Beverage Package price increase??

[Scots Caz]

Just got an email through for trip on Quest next month

 

Sip and Savor Every Moment at Sea

 

Ultimate Beverage Package

$26.95 USD per person/per day

Expand your premium options even further with top-shelf spirits, wines by the glass, and bottled water. Special savings for Azamara Circle loyalty members.

 

it implies (to me) that I can book in advance of the trip at that price less the Circle loyalty discount

 

Still trying to work out which is best value as 17 night cruise so was tempted by Experience More package (I usually take Ultimate Beverage plus upgraded wi-fi and there appears to be confusion over whether the wi-fi Plus in the package is the standard or faster.)

At $49.95 I would not upgrade drinks...usually do it for ease and use OBC but could probably pay as I go for less (even at 'old' price)

 

 

[uktog]

1 hour ago, Scots Caz said:

Just got an email through for trip on Quest next month

 

Sip and Savor Every Moment at Sea

 

Ultimate Beverage Package

$26.95 USD per person/per day

Expand your premium options even further with top-shelf spirits, wines by the glass, and bottled water. Special savings for Azamara Circle loyalty members.

 

it implies (to me) that I can book in advance of the trip at that price less the Circle loyalty discount

 

Still trying to work out which is best value as 17 night cruise so was tempted by Experience More package (I usually take Ultimate Beverage plus upgraded wi-fi and there appears to be confusion over whether the wi-fi Plus in the package is the standard or faster.)

At $49.95 I would not upgrade drinks...usually do it for ease and use OBC but could probably pay as I go for less (even at 'old' price)

 

 

Very interesting given they declined to do that for me last week - as I reported also for Quest I was told it had to be done onboard at  the price prevailing on the day to get the discount.  Unfortunately I havent time to call until later on Tuesday but I interpret two things

1.  The price is still $26.95

2.  You could pre purchase and get the loyalty discount

[St Paul Girl]

Okay, sounds like we use our OBCs to buy the Ultimate package now and still get the lower rate. So, how do I do this? Obviously, login to my account, and then do I find the packages and put them into the cart and then call them to pay with OBCs? What is the number as I booked with a TA and would prefer to call Azamara directly. Thanks

 

[uktog]

7 minutes ago, St Paul Girl said:

Okay, sounds like we use our OBCs to buy the Ultimate package now and still get the lower rate. So, how do I do this? Obviously, login to my account, and then do I find the packages and put them into the cart and then call them to pay with OBCs? What is the number as I booked with a TA and would prefer to call Azamara directly. Thanks

 

You cannot do it online you have to call up.  If you are a repeat guest do come back and tell us if they gave you the loyalty discount

[St Paul Girl]

What is the number to contact them at? I have 4 different numbers for North America. Suggestions on which number to call tomorrow as they are not open on Sundays. Thanks

[AJCM]

The beverage package pdf has now been removed from Aza’s website. We also cannot rely on cruise prices on line at present as glitches have been found (according to the on board cruise sales person). After I queried a pricing inconsistency between her numbers and the website’s, she said she was aware of the glitches because her colleagues had all been querying inconsistencies. So, the website problems continue. The new owners haven’t exactly been kicking goals.

 

 

[luv2travel90266]

2 hours ago, St Paul Girl said:

What is the number to contact them at? I have 4 different numbers for North America. Suggestions on which number to call tomorrow as they are not open on Sundays. Thanks

Not sure if it works for your area but this is the number I  call from California. 877-816-2917

 

[laurieb]

1 hour ago, AJCM said:

The beverage package pdf has now been removed from Aza’s website. We also cannot rely on cruise prices on line at present as glitches have been found (according to the on board cruise sales person). After I queried a pricing inconsistency between her numbers and the website’s, she said she was aware of the glitches because her colleagues had all been querying inconsistencies. So, the website problems continue. The new owners haven’t exactly been kicking goals.

 

 

The beverage packages are showing up on all four of my upcoming cruises, into 2025.  26.96 pppd for Ultimate; they show up under add-ons

Edited February 11 by laurieb

[AJCM]

I checked with Guest Relations this morning; in the vain hope that the USD39.95 was an error. Nope. The price has changed. You’ll all be just as disappointed as we were.

[Mrs Skip]

2 hours ago, AJCM said:

I checked with Guest Relations this morning; in the vain hope that the USD39.95 was an error. Nope. The price has changed. You’ll all be just as disappointed as we were.

Thanks for double checking Tony,  enjoy the rest of your cruise. 

[uktog]

4 hours ago, AJCM said:

I checked with Guest Relations this morning; in the vain hope that the USD39.95 was an error. Nope. The price has changed. You’ll all be just as disappointed as we were.

Thanks for asking- how are others reacting to the price?  I wonder what feedback Azamara will be getting on this change 

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise and drink some for me. 

Edited February 12 by uktog

[Rus Tee]

15 minutes ago, uktog said:

Thanks for asking- how are others reacting to the price?  I wonder what feedback Azamara will be getting on this change 

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise and drink some for me. 

I would have booked the ultimate drinks package without really thinking about it on our next cruise mainly for the wine. We almost certainly won’t do this now.

