Feeling Deceived and Powerless

[Carolexas Cruiser]

Hello, everyone. I truly hate having to post a complaint, but I don't know what else to do. I will try to get to the point quickly to save everyone time, but if you have questions I will happily answer them.

 

Before my dad died, he made me promise that I would take my mom traveling in his place. So my sister and I were thrilled to discover a seven night Greece intensive voyage for a very low price on Azamara's Journey. On September 7, 2023, we booked the cruise: my wife and I booked together, and my sister and mom booked together. We paid the entire amount. No balance due. We spent the next few months booking airplane tickets and hotel rooms. Mom even received steroid injections to improve her hip function and ability to walk.

 

Approximately eight months later, on Easter Sunday, we received an email alert that our invoice had changed. Our new invoice said our tickets were now six times as much as we had already paid and that we owed the difference. I called Azamara. They escalated the matter and said they'd call back within 48 hours. They didn't call back. I called again but was told the folks working on the matter were not in. I waited another two days and called back for a third time and was told they simply would not honor the original price because it was what they called a "system glitch." They said I could pay the rest or get a refund for the initial amount.

 

We have spent a lot of money to prepare for this cruise. It seems wrong that Azamara can decide at any moment that it wants to charge a customer more than the price they paid for the original deal by calling that deal a system glitch. I don't know what to do now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[blag]

Did you book the cruise direct or through a TA?

Did you pay for the cruise with a Credit Card?

Why did you pay the full amount so far in advance? 

 

[Vidiruth]

I had the same problem. I booked a cruise last august and paid in full. Azamara said was a glitch and was charging 6 times more than I already paid. After a lot of emails and phone calIs I received last week  an email from Azamara saying they are honouring the price. I booked througth the website. My cruise is on June. Don't give up! 

[Vidiruth]

In my case I paid with credit card and had 2 options: hold 24 hours or pay in full. 

[KirkNC]

While the Terms and Conditions associated with a booking give Azamara great latitude including completely changing itineraries, it does not allow them to reprice the cruise.  Keep fighting and I bet you will win.

[Carolexas Cruiser]

4 hours ago, Vidiruth said:

I had the same problem. I booked a cruise last august and paid in full. Azamara said was a glitch and was charging 6 times more than I already paid. After a lot of emails and phone calIs I received last week  an email from Azamara saying they are honouring the price. I booked througth the website. My cruise is on June. Don't give up! 

 

Wow, congratulations! I'm so impressed. If you don't mind my asking, how many phone calls and emails did it take? I guess I'm just worn out from dealing with it this week. It's unconscionable that multiple customers have had to go through this.

[Carolexas Cruiser]

44 minutes ago, KirkNC said:

While the Terms and Conditions associated with a booking give Azamara great latitude including completely changing itineraries, it does not allow them to reprice the cruise.  Keep fighting and I bet you will win.

 

Thanks for the support!

[Host Jazzbeau]

I forget which website I saw this on yesterday [OK – old age jokes may be inserted here, and are deserved!] but I definitely saw clear wording that reserved the right to reprice/cancel bookings based on erroneous pricing.

[Mackdogmolly]

30 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I forget which website I saw this on yesterday [OK – old age jokes may be inserted here, and are deserved!] but I definitely saw clear wording that reserved the right to reprice/cancel bookings based on erroneous pricing.

Yes, but EIGHT months later??

[KirkNC]

14 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I forget which website I saw this on yesterday [OK – old age jokes may be inserted here, and are deserved!] but I definitely saw clear wording that reserved the right to reprice/cancel bookings based on erroneous pricing.

The only revenant website would be Azamara’s.  Here are the terms and conditions from their website and I found no language allowing them to change pricing on a booked voyage.

 

 https://www.azamara.com/static-assets/resources/ctc-pdfs/North_America_CTC_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf
 

 

 

[fruitmachine]

3 hours ago, KirkNC said:

The only revenant website would be Azamara’s.  Here are the terms and conditions from their website and I found no language allowing them to change pricing on a booked voyage.

