AZAMARA CRUISES
OVERVIEW
The name Azamara is a coined term derived from the Romance languages. There are links to blue (az) and the sea (mar), but the name was also inspired by a star, Acamar. The company says it thinks of Azamara as “a star on the blue sea.” Formerly owned by Royal Caribbean international, Azamara was purchased by private equity company Sycamore Partners in 2021.
“Stay longer, experience more,” is an Azamara Cruises tagline. It vows to “not only take you to awe-inspiring destinations, but also give you more time to fall in love with them.” Azamara currently consists of four intimate 690-passenger ships: Azamara Journey, Azamara Quest, Azamara Pursuit and Azamara Onward.
The smaller vessels enable guests to discover places inaccessible to larger ships. Azamara puts a strong focus on destinations -- nearly half of all of its port stops feature overnight or late-night stays. Azamara says this gives guests plenty of time to explore and connect with each destination, long after other ships leave.
93% of Azamara staterooms offer ocean views and 68% have a private veranda. Highlights of the experience include: butler service in every suite; two specialty restaurants; a spa and wellness retreat; daily enrichment programs ranging from cuisine to photography; and nightly live entertainment. Azamara says its shore excursions are designed to let guests become part of the fabric of life in each destination, instead of merely an observer.
DESTINATIONS VISITED
In 2022 and 2023 Azamara ships will travel the world, including Africa, Northern and Western Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas, the Caribbean, South America and Australia. The company also features “country-intensive” itineraries which make several stops in individual countries including Greece, Italy, Spain, Croatia, France, Ireland and more.
AZAMARA CONNECT TRAVEL PARTNER PORTAL
Azamara Connect bills itself as the “one-stop-shop” for everything an Azamara Travel Partner needs, whether on the road or working from home. The comprehensive site delivers detailed information on the brand and its products at sea and on land. All the latest offers are posted and there are lots of resources available in the Marketing Toolkit, including an image library, destination flyers, videos, logos and PowerPoint presentations.
AZAMARA CRUISES AGENT TRAINING
Under the Education tab at Azamara Connect you can access extensive sales webinars, a Travel Advisor Selling Guide, the line’s Group Policy and more. The Azamara World Academy offers training and benefits to travel advisors. To access this resource, log-in to CruisingPower.com, select ‘Training & Benefits,’ select ‘Training & Certification’ and click Azamara.
AGENT RATES & FAMS
Azamara offers Seminars at Sea and agent familiarization trips. You can find out more on Azamara Connect and through your local Azamara representative.
LOCAL AGENT SUPPORT
Azamara Cruises has a team of sales and business development specialists across the U.S. and Canada. A full list can be found here. In addition to your local SBDM, advisors have access to a dedicated Inside Business Development team that can be reached at SalesSupport@Azamara.com.
AGENT MARKETING TOOLS
Azamara Connect offers marketing collateral, selling tools, past webinars, itinerary updates and customizable flyer templates. A recently enhanced travel advisor asset library gives access to more images and marketing materials than ever before.