Small ship line Azamara Cruises has highlighted the successes of its new dedicated UK contact centre, which opened this summer. Opened in June 2024, the company says it is delivering results for agents and guests in the UK & Ireland. Since launch, the team have been providing market-specific support and guidance, with an improvement in key call centre performance metrics. This has led to a 67% increase in booking conversions (trade and consumer), and a 25% reduction in average handling time. It says agents have resolved customer calls more efficiently a reduction in wait times Azamara has also seen a 17% drop in abandonment rates. David Duff, Managing Director at Azamara Cruises UK said: “I’m delighted with the early success of the UK call centre. Through investing in localised support for agents and guests, we are able to offer an enhanced service”. All contact centre staff have spent time onboard and Azamara ship. Stuart Pearce, Head of Trade Sales UK & Ireland at Azamara Cruises added: “The contact centre has become a trusted resource for our trade partners and a valuable asset to our team.”

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Small ship line Azamara Cruises has introduced a revamped global reservation system, RezA. It aims to optimise the booking experience for travel agents. The new system is part of the cruise line’s ongoing mission to improve relationships with its travel agent partners. This is known as the ‘Listening, Learning, and Linking’ initiative. Azamara says RezA will make it easier for agents to manage reservations and streamline the process of selling Azamara cruises. "We remain committed to working closely with our valued travel agents, ensuring they receive the highest level of support and service,” said Stuart Pearce, Head of Trade Sales UK at Azamara Cruises. Our goal is to provide agents with faster access to essential information, ultimately enhancing their ability to deliver exceptional customer experiences." The name RezA was chosen through the "Name It to Win It" contest, where travel agents were invited to suggest names for the upgraded platform. The contest garnered over 500 entries, leading to eight finalists. Ultimately, the name RezAmara, later shortened to RezA, was selected as the winner. Key RezA features include the ability to send payment links to clients, and agent recognition at the booking level. Additional tools can facilitate group bookings, automate payment reminders, and allow for easy duplication of reservations for clients travelling together. Agents can access the new system through Azamara's dedicated travel agent portal, Connect.Azamara.com. The platform also offers a range of additional tools, including marketing content and assets to share with clients. To assist agents, Azamara will also offer webinars and training sessions. 

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Small ship line Azamara Cruises just unveiled its 2026 summer sailings, featuring 77 new itineraries. Azamara Journey, Azamara Quest and Azamara Onward will all spend the summer season in Europe, spanning the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. This includes extended time in Greece, Ireland, the British Isles and more. New itinerary highlights include three solar eclipse cruises taking place in August 2026. Michael Pawlus, Head of Itinerary Planning at Azamara Cruises, said: “The rare opportunity of solar eclipse sailings in 2026 is very exciting and we are thrilled to deliver such a unique offering.” Also, Azamara Cruises will add five maiden ports to the European line-up in 2026 – which are only accessible to smaller ships. It also debuts new pre– and post–land programs. These sailings will continue to offer more late nights and overnights than any other cruise line, it says. “Europe continues to be a leading destination for us globally, so we are delighted to be announcing one of our biggest European deployments to date,” Pawlus added. “With three ships in the region from March to October 2026, we can offer our guests more options than ever before.” The solar eclipse cruises are a 11-night Mediterranean Cruise: Greece, Turkey and Italy, Azamara Onward, a 12-night Ireland Intensive Cruise: Belfast, Dublin and Galaway, Azamara Quest, and a 18-night Iceland and Canada Cruise: Reykjavik, St. John and Quebec City, on Azamara Journey. Maiden port calls in 2026 include Sarande, Albania, Turku, Finland and Menton, France. Customers can take advantage of an Early Booking Bonus, with 20% off on all summer 2026 cruises booked before 31 October 2024. 

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The small-ship cruise line continues to lead Destination Immersion® experiences with five maiden ports announced, as well as new pre- and post- land programs