 

 https://www.azamara.com/static-assets/resources/ctc-pdfs/North_America_CTC_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf
 

 

 

Unfortunately there are further Ts&Cs for the website that I believe this was booked through, specifically at https://www.azamara.com/about-azamara/legal?loc=us1712392477478

 

The Company has used reasonable efforts in collecting, preparing and providing quality information and material, but does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, adequacy or currency of the information contained in or linked to this Web site or any other Company Web Site. Users of information from this Web site or any other Company Web Site or links do so at their own risk. We assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content of any Company Web Site. The Company is not responsible for pricing, typographical, or other errors and reserves the right to cancel without liability any bookings made at erroneous rates. While the Company may make changes to the information in a Company Web Site or to any Company service or product at any time without notice, the Company makes no commitment to update the information on a Company Web Site.

 

Although it is useful to post here to draw out comments others like @Vidiruth with a similar experience, I'd suggest you engage some formal local legal advice on your options.  Whilst I suspect that they have the right to cancel (with a full refund) and that moral pressure around your reasonable expectations after this length of time will be the way to get them to budge, you need someone qualified on your side giving you personalized advice. 

 

Barrack Room lawyers like myself should only be listened to as you would background chatter!

 

[KirkNC]

15 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

Unfortunately there are further Ts&Cs for the website that I believe this was booked through, specifically at https://www.azamara.com/about-azamara/legal?loc=us1712392477478

 

The Company has used reasonable efforts in collecting, preparing and providing quality information and material, but does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, adequacy or currency of the information contained in or linked to this Web site or any other Company Web Site. Users of information from this Web site or any other Company Web Site or links do so at their own risk. We assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content of any Company Web Site. The Company is not responsible for pricing, typographical, or other errors and reserves the right to cancel without liability any bookings made at erroneous rates. While the Company may make changes to the information in a Company Web Site or to any Company service or product at any time without notice, the Company makes no commitment to update the information on a Company Web Site.

 

Although it is useful to post here to draw out comments others like @Vidiruth with a similar experience, I'd suggest you engage some formal local legal advice on your options.  Whilst I suspect that they have the right to cancel (with a full refund) and that moral pressure around your reasonable expectations after this length of time will be the way to get them to budge, you need someone qualified on your side giving you personalized advice. 

 

Barrack Room lawyers like myself should only be listened to as you would background chatter!

 

Agreed!

[commodoredave]

You are not alone in receiving inexplicable and disappointing service from Azamara as this story illustrates:

https://gentlemansportion.com/2023/09/04/an-azamazingly-sad-decline/
 

[JsMom2]

11 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I forget which website I saw this on yesterday [OK – old age jokes may be inserted here, and are deserved!] but I definitely saw clear wording that reserved the right to reprice/cancel bookings based on erroneous pricing.

Yes in the fine print on the website it says they have the right to correct errors.  So legally they can change it.  But morally and ethically, once a cruise is paid in full it’s just not right!

[JsMom2]

1 hour ago, commodoredave said:

You are not alone in receiving inexplicable and disappointing service from Azamara as this story illustrates:

https://gentlemansportion.com/2023/09/04/an-azamazingly-sad-decline/
 

Interesting article. Always book B2B cruises as separate reservations.  Then link them for the B2B OBC after the fact.  Azamara definitely screwed up, because the first leg should never have been repriced.  I know in the past they’ve marketed Grand Voyages where they basically create a B2B for you.  Maybe this was one of those.  But still they should’ve reverted the first leg back to original pricing.  They just laid off 20% of shoreside personnel yesterday.  Maybe a leaner company will be able to communicate more effectively. 

[Carolexas Cruiser]

5 minutes ago, JsMom2 said:

Yes in the fine print on the website it says they have the right to correct errors.  So legally they can change it.  But morally and ethically, once a cruise is paid in full it’s just not right!

 

Thanks for your support, @JsMom2! @commodoredave posted another story of something similar happening. And if a customer can't trust that the "great deal" on Azamara's site is actually a great deal, then what's the point? Can the customer trust any price or can it be changed the day before sailing?

