ComplaintsforAmaWaterways

• Initial Complaint

  02/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I booked a cruise on ama waterways on 2/21/23 for departure on 6/30/24. I had to cancel today, within the ****** window before the cruise. The cancellation fee for the cruise is $400/person or $800. For 2. I planned to book airfare with them my contract states airline cancellation charges imposed upon receipt of full payment of either airfare and/or river cruise, and if airline tickets have been issued. We have neither paid in full or been issued airline tickets. Ama waterways claims none of our airfare is refundable despite the language in our contract. We have received no other communication. We believe we are entitled to the $1,200. Airfare deposit. Please help. Thank you

  Customer response

  06/04/2024

   
  Complaint: 21256984
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the contract said we would not have cancellation fees if canceled 90 days in advance, which we did. We were never notified of air fare booking, were not given any chance to choose class or seats or schedule. We were entitled to the trip cancellation fee per contract. Moving the trip was not an accommodation. It was in lieu of having to refund the fee. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business response

  06/06/2024

  Dear Guest,
  
  Thank you for sharing your frustrations regarding your cancelled booking for 2024 and the cancellation policies in place. In reviewing the details of how this was resolved, we regret that we could not change the penalties for your air cancellation, as this is a 3rd party service.  However, our Reservations Team was able to work with you and your travel advisor to transfer your cruise penalties as a credit towards your new 2025 booking.  We are pleased that this one-time exception was possible so that we could work with you towards an amicable resolution and also welcome you aboard a future cruise.
  
  For any questions related to your future booking, please reach out to your Travel Advisor or you can call us at ************.  
  
  We look forward to seeing you onboard next year and always welcome your questions.
  
  Warmest Regards,
  
  *******************************
  Manager, Customer Relations
  **********************
  

  
  

  Customer response

  06/06/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  10/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My husband and I are retired and have decided we enjoy riverboat cruising.We have been on two river cruises now with Avalon and loved them.Our travel agent saw a wonderful trip for us to take with AmaWaterways called the Colors of Paris and *********. We were hoping our friends would join us too.The price on your ******** website was $6569 per person which we thought was a good price and affordable for us. We were ready to book the cruise for April ****, and then to our disappointment our travel agent spoke to someone at AmaWaterways and they told her they had made a mistake on the ******** site and the price shown was in US dollars, not ********.AmaWaterways said they would have to make a correction on the website price and now it would be $8800 per person for ******** travellers.The river cruise is now, not affordable for us, or our friends. We would now have to pay the $8800 plus the airfare which would take us over $10,000 each.We looked at other cruise lines and AmaWaterways is the only company that offers this cruise from ***** and *********. I thought I would write to you and let you know that you have disappointed customers. There may have been other ******** customers who also were disappointed with the price adjustment.Thank you for your time and reading my email.Kind regards,*****************************

  Business response

  06/06/2024

  Dear Guest,
  
  Thank you so much for taking the time to express your concerns related to the pricing reflected on our websites for USD and CAD guests.  We sincerely regret that there was any confusion related to what the cost would be for your future cruise and that it ultimately changed your decision to travel with us.  To encourage you to keep your booking, our Reservations Team worked with your Travel Advisor to offer you a complimentary upgrade from a CB to a CA, Complimentary Pre-Paid Gratuities for 2, as well as a further cruise discount P200.
  
  We often have wonderful promotions that we hope you will decide to take advantage of in the future.  These can be reviewed by reaching out to your Travel Advisor, visiting our website, or reaching out to us at ************.  
  
  We sincerely hope to have the opportunity to welcome you aboard in the future and show you the AmaWaterways difference.
  
  Warmest Regards,
  
  *******************************
  Manager, Customer Relations
  **********************
  

  
  

  Customer response

  06/06/2024

   
  Complaint: 20705102
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Unfortunately, the price point was still much above what our travel agent read on the website, and what Amawaterways was offering us as compensation.

