Azamara Cruises Becomes “Azamara Club Cruises”

Azamara Cruises Becomes "Azamara Club Cruises"
Newly refined brand unveils multiple new attributes for upmarket travelers


Azamara Cruises - the two-ship brand launched in 2007 with the 694-guest Azamara Journey and sister ship Azamara Quest - today became "Azamara Club Cruises," with a newly refined focus, and a series of new attributes designed for upmarket, experienced travelers.




Together, Pimentel and team shaped the new Azamara Club Cruises, whose most distinguishing new attributes will be in effect by April 2010.


"Today's cruisers have incredible new vacation options - like Celebrity's stunning Solstice Class, and Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas," said Pimentel. "Azamara Club Cruises will distinguish itself by delivering the destination like no other line."

Azamara Club Cruises will visit 140 ports in 50 countries in 2010, with itineraries featuring more overnight stays to allow guests to immerse themselves in communities and cultures. Among the overnight locations are Istanbul, Turkey; Sorrento, Italy, which offers a host of tour options along the Amalfi Coast and Capri; a full three days and two nights in St. Peters burg, Russia, on Azamara's Scandinavia and Russia itineraries; and multiple overnight stays in Azamara's Southeast Asia region, including Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong.

"We're going to slow down the tempo, and allow our guests to not just see the destination, but to live it," said Pimentel. "Consider destinations like St. Tropez or St. Petersburg, Russia. If you've experienced them only by day, you haven't really experienced them. With Azamara, through more overnight stays and late-night stays, you can."

The destination focus of Azamara Club Cruises inspired the brand's new tagline - "You'll love where we take you" - and will extend to its shore excursions, too, an essential ingredient to allow guests to truly experience a community and its culture. Azamara has created distinctive two-day packages tailored to the overnight destinations, to make it easy for guests to immerse themselves in each location, whether it's Dubrovnik, Croatia; Odessa, Ukraine; Livorno (Florence), Italy, Warnemunde (Berlin), Germany, or London, in addition to Sorrento and St. Petersburg.

Azamara also will offer experiences such as a two-night package from Bangkok to Laos; an overnight tour from Hiroshima to Osaka via bullet train; a three-night experience from Mumbai including a visit to the Taj Mahal; overnight tours in Israel between Ashdod and Cairo, and a Grand Egypt tour featuring the best of both Luxor and Cairo.

Among Azamara's specialty tours include a Ferrari driving tour in Civitavecchia, Italy; a walk down memory lane in Liverpool with the "In the steps of The Beatles" tour; a private demonstration of chocolate flavors in Dubrovnik; a "Theatre A La Carte" evening in London; Croatian liqueur tasting in Zadar; an Imperial Russian Court evening at Tsarskoye Selo in St. Petersburg; an evening gondola serenade in Venice; and high tea at the Burj al Arab Hotel in Dubai.

Praised for its dining experience since its founding, Azamara will continue to place a heavy emphasis on fine cuisine, and will expand its focus on wine to include vintages from boutique wineries around the world. Guests will have the opportunity to taste high quality wines that may be unavailable at home, because the selected vineyards produce a strictly limited quantity each year, distributed primarily locally. The featured wines will be offered complimentary at lunches and dinners on every sailing.

Wellness and vigor will be a core component of the Azamara Club Cruises experience, too, with onboard and land-based experiences designed to help guests feel and look healthier and more youthful. Azamara's aim in wellness and vigor is to help guests balance their physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual needs through massages, facials and other spa treatments, as well as acupuncture, yoga, Pilates, and enrichment programs.

The newly refined brand also is intensely focused on offering an intangible attribute essential to a successful upmarket product: exceptional service.


"Extraordinary service is paramount with Azamara Club Cruises," said Pimentel. "We know every travel and hospitality organization proclaims it's committed to great service, so what will make Azamara stand out? First, our butlers will be trained to be true English butlers, to offer that fine balance of anticipatory, pampering, yet non-intrusive service to guests in every suite." Guests in staterooms will be served by the line's host of experienced stateroom attendants.