  Azamara Cruises – the small-ship cruise line and leader in Destination Immersion® experiences – is pleased to unveil its 2026 summer sailings, featuring 77 new itineraries that will take guests to captivating destinations, iconic landmarks and ports of call that delight and inspire. Azamara Journey®, Azamara Quest® and Azamara Onward® will all spend the summer season in Europe, spanning the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, including extended time in Greece, Ireland, the British Isles and more.   Standouts amongst the new itineraries include three solar eclipse cruises taking place in August 2026, offering guests a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view the spectacular natural phenomenon from sea.   “At Azamara Cruises, we’re always striving to deliver new and incredible experiences for our guests,” said Michael Pawlus, Head of Itinerary Planning at Azamara Cruises. “The rare opportunity to include solar eclipse sailings in 2026 is very exciting and we are thrilled to deliver such a unique offering.”   Also, Azamara Cruises will add five maiden ports to the European line-up in 2026 – which are only accessible to smaller ships – and the debut of new pre– and post–land programs. These sailings will continue to offer more late nights and overnights than any other cruise line, ensuring Azamara guests have the time to truly discover the culture and communities of these extraordinary destinations, without feeling rushed.   “Europe continues to be a leading destination for us globally, so we are delighted to be announcing one of our biggest European deployments to date,” continued Pawlus. “With three ships in the region from March to October 2026, we can offer our guests more options than ever before; taking them to ports less travelled and hidden gem destinations and delivering new immersive land experiences for the very first time.”   Solar Eclipse Cruises:

• 2 August 2026 -- 11-night Mediterranean Cruise: Greece, Turkey and Italy, Azamara Onward®
• 7 August 2026 -- 12-night Ireland Intensive Cruise: Belfast, Dublin and Galaway, Azamara Quest®
• 8 August 2026 -- 18-night Iceland and Canada Cruise: Reykjavik, St. John and Quebec City, Azamara Journey®

  Maiden Ports:

• Sarande, Albania
• Fredericia, Denmark
• Turku, Finland
• Menton, France
• Karlskrona, Sweden

  New Pre- and Post- Cruise Land Programs:  

• Icelandic Highlands, Reykjavik, Iceland

• • This 3-night program offers an immersive discovery of Iceland's natural wonders, including its world-famous waterfalls, hot springs, and the county’s remote highlands. Highlights include the stunning Kerid Crater, the iconic Gullfoss Waterfall, and the colorful mountains and glaciers of Kerlingarfjöll Highlands. Travellers will have the opportunity to explore the Central Highlands further with a guided hike along one of Iceland’s most scenic and colourful trails – the Hveradalir Hike. Next, it’s a trip to the relaxing Secret Lagoon of Fludir before heading to Fridheimar, a popular lunch spot for locals and tourists alike, where guests will be met by a family who introduce them to their market greenhouse production and indulge in their famous all you can eat tomato soup. The program concludes with a visit to the UNESCO-listed Thingvellir National Park, famed for its place on the Golden Circle, as one of the three most popular natural attractions in Iceland.

• Ancient Wonders of Egypt & Greece - Athens, Greece

• • Throughout this 3-night program, guests will explore the history and ancient civilizations of Egypt and Greece. In Cairo, highlights include the lively Khan El Khalili Bazaar, the Grand Egyptian Museum and the Great Pyramids of Giza, followed by a dinner cruise along the River Nile, accompanied by local performances. Once in Athens, travellers will have the opportunity to visit Cape Sounion to see the Temple of Poseidon, a must-visit for its historic ruins and scenic views of the Aegean Sea. Additionally, the program includes a city orientation of Athens, an authentic Greek dinner and traditional folkloric dances, at one of the oldest taverns in Plaka, as well as a trip to the Acropolis and the new Acropolis Museum.

  Azamara guests can take advantage of an Early Booking Bonus, receiving 20% off on all summer 2026 cruises booked before 31 October 2024. To book, please visit azamara.com.   In the summer of 2026, Azamara Pursuit® will embark on an exciting new itinerary that will see Azamara Cruises visit one of the world’s top bucket-list destinations, renowned for its natural beauty and diverse range of wildlife. A further announcement will follow with more details in the coming weeks.

Small-ship cruise line Azamara Cruises is opening a new UK call centre. It will offer in-market support for guests and travel agents based in the UK starting next month. The new call centre will provide localised support to help increase both the productivity and efficiency of inbound calls. David Duff, Managing Director UK at Azamara Cruises said: "Having a team of call handlers that understand the nuances and needs of the UK market will be fundamental in the continued growth for Azamara". The call centre will be live for external callers from 3 June and then operating at full capacity by 1 July. The dedicated UK call centre team includes fifteen customer facing agents, five internal agents, one team leader and one manager. They will handle calls from 8am – 6pm Monday through Friday, with agents in North America assisting in the evening from 6pm – 8pm, and then 10am – 6.30pm on Saturdays. Dondra Ritzenthaler, who joined Azamara Cruises as the new Chief Executive Officer this month said: "The UK 's growth in recent years has been extremely impressive. The demand for a UK call centre is a testament to their hard work.” The new UK call centre is the most recent initiative to support agents, including virtual and face-to-face training sessions, an annual ship visit programme, and the launch of a new loyalty platform that rewards travel partners.  