[Carolexas Cruiser]

5 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

Unfortunately there are further Ts&Cs for the website that I believe this was booked through, specifically at https://www.azamara.com/about-azamara/legal?loc=us1712392477478

 

The Company has used reasonable efforts in collecting, preparing and providing quality information and material, but does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, adequacy or currency of the information contained in or linked to this Web site or any other Company Web Site. Users of information from this Web site or any other Company Web Site or links do so at their own risk. We assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content of any Company Web Site. The Company is not responsible for pricing, typographical, or other errors and reserves the right to cancel without liability any bookings made at erroneous rates. While the Company may make changes to the information in a Company Web Site or to any Company service or product at any time without notice, the Company makes no commitment to update the information on a Company Web Site.

 

Although it is useful to post here to draw out comments others like @Vidiruth with a similar experience, I'd suggest you engage some formal local legal advice on your options.  Whilst I suspect that they have the right to cancel (with a full refund) and that moral pressure around your reasonable expectations after this length of time will be the way to get them to budge, you need someone qualified on your side giving you personalized advice. 

 

Barrack Room lawyers like myself should only be listened to as you would background chatter!

 

 

Thanks for the advice. The problem is that the contract mandates arbitration in Florida, which is quite expensive. And although the clause that they're not responsible for their own website's pricing might not be enforceable, the arbitration clause probably is, so my access to any recourse is limited. Azamara is in a powerful position where they can kind of just do whatever they want.

[luv2travel90266]

 

social media should do it but it doesn't appear to work with Azamara. These are complaints listed at the Better Business Bureau website. All appear to have been unanswered by Azamara

https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/miami/profile/cruises/azamara-cruises-0633-92032451/complaints

 

 

[excitedofharpenden]

@Carolexas Cruiser, I'm sorry this had happened to you and for the stress it is causing you. This is a result of the very poor IT that was in place at Azamara following the acquisition by another company. This board is littered with differing stories. 

 

I'd be really interested to know exactly how much the price was when you originally booked it (to include cruise date and cabin category) and how much they are now asking you for. If you are prepared to post that information here.  Maybe knowing the scale someone can give you a suggestion of where to go. I hope you can get it sorted out. 

 

Phil 

[tgg]

I wonder if Carolexas Cruiser, a first time poster and Vidiruth, a second time poster, are on the same cruise - or if they know each other.

 

It would be interesting to know the sailing dates and cabin categories as well as all the pricing information.

[java spot]

The complaints to the BBB are terrifying and a confirmed incentive not to pay in advance for 10% OBC. At least with a 4 month window from final payment to cruise date, a credit card company can reimburse you for a 6 month period if something goes awry due to Azamara's non-performance.  I am also interested in sail date and cabin of the OP. I have looked at all of the Greek 7 day cruises and they are priced around or under 2k for starting cabin prices. (according to a consolidator website)  This certainly makes anyone who books a cruise which they deem to be a "deal" nervous.  Given the recent price hikes on most of the onboard amenities, "deals" are the only azamara cruises i care to book now. 

[laurieb]

I do believe there have been other instsances posted here, where someone got a steal of a deal and paid in full at the time of booking, thinking that the error is pricing couldn't be corrected.  I wonder if this is one of those instances?  Why would anyone pay in full so far out?

[blag]

5 hours ago, laurieb said:

Why would anyone pay in full so far out?

And I asked the same question right at the top of this topic, but this and two other potentially relevant questions remain unanswered.

Ine tries to offer assistance, rather than platitudes, but to no avail! 

[commodoredave]

The facts are well established that Azamara had a terrible run of bad IT, poor communication and uncaring response to customers. The important thing going forward is to ask whether Azamara management recognizes these failures, and is working to improve outcomes for customers in future.

Only Azamara management can answer this question, and to date the silence has been deafening. 

[laurieb]

On 4/6/2024 at 5:58 AM, commodoredave said:

You are not alone in receiving inexplicable and disappointing service from Azamara as this story illustrates:

https://gentlemansportion.com/2023/09/04/an-azamazingly-sad-decline/
 

This is a story you wrote, correct?  You have a lot to say for someone who hasn't ever sailed with the line either, according to your signature