Azamara Club Cruises also will offer many inclusive amenities, with the following included in the cruise fare beginning with the first voyages in April 2010 on Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest: a specific brand of bottled water offered at no charge throughout the voyage, whether in public venues or in staterooms; specialty coffees and teas; housekeeping and dining gratuities; shuttlebus service to/from port communities, where available; destination-influenced entertainment and enrichment programs; most meals and room service; house wine at lunches and dinners; and self-service laundry. Specialty dining in Azamara's intimate Prime C steakhouse and the Mediterranean-influenced Aqualina will be complimentary for suite guests for the duration of their cruise. Cruisers who can't get enough of Azamara will be invited to join the line's new loyalty program, "Le Club Voyage," with specific features and benefits yet to be announced.

For more information, reservations, questions- Cruise Direct Online:
Call 800-365-1445.

Triple Happiness!

Missed the postings of Happy Hours while I was away? Well, they're back from Royal Caribbean, Celebrity AND Azamara!

Royal Caribbean this week has a wide variety of offers, with the emphasis on 4-5 night sailings. However, there are some Canada/New England, 7-night Caribbean and even Hawaii or Mediterranean/Holy Land sailings in there. Good options!

Most notable this week, however, is Celebrity's Mercury sailing from Baltimore. If you weren't paying attention, you might have missed the fact that the Mercury will be sailing from Baltimore! And the November 9 12-night first sailing is on Happy Hour this week, with reduced supplements! Take a look!

Watching the fares to Europe dropping for fall travel? Thinking you'd like to take advantage of them? Then take a look at Azamara Journey's 14-night sailing from Athens. Great price for balconies on a true Deluxe line.

As always, the Royal Caribbean and Celebrity offers are good only on Tuesday, September 1, while Azamara's offer is applicable on Wednesday, September 2. Give me a call or email for more information and complete pricing for any of these deals. Best to contact on Monday so I can hold your space as soon as it becomes available on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Royal Caribbean Sales Event/Happy Hour Specials for Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Celebrity Xciting Deals/Happy Hour Specials for Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Azamara Deluxe Deals/Happy Hour Specials for Wednesday, September 2, 2009

BREAKING NEWS About Azamara!

Azamara Cruises, the sister brand to Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, is getting a new President and CEO!

Since its inception, Azamara Cruises has come under the direction of Dan Hanrahan, President of Celebrity. However, they're going to give Azamara separate leadership under the helm of Larry Pimentel, who has formerly run Seabourn, Sea Dream and Cunard.

Information on what else this will mean to Azamara is still sketchy. My sources hinted last week that a separate past passenger loyalty program was "being evaluated" and I'd guess this would make that far more likely by the end of the year for a start. Other changes may be more logistical and behind the scenes and important more to the agency community than the guests.

I should have more information late this afternoon, and will post when I have it. In the meantime, you can read more at USA Today Cruise Log. Gene Sloan is updating his posts throughout the day. I'll add more information to this post as I receive it as well.

Azamara’s Flying You to Europe

Starting today, if you're into the Suite Life on Azamara Cruises, there are a slew of sailings this summer and fall offering free air for Penthouse Suite and Royal Suite passengers.

Not looking for a suite? They also have some pretty sweet reduced air prices for other categories, too. There is flat rate reduced air starting today for the July 12, September 27, October 25 and November 8 Journey, and for the October 7, 17, 31 and November 14 Quest from ATL; BOS; BWI; CLT; DEN; DFW; DTW; EWR; IAD; IAH; JFK; LAS; LAX; MCO; MIA; MSY; ORD; PDX; PHL; PHX; RDU; SAN; SEA; SFO; TPA; YUL; YVR; YYZ.

Azamara is a Deluxe line, offering a small-ship experience with unique itineraries in the Baltic and Mediterranean this summer and fall. I will be returning to the Quest this August myself, and am a big personal fan of this line. Want more information on the line itself, or any of these offers? Just give me a call!

