Azamara Club Cruises' Brand Promise Reflected in Exotic, Extensive 2011-12 Itinerary Lineup

MIAMI, April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Azamara Club Cruises unveiled its new tagline, "You'll love where we take you," just three months ago, and today, it announced an itinerary lineup for 2011-12 that vividly reflects that promise. Bookings open today for the new, widely varied series of sailings in 54 countries, including visits to 174 ports. Azamara will offer overnight stays in 38 destinations, representing a 31 percent increase over the line's prior lineup, and late-night (10 pm or later) stays in 63 locations in 2011-12, tripling that of the year prior.

"Azamara Club Cruises is built around four key pillars: extraordinary service, cuisine and wines of the world, wellness and vitality, and destination immersion," said Azamara's President & CEO Larry Pimentel. "But what distinguishes our brand most is our ability to deliver the destination, and our new itineraries were precisely built around that commitment."

Enticing European, South American and Caribbean Journeys

After embarking on a 14-night transatlantic voyage from Miami on April 4, 2011, the 694-guest Azamara Journey will offer a series of seven-night Mediterranean voyages through early July from a variety of convenient departure ports, including Rome, Venice, Athens, Barcelona, Nice, and Lisbon. Each sailing was carefully crafted to allow cruisers interested in a lengthier vacation to combine two or more, seven-night itineraries back-to-back, with very few, if any, repeat ports depending on the segments combined. Among the overnight destinations are Corfu, Greece; Sorrento, Italy; Monte Carlo, Monaco; Provence (Marseilles), France; St. Tropez, France; Ibiza and Seville, Spain, and Lisbon, Portugal.

Highlighting this series of Spring Mediterranean voyages will be a four-night Monaco Grand Prix sailing from Nice on May 26, 2011, including a visit to Monte Carlo on the day of the famed race, as well as stops in popular Portofino, Italy and St. Tropez, France. When combined with the subsequent five-night voyage, guests can sail along the Italian Riviera all the way to Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.

On July 2, 2011, Azamara Journey sets sail on a 12-night Northern Europe Baltic cruise from romantic Paris (Rouen), highlighted by an overnight stay in Copenhagen, Denmark, and St. Petersburg, Russia. The ship then presents a series of seven-night Scandinavia/Russia Baltic voyages from Stockholm, Sweden, with an overnight stay there, and two consecutive overnight stays in St. Petersburg.

The stunning beauty of the Norwegian Fjords will highlight Azamara Journey's 10-night voyage from Copenhagen August 7, 2011, with visits to a full seven destinations in Norway.

Copenhagen once again will be the departure port for Azamara Journey's 12-night voyage departing August 17, 2011, with visits in Norway, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, and Akureyri, Iceland, along with an overnight stay in Reykjavik.

It's off to Ireland on August 29, 2011, when Azamara Journey departs on a unique 10-night sailing from Dublin highlighted by visits to Holyhead, Wales; Cork (Cobh), Ireland; Bilbao, where guests can visit the famed Guggenheim Museum; Gijon and Vigo, Spain, featuring the magnificent town of Santiago de Compostella, and overnight stays in Bordeaux, France, and Lisbon, Portugal during the grape harvest season.

From Lisbon, Azamara Journey continues its wine-centric voyages during grape harvest season with a nine-night Mediterranean itinerary featuring an overnight stay in Seville (Cadiz), Spain, and visits to Granada (Motril) and Barcelona; Provence (Marseilles), Sanary-Sur-Mer, St. Tropez and Nice, France, where the ship offers two consecutive seven-night sailings to intimate French and Italian destinations, including overnight stays in St. Tropez, Nice, and Monte Carlo,  as well as in Portofino, Italy. Two consecutive seven-night sailings follow, from Nice and Barcelona, respectively, concluding in Lisbon, where the ship embarks October 15, 2011, on a relaxing 10-night voyage to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

On October 25, 2011, Azamara Journey embarks on an entirely new season in South America, beginning with two consecutive 14-night voyages – one each from San Juan and from Manaus, Brazil, with visits to the Grenadines, Barbados, and exotic locations along Brazil's Amazon River.

Exotic West Indies locations larger ships can't reach await guests on Azamara Journey's five- and seven-night voyages departing San Juan November 22 (Thanksgiving) and 27, 2011, followed by a return to South America.

