Azamara has officially added the Azamara Onward to its fleet of four ships following a festive christening ceremony in Monte Carlo. The christening ceremony was led by Azamara President Carol Cabezas and the godmother of the Azamara Onward, Beth Santos, founder and CEO of the global community and lifestyle brand Wanderful.
“We are thrilled to introduce Azamara Onward and share this special moment with our loyal guests and travel partners,” said Carol Cabezas, President of Azamara. “This is an exciting new chapter for our company, and we are so grateful to our team, both onboard and at sea, for making this possible. Together, we look forward to taking Azamara Onward and our passion for travel further than ever before, connecting even more guests with the world’s many people and cultures.”
Prior to the ceremony, the Azamara Onward sailed from Barcelona to Monte Carlo on an exciting five-day pre-inaugural voyage, stopping in Marseille, France, and Porto Venere, Italy, along the way. Upon arrival in the port of Marseille, guests had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the destination through a shore excursion, “Marseille City Sights.”.
Upon arrival in Porto Venere, Italy, guests were welcomed at Azamara's AzAmazing event, where they were greeted ashore with an immersive cultural celebration complete with live Italian opera entertainment, delicious local cuisine, and a leisurely stroll discovering unique medieval corners. Following this, guests set out to explore the Cinque Terre through two excursions: "Cinque Terre Wine Tasting" and "Best of Cinque Terre." These excursions took them through the region's colorful villages, where they enjoyed exceptional local wines and delectable treats, and even ventured up to the famous Chiesa di San Pietro for breathtaking panoramic views. The voyage concluded in Monte Carlo with the White Night Party, an onboard celebration where cruisers enjoyed a festive feast with the Azamara team and crew before dancing the night away.
On the embarkation day of the Azamara Onward's maiden voyage, the traditional ship christening ceremony was held in the port of Monte Carlo with a warm welcome toast by Cruise Director Eric De Gray and a musical performance by the Chœur d'enfants. Azamara President Carol Cabezas and the honorary godmother, Beth Santos, each addressed the attendees with heartfelt words, followed by the godmother breaking a bottle to officially christen the Azamara Onward and bring good fortune to the ship on its future voyages.
“I am so honored to have been selected as godmother of Azamara’s newest ship, Onward,” says Beth Santos, CEO of Wanderful. “This is such a symbolic moment not only for Azamara, but for the entire travel industry. After a two-year pause, we look forward to moving forward with new mindsets, new adventures, and new opportunities to learn how we can be better travelers.”
Following the ceremony and traditional christening, the ship will set sail for an maiden voyage of eleven nights in the Mediterranean, departing from Monte Carlo and concluding with an overnight stay in Ravenna, Italy.