  Our travel agent didnt make a mistake by looking at the US pricing. She was told in a telephone conversation with an Amawaterways representative that there was an error on their part and that they were correcting the Canadian website pricing.

  My husband and I are disappointed and we were very interested in a river cruise with Amawayerways. 

  Time has passed now and the cruise has long since sailed and returned.

  Will Amawaterways reconsider additional compensation for us to take a river cruise in the future with them that is closer to the price that was being offered on their site last year (based on their error).

  Thank you for your consideration and time.

  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business response

  06/19/2024

  Dear Guest,

  Thank you so much for your follow up and we are truly sorry for any unresolved frustration related to this matter.  Whether there was an error on the website that was later fixed or a misunderstanding, our Reservations Team worked with you to resolve this matter in a fair way by offering you a complimentary upgrade from a CB to a CA, along with complimentary prepaid gratuities for 2 guests, and the additional cruise discount of $200.00 per person. For any further consideration related to this matter, please have your travel advisor reach out to us to discuss all of the available options based on the availability for the desired travel dates.

  As mentioned previously, we often have wonderful promotions that we hope you will decide to take advantage of in the future.  Once you or your travel advisor reach our Reservations Team, we will do everything we can to provide a booking recommendation that meets your needs financially and for the travel experience you are seeking.

  We are thrilled that you are still interested in joining us for a cruise and we know that you would have a fantastic time.  Again, we very much hope to have the opportunity to welcome you aboard in the future and show you the AmaWaterways difference.

  
  Warmest Regards,
  
  *******************************
  Manager, Customer Relations
  AmaWaterways

  Customer response

  07/04/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me with a few exceptions.

  How long is the offer for the  $200 per person, free gratuities and an upgrade of a cabin available until?  Will the offer be open for cruises in 2025 and 2026?

  Our budget will  not allow us to travel on another river cruise until at least sometime in 2025. 

  When booking a cruise what and who would my travel agent need to speak to regarding the offers above?  Do we receive a reference number my travel agent can use, so the Amawaterways agent is aware of the discussions I have had and the offers given to us, or will I be receiving a certificate with the offers that I can present to Amawaterways when booking a cruise?

  Thank you.

  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  12/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Booking date back in April 2022 - ************ for a trip Starting on 12/05 - 12/12 Fare paid $ ********* Intra-air cost - $ ****** Side tour ********** $ ****** Our trip was reserved back in April and I was advised that I would be contacted about the intra air and any extra side tours options 30 days prior to departure, As I had mentioned our interest of reserving business class seats, as my spouse is a large man. ******* was the name of the person handling my file at AMAWATERWAYS, it seems that she left the company, and nothing was done. I have called several times about it and to select any side trips, and I was also advised that any side trips would be booked 30 days prior to departure. 30 days prior to departure, I called once again and I was assigned to ******** ********** who at that point couldn't do much about it, as the ball has already been dropped and the trip to **** ****** was booked up and we couldn't participate, then he was able to speak to the organizer in *****, who was able to waitlist us, then it cleared. I have never received any information on the inter flights. I was told by AMA agent, that the flights inter *****, were small planes and no business class available, no extra leg room offered, not precisely the correct information. Big planes and I was able to secure Business class on one of them, due to my stats, again the trip "organizer" never advised us of our locators, assigning couples on separate seats, all over the plane. Arrived at the ************, the hotel is old and in need of a lot of work, not a ************ Hotel but sold as one, not only that, we were travelling with our family and friends, 12 total and we were no placed on the same bus, as they were, as we did not book through a "travel agency", we booked it through AMAWATERWAYS, in which I added their name to the booking, as a travelling party, it took them 3 days for us to be reunited with our friends and family members. The AMAWATERWAYS in ***** is not an AMAWATERWAYS ship, the ones used *********. It is sold as one but it is serviced by WINGS, a local company, as they also service other river cruises. It is totally misleading and false advertisement. The food was not up to par, crew speak almost no English, the Hospitality Manager was not trained as such, neither our Cruise Manager, he was telling passengers ** move their bags into the bus containers and being aggressive towards paying customers, towels were old, the food was always served cold, and they seem in a rush to get the service completed, instead of a dining experience. If this was our first experience with AMA, I would never travel with them again.