We’re Back! And terrific news from Azamara!

Sorry for the long absence of this blog. People have been calling to see if I've been traveling. Alas, no, but I'm glad to say that things have just been extremely busy here, both personally and professionally, so unfortunately this was one area which suffered a bit. But I've found a way to carve out a bit more time, so we're here again!

The Happy Hour Specials will be returning this weekend, but there will be a new addition to the list - Azamara Deluxe Deals! These will only occur bi-weekly, but are the long-awaited equivalent to the Celebrity Xciting Deals and Royal Caribbean Sales Event savings, both commonly called the Happy Hours. I'm excited to see this, as the Azamara fares for this summer are already fantastic, and these should be truly remarkable. Watch for these on Saturday or Sunday!

In the meantime, hope you didn't miss the opening of the sales for the new Norwegian Epic. Most dates for the inaugural season are still open, but many categories are getting limited on the popular dates, and there are even a few fare increases. Do you want to experience this ground (or should I say water) breaking new ship? Call me to get in on the deals!

Lots more in the next several days. It's good to be back again!

Luxury Savings News

You've all most likely been inundated with sales and offers from the mainstream brands such as Carnival, Princess, NCL, etc. But you may not have seen some spectacular offers from lines such as Crystal, Regent, Oceania and Azamara. All are offering similarly amazing deals, which bring their pricing down to values never before seen.

Would you believe up to $2,000 in onboard credit from Crystal for 2009 European sailings? In addition to other savings offers? Huge discounts on the Regent Paul Gauguin in French Polynesia if booked prior to March 31? And did you notice that there are now included shore excursions with Regent sailings?

Azamara has announced they will be offering cruise-only rates so you can take advantage of the discounts available in airfares right now direct from the airlines.

How about a historic Transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2? You've not seen prices like this before!

Interested in a river cruise? There are fabulous bargains to be found this summer, even in high season.

And these are only a tiny portion of the offers available right now in the Deluxe and Luxury brands.

So if you've longed for the pampering and quality of these Deluxe and Luxury lines, and have the ability to travel this summer, now is the time to book! You might find yourself paying less for one of these cruises than you've paid in the past for a mainstream brand.

As a CLIA-certified Luxury Cruise Specialist, I can help you find the line, itinerary and value best suited to your preferences. Give me a call or email me at amber@cruiseresource.com!

Exclusive Savings on Celebrity and Azamara!

No, you're not imagining things. While this is the time of year you tend to see a plethora of offers from the various cruise lines, the offers are increasing in frequency (and value). Cruise lines are doing what they can to attract your vacation dollars, and help you to keep travel within your budget.

Is all this confusing you as to what and when to book? You're not alone. I'll be writing a feature editorial here this weekend which will help you make sense of when you should book, and perhaps on which lines, so that you can maximize your savings. You may be surprised by what I have to say.

In the meantime, however, Celebrity and Azamara have released some exclusive pricing just for my family of companies for bookings made in the month of November! (How on earth did it get to be November already?)

Book a selected Celebrity sailing in an oceanview cabin or above and receive up to $200/cabin savings plus 2 Exceptional Offers booklets.

The savings are as follows:

