The name, beautiful and romantic, was clearly a good choice. Azamara is derived from Romance languages and is linked to the blue and the sea, but it was also inspired by a star, Acamar, the southernmost bright star visible from the latitude of Greece in medieval times. Azamara, a star in the blue sea, a concept that evokes the image of magnificent voyages around the world.
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 61 – June 2022
Azamara was founded in 2007 as an "upper premium" brand of Royal Caribbean Group, and was relaunched in 2009 as Azamara Club Cruises.
It operated with three ships: the Azamara Quest, which entered service in 2007; the Azamara Journey, built in 2000 and transferred to Azamara Cruises in 2008; and the Azamara Pursuit, built in 2001 and acquired in 2017, which began operating in August 2018 after extensive refurbishment. Each ship can accommodate 690 guests. In addition to offering a more personalized experience, all three ships recently underwent a $17.5 million revitalization.
With the arrival of the pandemic, cruise ship owners took drastic cost-cutting measures to ensure their survival, and Royal Caribbean Group made the decision to divest one of its brands, in this case the smallest one, Azamara Cruises, which, after the acquisitions of Silversea Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, was left in a compromised position.
Royal Caribbean Group ultimately succeeded in convincing the US investment fund Sycamore Partners, a New York-based private equity firm, to acquire the entire company for $201 million, a competitive price compared to other similar transactions. The sale agreement included the brand, fleet, and intellectual property, and guaranteed that the company's approximately 50 employees would remain intact, with Carol Cabezas continuing as president and relocating to their new offices.
Sycamore Partners' commitment to Azamara was confirmed with an agreement that was closed in the first quarter of 2021, adding the acquisition of the Pacific Princess, the fourth ship in the fleet, which was renamed after a complete renovation to Azamara Onward.
By the end of May 2022, Azamara's entire fleet was operational, offering intensive itineraries, shore excursions, and longer stays in each port as part of its "Destination Immersion" program, which includes visits to 362 ports worldwide, 392 overnight stays, and over 3,000 shore excursions. Azamara's four ships will sail in Europe this summer before heading to Asia, Australia, South America, and other destinations.
Onward
has a gross tonnage of 30,277 and a capacity for 670 passengers served by a crew of 400. Built in 1999, it began its life as R Three, part of Renaissance Cruises' R-Class ships, along with the Azamara Journey (formerly R Six), Azamara Quest (formerly R Seven), and Azamara Pursuit (R Eight).
The truth is, the ship has the same design scheme and the same feeling of comfort on board. It features interior, exterior, balcony, and suite-class cabins with many options and capacities.
The Azamara Onward is making its inaugural season in Europe.
Among the seven different dining options is the Discoveries Restaurant, the ship's main dining room, available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with self-catering seating. It's also where you can enjoy the "Destination Immersion" buffet dinner, featuring local flavors from the ship's ports of call.
Other restaurants include the casual buffet Windows Cafe and The Patio, a casual poolside grill option during the day, and the candlelit al fresco restaurant Swirl Top, which also serves Destination Immersion menus in the evening. The two specialty restaurants are Aqualina, which serves a six-course Italian menu, and the steak and seafood restaurant Prime C.
The public areas include five bars and lounges, the Drawing Room library, and the Cabaret Lounge, but the Atlas Bar is a standout—an exclusive venue found only on board the Azamara Onward. This unique concept offers handcrafted cocktails designed specifically for this bar.
The Onward, of course, continues to organize Azamara's white nights for drinking, eating and dancing on the pool deck, with live music.
The christening ceremony took place in Monte Carlo and was led by Azamara President Carol Cabezas and Azamara Onward godmother Beth Santos, founder and CEO of the global community and lifestyle brand Wanderful.
Azamara Onward is making its inaugural 2022 season around Europe, sailing in the Mediterranean, the Adriatic, the Aegean and the Black Sea, to destinations including Italy, Greece, Croatia, France, Turkey and Africa.
