Complaints

This profile includes complaints for AmaWaterways's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  AmaWaterways

  Calabasas, CA 91302-3175

• 

  AmaWaterways

  4500 Park Granada Calabasas, CA 91302-1663

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/14/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

   
  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

  Date: 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 Answer

  Date: 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

  Date:10/06/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

   
  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,
  
  *****************************

  s 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

  Date: 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
  **********************
  

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 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 Answer

  Date: 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

  Date:12/14/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  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

  Date: 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

  Date:11/19/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  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

  Date: 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.