• Celebrity Century, April 6, 11, 2009, 5 N Western Caribbean, $50.00/cabin
• Celebrity Century, August 1, 13, 2009 , 12 N Scandinavia/Russia, $200.00/cabin
• Celebrity Constellation, May 30; June 27, 2009, 14 N Scandinavia/Russia, $200.00/cabin
• Celebrity Constellation, February 23; March 16; April 6, 2009, 11 N Ultimate Caribbean, $200.00/cabin
• Celebrity Galaxy, February 9, 2009, 11 N Southern Caribbean, $200.00/cabin
• Celebrity Infinity, April 12, 2009, 14 N Panama Canal, $200.00/cabin
• Celebrity Infinity, May 29, 2009, 7 N Alaska, $100.00/cabin
• Celebrity Infinity, January 18; February 1; March 1, 2009, 14 N South America, $200.00
• Celebrity Mercury, March 30; April 13, 2009, 14 N Panama Canal, $200.00
• Celebrity Mercury, June 14, 21, 28, 2009, 7 N Alaska, $100.00/cabin
• Celebrity Millennium, February 1, 15; March 1, 15, 29, 2009, 14 N Australia/New Zealand, $200.00/cabin
• Celebrity Millennium, April 12, 2009, 14 N Pacific Islands, $200.00/cabin
• Celebrity Millennium, June 26, 2009, 7 N Alaska, $100.00/cabin
• Celebrity Solstice, May 15; June 5, 26; July 17, 2009, 10 N Mediterranean, $100.00/cabin
• Celebrity Summit, April 18, 2009, 12 N Transatlantic, $200.00/cabin
• Celebrity Summit, May 22; June 3; July 9, 2009, 12 N Mediterranean, $200.00/cabin
• Celebrity Summit, April 30, 2009, 10 N Mediterranean, $100.00/cabin
• Celebrity Summit, February 21, 28; March 7, 14, 21, 28; April 4, 11, 2009, 7 N Southern Caribbean, $100.00/cabin
• Book selected Alaska or European Cruisetour by December 1, and receive up to a $300/cabin onboard credit! (not combinable with the above dollars off promos)

On Azamara, book one of the selected sailings in oceanview or above during November and receive up to $300/cabin discount!

• Azamara Journey, January 3, 2009, 16 N Panama Canal, $300.00/cabin
• Azamara Journey, March 20, 2009, 16 N Transatlantic, $300.00/cabin
• Azamara Journey, April 5, 2009, 10 N Europe, $300.00/cabin
• Azamara Journey, April 15, 2009, 10 N Europe, $300.00/cabin
• Azamara Journey, April 25, 2009, 7 N Mediterranean, $300.00/cabin
• Azamara Journey, January 19, 2009, 12 N Caribbean, $300.00/cabin
• Azamara Journey, January 31, 2009, 12 N Caribbean, $300.00/cabin
• Azamara Journey, February 12, 2009, 12 N Caribbean, $300.00/cabin
• Azamara Journey, March 8, 2009, 12 N Caribbean, $300.00/cabin
• Azamara Quest, January 3, 2009, 14 N Asia, $300.00/cabin
• Azamara Quest, January 17, 2009, 14 N Asia, $300.00/cabin
• Azamara Quest, February 14, 2009, 14 N Asia, $300.00/cabin
• Azamara Quest, March 14, 2009, 14 N Asia, $300.00/cabin
• Azamara Quest, April 7, 2009, 24 N Singapore to Athens, $300.00/cabin

These discounts ONLY apply when booked through me - you won't find this at my competitors (with the exception of other brands within our family of companies).

Azamara Cruises Anniversary Sale!

Azamara Cruises is a year old! It's hard to believe that it has already been a year since the Journey had a bumpy start to her Bermuda season, but they weathered that and are well on their way to becoming a truly great line. (You can read my review of the Quest's inaugural here).

To celebrate, Azamara is offering $500-750/cabin onboard credit for almost all summer European sailings! You must book and deposit between April 29 and May 5.

This is an extraordinary offer on an exceptional Deluxe line. If you're interested in exploring the options, give me a call or email me!

Azamara Cruises “leaps” Into Exotic Europe in 2009

Azamara Cruises "leaps" Into Exotic Europe in 2009

A year which is not a leap year is called a "common year," but there's very little that’s common about what Azamara Cruises has planned in Europe in 2009.

The deluxe, destination-driven brand today revealed a widely varied series of itineraries for both Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, including 20 new ports and overnight stays in some of the most romantic cities on the continent.

