Azamara Cruises, the small-ship cruise line renowned for Destination Immersion® and Extended Destination Days, has officially announced the launch of Destination Immersion® Elevated, which is a dynamic initiative designed to bring each port to life like never before, with a new programme surrounding destination expansion, authentic local cuisine, cultural engagement, and elevated excursions.
According to certain reports, the stated initiative will likely more than triple Azamara Cruises’ specialty voyages from 6 to 22, including introduction of 3 Solar Eclipse cruises in 2026. On top of that, the company is now set to offer 33 Country-Intensive voyages and 25 new ports during 2025-2026 cycle. This it will do to provide guests more time ashore than any other cruise line, with 51% of time in port dedicated to late night events.
All in all, the whole experience should allow for deeper exploration, meaningful connections, and a more immersive travel experience.
Talk about Destination Immersion® Elevated on a slightly deeper level, we begin from the promise of Destination events that will pack together voyages of nine nights or longer, while simultaneously leveraging the pool deck to conceive a vibrant, alfresco dining experience featuring an elaborate buffet of regional dishes.
Furthermore, guests can come expecting to enjoy local entertainment through traditional music, cultural performances, and a lot more.
Next up, we have daily destination entrées. You see, Azamara Cruises is enhancing its Authentic Local Cuisine Program with more than 150 new locally inspired dishes across its main dining venues. If we talk about all 2025 European voyages, expert chefs from Croatia, France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain have been called upon to curate every menu, and therefore, offer a rotating selection of multicourse meals that celebrate the culinary heritage of each destination.
Then, there is the prospect of stories under the stars, a fire-side style event held on the pool deck and led by one of over 250 Destination Speakers. These sessions will bring to life local folklore and myths of the regions visited, complete with s’more-themed desserts and spiked hot chocolate for a truly magical experience under the stars.
Complementing that would be an assortment of new beverage offerings. In total, Azamara Cruises will offer 21 Destination Beers as part of the premium beverage package, allowing guests to enjoy libations from destinations, such as Australia and the Caribbean.
Apart from the ship, Azamara now offers an expanded range of shore experiences, including over 13,500 Elevated Excursions available for the 2025-2026 season. The company is also set to introduce a new collection of 246 evening and overnight tours throughout the 2025-2026 season.
Guests can further secure these immersive experiences up to 18 months in advance. This translates to more flexibility and in-depth exploration.
“Azamara Cruises is the pioneer cruise line in destination immersion®, and we take great pride in being the industry leader and continuing to push the envelope in immersive travel,” said Dondra Ritzenthaler, CEO of Azamara Cruises. “Destination Immersion® Elevated has been designed to deepen our guests’ connection to the places we visit. With an enhanced culinary program, increased onboard programming, extended shore excursions, and more, we’re once again delivering richer, more meaningful experiences. We can’t wait for our guests to see what’s in store.”
Among other things, we ought to mention how Azamara Cruises took this opportunity to launch its brand-new Curator’s Collection, which makes for a series of exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, curated by the same team that brought AzAmazing Evenings. These intimate excursions are led by locals and offer unparalleled access to the heart of each destination.
Founded in 2007, Azamara Cruises’ rise up the ranks stems from its fleet of four intimate-style ships which includes Azamara Journey®, Azamara Quest®, Azamara Pursuit®, and Azamara Onward®, each one focused on helping travelers reach marquee ports around the world and dock in smaller, hidden gem destinations. The company’s excellence in what it does can be understood once you consider Azamara has, thus far, received several awards and recognitions, such as Condé Nast Traveler’s “Reader’s Choice Awards”, Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best Awards,” US News & World Report “Best Cruise Lines,” and more.
