Deutschland Starts Farewell Season for Phoenix Reisen
The Deutschland recently sailed from Bremerhaven to kick off its farewell season for German cruise operator Phoenix Reisen.
After undergoing a drydock at the same port in April, the 1998-built vessel started the deployment on May 12, 2026.
The final season includes a series of eight cruises departing from three homeports: Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven and Kiel.
Visiting destinations in Northern Europe, Iceland, the Baltic, and the British Isles, the 520-passenger ship will operate eight- to 22-night cruises.
For the first cruise of the season, the Deutschland offers a 16-night voyage to the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The itinerary is highlighted by visits to 13 destinations, including Belfast, Edinburgh, Douglas, Dover and Portland.
Before ending its summer season for the German brand in early September, the ship also offers a three-week cruise to the Portuguese archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira.
The voyage features calls to Ponta Delgada and Funchal, as well as stops in lesser-visited destinations such as Praia da Vitória and Velas.
Sailing round trip from Cuxhaven, the cruise is also set to visit other destinations in Northern Europe, including Glengariff and Honfleur.
In addition to the ship, the German brand operates the Artania, the Amera and the Amadea on a year-round basis.
After completing its farewell deployment for Phoenix Reisen, the Deutschland is set to be renamed World Odyssey before embarking on another season for Semester at Sea.
Azamara: Investing in Existing Fleet and More Markets
With a new refurbishment program underway, Azamara is focusing on hardware upgrades and operational agility to drive profitability, according to Chief Executive Officer Dondra Ritzenthaler.
The company last expanded its fleet in 2022, with the introduction of the Azamara Onward, which was acquired from Princess Cruises a year earlier.
According to Ritzenthaler, the company currently sees investment in its own fleet as the biggest opportunity for growth.
In 2026, Azamara announced the “Forward” refurbishment program, an $80-million project that will see the brand’s four ships undergoing major refits.
Ritzenthaler said that in addition to updates to existing areas of the vessels, the program includes major structural additions.
“We’re literally putting a deck on top of the ship that’s going to have 12 more suites,” she explained.
The first ship to undergo the project is the Azamara Quest, which will debut the new features ahead of its upcoming world cruise in early 2027. The Azamara Onward follows suit later next year.
Beyond hardware upgrades, the company is also planning to expand its global sourcing footprint, paying more attention to new markets around the world, Ritzenthaler said.
Azamara currently sources most of its guests in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, she explained.
Executing these growth strategies is made easier by the lack of corporate bureaucracy inherent in a smaller organization, Ritzenthaler noted.
“You can make changes; you can turn on the dime. And I think when you’re able to do that, then the economics of what you do become much easier to achieve,” she explained.
Ritzenthaler said that Azamara is currently performing extremely well financially from an EBITDA standpoint.
This so-called operational nimbleness is said to be transferred to the brand’s deployment strategy, allowing Azamara to secure premium berthing in highly regulated destinations.
“We simply can go in right into the city center. We literally go up the Seville River where the larger ships have to stay out and tender people in,” Ritzenthaler said.
As some ports push back against large tourist influxes, smaller vessels provide a vital economic lifeline for local communities without overwhelming local infrastructure, Ritzenthaler continued.
The ability to rapidly adjust deployments is also an important defense against external disruptions, including fluctuating fuel prices and regional conflicts.
“We look at this every single day,” Ritzenthaler said, noting that Azamara is in a better position to weather geopolitical issues due to being small and profitable.
She said that when itinerary changes occur, the company relies heavily on its travel advisor network to communicate with passengers, ensuring safety remains a non-competitive priority across the industry.
Speaking of demographics, Ritzenthaler said that the company caters to shifting audiences but tends to naturally attract a specific passenger demographic.
While maturing cruisers looking to step up from premium lines form a significant part of the company’s public, the core Azamara guest is defined by having ample time and resources.
“The average cruise length for us is 12 nights, but many of our customers do back-to-backs or take intensive cruises or even a world voyage,” she said.
“These customers are different customers who really want to get immersed,” noting that the company’s passengers ultimately “love cruising.”
This mindset fosters a strong onboard community, Ritzenthaler added, leading to repeat bookings among affinity groups.
However, despite having an affluent passenger base, the company sees a consistent demand for a clear upfront value.
“No matter how wealthy somebody is, people still love value for money,” she noted, pointing to the line’s inclusive pricing model.
Ritzenthaler said that while external challenges may arise, the company is in a good position to handle situations positively.
“In life, it’s only 10 percent what happens and 90 percent how you handle it, and we’re going to handle it in a positive, nimble, flexible and resilient way.”
Cordelia: International Guests’ Interest in India Grows
“Over the next two years our focus is on refining and redistributing capacity rather than reinventing the network. Lakshadweep remains a core part of our offering and continues to be one of our most popular destinations,” said Jurgen Bailom, CEO at Cordelia Cruises, which goes from one ship this year to three by the end of 2027.
This year, the Empress will introduce new international itineraries from Kochi, including a five-night Malé and Colombo cruise, alongside a two-night high-seas weekend cruise.
“From Chennai, we will operate five-night Sri Lanka cruises, five-night Visakhapatnam and Puducherry itineraries, and open-jaw 10-night Southeast Asia sailings between Chennai and Singapore in July,” he said.
Heading to Asia
Looking ahead to 2027, the company plans to add more Southeast Asia itineraries with open-jaw seven-night sailings between Chennai and Singapore on the Cordelia Sky, which transfers from Norwegian Cruise Line later this year.
“These itineraries are designed not only for Indian travelers, but also for international guests,” said Bailom.
The Sky will take over the core itineraries currently operated by the Empress, initially sailing from Mumbai when she enters service in October.
“The intent is continuity, not disruption,” he added. “The Sky allows us to operate these high-demand routes at a larger scale, with greater capacity and more balcony cabins.”
The Sky is approximately 25 percent larger than the Empress.
“As our deployment evolves, the Sky will move to Kochi and continue operating the itineraries that the Empress has established there, while benefiting from the ship’s size, speed and operational flexibility,” Bailom said.
The Sun will join the Cordelia fleet in 2027, sailing from Mumbai. The Sky will then move to Kochi, and the Empress will shift to sailing from Chennai on a near year-round basis.
“This creates a balanced, multi-homeport network across India with both domestic and international itineraries.
“The speed capability of the newer ships provides greater flexibility to introduce additional ports from existing homeports,” Bailom said.
International Appeal
“We are seeing growing interest from international travelers who want to explore India and its surrounding regions without the complexity of multi-city travel,” Bailom explained.
“Weeklong itineraries such as Southeast Asia sailings, Sri Lanka routes and extended regional cruises allow us to position cruising as a gateway into India, rather than just a domestic holiday format.”
Bailom said that as of early 2026, the company was well into planning its 2028 deployment.
“Port infrastructure and operational reliability are the primary considerations,” he explained. “A successful itinerary delivers across multiple metrics and blends destination discovery with meaningful onboard experiences.
“We focus on creating well-paced journeys that offer a mix of marquee ports, leisure days at sea and immersive shore excursions, ensuring the overall experience feels enriching rather than rushed.
“From a long-term perspective, success also means repeatability. If an itinerary can be operated reliably across seasons and becomes easy for the trade to sell, it becomes part of the core network.”
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