"We've been thrilled with the response to our 2008 European itineraries this year, and are really building on that in 2009," said Azamara Cruises President Dan Hanrahan. "No other deluxe brand offers the number of ports that Azamara will visit next year, nor matches our breadth of distinct itineraries.

"Azamara's series of seven- to 15-night Europe itineraries in 2009 will visit 91 ports in 36 countries, and depart from five different homeports: Athens, Greece; Barcelona, Spain; Copenhagen, Denmark; Rome and Venice, Italy. Overnight stays will be offered in Barcelona, Edinburgh, Scotland; Florence and Ravenna, Italy, Istanbul, Turkey; St. Petersburg, Russia; and Stockholm, Sweden. Late-night (10 p.m. or after) departures will be offered in 10 ports of call, allowing guests to capture more of the flavor of each locale's nightlife.Azamara Cruises' 2009 Europe Highlights
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An enhanced 14-night “Western Europe” itinerary includes a transit up the Thames River and into the heart of London, anchoring overnight within view of the Tower of London and including a new-for-2009 call on Antwerp, Belgium, with a unique downtown berth position and transit along the scenic River Scheldt before a sunset departure for the North Sea.
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New, harder-to-access port calls, including:
Docking in Zadar, Croatia (where larger ships have to anchor)
Rouen, France, just one hour from Paris (as opposed to Le Havre, where larger ships dock, which is two-and-a-half hours from the city)
Volos, Greece, where Azamara will offer excursions to the Meteora Monasteries, high atop massive granite rocks(made famous in the film For Your Eyes Only)
Amalfi, Italy, near the postcard-perfect Sorrento, Positano and Isle of Capri
A docking in La Spezia, Italy, where larger ships have to anchor
Dartmouth, United Kingdom, inaccessible to larger ships.
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A series of four consecutive 7-night Mediterranean cruises, which, for travelers interested in pairing itineraries back-to-back, will present no repeat ports of call.
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A new "Iceland and Norwegian Fjords" voyage roundtrip from Copenhagen, Denmark, featuring three Icelandic ports. The sailing also includes calls on Scotland's Shetland Islands, Denmark's Faroe Islands, which received National Geographic Traveler's top score among islands in Europe in its November/December 2007 issue, and Scotland’s famed Shetland Islands.
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A continuation of Azamara's successful 2008 Baltic itineraries from Copenhagen, with an extended, three-day stay in St. Petersburg, Russia, allowing guests ample time to visit the Hermitage or take an overnight shore excursion to Moscow.
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A 15-night "Holy Land" itinerary from Athens to Rome featuring 11 cities, including an overnight stay in Istanbul, Turkey.
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An enhanced "Best of Italy" itinerary with overnight stays in Venice and Sorrento, as well as in Ravenna, giving guests the opportunity to visit Florence by train to experience one of the world's oldest republics, the independent state of San Marino; the Ferrari and Lamborghini factories; or the sixth-century church of Chiesa di San Vitale, noted on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and famed for its collection of Byzantine mosaics.
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Three 14-night "Ancient Empires" cruises departing from Rome or Athens, calling on five different Turkish ports as well as various ports in Greece, Cyprus and Egypt.
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A 10-night "Eastern Mediterranean and Adriatic Coast" voyage with only one sea day and calls in Slovenia, Albania, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, and Italy.

The new lineup will open for sale on April 2, 2008, allowing travel agents time to become familiar with the widely varied new sailings. Cruise enthusiasts are encouraged to click here for more information. Azamara Cruises unlocks the hidden corners of the world for those who desire to immerse themselves in the rich details of every voyage.

The deluxe ships - Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest - offer an intimate experience, while allowing access to exotic destinations experienced travelers long to reach. For the 694 guests on each Azamara Cruises ship, every moment at sea embodies the pinnacle of luxury, and each footstep on shore accentuates the difference between visiting a place and getting a true sense of place. This year, Azamara Cruises presents the best of South America and the Panama Canal, elite Asia, the most captivating Caribbean and enchanting Europe.