The new name and logo reflect Azamara’s new dedication to its Destination Immersion concept and deepens the brand’s renewed focus on cruising and immersive inland experiences.
Azamara Club Crusies has officially established itself as the premiere destination immersion cruise line after announcing that it will be delivering more than 1,700 land programs. In the same manner, the cruise line has also officially rebranded itself Azamara, dropping the “Club Cruises” portion of its name. Azamara has said the rebranding will reflect the company’s focus on its passengers’ immersion within port destinations.
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To ensure travelers receive first-class service delivered by a specialized independent team, Azamara has collaborated with some of the top luxury travel companies in the business, including Cox & Kings, which will operate more than 75 percent of the land programming provided by the cruise line. Other renowned luxury travel companies that have partnered with Azamara include: Micato Safaris, PerryGolf, Aloschi Bros, COLTUR Peru, and Furlong Incoming, among
others. Propelling the brand’s reputation as “the no cruise, cruise,” these travel companies will help expand Azamara’s portfolio of land programs by providing guests with the opportunity to visit over 41 countries in the next two-years.
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.
All land packages 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.
Land Program options include:
AzAmazing Journeys: Carefully curated programs consisting of small, intimate groups led by expert guides (with an average group size of 12-18 guests) that offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences that engage all guests’ senses. These experiences last three to six days, with the exception of long train journeys. Guests will fully dive into local culture through up-close explanations and interactive experiences with local independent specialists including historians, professors and connoisseurs. These journeys feature AzAmazing moments, which are off-the-beaten-path experiences, and accommodations in the world’s most breathtaking corners, from five-star hotels and castles to boutique inns, luxury lodges, and glamping experiences.
Land Journeys: These unique adventures with like-minded travelers allow guests to see cities from different vantage points, and offer a specialized travel experience that reveals both the hidden gems and iconic landmarks of a variety of captivating destinations. These Land Journeys last anywhere from three to six-nights, and offer a wider group size filled with like-minded travel enthusiasts. They include accommodations from four- to five-star hotels to boutique inns, luxury lodges and more.
Stay Local: These are in-depth explorations of one city provide cruisers, who have less time to explore but still want to experience a single destination, with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the local life of a particular city with a two- or three-night stay in the city. These experiences offer an intensive crash-course in the city of embarkation or disembarkation, either pre- or post-cruise. They take guests far beyond typical city highlights and immersing them in local life.
New cities include: Amsterdam, Netherlands; Auckland, New Zealand; Bordeaux, France; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Cape Town, South Africa; Copenhagen, Denmark; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Dublin, Ireland; Edinburgh, Scotland; Hong Kong, China; Lima, (Callao) Peru; Lisbon, Portugal; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Melbourne, Australia; Monte Carlo, Monaco; Mumbai, India; Nice, France; Oslo, Norway; Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia; Perth (Fremantle), Australia; Rio de Janerio, Brazil; San Antonio (Santiago), Chile; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Southampton (London), England; Stockholm, Sweden; Sydney, Australia.
AzAmazing Journey highlights include:
AzAmazing in Asia: In Search of Orangutan in Borneo where guests set out on a 2.5-hour speedboat journey deep into the jungle where eco-friendly accommodations will be provided. They will have the opportunity to see orangutans as they venture into the Borneo Rainforest, which is one of the few places in the world where people are able to see these magnificent creatures. The excursions will be led by local independent naturalists who will introduce travelers to the MariMari people, the area’s indigenous people who rarely share encounters with tourists.
AzAmazing in Africa: Micato Safaris provides 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, see hippos and Nile crocodiles, and take a railway journey to iconic Victoria Falls for an optional helicopter flight for a bird’s eye view of the falls. Accommodations range from the Four Seasons to the Kapama River Lodge.
AzAmazing in South America: With a a sparse landscape often compared to “outer space destinations,” the Bolivian Salt Flats and Atacama Desert of Chile are perhaps the most arid locations on earth. Guests will experience “glamping” for two nights in a deluxe airstream camper set on the salt flats, and accompanied by an independent local chef. In Chile, guests will get a luxurious stay at the Atacama Desert Resort, which offers village visits and desert hiking.
AzAmazing in Australia: This Rail & Sail program in Australia on the Indian Pacific train will allow guests to experience Australia’s stunning interior through the country’s rugged Blue Mountains. Traveling with the privileges of Platinum Service status—oversized cabins, nearly twice the size of others with gourmet food and wine pairings exclusive to this service—guests will journey through the footsteps of legendary adventures, gold rush prospectors and bush pioneers. After this luxurious train journey, guests will spend a night in the Margaret River wine country, which produces more than 20 percent of Australia’s premium wine market.
AzAmazing in Europe: Guests discover Russia’s capital of Moscow, where they will explore the city’s highlights like the Armory at the Kremlin, one of the oldest museums in the city and home to Western European and Eastern applied arts spanning from the 5th to 20th centuries. They will visit places like Arbat Street, one of the oldest surviving streets in Moscow, before venturing out to Sergiev Posad to see the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius and Krasnogorskaya Square. Then they will journey by train to Yekaterinburg, located on Asian side of the boundary between Asia and Europe, offering views of dense forests and wooden villages. A highlight of the program is “The Last Footsteps of the Tsars,” which features a unique look at the Romanov family and Russia’s tumultuous journey from monarchy to communism and the democracy.
Land Journey highlights include:
Land Journey in Europe: Starting in Oslo, guests will journey by train to Bergen, Norway’s second largest city, across one of Europe’s highest mountain plateaus. Making a detour in Myrdal, they will board the Flåm Railway and experience stunning views of the seven fjords and mountains. Once in Bergen, there will be a ferry that will take them to Stavanger, where they can choose to hike Preikestolen, known as the “pulupit rock,” or spend time at the Maritime Museum and the Norwegian Fish Canning Museum.
Land Journey in South America: Taking place over the course of two and a half days in Brazil’s verdant Pantanal region, this journey takes guests on the Pantanal Safari to spot the area’s native jaguars and other exotic creatures, such as howler monkeys and black vultures. On the water, nature enthusiasts guided by an expert will delve into the area’s diverse wetland biosystem with boat trips in search of stingray and giant otters.
Land Journey in New Zealand: Guests can explore the majestic landscape of New Zealand and discover its true beauty by railway and helicopter. They will experience panoramic views of the Southern Alps, the 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. By helicopter, guests will fly above Tasman Glacier, New Zealand’s longest glacier, before touching down on the snow in the heart of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, home to the highest mountains in the region.