  Business response

  01/12/2023

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/12/22) */ To Whom It May Concern: Thank you so much for bringing this matter to our attention. These guests have also written to us directly with their concerns and this is important to us. Due to the holiday timing, we have asked for 3 weeks to review it and will return to the guests with a full reply and resolution to their concerns. Kindly note that we will not have an update on this matter prior to January 12, 2023 - and we appreciate your patience. Warm Regards, ******* Customer Relations, AmaWaterways Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2023/01/08) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) I will wait for your response on January 12th. thanks

• Initial Complaint

  11/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been discussing this issue with the complaint dept. at**** Waterways ( w/ **************** of customer relations : reservation I D XXXXXXXX ) . She has offered nothing but lame excuses , distortions of facts, and credits for future *** trips . It all started when**** reneged on their promised transfer from *********************** airport. Our best option was to move the flight departure from Sept 15 to Sept 16 , go to ********** on the 15th in order to catch the 6:30 a.m. flight to ******** on the 16th I trusted**** and my travel agent to make the arrangements : they did this. They, never asked me if I approved of the arrangements , and snuck the costs into a guest invoice `: a massive accounting document that included about ******* of charges , credits, and various charges for different parts of the trip. This layover in ********** was billed at over ****** dollars : about **** for a limo and **** for a luxury hotel. I did not learn the cost of the hotel until I checked out at 4:00 a.m. to catch a ride to the airport in our hired limo. We just backtracked we had passed *** airport on our way to downtown **********. Apparently,**** was incapable of getting us a room at one of the many hotels near the airport, or suggesting to me that I should make the arrangements on my own. My travel agent************** of**** was total worthless in protecting our best interests in all this. A first class train ticket from ***** to ********** costs about *** , ***** only defense is that the costs were included in the invoice they sent me . The bulk of the limo charge was bundled in a **** charge that included the hotel. I did not take a close look at the invoice until the trip was underway. I then asked the cruise manager ( ********* ) about the charges. He got in touch with**** and said I would receive an e-mail explanation of the charges. I heard nothing . I suggest**** be required to put a warning on their invoices : CAVEAT EMPTOR !

