Exciting And Unique Destination Experiences Give Travellers An Inside Look Into Far-flung Locations
Azamara Shore Excursions Programmes to Offer More than 100 Immersive Experiences
Azamara transformed luxury cruising by offering discerning guests longer stays, more overnights and night touring on nearly all of its voyages. It is once again evolving its Azamara Shore Excursions shore excursion programme with two new offerings aimed at culture-seekers. Beginning with the 2014 Europe season, guests seeking a more in depth, personalised destination experience can choose from two exclusive programmes that will immerse them in a destination through its people.
The first programme, Cruise Global, Meet Local, features exclusive invitation into the ancestral home, workshop or place of business of a local insider. It allows guests to actively engage with knowledgeable individuals who will share colourful stories and historic tales of their home destination on a personal level. The second, Cruise Global, Nights Local, makes the most of Azamara’s longer stays in port and overnights with an intimate night touring programme. These custom after dinner experiences give guests exclusive opportunities to visit world-famous museums after hours, such as Malaga’s Picasso Museum; sip cocktails at a local hot spot, such as Rio de Janeiro’s Scenarium; or take a stroll on an intimate guided architectural walk – all with a local guide.
“Azamara offers our guests access to the nightlife of captivating places worldwide by creating voyages with the unique ability to stay at port well after other ships have departed, and often overnight,” said Larry Pimentel, president and CEO of Azamara. “This access allows travellers to engage, explore and discover a culture when it is at its most vibrant. The demand for immersive experience is such that we developed two new, intimate shore excursion programmes to provide our guests with an insider’s perspective that, not only connects them to local environments, but that will stimulate their mind and senses.”
Azamara and its two intimate boutique ships are known for their hand-crafted voyages which discover the world through lesser-known and less travelled ports of call. Guests of Azamara are often port collectors looking for their next adventure to add to the collection.
Through these new Azamara Shore Excursions programmes, Azamara is curating these sought-after collectible moments for its guests. For example, as part of the new Cruise Global, Meet Local programme, guests calling at Haifa, Israel, can step into the home of a Druze family for a hands-on cooking workshop. While the meal is being prepared guests will get insight to the secret religion, tradition and culture of the Druze people who have inhabited the holy land for hundreds of years.
Both of these new programmes continue to build on Azamara’s promise of destination immersion to its guests. The Cruise Global, Meet Local programme creates an intimate group of eight to 12 curious and adventurous guests and provides them with access to the people of a destination, while the Cruise Global, Nights Local programme will offer 15-20 guests exclusive access to some of the world’s best known sights. For example guests sailing an Asia itinerary can sign up for an unforgettable night tour to view Hong Kong’s famous Symphony of Lights from the Sky Terrace at the Peak following a tram ride offering incredible panoramic views.
The Cruise Global, Meet Local and Cruise Global, Nights Local programmes are available for booking now. For a full list of Azamara Shore Excursions shore excursions visit www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk/shore-excursions.
More about AzamaraAzamara offers a richer travel experience for the discerning traveller. The voyages are emphasised with Azamara’s focus on ‘Destination Immersion’ which means longer stays, more overnight stays in port, and night touring. Every Azamara voyage combines sophisticated sailing with authentic cultural experiences that will deepen guests’ understanding and appreciation of our amazing world. They visit some of the most compelling destinations of Europe, Asia, South America, West Indies, as well as Central and North America. On board the intimate Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, guests receive exceptional, personal service and the cruise line’s authentic, exclusive and bespoke AzAmazing Evenings’ events that showcase the unexpected colours and flavours of a destination.
Guests also enjoy fine cuisine and wines from around the world, as well as more inclusive amenities, such as included gratuities; complimentary bottled water, sodas, speciality coffee, and teas, plus complimentary wines, international beers and selected standard spirits in the ships’ bars, lounges and restaurants when open; complimentary self-service laundry; English Butler service for suite guests; and shuttle transportation to city centres in ports, where available.
For more information please call 0844 493 4016 or visit www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk. Travel partners please visit www.cruisingpower.co.uk.