65 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.” “ We design itineraries with a thoughtful mix of marquee ports alongside hidden gems”
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