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The last time I addressed the readers of this blog, I spoke about the wildly underrated destination of Detroit, Michigan. This time, in a new twist for my Underrated Travel Destinations series, I will not cover a place, but yet a travel company. That company is none other than Azamara Cruises.
Azamara Cruises, or as I will herein refer to them, Azamara, is a boutique cruise line that positions themselves in the small ship premium division of cruising. To explain that distinction, the cruise market is broadly divided into four categories of cruising. The largest is mainstream cruising which includes lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and MSC. The next category up is considered premium cruising, which includes lines like Cunard, Princess, and Holland America. The third category is small ship premium, which is where Azamara finds itself competing against lines like Oceania Cruises, Viking Cruises, and Windstar. Then, there is one higher category of luxury cruising which includes cruise lines like Crystal Cruises, Silversea, and Seabourn.
Given its category, Azamara's ships are much smaller than the industry standard,
averaging a passenger capacity of 700 people. This is compared to most premium lines that have
2,000 plus passengers and mainstream ships which have upwards of 3,500 passengers. The
smaller ship size allows Azamara to better serve individual passengers with personalized service
that transforms trip quality. Azamara also, thanks to their smaller ships are able to call on and
visit smaller, more out of the way ports than larger ships are able to access. This has been the
case on both of my recent Azamara voyages, most recently on an 11 night Eastern Caribbean
voyage we visited St. John, US Virgin Island, a small island almost entirely made up by a
national park which had beautiful natural features. That port is only accessible by smaller ships,
which serves to enhance the overall experience on the island when you are able to navigate the
streets without the inundation of crowds. On my prior Azamara sailing, we were able to visit the
historic port city of Sibenik, Croatia which larger ships are also unable to access, and as a
passenger, the smaller, more intimate settings of the port allow you to become more immersed in
the culture.
Additionally, on Azamara you have a more all inclusive fare than you would with other
cruise lines. This means that all soft drinks, and many alcoholic beverages are included in your
original ticket price. Further, all gratuities for crew members are included in your ticket fare, as
are almost all dining options. Lastly, due to the passenger capacity, nothing on the ship ever feels
crowded as there is ample space on the ship. This even extends into Azamara’s shore excursions
which are sold out when they reach half capacity, this means that an excursion, such as a scenic
island drive with a stop at a beach club may be in a truck with 12 seats, but Azamara caps it at
just six guests. In fact, this is exactly what happened to me on my most recent voyage, where our
Jungle Safari and Beach Break on the island of Antigua was in an open top truck with 10 seats,
yet it was sold out with just five people. Once again, the smaller setting allows for easier
conversations with other travelers, and connections to the culture.
All in all, as far as I am concerned, Azamara is truly a hidden gem in the travel market.
The company is quite small with just four ships, Azamara Quest, Azamara Journey, Azamara
Pursuit, Azamara Onward. On those four ships, you will find incredible service, immersive
itineraries, and the overall best value in the cruise industry. So, the next time you are in the
market for a truly incredible voyage, look no further than Azamara.
Trey is a McConnell Scholar at the University of Louisville in the Class of 2028. He is studying political science.