From December 4, 2011 through March 9, 2012, Azamara Journey presents a vast array of exciting and exotic itineraries ranging from eight to 16 nights, with the latter highlighted by three consecutive days in the Antarctic Sound, a visit just off Cape Horn, and a stop in the Falkland Islands.

Many of Azamara's South America voyages were designed around popular local events, such as two nights at chic Punta del Este, Uruguay, during the Christmas holiday; viewing New Year's Eve fireworks off the shores of Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as well as two full days in Rio during its famous Carnaval in February.

Among the overnight stays featured in Azamara Club Cruises' South America lineup in 2011-12 are Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Punta del Este, Uruguay.

The exotic West Indies again welcomes guests on Azamara Journey in March 2012, with a series of three seven-night sailings that round out the ship's new deployment. Among the destinations are Mayreau, Grenadines; St. Lucia; Marigot, St. Martin; Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands; and an overnight stay in Gustavia, St. Barts. These voyages can be combined into back-to-back 14-night segments allowing guests to explore a new set of hideaway ports each week.

A Quest for Exotic Asia

Azamara Quest precedes her new 2011-12 itinerary lineup with an 18-night Christmas and New Year's voyage departing Singapore December 21, 2010, complete with three full days in Bangkok (Klong Toey), Thailand, and one overnight stay each in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi (Halong Bay), Vietnam, ending in Hong Kong. Due to its intimate size, Azamara Quest is able to sail up Bangkok's Chao Phraya River close to the many attractions in that fascinating city.

The ship then embarks on a series of 14-night sailings in exotic Asia, to and from Singapore and Hong Kong, each highlighted by overnight stays in either Hong Kong or Singapore, and in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, through March 5, 2011. While in the region, guests have the opportunity to participate in an optional trip to the UNESCO Heritage site at Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

Azamara Quest then presents a 12-night voyage from Hong Kong, featuring visits to Xiamen, China; Kagoshima, Nagasaki, and Kyoto (Osaka), Japan, and Busan, South Korea. On March 15, 2011, the ship sets sail on another 12-night voyage from Shanghai, with visits to Qingdao, China, Seoul (Incheon) and Jeju Island, Korea; and overnight stays in both Beijing (Tianjin) and Hong Kong. The ship then presents an encore 14-night sailing from Hong Kong, with overnight stays in Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore, and two consecutive nights in Bangkok, followed by Azamara's first call on Ko Samui, Thailand.

Azamara Quest then departs for the line's first-ever sailings in India, with a call on Cochin, and an overnight stay in Bombay (Mumbai).

Dubai awaits guests on Azamara Quest's April 24, 2011 voyage, beginning with an overnight stay in the upscale destination, followed by several entirely relaxing days and nights at sea, a rare passage through the Suez Canal, and a visit to Alexandria, Egypt, ending in Athens (Piraeus), Greece.

On May 6, 2011, guests sailing on Azamara Quest's 10-night voyage can enjoy classic Mediterranean destinations by embarking or disembarking in Haifa, Israel, including Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Mykonos, Santorini and Rhodes, Greece; Jerusalem (Ashdod), Israel; and an overnight stay in Alexandria, Egypt.

Two consecutive overnight stays each in Jerusalem and Alexandria highlight Azamara Quest's 10-night sailing departing Haifa, Israel, on May 16, 2011, concluding in Athens.

An exceptional series of seven-night sailings commence May 26, 2011, each expressly designed to offer a rich destination experience, with longer stays in the ports, as well as to allow guests interested in longer sailings to combine them back-to-back with very few, if any, repeat destinations. The series combines the more familiar Greek islands of Corfu, Mykonos and Santorini, as well as Rhodes, where the ship presents an overnight stay, combined with the less-traveled but equally charming ports of Aegina, Chania, Kos, Lesvos (Mitilini) , Nauplion and Paros, Greece.  

Azamara Quest's series of seven-night itineraries also include rare visits to ports in the Black Sea, including Nessebar, Bulgaria, and Ukraine's Odessa, Sevastopol, and Yalta, where the ship docks overnight.

Sicilian ports include Siracusa, Taormina and Trapani; Corsican destinations include Bastia, Bonifacio, Calvi; and among the destinations in France are Provence (Marseilles), charming Sanary-Sur-Mer, and St. Tropez, where the ship remains overnight.

The captivating Croatian destinations offered within Azamara Quest's series of seven-night sailings include Hvar, Split, Dubrovnik and Korcula, while the rich array of Italian locations include Elba (Portoferraio), Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Portofino, La Spezia, Trieste, and both Venice and Sorrento, where the ship stays overnight. Among the destinations in Turkey are Antalya, Troy (Kepez), captivating Marmaris and Ephesus (Kusadasi).

