Azamara Unlikely to Get New Ships, as Luxury Cruise Market Expands

Hi Everyone,

Always great to hear Larry Pimentel's insights. I think Larry is spot on about capacity etc. Further, I worry that many world economies are in trouble, and things may get worse before it gets better. I'm sure many of us agree, that we wished Azamara had pushed the newbuild button sooner. However, in fairness to Larry and his management team, it may or may not have been their sole decision. I suspect newbuild decisions go all the way to the top at Royal Caribbean. Only Larry can answer that question.

On the positive side, I'm pleased that Azamara reimagined Journey and Quest, as they did a wonderful job on the updates. With that said, I'm disappointed that at least 1 new ship is not in Azamara's current plans, which may make it challenging for them to compete with the new ships. Cuba might be a very interesting option for Azamara, as their ships are right sized for that destination, and I'm sure they would provide a fantastic experience.

I sincerely hope things work out for Azamara, especially for their incredible offiers and crew, whom have so much of their lives invested in the brand.

IMO, if anyone can get them through what might be difficult times, Larry is the right person to lead the charge. Hopefully, there's plenty of good news to come, though the wait will apparently be longer.

I sometimes wonder why Azamara continues to be a separate brand from Celebrity - there's still cross-pollenization (sp) between the two lines and it would have to be more economical to keep them as a single line with one management team (sorry, Mr. P). It wouldn't be all that difficult to retain the extra perks of Azamara, would it? Back to the future...

I sometimes wonder why Azamara continues to be a separate brand from Celebrity - there's still cross-pollenization (sp) between the two lines and it would have to be more economical to keep them as a single line with one management team (sorry, Mr. P). It wouldn't be all that difficult to retain the extra perks of Azamara, would it? Back to the future...

I'm a cross-pollinated passenger and prefer keeping the brand identities separate. The X and Azamara experiences are sufficiently different just based on the size of the ship. I've been very critical of Azamara and its value proposition compared to X, but still respect that it's trying to offer a small ship feel, extended time in ports, and a premium experience. That would certainly be lost if it became generic and common.

I am so excited about my upcoming Azamara cruise; it will be my first, and I have huge expectations. But if they turn in the direction of Cuba, I won't be sailing on that itinerary. I don't see sailing on the newer luxury ships either, because of the single supplement.

With all of the charters taking the Quest and Journey out of service, it is a shame there is not another ship or two.

I agree with the Cuba assessment. We just came back from a Fathom cruise to Cuba on one of the sister ships (P&O's Adonia) and it was the perfect size ship. Cuba does not have the infrastructure for larger ships. However, I would hate to see Azamara's amazing itineraries dropped for Cuba.

We have recently returned from Cuba and we just missed seeing Fathom in port. Our tour itinerary was messed up due to hotel overbooking in Havana. Instead of a short transfer to the Hotel Iberostar Parque Central, we were subjected to a 6 hour journey to our beach hotel immediately following our 9.5 hour flight. Until new hotel rooms are built, visiting Havana as part of a cruise will be the best solution.

I know this is an old thread and have read the CEO's position on new ships at the moment. We have been looking at expedition cruises; Galapagos, Antartica, Artic, etc... There are a limited number of ships and lines that sail these itineraries and also provide luxury/luxury lite amenities. Ponant, Celebrity, Silver Seas. The ships are required to be smaller. Antartica for example can only have 200 passengers. I couldn't help but think how nicely an expedition ship would fit with the wonderful Azamara product and loyal cruisers!

I know this is an old thread and have read the CEO's position on new ships at the moment. We have been looking at expedition cruises; Galapagos, Antartica, Artic, etc... There are a limited number of ships and lines that sail these itineraries and also provide luxury/luxury lite amenities. Ponant, Celebrity, Silver Seas. The ships are required to be smaller. Antartica for example can only have 200 passengers. I couldn't help but think how nicely an expedition ship would fit with the wonderful Azamara product and loyal cruisers!

I agree with you - what a great idea!

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