[Mackdogmolly]

I’m glad I bought the premium in advance of the rate hike. I think they are going to get a lot of complaints.

[laurieb]

I wonder if they’re maintaining the old price if you purchase online pre cruise, charging more on the ship.  Same with the specialties.

[Rabo]

Thinking that there possibly may be more increases coming for the Experience More packages, I’ve either upgraded (from included Essentials) or purchased the Indulgence package for each. For the trips outside the final payment date, the charges (less available OBC) have been added to the final invoices. I did all of this talking to a very competent phone representative.

[Mackdogmolly]

1 hour ago, laurieb said:

I wonder if they’re maintaining the old price if you purchase online pre cruise, charging more on the ship.  Same with the specialties.

Maybe. I bought both pre cruise at the old prices.

[tango9]

I am thinking of pre purchasing the Experience More package but I have already booked all my shore excursions and do not want to cancel them in order to use the $350 excursion credit onboard, as the excursions I want could be sold out.  Has anyone had any problem getting the Experience More excursion credit credited to one's already paid for shore excursions? 

[laurieb]

53 minutes ago, tango9 said:

I am thinking of pre purchasing the Experience More package but I have already booked all my shore excursions and do not want to cancel them in order to use the $350 excursion credit onboard, as the excursions I want could be sold out.  Has anyone had any problem getting the Experience More excursion credit credited to one's already paid for shore excursions? 

I'm on the phone having it done right now!  Took about 15 minutes to have it changed to OBC and the pending refund is already showing on my credit card!!

Edited February 12 by laurieb

[beatnix]

40 minutes ago, tango9 said:

I am thinking of pre purchasing the Experience More package but I have already booked all my shore excursions and do not want to cancel them in order to use the $350 excursion credit onboard, as the excursions I want could be sold out.  Has anyone had any problem getting the Experience More excursion credit credited to one's already paid for shore excursions? 

Did it when on bord. I had to cancel the excursions and rebook with excursions desk.

[uktog]

3 hours ago, laurieb said:

I wonder if they’re maintaining the old price if you purchase online pre cruise, charging more on the ship.  Same with the specialties.

Maybe. Whilst that may (or may not) be acceptable for restaurant packages I’m sorry but I do not agree re beverage packages because it makes a mockery of the loyalty benefit. 
“here is your special loyalty benefit but we need to charge you a higher price to benefit” 

[BuddyR]

23 minutes ago, uktog said:

Maybe. Whilst that may (or may not) be acceptable for restaurant packages I’m sorry but I do not agree re beverage packages because it makes a mockery of the loyalty benefit. 
“here is your special loyalty benefit but we need to charge you a higher price to benefit” 

I just spoke to an Azamara representative who verified with a supervisor that the loyalty discount would have to be applied on the ship.  She could upgrade me to the ultimate beverage package today for $26.95 per person per day and use OBC.  (She also said that while pricing fluctuated with shore excursions, that dining and beverage package pricing was set in stone!!).  On the ship with my 20% discount  if the cost is increased to $39.95 per day, I would be paying $31.96 per day, $5 more per person per day, and we’re doing a 25 day B2B.  I agree that this makes a mockery of the loyalty benefit…it’s hard to understand  why they can’t apply the loyalty discount if they are now willing to prebook packages using OBC.  I also think that if packages are going to increase drastically that Azamara should notify everyone with existing reservations  and give them an opportunity to purchase before the price actually increases.  I have a decision to make.

 

On another note, is it true that any unused OBC from the first leg of a B2B would carry over to the 2nd leg?  I thought I had read that this was happening now, but this representative said the OBC is technically separate according to Azamara’s policy, and if OBC is carrying over it is due to the way personnel are handling it on a particular ship.

[Mackdogmolly]

1 hour ago, BuddyR said:

On another note, is it true that any unused OBC from the first leg of a B2B would carry over to the 2nd leg?  I thought I had read that this was happening now, but this representative said the OBC is technically separate according to Azamara’s policy, and if OBC is carrying over it is due to the way personnel are handling it on a particular ship.

It is my understanding that if the B2Bs are under the same booking number, the OBC will carry over. That’s what I was told re by B2Bs next fall.

[Jay19]

I was told that also, although my understanding was that this is only applicable if the original b2b booking is made under one number.    On our cruise last year I was not able to carry OBC across as, even though the booking was eventually given one number, the original booking was made as two segments with separate booking numbers allocated.   As it turned out it didn't matter because I'd spent it by then anyway!  😀

[tango9]

2 hours ago, uktog said:

Maybe. Whilst that may (or may not) be acceptable for restaurant packages I’m sorry but I do not agree re beverage packages because it makes a mockery of the loyalty benefit. 
“here is your special loyalty benefit but we need to charge you a higher price to benefit” 

More confusion!  My traveling companion called Azamara today and was told that the best thing to do is book Ultimate beverage package onboard for $27.95 and then the 20% loyalty benefit will be given towards it ( Discoverer Plus tier). I called today and the rep was totally clueless.  She knew nothing.  Not even the daily price .  

[AJCM]

just to clarify, we received the 20% discover plus discount.