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I love small ships – they’re an experience like no other, no crowds jostling to get off, friendly staff that you get to know very quickly. Plus, the smaller size means you get to visit smaller ports that other ships can’t reach – I got to visit the beautiful Bequia on P&O Adonia, and my parents visited Portofino on Azamara Pursuit (as Adonia is now known)
Well, with the latest announcement from Azamara, the small ship experience is no longer limited just to the ocean.
Azamara ha recently announced the debut of the largest selection of pre- and post- voyage land programs in the cruise industry, with over 1,700 destination focused land program offerings. These new travel options aim to complement the brand’s immersive voyages and further enhance its commitment to bringing guests closer to the heart of a destination.
A brand new look
With the brand’s newly expanded destination portfolio, along with other commitments on Destination Immersion, Azamara Club Cruises has revealed a new look logo, dropping ‘Club Cruises’ from the name.
The revitalised logo and amended name emphasis and renews the brand’s focus on cruising and immersive inland experiences, offering guests infinite opportunities for world travel, connecting guests to both iconic and off-the-beaten-path destinations by both land and sea.
Our passion for land has allowed our Destination Immersion programming to evolve over the past 10-years, from ‘You’ll Love Where We Take You®’ to ‘Stay Longer, Experience More®’ to now ‘Explore Further®’; Destination Immersion (Longer Stays, More Overnights and Night Touring) is what makes Azamara unique within the industry…this is just the beginning, we expect our land programming to grow even more as we continue to augment our services.
Larry Pimentel, President and CEO of Azamara
Azamara’s new land packages
From behind the scenes to exploring with locals, Azamara’s new selection of land programming will offer an extensive collection of experiences designed to bring guests deeper into the heart of local life, offering exclusivity and insider access from local guides and experts around the world.
Azamara’s new Land Program options will be split into AzAmazing Journeys, Land Journeys and Stay Local explorations.
All land packages will include:
• Most breakfast and a variety of select authentic meals throughout their journey
• All transfers to/from voyage, airport, and between land tour cities
• Tour directors, dedicated to ensuring all details are taken care of and that a guest’s trip is stress-free
• Explorations led by local experts, such as geologists, naturalists, sommeliers, astronomers, wildlife trackers, etc
AzAmazing Journeys
These premium programmes are carefully curated for small intimate groups of 12-18 guests, and will last from 3 to 6 days. You will experience AzAmazing moments exploring off the beaten path experiences, breathtaking accommodations and once in a lifetime experiences led by expert guides.
I’m loving the look of AzAmazing in Africa
This is the ultimate safari where guests will experience twice-daily game drives, led by an independent ranger and potentially experience up-close viewing of the Big Five—lions, leopards, African Buffalo, Rhinoceros, African Elephant—at Kruger National Park. Not only will participants have the chance to see the beautiful preserve, they will also visit the South African winelands, river cruise on the Zambezi River, expect hippos and Nile crocodiles; and railway journey to iconic Victoria Falls for an optional helicopter flight for a bird’s eye view. Luxury is certain, with stays that range from the Four Seasons to the Kapama River Lodge.
Find out more about this experience here.
Azamara Land Journeys
Azamara’s Land Journeys offer unique adventures seeing cities from different vantage points, and offering a specialized travel experience that reveals both the hidden gems and iconic landmarks of a variety of captivating destinations.
These Land Journeys will offer wider group sizes and last anywhere from three to six-nights. Once again your experience will be complemented with exquisite accommodations from four to five-star hotels to boutique inns, luxury lodges and more.
I’m loving the look of Land Journey in New Zealand: South Island- Alpine Rail & Mount Cook
Guests can explore the incomparable, majestic landscape of New Zealand and discover its true beauty by railway and helicopter. Travellers will experience panoramic views of the Southern Alps, shores of the Waimakariri River, and native beech forests while on a 139-mile journey aboard the South Island train, which connects Christchurch and Greymouth. Once “sky high” in the helicopter, travellers will fly above Tasman Glacier, New Zealand’s longest glacier, before the helicopter touches down gently on the snow in the heart of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, home to the highest mountains in the region.
Find out more about this experience here.
Stay Local
For those that don’t want to venture as far but want to immerse themselves further into a single destination at either end of your cruise, the Stay Local programme will allow to explore the local life of a particular city with a two or three-night stay. Taking guests far beyond the usual city highlights and tourists hot spots, you’ll be immersed into local life in cities such as Amsterdam. Bordeaux, Buenos Aires, Dubai Melbourne, Oslo, Tahiti, Stockholm and Sydney,
I’m loving the look of Stay Local in Athens
Guests can extend your vacation in Athens, Greece’s capital city – homeland to gods, goddesses and some of the world’s greatest philosophers and athletes. Brimming with iconic ancient temples, the city also hosts a number of glorious parks and beaches. for you to explore and enjoy.
Find out more about this experience here.
Are you interested in experiencing one of Azamara’s new ashore experiences?
Fun fact: the star in the Azamara logo is representative of Azamara’s namesake “Acamar,” which means the brightest star in the southern sky and represents the brand’s ‘north star’; like a compass that drives balance, direction and dependability.
