Azamara Intros 'World Wildlife at Sea'

AZAMARA CLUB CRUISES_In celebration of World Oceans Day today, Azamara Club Cruises is introducing “World Wildlife at Sea” – a guest-facing educational experience on select voyages – to further reinforce the brand’s partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – the world’s leading conservation organization – and commitment to increasing ocean literacy.

Elements of World Wildlife at Sea Include:

WWF Speaker Series 

Azamara will relaunch its WWF Speaker Series, which features leading experts covering a range of topics including marine conservation and sustainable agriculture, aligning with Azamara’s commitment to reducing its environmental footprint and engaging the global community to raise awareness about the importance of marine and environmental conservation. Among the speakers will be Nancy Labbe, Manager of Ranching & Conservation at WWF, speaking about the impact of food production on the environment, Aaron McNevin, Director of Sustainable Seafood at WWF, speaking about where the seafood on our plates comes from, and Amy Smith, Manager of Wood Sector Engagement, discussing the role rainforests play in regulating our global ecosystem.

Specialized Tours with WWF Speakers

During the WWF Speaker Series voyages, WWF speakers will also provide additional insight into various topics by joining curated land tour experiences that tie back to their expertise. Nancy Labbe will travel with guests on a visit to an Italian dairy farm in the Campania region, where guests will learn about the cheese-making process and sample the region’s signature cheese. Throughout the excursion, she will speak about the methods farms can implement to mitigate their impact on the environment. Back on board the ship, she will speak to guests about the global demand for food and how we can produce more food with less land, less water, and less agricultural inputs.

Crew Ambassador Program

To further reinforce the brand’s commitment to sustainability, a WWF Crew Ambassador program led by each ship’s environmental officer will launch in tandem with the WWF Speaker Series. This program will provide guests with additional opportunities to learn more about Azamara’s efforts to protect the environment through personal interactions with the crew. The Ambassador will also help organize crew activities in port with local organizations that support the goals of WWF. 

In addition to its partnership with WWF, Azamara and its parent company, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., will further their commitment to sustainable travel by eliminating plastic straws from all ships by the end of 2018. Currently, Azamara ships only distribute plastic straws upon request. The company will take a step further in 2019 when guests requesting a straw will receive a paper one instead of a plastic one. After straws, stirrers and picks, the company’s next efforts will focus on other single-use plastics such as condiment packets, cups, and bags.  A full plastics audit is underway, with the overall plan to be completed in phases by 2020.

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