Cruise News: Azamara Pursuit New Voyages

Azamara has always been one of our favorite cruise lines. Operating as part of the Royal Caribbean family of ships, Azamara is the polar opposite of Royal's mega ships. Azamara ships are smaller and more intimate; they go to more ports and stay longer, and they focus on connecting with the local culture in the countries they visit.

For mmany years their fleet has consisted of two ships -- Journey and Quest. Now they have added a third: Azamara Pursuit. This week they released information on Pursuit voyages. If you've never experienced cruising on a smaller scale, definitely add Azamara to your bucket list.

Here's the press release:

​In 2019, the Azamara Pursuit will:

·        Visit 74 countries and 276 ports

·        Add 27 ports and 2 countries not offered by other ships in 2019

·        Visit maiden ports in Alghero, Sardinia, Italy; Trieste, Italy; Paula, Croatia

·        Offer Country Intensive Voyages to Greece, Italy, Croatia, Spain, France and Israel

·        Offer 77 late nights and 20 overnights during 176 days in port

 
Shore Excursions highlights include:

·        Monemvasia, Greece – Cooking Class at Liotrivi Historic Mansion: At Liotrivi Historical Mansion, guests will explore the cultural heritage and enjoy a cooking lesson of 5 traditional dishes under the instruction of an experienced chef set against the backdrop of gardens and olive trees.

·        Portofino, Italy – Rapallo Foodie Experience with Guido: Liguria is home to some of Italy’s most iconic foods and no one is more passionate about ‘pasta, pesto, focaccia & co.’ than local host Guido. Guests meet him at the Musical Kiosk with its fanciful fresco, before continuing on to Rapallo’s vibrant food market to explore the produce and herbs. The tour continues to a nearby artisanal pasta factory, followed by a stop for street food at Guido’s favorite focaccia baker serving the cheesy, decadent treat hot from the iron with a glass of local Vermentino wine. For the final stop, guests follow Guido to his own bottega, a veritable emporium filled with delicacies where guests will have the chance to make pesto alla Genovese.

·        Pula, Croatia – Truffle Hunt: Guests visit the small village of Mala Huba for the special experience of truffle hunting! After the “truffle hunt” experience of almost 60 minutes with a local guide and truffle-sniffing dog, guests return to village of Mala Huba for light repast and wine tasting and the chance to buy truffle products.

 
Top itineraries include:

·        5 Night Riviera Weekend Voyage, May 2019: This voyage travels from the heart of the French Riviera to the Eternal City with a late-night stay in Marseilles and Saint-Tropez.

·        10 Night Greece Intensive Voyage, June 2019: A powerhouse line-up of ancient sites, friendly seaside tavernas and shops and whitewashed villages.

·        9 Night Italy to Greece Voyage, May 2019: This nine-night sailing showcases the exceptional beauty of the Adriatic and gorgeous Grecian ports with stops for Gondola rides, medieval city tours and a visit to the world’s largest underground canyon.

For more information, visit the Pursuit website.