Azamara Club Cruises, the cruise line known for its Destination Immersion programming, today revealed its 2018-19 sailings to Europe and South America for the brand’s newest addition, Azamara Pursuit.
Azamara Pursuit will commence her inaugural season with the Azamara Club Cruises fleet in August 2018 in Europe, visiting destinations like Iceland and Greece, before sailing to South America in November 2018 where she will visit ports in locations like Peru, Chile and Brazil.
Azamara Pursuit will increase the cruise line’s destination offerings by 40% and will add 61 more destinations. Guests will be able to stay longer and experience more with 48 late nights and 26 overnights, and the chance to experience some of the most unique destinations worldwide, with 15 maiden calls:
• Agadir, Morocco
• Antofagasta, Chile
• Chilean Fjords*
• Cruising Beagle Channel*
• Fowey, United Kingdom
• Laguna San Rafael, Chile
• Lima (Callao), Peru
• Maceió, Brazil
• Monemvasia, Greece
• Pisco (San Martin), Peru
• Salaverry (Trujillo), Peru
• Samos, Greece
• San Antonio, Chile
• Seyðisfjörður, Iceland
• Spetses, Greece
Azamara Pursuit will be the third boutique 690-guest ship in the fleet, joining sister ships Azamara Quest and Azamara Journey in providing guests with one-of-a-kind curated experiences and access to some of the most exotic destinations around the globe.
“We’re thrilled to announce Azamara Pursuit’s voyages,” said Larry Pimentel, President and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises.
“By expanding our destination offerings, guests will be able to experience even more regions of the world and revisit regions we haven’t been to in some time now.”
“Building on the Azamara brand promise, like its sisters, Azamara Pursuit will take guests to the most uniquely curated destination experiences,” Pimentel concluded.
Azamara Pursuit will feature some of the most attractive and jaw-dropping experiences in key ports of South America and Europe:
South America Featured Experiences (November 2018 – March 2019)
Travelers sailing through South America will dock in marquee destinations such as Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, while also traversing through scenic channels such as the Fjords of Chile and Ushuaia, Argentina, the furthest south deep-water port. Guests can also expect holiday stops in Rio de Janeiro for New Year’s Eve 2018 and for Carnival in 2019. Like all Azamara voyages, the South American voyages will fully immerse guests in the most photo-worthy experiences, including:
Stargazing in Atacama Desert (Antofagasta, Chile): Sit back, look up and enjoy the peace, vastness and beauty of the stars in the Atacama Desert, the world’s driest desert. Our three-day/two-night stargazing experience offers unparalleled views of millions of tiny diamonds against a black sky. Considered one of the best locations on earth to appreciate the Milky Way’s brilliant collection of stars. Azamara will take you via chartered plane from Antofagasta to San Pedro de Atacama for a two-night stay at the 5-star Tierra Atacama (or similar). You’ll visit Moon Valley, Quitor Fortress, Toconao Village & Chaxa Lagoon, then fly from Calama to La Serena via Santiago (on commercial air).
Casa de Aliaga (Lima, Peru): Guests will explore and embrace Peru when they dine in the Casa de Aliaga in Lima, the oldest inhabited house in all of the Americas. This manor was built in 1536 during the Spanish conquest expedition of Peru. Your 17th generation family member and host, Maru de Aliagra will share this rich history of her family’s manor and the experiences of living there since she was seven.
A Culinary Experience in Bohemian Barranco (Lima, Peru): As one of the world’s top culinary destinations, guests will join in local foodie Penelope Alzamora in Bohemian Barranco for a truly local experience. Alum of Johnson and Wales´ College of Culinary Arts and former teacher at San Francisco´s Tante Marie cooking school, Penelope now lives in Barranco and knows the city’s vast culinary offerings like no other. Walk through a typical Peruvian market, experience inspiring flavors and even prepare your own trademark Peruvian dishes like ceviche in Penelope’s home while sipping Pisco Sours.
Yoga in the Paracas Desert (Pisco, Peru): While sailing on Azamara’s South American itineraries through its Cruise Global, Connect Local® experience, travelers are in touch with nature and oneself as they take part in open-air yoga classes at Atenas Beach in the Paracas National Reserve.
Europe Featured Experiences (August 2018 – November 2018)
Azamara continues to enhance their authentic Europe experiences by adding additional ports that bigger ships can not visit, including:
Inside the Volcano (Reykjavik,Iceland): Take an elevator into the magma chamber of dormant volcano, Thrihnukagigur – once filled with hot lava. The Three Peaks Crater erupted 4,000 years ago and is truly a unique natural phenomenon.
Cruise Global Stay Local – (Akureyri, Iceland to Seydisfjordur, Iceland): In our 2 days/1 night excursions, guests can enjoy spectacular views of the Godafoss waterfall (the “Waterfall of the Gods”). See the natural wonders of Lake Mývatn including Skútustaðir craters, Dimmuborgir lava labyrinth and Námaskarð thermal field before ending the day in total relaxation at Mývatn Nature Baths health spa. Float in the bubbling warm lagoon or relax with a natural sulfur-free steam bath as you experience true calm. On day two, guests will also travel alongside Jökulsárgljúfur Glacial canyon to Seyðisfjörður, to see the most powerful waterfalls in Europe. Passing Húsavík village, we visit Hljóðaklettar and their echoing cliffs known for basalt columns. This place is known to be the meeting place of the pagan Gods. The last stop on this one-night excursion will be at Dettifoss waterfall, the biggest waterfall in Iceland and believed to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe.
Greece Day Tour (Nauplion, Greece) Guests will visit the Monastery of St. John (Prodromos), built on the side of a rock face around 1167. They’ll enjoy a spectacular Greek lunch at the traditional Archontiko Anyfanti Hotel, a wealthy Arcadian mansion of the 1840’s, where guests will meet with the hotel owners.
Followed by an AzAmazing Evening in Rhodes, Greece where they’ll spend the evening at Tafros Theater seeing an exclusive performance of the ancient Greek drama, Antigone by Sophocles (in English).
Azamara Pursuit is comparable in size to the Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, allowing guests access to unique ports that larger ships are unable to reach. Together, the three ships will now offer guests the opportunity to visit 7 continents and 217 ports from August 28, 2018 to April 5, 2019.
Azamara Journey returns to Australia in January 2018 for the line’s third season based down under, making maiden calls to a number of West Australian and South Australian ports, including Exmouth, Bunbury, Albany, Fremantle, Kangaroo Island and Adelaide. In March 2018, Sydney will mark the starting point for the line’s inaugural world journey.
Azamara Pursuit inaugural sailings are on sale now. For more information visit www.azamaraclubcruises.com or your local travel agent.
SOURCE: Azamara Club Cruises