Azamara Club Cruises Rebrands to offer more Land Adventures

Azamara Club Cruises has dropped the "Club Cruises" from its name as part of its re-brand following the announcement of its significantly expanded land offerings. The part which is part of the Royal Caribbean International group will offer a total of 1,700 new land tour options for guests.

Guests will be able to add between three and six night, pre and post cruise options in every embarkation and disembarkation port. Options are available from October this year and will also see guests being able to enjoy overland tours part way through their cruise holidays.

Azamara President & CEO Larry Pimental  commented: "It's a product that categorically does not exist in the cruise industry, but having said that guests can still purchase and can continue to purchase cruise only, but they can add a pre- or post-cruise stay.

"It will appeal to cruisers and it will appeal to non-cruisers, which is an enormous market. We will have a product for both. This is all about being the destination leader rather than just a cruise line. It's an extreme evolution. It's the biggest radical change we have had."

Pimental was quick to play down suggestions that the rebrand would put off cruisers: "I don't see any way of doing that. They can buy cruise only, the product at sea has not changed, the product pre- and post- which they are not required to go on is an option. And for the upscale client, options are a good thing.

"There will continue to be a cruise guide as we have had it printed for years and what we are introducing is the new land program, which is rather extensive. We are clearly a hybrid and I would the cruise is a conveyance to an interesting experience."

Azamara has teamed up with a host of leading tour operators such as Cox & Kings, who will be running almost three-quarters of Azamara's land itineraries, along with a host of other luxury traverl companies including Micato, PerryGolf, Aloschi Bros, COLTUR Peru and Furlong Incoming.

The new program will allow guests to explore further in more than 41 countries in the next two years.

So far Azamara has announced a range of experience including one-off bucket-list type experiences, such as trekking in Boerneo & safaries in Africa. For those looking to explore a little closer to the locals, guests can enjoy the chance to immersive themselves in the culture and the people of a destination.