  Business response

  01/25/2023

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/12/02) */ To Whom It May Concern: We appreciate the opportunity to further address this concern for these guests. We truly regret that they were unhappy with the arrangements made for them on their booking. At the beginning of their inquiry, they were provided with an invoice of explanation, including costs, and terms of purchase. Payment was then provided by them as approval of the arrangements being extended and the terms of services. We were very sorry to hear that they did not fully analyze the details of these arrangements and later regretted their purchase, as this is not how we want our guests to feel upon making any arrangements with us. We may only have certain available options for guests to choose from in certain destinations. If they do not prefer our options, they are of course able to decline our services and pursue their own arrangements independently. We trust that when we provide such details to guests and agent partners that they are reviewing these details to ensure it is to their satisfaction prior to payment and prior to us making such arrangements on their behalf with our suppliers at the destination in question. After payment is made for such services, guests may cancel them with our penalty timetable in mind and penalties may apply. These details are referenced in our materials, invoices, and website. Once payment was secured, we in turn then made said arrangements for these services to be provided by our supplier partners in the specified destination. These services were then provided to the guests. AmaWaterways will not be receiving any refund from our supplier partners for the services that were rendered as purchased and therefore, we are unable to provide a refund to these guests for these services. However, in light of the guests' disappointment and as a gesture of goodwill, we have extended to them a generous future cruise credit and an onboard credit for them to use towards a future cruise. We do feel that this is fair under the circumstances, and we hope that upon further review that they will agree. Please let us know if you have any other questions related to this matter. Warmest Regards, AmaWaterways Customer Relations Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/12/06) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) *** arranged a brief layover in*********** at a cost of over $1,000 . Instead of suggesting we buy train tickets from ***** to*********** for about $25 each , they arranged for a private limo for almost $700 . There was no mention of that specific cost in the alleged " receipt " they sent : there was a total price including the hotel. All this was hidden in maze of statistics in the "receipt " --a jumble of charges, credits, etc. that involved about $20,000. ***"s response has consisted of lame apologies , travel credits that I will not use (unless they are good at ******) , and a general "caveat emptor" attitude. The hotel was nice, but we had to leave at 3:30 A.M. for an early flight . I might add that originally *** said they would handle the transfer for that early flight , but then reneged on that promise--resulting in our layover in*********** . Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/12/19) */ To Whom It May Concern: Thank you for the further opportunity to address this matter and we are very sorry to hear that the guests remain unhappy with the resolutions we have presented. All services that were paid to and arranged by AmaWaterways were provided as purchased, and we are truly sorry that these valued guests continue to be disappointed in the cost of the arrangements as well as the goodwill resolutions we have provided for their disappointments. All arrangements are reflected on their booking invoice clearly and have been as such since prior to travel. As previously mentioned, all services that were purchased were indeed provided by our European suppliers involved without incident. If guests have concerns about the cost of services, this must be addressed prior to travel. This way we can present an alternative, if we have one, or cancel the arrangements for them so that they can pursue their own options. Again, we hope these guests will choose to use the offers we have extended to them and that we will have another chance to impress them. Warm Regards, ******* ******** AmaWaterways Customer Relations Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2022/12/22) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I find ******* ********** letter of Dec. 22 to once again be inadequate.. She seems to think that repeating the same old half truths will yield different results that's one definition of insanity ! I do not want to hear from her again unless she answers three of my basic concerns in good faith: 1) Where , in the massive receipt *** sent me , is the specific cost of the hotel ($330) and the private limo ****** listed ? Hint : the honest answer is the specific costs are not there . 2) Why did no one at *** bother to explain the costs and ask if I approved them ? Possible answer : who cares if we pay attention to the best interests of our customers > 3) Midway through the cruise I asked the cruise director , ********* , why the cost was so high ? He contacted *** who promised me an e-mail that never came . Possible answer : who cares , he has already paid for the trip . Well, I am not going to pay for another *** trip, even through my first two cruises were very enjoyable . I have lost trust in *** you can thank Ms.********* for that.

• Initial Complaint

  07/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Booked a cruise for **** of **** and had to cancel because I'm not vaxed , Received a credit for 50 percent and now trying to get a full credit as they are holding funds and dictating who can board there ships with a policy of no vax your can't sail . Mean while countries that they sail to have lifted there entry requirements this is total discrimination.. Trying to get to someone on the phone is impossible.. Requesting a full credit ..

