| Azamara seeing guests returning

AZAMARA customers are beginning to develop confidence as the year progresses, newly minted President Carol Cabezas (CW 20 Jan) has revealed to Cruise Weekly.

Promoted from Chief Operating Officer to President last month following Azamara’s sale to Sycamore Partners, Cabezas said the cruise line had witnessed a “very noticeable shift” in the timing of when cruisers are interested in sailing.

Cabezas said the tentativeness witnessed in the earlier parts of this year were being displaced by robust activity beginning in the northern fall, culminating in the best winter booking position Azamara has ever seen.

“People haven’t been able to cruise for two years once they’re able to get back onto a ship…you’re taking all that pent-up demand for nearly two years and putting it into the winter of 2021-22,” she explained.

With Sycamore having already purchased an additional ship for Azamara (CW 27 Jan), the line will hope to see some of this demand spill over onto its new vessel, for which Cabezas hinted at potential itineraries.

“From a destination standpoint, we have a tremendous presence within the Mediterranean, but we also cover Northern Europe,” she said.

“With the addition of the fourth vessel, we’ll be able to have an even greater presence in some of those most attractive destinations within Northern Europe that we might not be able to spend as much time in right now.

“In terms of the destinations that have been most attractive, and I think this has probably been consistent across the different markets, are Greece and Italy…those two destinations seem to have an appeal that never wanes,” she explained.

Although Cabezas admitted she could not say for sure when exactly Azamara would return to sailing, she acknowledged it would primarily be related to the approval of sailing within each of its destinations, and whether or not its guests could get there.

Cabezas also said Azamara would look to guidance from its destinations on what sort of requirements visitors would be asked of when it comes to vaccinations and other health & safety protocols.

“We’re talking with them, we’re making sure we’re aligned in understanding how they’re viewing any sort of protocols related to COVID up to and including vacation, and we’ll take our cues from our destinations,” she said.