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Azamara Cruises has hired Peter Ryan as new Business Development Manager, UK & Ireland. He brings more than 25 years' travel industry experience. His previous roles were at Thomas Cook, Classic Travel Worldchoice and most recently, Celebrity Cruises. At Celebrity Cruises, he held the role of Regional Sales Manager for the Southeast, responsible for managing trade partner head office accounts and driving commercial targets. Ryan also played an integral role in ship launches such as Celebrity Beyond and hosting ship visits with trade partners throughout the summer season in Southampton. Prior to Celebrity Cruises, he spent 14 years at Thomas Cook, managing sales and profitability across retail branches. Stuart Pearce, Head of Trade Sales UK, at Azamara said: "His connections within the cruise sector will help us continue to support and build our network of independent, consortia and retail travel agents ". "I have been a fan of the Azamara brand for many years, and so look forward to help drive further growth for the company in the UK market".

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Small-ship cruise line Azamara has notched its most successful sales year on record in the UK. Guest volumes are up over 20% with a revenue increase of over 30% compared to 2022. It follows significant investment from Azamara in the UK market. With an expanded sales team adding Moira Gregson and Adam Morris as Business Development Managers, Azamara says it is reaching more UK travel agents than ever before. Stuart Pearce, Head of Trade Sales UK at Azamara said: "Our travel agent community is pivotal to our success, and we could not be more grateful for their continued support this year.” The trade team has engaged with over 3.500 agents at trade events this year and Azamara conducted a series of ship visits for UK agents to experience the product first hand. David Duff, Azamara UK MD added: "It's been a phenomenal sales year for us. We are already seeing great demand for 2024, with European sailings across all four ships selling well." Azamara’s Wave season offer gives customers up to 20% off per stateroom on select sailings between 1 April and 31 December 2024, when booked by 21 March 2024.  

Azamara has debuted a new referral program, 'Refer-a-Friend'. It provides an easy and lucrative way for Azamara advocates to bring their friends and family onboard to experience cruising the Azamara way. Both referrers and referees get rewards like a $200 digital Visa gift card. Referrers can share their personal referral link with travellers who have not previously sailed with the cruise line in the last five years. This can be shared via email, text message, or through social media platforms. Once the referees have booked an Azamara cruise through the respective link, the advocate will receive a $200 digital Visa gift card. The new guest will receive a $200 digital gift card 90 days before their Azamara cruise date. Guests can make up to two referrals per year.  

Azamara, has launched a 'Work & Wander' package targeting nomadic business professionals. Aiming to lure remote workers looking to combine business with exploration, Azamara is touting speedy, stable high-speed cruise ship Wi-Fi from Starlink. It includes office equipment and dedicated IT support. For leisure, guests can enjoy extended destination days, including late nights and overnights in port. "The 'Work & Wander' package gives professionals the opportunity to take their work with them as they set sail." said Carol Cabezas, President of Azamara. "Our guests already consider our ships to be a home away from home, and now our ships can be their floating office too." With the package inclusive of Starlink high-speed cruise ship Wi-Fi and access to monitors, mice, keyboards, and adapters, guests can easilystay connected with colleagues andattend virtual meetings. Azamara cruises boast extended destination days with 10 or more hours in port, allowing guests to balance work and travel experiences.

  Azamara – the small-ship cruise line renowned for Destination Immersion® and Extended Destination Days – hosted thirty UK agents onboard Azamara Quest for a Seminar at Sea experience, continuing to demonstrate its increased engagement and support for the trade community.   Agents joined Azamara guests sailing on the Cities of Western Med Voyage, embarking on the 24th  October in Livorno and disembarking on 27th October in Marseille. During their time onboard, trade partners had the opportunity to experience the Azamara ethos, product, and service firsthand, learning everything from what is included in the cruise fare with Always Azamara to Extended Destination Days ashore, giving guests ten or more hours in port to create more meaningful travel experiences. They also took part in a full day of immersive product training, including sessions on the booking system and ‘how to sell Azamara’.   Stuart Pearce, Head of Trade Sales UK & Ireland at Azamara comments: “It’s been a fantastic few days and an absolute pleasure to welcome agents from all around the British Isles to sail with us. We know that firsthand experience, a thorough understanding of the product, and personal connections are all powerful sales tools, and we’re sure that following this event, our agent partners will feel more confident and better equipped than ever to sell Azamara”.   The group, which included representatives from some of Azamara’s largest accounts as well as independent agents, were welcomed and hosted by members of Azamara’s UK sales team, namely Stuart Pearce, Head of Trade Sales UK & Ireland, Nikki Singleton, Strategic Account Sales Manager and Adam Morris, Business Development Manager.   The Seminar at Sea is the latest in a series of commitments from Azamara, designed to offer greater support and reward agents, as the company targets further growth in the market and globally. It follows a new trade loyalty platform that was launched earlier this year, as well as regular incentives, from uplifts to competitions.

