Azamara Goes Independent of Celebrity

[Coco Creek]

I discovered this morning that Azamara will no longer book through the Celebrity web site, but will instead be there own independent company under the Royal Carribean holding company.

 

Transition planning was not the best. The new Azamara web site is not ready so new cruises cannot be bookeds or Azamara reservations updated.

[cruiseyguy]

Yes, it does seem to be designated as a separate entity on the RCL Investor Relations website. I wonder what is behind this and whether Dan H. will also be the head of Azamara. More importantly, is this an "enhancement" of Azamara's status within the corporation?

[Andy]

Yes, it does seem to be designated as a separate entity on the RCL Investor Relations website. I wonder what is behind this and whether Dan H. will also be the head of Azamara. More importantly, is this an "enhancement" of Azamara's status within the corporation?

 

Hi Cruiseyguy !

 

From the very beginning, it was announced that Azamara would be run separately, and owned by Celebrity, which is also owned by Royal Caribbean. Both Celebrity and Azamara are being run by Mr. Hanrahan.

 

I hope this helps to clarify.

[Susan-M]

The new Azamara web site is not ready so new cruises cannot be bookeds or Azamara reservations updated.

 

This message is on Celebrity's Captains Club Reservation page:

 

Special Note: For our guest booked on Azamara Journey or Azamara Quest ships, your cruise booking will not display at this time. We are currently making enhancements to our website and appreciate your patience during this time. Please contact your Travel Agent or if you have existing bookings with Azamara Cruises please call 1-877-222-2526. For new bookings through Azamara Cruises please call 1-877-999-9553.

[rdowney]

Unlike last night, there is now some functionality on the new Azamara web site. Shore excursions and online check-in appear to be available. It was able to find records for shore excursions that I had purchased through the Celebrity site.

 

"My Azamara" is a bit confusing. It would not allow me to sign-in using the My Celebrity user name and said that the user name was not recognized. However, when I tried to register with that user name, it said that it was already taken. My Azamara does not yet include your reservations. So each time that you want to access info on your reservation, such as available excursions, you need your reservation number.

[Andy]

Hi Everyone !

 

I must chime in on this topic. It was very clear from the get-go that Azamara would be separate from Celebrity. However, the separation of both websites (from what I noticed a few moments ago) seems to be poorly planned.

 

For starters, they took away the ability to see all Azamara Cruises at the Celebrity website. Had this transition been well planned, that would be fine. What destroys this plan, is that when you go to the revamped Azamara website, you cannot book ANY Cruises at this time, or see exact pricing for specific categories on any particular sail date. You also cannot see specific cabin ability. Per Captain's Club, all bookings (at this point) must be done by phone.

 

My question is, is the online booking system gone for good ? Or, will it return in the near future ? I realize that some of their competitors prefer to book on the phone, but why take away something that has existed for several months ?

 

Furthermore, the "My Azamara" Section seems to be non-functional at this point. If you try to log in with your Celebrity user name and password, it says you arent registered. If you try to register with your Celebrity user name, it says that user name is in use. What's the solution to this problem Azamara ?

 

From a business standpoint, this is totally ridiculous. Azamara/Celebrity just took away an option to book online, and has less information available at the Azamara website. They stand to lose a great deal of revenue if this isnt resolved immediately. At the very least, they should have made CERTAIN that a functional online booking system and up to date pricing for all categories was in place BEFORE they flipped the switch on at Azamara, and turned it off at Celebrity.

 

You really have to wonder who is making these decisions, as it makes absolutely no sense, and may cost the company in lost bookings, as well as more time spent on the phone by Azamara staff, travel agents, and passengers.

 

IMHO, I cant see how Azamara could let this changeover take place before being absolutely certain that all of the bugs were worked out. I would never let something like this happen in my business. I hope Azamara will get this resolved as soon as possible.

[cruiseyguy]

Host Andy-Some of the problems we are now seeing with Azamara, as well as some encountered in the past, stem from having the same management team run both "brands." With potentially overlapping markets, "sharing" of staff and crew, etc. there is a conflict of interest between the two cruise lines which will eventually affect the ability of Azamara to develop its own identity and to grow. Unless RCL is simply positioning Azamara for a sell off, Dan H. cannot be head of both lines for the long term.

[Susan-M]

My question is, is the online booking system gone for good ? Or, will it return in the near future ?

Hi Andy,

I agree that it would have made more sense to have the Azamara site ready before deleting info from the Celebrity site. Hopefully Azamara's website is a w/e project and will be fully functional with information on cruises, booking, reservations, excursions, etc. within a day or two.

[Coco Creek]

This is really an inept transition. I was able to create a new login and password, but it is only good for saving cruises under My Favorities.

 

I cannot believe a business would go into a weekend during Christmas shopping season without a telephone number listed to call to make reservations or the possibility of making reservations online.

 

What a beautful way to besmirch a growing brand.

[greeneg]

If you think back, you will conclude that this is the same sort of IT glitch which has happened over and over again with the basic RCL computer set up. Most changes over the past few years have seemed to have one issue or another.

 

IMHO, this is simply one more....Oh well, my current reservation is pretty well set and I have already done the on-line check in so probably not a problem for me.......I hope.

[rdowney]

This is really an inept transition.

 

It's certainly inept. The links from Celebrity's home page to Azamara are broken. A Google search on "Azamara Cruises" or "Azamara" returns azamaracruises.com (without www in the URL) as the top hit. If you follow it, the message is "Forbidden You don't have permission to access / on this server. Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request."

 

Doesn't anybody plan for these changes or do any testing?

[susiesan]

Unless I'm hallucinating, there seem to be far more shore excursions available for the March 1 Quest Panama Canal sailing than were showing up on Celebrity's web site. They are still grossly overpriced but it gives me material to research doing the same excursions on our own with private guides for half the cost.

