38 INTERVIEW From left, Azamara’s hotel director Tatiana Morello, Captain Gianmarino Sanguineti, CEO Dondra Ritzenthaler and Emily Love, Azamara Onward cruise director, address guests during the celebration at Finca Mas Solers Experience the amazing Earlier this year, Azamara Cruises celebrated the meeting of its sister ships in Barcelona, Spain. Amber Hickman went onboard and sat down with Dondra Ritzenthaler to discuss her journey as CEO and her future plans for growing the brand Visitors to the Port of Barcelona in Spain on 25 May 2025 were greeted by an impressive sight; three of Azamara Cruises’ sister ships meeting for the first time. Azamara Journey, Onward and Quest stopped off in the Catalonian city for an overnight visit during their respective voyages through the Mediterranean. To celebrate the occasion, guests, crew, visitors and Azamara Cruises’s senior leadership team were invited to attend a new AzAmazing evening hosted at Finca Mas Solers, a 19th-century Renaissancestyle mansion. For Dondra Ritzenthaler, CEO of Azamara Cruises, it was a night to remember, with highlights including live performances of Spanish guitar, Rumba Catalana music and traditional Catalonian human tower performances. Ritzenthaler has now been CEO of the cruise line for over a year, and while her journey has not long begun, it has left a powerful impact so far. “My time at Azamara Cruises has been action-packed on all levels, and it gives me no end of satisfaction to see the success we are making across our business, from continually looking at ways to add value to our guests’ experiences to investing in our people and their skills,” she says. “I’m privileged to work with an exceptional team who work tirelessly to ensure our guests have extraordinary experiences onboard our ships. Their dedication never fails to inspire me.” One of the hallmarks of an Azamara cruise is a focus on immersive destination experiences that enable guests to explore a mixture of well-known and off-thebeaten-track locations. According to Ritzenthaler, the cruise line develops these offerings to give guests the types of experiences they are seeking. “Post-pandemic, we’ve witnessed guests craving deeper connections not just with the places they travel to but also with themselves and each other,” she explains. “As a result, we have designed
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