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Azamara is branching out to Africa, Polynesia, HawaiiAzamara is branching out to Africa, Polynesia, Hawaii

Azamara Club Cruises' 2020 program features new immersive land excursions and maiden voyages to South Africa, French Polynesia and Hawaii.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

May 16, 2018

2 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

Ninety-two cruises will be offered across three ships, with 41 maiden calls, 303 late-night stays, 170 overnight stays and 40 country-intensive voyages.

New packages with Micato Safaris

New 'Land and Sea' packages were developed with Micato Safaris, a luxury safari outfitter.

Also starting in 2020, Azamara will offer a more inclusive stateroom category, Veranda Plus. Benefits for the higher fare include Internet minutes, one night of specialty dining, priority embarkation and more.

'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,' Azamara president and CEO Larry Pimentel said.

Game drives, wine, Zulu culture

Azamara will be expanding its global coverage by calling in South Africa and elsewhere on the African continent for the first time. Each voyage will offer immersive land programs that take travelers to the heart of Zulu culture, South Africa’s most famous wine region and beyond. The cruises can be paired with with pre-/post- Micato Safaris trips.

For example, on a five-night 'Kruger to Cape' program participants meet the Micato team in Johannesburg to explore the noted Kruger game reserve and visit the Western Cape, known for world-class wines and top-quality restaurants. A five-night 'Wild Wonders of the World' post-cruise program visits Victoria Falls (with an optional helicopter tour) and includes a dawn game drive through Botswana’s Chobe Game Reserve.

Immersive shore excursions include a flight past Mount Kilimanjaro and over the Great Rift Valley to Kenya’s Masai Mara game reserve, where participants spend the night at the Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp on the Mara River. In South Africa, on a day trip to Shakaland—a living monument of Zulu culture—travelers will be met by a Zulu guide who leads them through the village. Participants will learn how to make a sword and shield as well as build a traditional Zulu 'beehive' grass hut.

French Polynesia and Hawaii

Azamara's 2020 itineraries also feature an 18-night maiden voyage to French Polynesia and Hawaii (Maui, Oahu and Hilo). Sample land experiences include joining a marine biologist in Moorea for an ecotourism and research project on wild dolphins and, in Maui, an underwater exploration aboard a submarine past the Brig Carthaginian, a sunken ship that acts as an artificial reef.

Nearly half of Azamara’s 2020 itineraries include country-intensive voyages, including to Ireland, Scotland, Denmark and South Africa.

Three ships to meet in Koper

For the first time, Azamara’s three sister ships will meet on Oct. 8, 2020 in Koper, Slovenia, where the cruise line will host a grand 'AzAmazing Evening' in port before the vessels sail together to Venice.

On Feb. 20, 2020, Azamara Quest will embark on the line's second world journey, from Cape Town to Southampton.

And the 'Triple Tour' is a 42-night voyage starting May 26, 2020, from Athens to Copenhagen, allowing passengers to sail on all three ships.

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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