[JoKnecht]

:confused: We were waiting for our travel documents to arrive for our Dec 23 Journey cruise. When they didn't come, we called customer service today, only to be told that they available on line and if we wanted them delivered it would cost $35 for each of us. Now with the website down, we can't access our documents. Sure hope it's functional soon, or its gonna be a pretty short trip for us...to the airport and back.

[rdowney]

:confused: We were waiting for our travel documents to arrive for our Dec 23 Journey cruise. When they didn't come, we called customer service today, only to be told that they available on line and if we wanted them delivered it would cost $35 for each of us. Now with the website down, we can't access our documents. Sure hope it's functional soon, or its gonna be a pretty short trip for us...to the airport and back.

 

We are on the same cruise as you. Our documents are available and accessible online. I just checked to make sure that they are still there although I saved a copy earlier. Our travel agent emailed us a link to them more than three weeks ago. You should be able to get the link through your TA and/or Celebrity. You will need the link to your docs; there doesn't appear to be any other way to get there.

[harryw]

Does this formal separation mean that an Azamara cruise will no longer be credited towards Captain Club level status?

 

Harry

[Susan-M]

Does this formal separation mean that an Azamara cruise will no longer be credited towards Captain Club level status?

 

Harry

 

Azamara has a Captains Club program, but I don't see any mention of it being linked to Celebrity's program:

http://www.azamaracruises.com/captainsclub/heroSingleTxtSub.do;jsessionid=00008nbvHsbBWxuYctUN5vQOmlT:12odfrvf9?pagename=membership_benefits

 

http://www.azamaracruises.com/captainsclub/heroSingleTxtSub.do;jsessionid=00008nbvHsbBWxuYctUN5vQOmlT:12odfrvf9?pagename=terms_and_conditions

 

However, this statement in the Terms and Conditions, means there has to be a connection since it would be impossible to be an Azamara Captains Club member prior to 2002: "Founder Classic Members are guests who enrolled prior to October 1, 2002. These members receive priority embarkation and preferential debarkation, in addition to all other Classic Level benefits."

 

I think the website needs some fine-tuning.:(

[Andy]

Does this formal separation mean that an Azamara cruise will no longer be credited towards Captain Club level status?

 

Harry

 

Hi Harry !

 

I would say that Azamara will continue to be a part of Captains Club. When I was on Quest a few weeks ago, they made it VERY clear they were a part of Celebrity's Captains Club. Also, I recieved Captains Club credits for my Azamara sailings.

 

At this point, I would be surprised if they separated the 2 programs, but I suppose anything is possible.

[cabo de hornos]

Hello Andy

 

I can also confirm the crediting of Azamara sailings to X's Capn's Club. Our "promotion" to Elite is now acknowledged on the X site, about two to three weeks after returning on 11/10.

 

Cabo

[harryw]

Hi Harry !

 

I would say that Azamara will continue to be a part of Captains Club. When I was on Quest a few weeks ago, they made it VERY clear they were a part of Celebrity's Captains Club. Also, I recieved Captains Club credits for my Azamara sailings.

 

At this point, I would be surprised if they separated the 2 programs, but I suppose anything is possible.

Hi Andy -

 

I was happy to promptly get a CC credit after my summer Azamara cruise, especially after reading a few posts about problems others had with CC counting their cruises properly..

 

Harry

[newly retired]

As of this morning the online check in is available, and the rest of the web site looks beautiful. Patience is the word here, everything good takes time and the one thing I've noticed on this board is that everyone is always so negative instead of positive. I will be on the Feb 2nd Quest sailing and know I will have a wonderful time, will not be picking out the cons only the pros.

[Luckyladym]

As of this morning the online check in is available, and the rest of the web site looks beautiful. Patience is the word here, everything good takes time and the one thing I've noticed on this board is that everyone is always so negative instead of positive. I will be on the Feb 2nd Quest sailing and know I will have a wonderful time, will not be picking out the cons only the pros.

 

Hi Newly Retired....how did you get to the online check in? I agree that the website does look very nice, but i could not check in for our 1/05/08 cruise. Couldn't find a link.

 

Can anyone help?

Thanks, Marilyn

[Coco Creek]

Online check-in is available by clicking on Before Your Cruise on the Home page.

[newly retired]

Hi Newly Retired....how did you get to the online check in? I agree that the website does look very nice, but i could not check in for our 1/05/08 cruise. Couldn't find a link.

 

Can anyone help?

Thanks, Marilyn

 

Hi Marilyn

Go to www.azamaracruises.com

Home page will come up, on right hand side of page there is a link for already booked, click onto online check in and you will be there. Hope this works for you and have a great cruise.

[Susan-M]

I called Azamara to find my Reservation # since I couldn't go in through Captain's Club (you need a new username for Azamara), and my Res. # wasn't showing on my TA's confirmation.

 

The phone number shown goes through to Celebrity On-Line Check In, but to locate your reservation #, they will transfer you to Azamara. My call to Celebrity was picked up within 30 seconds, and my transfer to Azamara was answered immediately .... I either called at a very good time, or they have a lot of staff on duty today. :)

 

Link to on-line check-in: https://secure.azamaracruises.com/beforeyourcruise/onlineDocumentation/home.do;jsessionid=0000orsmarz2T6LAsNz1zTJnCBM:12odfrvf9

[greeneg]

Just to add, I went ahead and created an Azamara Profile this morning and was automatically recognised as "Elite" in the Captains Club area. What was interesting to me is that part of my Celebrity profile went over to the Azamara site, but not all of it, and I had to pick a new user's name as someone else reported, because, mine was "already in use".......

 

C'a marche.....