  Business response

  08/22/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/07/25) */ To Whom It May Concern: Thank you for the opportunity to address this concern and we are sorry the guests have expressed such frustrations. We understand they are seeking a refund for their cancelled booking for June 2022 and we wish to provide the details from our side. Regarding vaccinations, please note that travel entry requirements will continue to evolve as things continue to change globally. These are continuously updated on this page: ****************************************************** For this booking, the guests cancelled it on April 25, 2022. They cancelled it under the terms of our Travel Waiver Plus, which allowed their penalties to be converted into a future cruise credit. Without the Travel Waiver Plus, these penalties would have been a loss. Here, you will find the terms of our Travel Waiver Plus: ********************************************* The guests have since requested that their above referenced future cruise credits be transferred to other people for them to use. This was a special request and we granted it as a one-time exception. Our cancellation terms and the terms of the Travel Waiver Plus prevent us from being able to refund the penalties. With that said, the fact that the guests have approved their offers to be transferred to and used by other people also indicates that the offers cannot be refunded. Please don't hesitate to let us know if there are any other questions we can assist with. Warmest Regards, ******* Customer Relations, AmaWaterways Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/07/31) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) So the one time exception is we will rebook someone else providing that we charge you another 500 dollars in addition to the money you lost regarding insurance. SOO we say ok lets cut our losses and get back the 7000 and call it good, Then we will NEVER have to deal with AMA and there poor service again. Only one other problem to solve at this point, The check was just returned for insufficient funds.. BOUNCED From the AMA travel agent . Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/08/18) */ To Whom It May Concern: Thank you for the opportunity to address this concern. We are currently looking to the guests' recent concerns and will need additional time to do so. Kindly advise if this is possible. Warmest Regards, ***** Customer Relations, AmaWaterways Consumer Response /* (2000, 11, 2022/08/20) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) I Do not understand your response ? At this point we have received the 7000 dollars after the check bounced,The question is WHY did you need the extort another 500 dollars from us ?

• Initial Complaint

  07/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 2/28/20, we booked an AMA Waterways ************ Cruise with an **** deposit. When the pandemic began in March of 2020, and AMA Waterways required our next payment. Our airline, hotels and all related travel had been cancelled, but AMA had not, yet, cancelled their cruise. Our travel agent advised that our only option would be to purchase AMA's travel insurance. So, we paid an additional ***** for their "Travel Waiver Plus." This waiver is a cancel for any reason voucher valid for 24 months beyond the date of cancellation. We were pressured to make the decision of paying the next down payment which was due, or purchasing the Travel Waiver Plus. Now, as the Omicron variants continue, because I am immunocompromised, we are still unable to travel. We understand that the ***** will not be refunded, but would like our ***** deposit returned. We tried to offer our voucher, to others, but we could not find any interest. Correspondence with AMA is uploaded. We hope you will assist in the return of our deposit. Thank you.

  Business response

  08/03/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/07/25) */ To Whom It May Concern: Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address these concerns further. Again, we understand how disappointing it must have been for these guests to cancel their cruise with us. As mentioned previously to them, this was an unexpected situation for everyone involved. On April 7, 2020, after our continued monitoring of the updates from the global health authorities and local governments in the US and around the world, we did further suspend the operations of our cruises through June 30, 2020. This included the departure in question for these guests. At that time of our suspension on April 7, however, these guests had already cancelled their cruise. All cancellation charges are based on the date that we receive notification of the cancellation. It is that date that determines the terms and conditions that apply per our collateral in the marketplace, such as our website, brochures and invoices etc. For this booking, it was cancelled by the guests on March 4, 2020, well prior to our announcement and determination to suspend this sailing. At that time in March, we did not yet know that the sailing would be suspended for June and we operated with the information we had at the time. In the meantime, and as referenced above, on March 4, 2020, these guests decided to cancel their cruise. They were under penalty at the time, so we suggested that they purchase our Travel Waiver Plus for $175.00 per person, which would allow their penalties of $400.00 per person to be converted into a future cruise credit instead of being a loss to them. The alternative would be that they cancel under our standard cancellation terms and then be penalized $400.00 per person. We maintain firm on the agreed upon terms at the time of cancellation and are unable to extend a refund. With that said, we did extend further consideration to these guests due to the unusual circumstances. Guests who did not choose to cancel prior to suspension were offered the opportunity to receive a future cruise credit in the amount of 115% of what they paid - meaning that AmaWaterways would give them 15% of this amount complimentarily and in goodwill for these unusual circumstances. In light of this and as a gesture of goodwill, we increased the $400.00 per person future cruise credit that was extended to these guests by a complimentary 15% (an additional $60.00 per person). We also increased the expiration to December 31, 2022, but have since increased it to December 31, 2023, to allow them more time to plan to use it. In addition, we have made their offers transferrable to any person of their choosing. While we understand that this is not the answer these guests were hoping for, we do feel that we have been fair in being flexible with our resolution to them, while also abiding by the agreed upon terms during the booking and cancellation processes. We hope to have the privilege of welcoming these guests aboard in the future. Should you have any other questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to let us know. Warmest Regards, ******* AmaWaterways, Customer Relations Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2022/08/02) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) For other customers sake, I want to add that we were between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Our next/final payment was due when the pandemic hit. Our only choice was to add more money to our loss by purchasing their insurance or cancel and lose our $800. deposit since they had not cancelled, yet. We, now, have a credit card that includes this type of situation, so if something occurs, out of our control, we will be reimbursed. We are accepting the extension with the hope that I will be able to travel without extreme health risks, but would have preferred a reimbursement as was granted to customers who were able to wait for them to cancel. FYI, we have not received anything from the company to this regard, yet. Thank you for your assistance.

