Azamara Returns in August 2021 with Greek Sailings

[Jan115]

Boutique cruise line Azamara, which focuses on destination immersion experiences, said Azamara Quest will return to cruising beginning Aug. 28, 2021 with five back-to-back Country-Intensive Voyages and one classic Mediterranean sailing. Each of the sailings will be seven days in length and will offer a total of 18 late-night stays in port, including Santorini, Rhodes and Heraklion, Greece.

“Over the past year, our team—ship to shoreside—continued to connect with our guests and travel partners,” said Carol Cabezas, president of Azamara. “Our biggest takeaway is the desire everyone has to sail again, and we are excited to share that we can finally make this dream come true. There’s no better way to return to service than in a country Azamara knows best, Greece. Our return to sail wouldn’t be possible without the support from [Greek] Minister of Tourism Harry Theoharis, the local government and port authorities, and we are extremely grateful for welcoming us back into this beautiful and culturally rich destination.”

“We're looking forward to welcoming Azamara and its guests in Greece in August," said Theoharis. "We fully support the line's return to cruising in the Aegean waters and we are sure that all of its passengers will have unique experiences in our beautiful destinations.''

Voyages will open for booking on May 11, 2021. With the health and safety of guests and crew being the top priority for the return to sail, Azamara has made the decision to require all guests and crew to be fully vaccinated no later than 14-days prior to departure. Once the sailings open for booking, the upmarket cruise line will reveal protocol guidelines led by the Healthy Sail Panel, to reassure guests a healthy return to service.

With travel requirements remaining unconfirmed throughout most of Europe, all sailings aboard Azamara Journey and Azamara Pursuit will be suspended until September 2021. Current Azamara Quest sailings through Oct/ 2, 2021 are also suspended, with the new Country-Intensive voyages beginning Aug. 28, 2021. Guests impacted by summer suspensions will be offered a number of flexible options to rebook or request refunds for current reservations. Guests looking to book these new voyages and other Azamara cruises can still take advantage of Azamara’s “Cruise with Confidence” benefits, offering flexibility for fully paid reservations booked by May 31, 2021 for sailings through April 30, 2022. Highlights of the Quest’s Greek cruises include:

Rhodes: Known as the Island of the Knights, Rhodes offers such ancient wonders as the Colossus of Rhodes, a statue of the Greek sun-god Helios and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Heraklion: The fourth largest city in Greece, Heraklion offers such architectural marvels as the Bronze Age Palace of Knossos, an ancient palace with ruins dating back to the early Minoan period.

Santorini: Santorini was the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history. Guests can sail the caldera or discover the ancient ruins of Akrotiri by day and soak in the sunset views from Azamara Quest, as nightfall descends upon the island.

Delos & Mykonos: Step back in time to mythological Delos, birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, and a historic UNESCO World Heritage Site. Guests can explore the hidden corners and captivating coastline of Mykonos on a 4x4 or caique, a traditional wooden boat.

Limassol, Cyprus: Guests can visit the last divided capital of the world, Nicosia, shared by Cyprus and Turkey. They can see byzantine landmarks, hear tales of the Crusades, or ventures into the countryside to explore fruit orchards, olive groves and vineyards.

Azamara is an upmarket cruise line currently with three mid-sized ships sailing to all seven continents of the world. An additional fourth ship is scheduled to join the fleet in 2022. The boutique-style ships allow them to reach marquee ports around the world and dock in smaller, less-visited hidden gems. For more information. visit www.azamara.com.

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SOURCE: Insider Travel Report (James Shillinglaw, April 28, 2021); Photo Credit: Azamara Cruises

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