Azamara Quest then presents three consecutive 11-night voyages from Athens between October 15 through November 16, 2011, with visits in Greece, Egypt and Israel, highlighted by overnight stays in Alexandria, Jerusalem (Ashdod) and Rhodes. The third in the series also features an exciting passage through the Suez Canal.

Azamara Club Cruises presents an entirely new 10-night Red Sea itinerary from the line's first-time departure port of Suez (Sokhna), Egypt, on November 17, 2011, featuring overnight stays in both Sharm El Sheikh and Safaga, Egypt, along with Aqaba, Jordan, and Eilat, Israel. Guests on this voyage have the opportunity to discover many timeless treasures, including Luxor and St. Catherine's Monastery in Egypt, Masada in Israel, and the fabled Petra and the Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan.

A 14-night voyage follows on November 27, 2011, also from Suez (Sokhna), with an overnight stay in Aqaba, Jordan (for Petra) and the line's first visit to Muscat, Oman, ending in Bombay, India.

From Bombay, Azamara Quest departs December 11, 2011, on a 12-night voyage featuring calls on Goa (Mormugao), Cochin, Madras (Chennai), India, and Phuket, Thailand, ending in Singapore. While in Chennai, guests can explore the amazing shoreside temples at Mahabalipuram, a UNESCO Heritage Site.

From Singapore, Azamara Quest presents a exotic and exciting 12-night Christmas and New Year's voyage on December 23, 2011, highlighted by the brand's first-ever visit to the Krakatoa Volcano where, conditions permitting, a landing will be attempted.  Additional highlights will include the line's first calls at Semarang, Lombok, Komodo and Benoa Bali, where the ship docks overnight on New Year's Eve.  During these calls, guests will have access to a total of four UNESCO Heritage Sites, including a walk to discover the giant lizards at Komodo National Park; the Borobudur Temple complex, the Sangiran Early Man site and the Prambanan Temple site.

Azamara Quest then embarks on a series of 14-night sailings from Singapore and Hong Kong January 4 through March 14, 2012, with overnight stays in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Hong Kong, and two consecutive nights in Bangkok (Klong Toey). Together with a stop in Danang (Hue), these voyages provide a tremendous immersion into the culture, cuisine and traditions of Vietnam.

Rounding out Azamara Club Cruises' new deployment for 2011-12 are two unique voyages onboard Azamara Quest: First, a 12-night sailing departing Shanghai March 14, 2012, with visits to Busan, South Korea; Hiroshima, Kobe and Kagoshima, Japan; and Taipei (Keelung) and Hualien, Taiwan, China, concluding in Hong Kong. Additionally, the line presents a 17-night adventure featuring overnight visits in Manila, Philippines and Benoa, Bali, as well as a visit to the island of Borneo, with access to an orangutan sanctuary, a chance to visit the scenic splendor and villages of Torajaland on the island of Sulawesi, and access to four UNESCO Heritage sites, including Komodo National Park, the Borobudur Temple complex, the Sangiran Early Man site and the Prambanan Temple site, concluding in cosmopolitan Singapore.

Beginning today on Azamara Journey and April 9 on Azamara Quest, guests sailing on every Azamara Club Cruises voyage will experience the brand's many new, inclusive amenities, including complimentary, vintage red and white wines from boutique vineyards around the world served at lunches and dinners; bottled water, sodas, specialty coffees and teas, whether in public venues or in staterooms and suites; housekeeping, dining and bar staff gratuities; shuttle bus service to and from the port communities, where available; destination-influenced entertainment and enrichment programs; specialty dining in the intimate specialty restaurants, Prime C and Aqualina (complimentary for suite guests; stateroom guests are charged a $15 per person cover); true English butler service in suites; self-service laundry, and concierge services.

Guests who book a new 2011-12 Azamara voyage by December 31, 2010 will receive an additional $1,000 per person savings through the brand's current 2-for-1 fares, based on brochure pricing as shown on www.azamaraclubcruises.com/rates2011-12. Rates shown on the site's booking tool already reflect the 2-for-1 savings program.

For more information, consumers are invited to call 1-877-999-9553. Travel Professionals are encouraged to dial 1-877-222-2526. Or, visit the Azamara Club Cruises web site at www.azamaraclubcruises.com.

SOURCE Azamara Club Cruises