• Initial Complaint

  03/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Flights for 2 travelers from ******* to ***** on the outbound and ********* to ******* on the return were booked through Amawaterways on ******** *** **** totaling ****** and the fare was paid. The flights were booked and paid for as business class on the outbound and Economy Premium on the return. The issue is that Amawaterways has booked the flights in Economy Plus on the return and not Economy Premium. We prefer to fly Economy Premium but will fly Economy Plus on the return segment if we receive a refund of the difference in the fares. Amawaterways stopped responding via email and we have requested calls to discuss but they have not honored the request. Our first flight leaves on April 7 so we are running out of time to resolve the issue.

  Business response

  04/27/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/04/06) */ To whom it may concern: Thank you for alerting us to this case. Fortunately, this matter is fully resolved with these guests already and prior to their journey. Due to an airline inflicted schedule change, Premium Economy was no longer available for their return flight. We worked with the guests to resolve this matter as swiftly as we could. Although such airline changes are out of our control, we always strive to resolve these matters amicably for our guests. After working with the airline, we were eventually able to secure the return seats in the class of service that the guests preferred and paid for: Premium Economy. The guests are leaving soon for their journey, and we wish them a fantastic experience! Further, we always welcome their feedback and value their insights. Warm Regards, ******* Customer Relations

• Initial Complaint

  01/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In October 2021 I reached out to Amawaterways to partake in a special they had for "Frontline Heroes" and subsequently was contacted by a subcontractor (BonVoyage Travel) and booked 2 cabins for the "Gems of Southeast Europe" cruise for 4/13/22 for $********/cabin. On 10/25/21, I payed a $**** deposit ($800 per cabin). On 11/3/21, I was informed that the ship/voyage we paid deposits on was rented out to a company and we were asked if we could switch to the Romantic Danube trip taking place on 4/15/22. We agreed to this change and were sent new invoices on 11/3/31, the price increased to $4,118 per cabin because the cabin class we had previously selected was not available. On 11/16/21, the representative from BonVoyage Travel emailed stating that we have been booked on the Melodies of Danube going the opposite direction of the Romantic Danube cruise and told we would be receiving a $100 shipboard credit per person - the invoice was dated 11/9/21 despite not being informed until 11/16/2021. I asked about staying on Romantic Danube cruise and was told that ship had been rented out completely once again. I reached out and inquired about honoring the original pricing as the itinerary and voyages were being changed by the company after being quoted. On 11/18/2021 honored the original pricing, an invoice was received 12/3/21. On 12/6/21, after conferring with the other parties traveling, we decided we wanted our deposits refunded as the itinerary that they placed us on was not the original plan, and we were concerned that changes without consent or notification would continue to be made. I reached out to Amawaterways by phone, who told me I needed to contact BonVoyage travel. I was informed only 50% of the deposit would be refunded due to Amawaterways cancellation policy. I would like a 100% refund for the deposit, as Amawaterways changed our itinerary mult times after the deposit was paid - changes did not include the same countries or the same start/end points.

