Azamara Cruises is changing its name and becoming mainly all-inclusive as part of changes introduced by new boss Larry Pimentel.
Under the new brand name of Azamara Club Cruises, the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines-owned two-ship company is adopting a “primarily all-inclusive” service as it takes a more destination-focused approach.
Included in the cruise price from April will be house wine at lunch and dinner, bottled water, specialty coffees and teas; housekeeping and dining gratuities; shuttle bus service to/from ports; “destination-influenced” entertainment and enrichment programmes; all meals and room service.
Specialty dining in speciality dining venues Prime C steakhouse and Aqualina will be complimentary for passengers in suites.
The line’s two 694-passenger ships, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, will make more overnight stays and late night departures.
The vessels will visit 140 ports in 50 countries next year, with overnight stays in destinations such as Istanbul, Sorrento, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong together with three days and two nights in St Petersburg.
The changes follow Pimentel taking feedback from agents, past passengers and media since joining the company as president and CEO in July.
“This isn’t a strategy of going ‘from good to great’,” he said. “This is about taking an already great product and making it exceptional.
“Azamara Club Cruises will distinguish itself by delivering the destination like no other line.
“We’re going to slow down the tempo, and allow our guests to not just see the destination, but to live it.
“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 Club Cruises, through more overnight stays and late-night stays, you can.”
Two-day packages tailored to overnight destinations are being introduced in places such as Dubrovnik, Odessa, Livorno, Warnemunde, and London, in addition to Sorrento and St. Petersburg.
A two-night package from Bangkok to Laos; an overnight tour from Hiroshima to Osaka via bullet train; a three-night trip from Mumbai including a visit to the Taj Mahal; overnight tours between Ashdod and Cairo, and a Grand Egypt tour featuring the best of both Luxor and Cairo are featured.
A new loyalty programme, “Le Club Voyage,” with specific features and benefits yet to be announced, is also being introduced.
by Phil Davies
