Cruise News: Azamara Unveils 2019 Voyages

(Press Release)_Azamara Club Cruises, the boutique cruise line known for its premier destination-immersive voyages, today unveiled its 2019 itineraries to a record 250 ports of call, including 45 maiden ports, 69 countries, 94 overnight stays, and 145 late night stays. New offerings will include Azamara’s first-ever sailings to Alaska, 9 Special Events Voyages and 9 Country Intensive Voyages. 
 
“Our 2019 itineraries span the world with new ports and destinations such as Alaska and go deeper than ever before into local cultures with one-of-a-kind experiences that you can’t find through local tour services.  We are confident that our growing number of first-time and millennial cruisers, along with repeat customers, will find that the new itineraries offer the type of personalized and unique experiences they seek,” said Larry Pimentel, President & CEO of Azamara Club Cruises.  “With the new itineraries, we are continuing to build upon our Stay Longer, Experience More brand positioning, with more onshore opportunities that allow guests to connect with locals for enriching travel moments, both on land and at sea.”
 
Introducing Alaska

Azamara is offering a variety of Alaska experiences through 11 dynamic voyages each spanning eight to 10 days between May and September of 2019.  The line’s new Alaska voyages will feature more time in port with many late night stays, allowing nighttime experiences in this amazing land of the Midnight Sun.  Our itineraries will feature a combination of marquee ports, as well as unique and out-of-the-ordinary ports.  Our complimentary AzAmazing Evenings events will feature localized and authentic experiences, and carefully curated optional shore excursions in small groups of 20 – 25 guests will bring Alaska to life for our guests.  Intimate shore excursion highlights include:

·        Haines off the Beaten Path – Meet Local:  Take a scenic drive to Picture Point along the Chilkat River to visit the artists’ enclave of Mud Bay with a special tour of Extreme Dreams Art Studio – a handcrafted timber-frame gallery filled with unique creations by select local artisans.  Then, return to Haines for a guided visit to the quirky yet fascinating Hammer Museum.

·        Icy Strait Point – Taste Local:  In Alaska’s wildest kitchen, guests can capture the essence of real Alaskan flavors with fresh seafood tasting in a rustic setting hosted by an Alaskan fisherman and an expert filleting demonstration.

·        Juneau Dog Sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier – Adventure Local:  A dynamic helicopter ride to the Mendenhall Glacier is followed by an exhilarating dog sledding journey with about 300 spirited Alaskan huskies.

·        Skagway White Pass Legacy Club Luxury Railway Experience – View Local:  Experience the dramatic beauty of Southeast Alaska in opulence while traveling aboard the White Pass & Yukon Route’s luxurious Legacy Club Car, featuring your very own private guide. 

 
Azamara’s Land & Sea Experiences include pre- and post-voyage land programs of two to six nights, combining the cruise with land programs for a truly immersive experience.  Curated Land & Sea Experiences include Untamed Alaska, Native Villages for an authentic and traditional community gathering, riverboat cruising, or an afternoon in a local dog handler kennel, learning about the famed Iditarod Dogsled race where guests can meet with some furry and friendly Alaskan Huskies.
   
More 2019 Voyage Highlights

The line’s immersive itineraries feature longer stays and more overnights across destinations worldwide, including  smaller ports that the ships are just the right size to visit, many of which larger ships can’t, making it more convenient to experience many marquee destinations directly off the ships.

·        Golf Local with Perry Golf: In partnership with Perry Golf, Azamara has eight new voyages for golf enthusiasts that include The British Open in Portrush, Northern Ireland and The Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia.

·        Special Event Voyages: Azamara caters to niche travel interests with a handful of once-in-a-lifetime experiences worth celebrating with front row access to some of the biggest festivals and events around the world.  Premier events include two Formula One races (the Monaco Grand Prix and Spanish Grand Prix), the Cannes Film Festival, a round-trip California Wine Cruise from Los Angeles and an Annular Solar Eclipse voyage through the Indian Ocean.  The line will also be in Edinburgh for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo thought of by many as the “greatest show on earth”, and on the Azamara Journey’s 28-May-2019 voyage, guests will experience the 75th anniversary of D-Day, as well as the once every five years Rouen Festival featuring many of the world’s largest and most beautiful tall ships.

·        Country Intensive Voyages: Azamara is the first brand to launch Country Intensive Voyages which allow guests to experience a country in-depth, effortlessly and conveniently immersing themselves in the culture, places and things in a variety of destinations within the country. These itineraries consist of most – if not all – ports of call within the destination.  Japan, one of the new intensive voyages, offers 13 ports in 15 days throughout a circumnavigation of the country allowing experiences in every part of the country. Other countries include New Zealand, Mexico, Norway, Spain, France, Italy, Croatia and Greece. 

·        45 Maiden Ports of Call: 2019 will see Azamara sailing to a record 45 maiden ports of call including Aalborg, Denmark; Lorient, France; Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; Boracay Island, Philippines; Stewart Island, New Zealand and many more. 

 Azamara’s recently launched Cruise Global, Connect Local land programs offer an unprecedented variety of over one thousand new and existing intimate shore excursions. Custom experiences curated by Azamara’s expert team accommodate every travel style whether it be an interest in experiencing local life behind the scenes (Cruise Global, Meet Local), food and wine (Cruise Global, Taste Local), guided historic tours (Cruise Global, View Local), enjoy exclusive, custom after-dinner experiences (Cruise Global, Nights Local), biking (Cruise Global, Bike Local) and much more.  Opportunities to travel deeper are endless.  Additionally, all guests experience complimentary, bespoke AzAmazing Evenings that provide true cultural immersion and local entertainment in places like a French chateaux, Caribbean gardens, Spanish forts, Russian ballet halls and Roman amphitheaters.
 
With a maximum of 25 guests per on-shore excursion, Azamara offers a more intimate connection, more local experience and more peace-of-mind.  Every excursion is designed and delivered by locals who provide an authentic perspective and individual interaction and are trusted tour operators that provide the highest level of quality, service and convenience.
 
Azamara’s Boutique Hotels at Sea were recently redesigned, and guests onboard the Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest receive warm, authentic and personal service and enjoy fine cuisine and boutique wines from around the world, as well as inclusive amenities, such as gratuities; complimentary bottled water, sodas, specialty coffee and teas, wines from around the world, international beers and select standard spirits in the ships’ bars, lounges and restaurants; complimentary self-service laundry; English Butler service for suite guests; and shuttle transportation to city centers in ports, where available.  The 690-guest ships deliver a true boutique hotel atmosphere with a contemporary design that is inspired by the destinations Azamara visits.
 
Azamara is more than a cruise line; it's the brand that delivers a rich destination experience worldwide by staying longer and allowing guests to experience more.  For a full list of 2019 Azamara Voyages, visit https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/2019