africa are not conducive to cruise operations leaving us no choice but to cancel Azamara Pursuit voyages until January 2022."

Sounds like an actual reason to me.  I trust they know what resources they need to operate.  It's not like they WANT to cancel cruises and continue to lose money.

 

[Grandma Cruising]

10 hours ago, Leo_On_Geo said:

I understand that Azamara is doing the best thay can with the Covid restrictions in so many countries, so may thing are out of their control. 

 

I AM upset with their lift and shift options.  The option given for my Nov 2, 21 and Nov 18, 21 B-2-B are two 2022 cruises with a 11 day break between them. Really I am supposed to spend 11 days in Dubai between the cruises.  That is UNACCEPTABLE and that is somthing Azamara can control.  Frustrating.

Worth contacting them to see if they will let you look at other options. Other posters seem to have been able to swap cruises.

[Riocca]

6 hours ago, earlvolfan said:

Well, both Greece and Israel are open to vaccinated visitors, so I don't think that it's unreasonable to expect Azamara to let us know the actual reasons that they are canceling the cruise.

Unfortunately life is not that simple, according to the information we have in the U.K. Israel requires a negative PCR test within 72 hours of travel to Israel. That means Azamara would have to provide PCR tests for all passengers and crew which logistically might not be possible.

As Azamara sells cruises internationally they need to consider restrictions imposed by other countries, for example for the U.K. guests Greece is on our amber list meaning there are currently quarantine requirements on our return to the U.K. also Australian and New Zealand customers are not allowed to travel at the moment.

Often on med cruises US & Canadian passengers have only accounted for about 150 passengers, obviously only Azamara know what percentage of passengers have booked these cruises but it just might not economically possible to run them.

 I am sure all cruise lines would love to run a full set of itineraries but unfortunately that’s just not going to be possible for the moment.

[marinaro44]

6 hours ago, hiccups said:

From the website:  "In addition, the conditions in certain parts of the Middle East and Western Africa are not conducive to cruise operations leaving us no choice but to cancel Azamara Pursuit voyages until January 2022."

Sounds like an actual reason to me.  I trust they know what resources they need to operate.  It's not like they WANT to cancel cruises and continue to lose money.

 

Well said.  Does anyone think Azamara cancels cruises just to annoy its booked passengers?

[BrendaJ]

I just had an Antarctic Azamara cruise cancelled for next February.   Sure, it is disappointing, but better safe than sorry.   We were on an Azamara ship in the same part of the world (South America) last year when COVID hit the fan, and Chile was incredibly uncooperative and counterproductive.  I honestly would not want to be stuck down there if things took a turn for worst.   Azamara treated us amazingly well, dealt with the disrupted cruise extremely fairly, and made sure we were safe, comfortable and pampered for the whole extended voyage.   From what I experienced, they also managed refunds and changes quickly and fairly.  

In comparison, we had a Crystal River cruise booked for this year.   It was clearly not going to happen, and we had no desire to make our final payment, knowing they would be cancelling the cruise for sure (which they did).  They took their sweet time refunding our substantial deposit, and kept $1,000 as an admin fee (that we can supposedly apply to another Crystal cruise).   I have read horror stories of Crystal taking full payment for cruises and not refunding the passengers for over 9 months - I have not heard such complaints about Azamara.   
 

Of course we wish we could have gone on our Antarctica cruise, but I feel confident that Azamara will refund the packages and excursions that we booked promptly, and we’ll just try again in 2023.  

[Cruiser6270]

4 hours ago, Riocca said:

Unfortunately life is not that simple, according to the information we have in the U.K. Israel requires a negative PCR test within 72 hours of travel to Israel. That means Azamara would have to provide PCR tests for all passengers and crew which logistically might not be possible.

As Azamara sells cruises internationally they need to consider restrictions imposed by other countries, for example for the U.K. guests Greece is on our amber list meaning there are currently quarantine requirements on our return to the U.K. also Australian and New Zealand customers are not allowed to travel at the moment.

Often on med cruises US & Canadian passengers have only accounted for about 150 passengers, obviously only Azamara know what percentage of passengers have booked these cruises but it just might not economically possible to run them.

 I am sure all cruise lines would love to run a full set of itineraries but unfortunately that’s just not going to be possible for the moment.

