By
Amber Hickman |
Azamara Cruises has long treated ‘destination immersion’ as a core strategy, seeking to ensure guests have as good an experience onshore as they do onboard the ship.
The cruise line’s commitment to destination immersion is more important than ever as guest expectations change says Michael Pawlus, head of itinerary planning at Azamara.
“Guests are seeking longer stays in ports and want to experience more during their cruises, including chances to explore and discover destinations in the evening hours,” he says.
To meet the need for more in-depth onshore experiences, Azamara is introducing 28 new double overnight stays in a variety of destinations, which Pawlus says will provide guests with a range of things to do and see.
“This means that guests will have significantly more time to enjoy everything the destination has to offer,” he says. “Additionally, staying for multiple days allows us to offer extended excursions, which can include overnight stays on land.”
There are over 246 exclusive night-time excursions available for guests. For example, during double overnight stays in Seville, Spain, guests can treat themselves to a flamenco evening at Tablao El Arena. Meanwhile, guests enjoying a double overnight visit to Hamilton, Bermuda, can book a sunset cruise and sample drinks prepared with the island’s national rum cocktail.
Azamara has also partnered with local guides to offer night tours that explore the spirit of each destination after sunset. Guests have the opportunity to take part in a wine tasting in a hidden garden in Dubrovnik, Croatia; go bar-hopping in Singapore; or enjoy a Spanish guitar performance at the historic Can Vivot palace in Palma, Mallorca.
Azamara tries to find a balance between more popular and lesser-known destinations when creating its voyages, explains Pawlus.
“The marquee ports capture people’s attention and inspire them to book the cruise,” he says. The hidden gems exceed expectations and make the overall itinerary truly exceptional.”
For example, guests travelling on Azamara’s ‘Southeast Asia Cruise’ will depart from one of the world’s busiest ports: Singapore. They will then travel to a variety of destinations including smaller, more hidden ports such as Ko Samui, Thailand, Sihanoukville, Cambodia, and Halong Bay, Vietnam, before disembarking in Hong Kong.
Sustainability and preservation of culture are also key tenets of Azamara’s approach to itinerary planning and overall guest experience.
“We challenge our tour and excursion partners and agents around the world to think creatively and move beyond regular city tours by incorporating local culture and creating experiences that will be truly meaningful to our guests,” explains Pawlus.
This approach continues onboard too, by sourcing ingredients from local destinations when in port for onboard dining and events, such as the AzAmazing evenings. However, none of this would be possible without close partnerships with the port and tourism authorities in these locations.
“We work extremely closely with port and tourism authorities worldwide to ensure that our guests have a seamless experience when they cruise with us,” says Pawlus. “Through our years of experience, we understand what works and what provides a meaningful experience, and the strong repeat business we see from our guests proves that they recognise our efforts.”