  Business response

  02/11/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/01/24) */ Contact Name and Title: *******, Manager Contact Phone: ************ Contact Email: [email protected] To Whom It May Concern: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. On January 12, 2022, the same date that this complaint was processed by the BBB, we had also already processed these guests' refund, as requested in their complaint. However, banks can sometimes take 15 or more business days for such refunds to fully process and reflect on the account. From our side, we see that this matter has already been fully resolved and as requested by the guests per their complaint. Should the guests have any other concerns, they are welcome to reach out to us at [email protected]. We appreciate your assistance in this matter. Warmest Regards, AmaWaterways, Customer Relations

• Initial Complaint

  10/29/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We booked a river cruise 9/09/2019, which was cancelled due to Covid in 2020. We were given the option of a refund or to rebook. We chose to rebook for October of 2021. On or about 6/03/2021 we were notified that this booking was cancelled. After some thought we decided to rebook for 2022. When we went to rebook we were told that this cruise was not cancelled. We were delighted. Then in September of 2021 we were told the cruise was suspended and given the option to rebook or receive a refund. We chose the refund. After many attempts to contact Amawaterways through Email or calls by our Travel agent this issue is still not resolved. We booked and paid for this cruise in good faith and expect to be treated with the same courtesy and to receive our refund in a timely matter. We would also to be kept apprised of the status of our refund in a timely matter. We paid ********* dollars for this cruise. Please, we want our money back.

  Business response

  12/30/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/11/18) */ To Whom it May Concern: Thank you so much for bringing this important concern to our attention. We are pleased to update that this matter is approaching full resolution between AmaWaterways and the guests, as we had already been working towards a resolution prior to the filing of this complaint. Initially, we had issued a future cruise credit for the amount in question to these guests, per their agreement to such an option. Upon notification that they had changed their mind and preferred a refund, we began the process of doing so right away. As the guest booked with a travel agency, we also require their collaboration as part of the process. This portion is still pending but also approaching full resolution. Please note that to issue such a refund requires a turnaround time for processing which can take up to at least 90 days, of which we remain well within that timeframe. The final decision where they decided to instead request a refund instead of keeping the future cruise credit was on September 23, 2021. We sincerely apologize that this process has caused these guests such frustrations and regret that they believed we would not hold to our end of the agreement. We hope this explanation better communicates our reasoning for the delay and we can fully appreciate their standpoint as well. For any further concerns, we hope the guest will not hesitate to reach out to us at **********************************. Should you have any other questions or concerns related to this case, please don't hesitate to let us know. Warm Regards, AmaWaterways Customer Relations Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/11/24) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) We are satisfied that Ama Waterways is giving us our refund. But just to be clear we were ready to go on our cruise, but were notified about three weeks in advance that AmaWaterways cancelled the cruise For non Covid related reasons We were offered a future credit that we refused because of the way we were treated. That is why we asked for a refund. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2021/12/06) */ To Whom it May Concern: Thank you again for providing this update from these valued guests. The agreed upon refunds have indeed been sent to these guests via check. If they have not yet received them, we kindly ask them to allow up to 15 business days for them to arrive. We understand their follow up concern is related to their 2021 booking experience. It is correct that this 2021 booking was not cancelled due to Covid. However, their 2020 booking was indeed suspended due to Covid and it was the offer they received for that booking that has been under discussion for this case and that offer is where the refund for this case is derived from. With that said, we are deeply sorry that these guests didn't feel well-taken care of by AmaWaterways when we advised of their 2021 booking change requirements. This is unusual feedback for us to receive and we are truly sorry that none of our alternate options worked for them. Please be assured that this feedback has been shared with our decision makers, as we know it is essential to our future success. We hope to have the opportunity to make this up to these guests in the future and we always welcome any additional feedback they may wish to share with us at *********************************** Warm Regards, AmaWaterways Customer Relations

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