NEW YORK - The announcement of Azamara Club Cruises' extensive 2020 itineraries highlights the brand's commitment to creating immersive experiences for travelers to connect with local cultures. In 2020, guests will explore deeper into newly added destinations including South Africa, French Polynesia and Hawaii. With a total of 92 individual cruises across the three ships, Azamara will offer 41 maiden ports, 303 late night stays, 170 overnight stays and 40 country-intensive voyages, where guests can explore numerous ports within one country and stay late or overnight in most cities.
Azamara's carefully crafted 2020 itineraries emphasize spending more time in port, enabling travelers to explore beyond the initial layers of a city and fully immerse themselves in the destination. In addition, Azamara will also unveil new Land and Sea packages hosted by Micato Safaris, a luxury safari outfitter that will further enhance the brand's immersive land products.
"Our guests spoke and we listened; the addition of our third ship, the Azamara Pursuit, has allowed us to expand our footprint across all seven continents, bringing guests to new destinations, new experiences, and new opportunities," said Larry Pimentel, President and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises. "In 2020, Azamara will offer a total of 473 late night and overnight stays, a 12% percent increase from 2019, which will allow us to provide our guests with the opportunity to experience night touring at some of the most compelling destinations."
2020 Highlights Include:
1) South Africa/African Continent and South Pacific Itineraries
Azamara will be expanding its global coverage by calling in South Africa and the African Continent for the first time. Each voyage will offer an exceptional variety of immersive land programs that take travelers to the heart of Zulu culture, South Africa's most famous wine region, and beyond.
The new South Africa itineraries will coincide with pre-and post-cruise packages from Micato Safaris. Azamara and Micato both embody a similar love of travel, exploration and value creating one-of-a-kind experiences for travelers. Highlights include 30 departures of the two following tours:
- Five-Night Kruger to Cape: A Wildlife & Culinary Safari (offered pre-or post-Azamara voyage) Before embarking on a voyage with Azamara, meet the Micato team in Johannesburg for an exploration from Kruger to Cape Town with stops along the way at a notable game reserve and a visit to the Western Cape, known for its world class wines and top-quality restaurants; an experience that will delight the senses.
- Five-Night Wild Wonders of the World - Victoria Falls & Botswana Safari (offered pre-or post-Azamara Voyage): Travel through Zimbabwe to Botswana to experience one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Victoria Falls. This expedition also includes a dawn game drive through Botswana's Chobe Game Reserve and an optional helicopter tour of the falls.
In addition to the extensions by Micato Safaris, Azamara continues to expand its extensive Destination Immersion programing (guests can step on land as an insider, and travel deeper, beyond the initial layers of a city across Africa by adding a diverse selection of shore excursions including:
- - Cruise Global, Stay Local - Kenya: On this overnight excursion, travelers will fly past Mount Kilimanjaro – the highest mountain in Africa – and over the Great Rift Valley to Kenya's renowned game reserve, Masai Mara, where they will spend the night at the Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp, located along the Mara River. The excursion includes two game viewing drives in search of elephant, lions, rhinos, cheetahs, giraffes and more.
- Cruise Global, Meet Local – South Africa: On a day trip to Shakaland – a living monument of Zulu culture – travelers will be met by a Zulu guide who will act as an interpreter as he leads them through the village. Guests will learn how to make a sword and shield as well as build a traditional Zulu "beehive" grass hut.
- Cruise Global, Taste Local – South Africa: Departing from Cape Town, the excursion will take travelers to the Paarl region – one of South Africa's most famous wine-producing areas – for a formal vino tasting at a wine estate. Following, guests will pay a visit to Haute Cabriere – founded in 1694 and situated on opposite ends of the breathtaking Franschoek – where visitors will get to experience a deep passion for wine as well as a pairing comprised of two farms.
The 2020 itineraries will also feature an 18-night maiden voyage to French Polynesia and Hawaii, visiting some of the most unique Hawaiian Islands (Maui, Oahu and Hilo). During this voyage guests can shop for bright Polynesian silk wrap or shop for items with Tahitian black pearls, an organic gem only found in that region and formed from the black lip oyster. Some of the land experiences guests can participate in include:
- Cruise Global, Eco Local – French Polynesia: Join a marine biologist in this ecotourism and research project on wild, free-ranging dolphins. Learn about the geology of French Polynesia while viewing the dramatic beauty of Moorea from the water. Spinner dolphins, rough-tooth dolphins and pilot whales are seen around Moorea, while an excellent commentary provides details on the remarkable life and society of these wonderful mammals.
- Cruise Global, Adventure Local - Hawaii: Embark on an underwater exploration of Maui onboard a high-tech passenger submarine. The expedition will pass the "Brig Carthaginian," a sunken ship built in the 1920s that now acts as an artificial reef off of the coast of Maui's Puamana Beach Park.
2) Specialty Voyages
In addition to adding new destinations and immersive land experiences to its offerings, Azamara's 2020 itineraries will feature an assortment of specialty voyages including the following:
- Nearly half of Azamara's 2020 itineraries will include country-intensive voyages, giving travelers the opportunity to connect to the authentic heart of local life and culture. The new country intensive sailings include Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, and South Africa.
- For the first time, Azamara's three sister ships will meet on October 8, 2020 in Koper, Slovenia, where the cruise line will host a grand AzAmazing Evening in port for all guests on all three ships, and then sail together to Venice.
Azamara's holiday and Christmas sailings provide the opportunity to take part in celebrations around the world including ringing in the New Year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Cape Town, South Africa.
- On February 20, 2020, the Azamara Quest will be embarking on the brand's second World Journey from Cape Town to Southampton.
- The Triple Tour is a 42-night voyage starting May 26, 2020 from Athens to Copenhagen, allowing guests to sail on all three ships and get an in-depth experience with crew members across the entire fleet, all on one epic voyage. More details on the Triple Tour will be available in early Summer of 2018.
3) New Stateroom Category
Starting in 2020, Azamara will offer guests a more inclusive stateroom category called Veranda Plus. The new accommodation will have the same dimensions and features as a regular Veranda stateroom, for a slightly higher cost, but include additional benefits such as: internet minutes, one night of specialty dining, priority embarkation and more. All of these amenities have been built in price, which will provide a value for guests, versus buying individually.