 

From Seville’s April Festival to end-of-the year celebrations in Singapore and Vietnam, travellers can experience the world’s rich cultures with added itineraries

  Azamara – the small-ship cruise line and leader in Destination Immersion® experiences – is excited to announce four new voyages, each offering unique and immersive cultural experiences that will take guests even deeper into the heart of a destination. With more time to explore through Extended Destination Days, offering 10 or more hours in port, and overnight stays, guests can enjoy each city at their own pace.   “We are thrilled to offer these new sailings, giving our guests the opportunity to experience some truly special celebrations around the world,” said Michael Pawlus, Head of Itinerary Planning at Azamara. “With these new itineraries, we invite our guests to spend even more time in port with us as they enjoy local festivities in wonderful countries such as Spain, Portugal, Singapore, Vietnam, and beyond.”   Travellers can now book Azamara’s new itineraries, which include:  

• 7-Night Asian Holiday Voyage onboard Azamara Journey
  • Setting sail from Singapore on 5^th December 2023 and offering 92 hours in port, guests will enjoy two overnight stays in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam’s largest city, to stroll through local markets ahead of the famed Vietnamese festival celebrating the Lunar New Year, Tet Nguyen Dan. Guests will also have an overnight stay in Singapore to attend Christmas on Great Street, with sparkling lights, decorations, and local holiday performances.
• 7-Night St. Patrick’s Day Iberian Voyage on Azamara Pursuit
  • Sailing from Lisbon, Portugal on 16^th March 2024 to give guests 80 hours in port, travellers can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day exploring Irish pubs alongside locals in Portimão, Portugal. With a total of four Extended Destination Days and an overnight stay in Lisbon, guests will have ample time to uncover the hidden gems of each destination.
• 7-Night Celebration of Spanish Culture & History Voyage on Azamara Quest
  • Guests onboard this Spain intensive voyage embarking from Lisbon, Portugal on 1^st April 2024 will have 66.5 hours in port and the unique access of small-ship cruising for an overnight in Seville to visit the Seville Cathedral, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and home to historic treasures, including the tomb of Christopher Columbus. Travellers will also be able to explore one of the few circular castles in Europe, Bellver Castle in Palma, Majorca.
• 7-Night Spanish Wine Discoveries Voyage on Azamara Quest
  • Travellers can celebrate the first day of Feria de Abril, the largest and most colourful festival in Seville with traditional music, flamenco dancers, and traditional meals. This Spain intensive voyage will set sail on 8^th April 2024 from Barcelona, Spain, giving guests 83 hours in port, and concluding with an overnight stay in Lisbon, Portugal.

Azamara is returning to Canada for the first time since 2017. It just has released 73 itineraries for 2025, including two brand-new Canada cruises. The 2025 schedule introduces double night stays, giving cruise guests two overnights to fully explore a destination at their own pace. "Azamara is known for offering more time in port with late nights and overnights, and now we are taking that even further," said Carol Cabezas, President of Azamara. As part of the 2025 schedule, guests can spend three days and two nights in Bordeaux, France. "We are thrilled to resume Canada cruises in 2025, and excited for guests to experience lesser travelled ports in Quebec and Newfoundland,” said Michael Pawlus, Head of Itinerary Planning. The itineraries also include Iceland and Greenland. Azamara's new Canada cruises visit six Canadian ports. These include Cap-aux-Meules and Harve Saint Pierre, Quebec, and L'Anse Aux Meadows, Newfoundland. Azamara's 2025 itineraries include a record number of 15 golf cruises in collaboration with partner PerryGolf. The 2025 British Isles Golf Cruise includes the final two rounds of The 153^rd Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.