And the UK FCDO is still advising against international cruises which most likely invalidates travel insurance. Running a cruise line must be one of the most complex and difficult tasks in business at the moment.

[Vineyard View]

I think it’s a crap shoot right now on when cruises will be more reliable due to Covid. We originally were waiting until 2023 but couldn’t resist a B2B sailing Onward in May. I am hopeful that will be enough time for things to settle down. Not having to pay in full until January is a comfort- not all cruise lines allow that. 

[RTcruzer]

I don't understand why Azamara Pursuit has canceled all of these cruises except the one I am looking at in Nov 2021 from Athens to Israel, Egypt, etc?????  I thought for sure that this one would have been canceled too.  I mean if they are saying "the conditions in certain parts of the Middle East and Western Africa are not conducive to cruise operations leaving us no choice but to cancel Azamara Pursuit voyages until January 2022."    I have not booked it yet--I don't want to be left with Azamara credit instead of my $$$

[TeaBag]

We are also very disappointed with the cancellation of our Tokyo to Athens B2B.  This was to be our first taste of Azamara and we were drooling!  Don't know what to do now as there is nothing to book in that area.

[Aardvaark]

51 minutes ago, TeaBag said:

We are also very disappointed with the cancellation of our Tokyo to Athens B2B.  This was to be our first taste of Azamara and we were drooling!  Don't know what to do now as there is nothing to book in that area.

We've been cancelled, too.  I have to infer that no line is willing to do all the work and liaison with the multiple governments when they each might change thier minds at any time.  I don't like it, but I suppose I have to accept it.

Edited July 5, 2021 by Aardvaark
Add virus cruise pictorial.

[ECCruise]

2 hours ago, TeaBag said:

We are also very disappointed with the cancellation of our Tokyo to Athens B2B.  This was to be our first taste of Azamara and we were drooling!  Don't know what to do now as there is nothing to book in that area.

When the 2023 itineraries are released from April onward, there may be something there.  Since ours was in April/May/June 2022 (the B2B) there could be something similar.

Quest will be in Asia on April 18th, 2023 (Tokyo), the same place Journey was scheduled to be in April, 2022.   If they bring the ship to Europe for the summer season, it could roughly duplicate our itinerary.  The other option would be a Transpacific and then a summer Alaska season (but they have already done that in 2019 and it was one season and done).

Journey and Pursuit will be in Lisbon through March 25th and March 23rd respectively, and no new itineraries yet released, though I know they are working on them.  The first order of business for itineraries is for those to replace all sailings cancelled last week.

Edited July 5, 2021 by ECCruise

[TeaBag]

Thanks for the encouragement ECCruise.  I would love to see that itinerary offered again.  Time is running out for us with regard to Petra (lots of walking in the heat).  With our recent 40C temps here in BC we have had a taste of managing in that heat and we have not done very well. 

[earlvolfan]

Many of the remaining cruises in the last quarter of 2021 and first quarter of 2022 depart from Miami.

 

Does anyone have a concern about Azamara actually running cruises out of Miami since the state of Florida is not allowing cruises that depart that state from confirming vaccination status prior to departure?

[movin12]

I am booked on the Pursuit Nov. 6th.  I called Azamara today and was told that several cruises have been canceled but this cruise is a go.  I asked why this one was not canceled and did not get a clear answer other than they felt the areas were okay for this cruise.  After seeing on their website that this cruise is still being offered  I was optomistic and my call confirmed it was not canceled.  I’m hopeful😊

[uktog]

On 7/6/2021 at 12:58 AM, movin12 said:

I am booked on the Pursuit Nov. 6th.  I called Azamara today and was told that several cruises have been canceled but this cruise is a go.  I asked why this one was not canceled and did not get a clear answer other than they felt the areas were okay for this cruise.  After seeing on their website that this cruise is still being offered  I was optomistic and my call confirmed it was not canceled.  I’m hopeful😊

But the website and travel advisory clearly says Pursuit voyages are cancelled until January 2022 so I can’t understand why would a single cruise be going in November?  I am sorry it’s more likely to be a website error and an agent who takes the basic line I can see it on my screen (which also has an error) so it’s going and this is an easy quick call. 
Hope you get clarity soon and sorry if as seems likely your plans are messed up