Tag Archives: Azamara Cruise

Three New Cruise Lines to Alaska in 2026

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Three cruise lines are adding cruises to Alaska to their schedule in the summer of 2026: Azamara, MSC, and Virgin.

Returning to the destination after a seven-year hiatus, Azamara will offer a series of ten- to 13-night cruises in Alaska and Canada starting in May 2026.

Sailing in the region for the first time, the Azamara Pursuit will operate open-jaw itineraries that sail between Whittier and Vancouver.

According to Azamara, the voyages were created to prioritize unspoiled destinations, visiting locations such as Kodiak, Dutch Harbor and Icy Strait Point.

The deployment will also include excursions aimed at bringing guests closer to natural beauty, unparalleled wildlife and authentic culture, Azamara said.

MSC Cruises will debut for the first time in Alaska in 2026, with the MSC Poesia offering a series of seven-night cruises from Seattle.

The season runs from early May to late September and includes a regular itinerary that visits Ketchikan, Icy Strait Hoonah, Tracy Arm, Juneau and Victoria.

In a press release, MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato said that the new operation in Alaska and Canada further expands the company’s global offerings by sailing to a must-see region.

Virgin Voyages is also debuting in Alaska in 2026 with the new Brilliant Lady. After entering service in late 2025, the ship is scheduled to spend its first summer season in the region.

From May to September, the Brilliant Lady offers 17 voyages to 12 destinations in Alaska, including Sitka, Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway.

Ranging from seven to 12 nights, Virgin’s itineraries sail from Seattle and Vancouver and also include destinations in Canada, such as Prince Rupert and Victoria.

According to the company, the cruises will give guests opportunities to experience Alaska’s wildlife and landscapes while taking part in activities that include salmon fishing, glacier trekking, lumberjack shows and dog sledding.

As one of the most popular cruise destinations in the world, Alaska accounted for nearly five per cent of the industry’s market share this year, according to data from the 2024 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.

Cruise ship management: ‘thriving’

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V.Ships Leisure’s recent contracts include Azamara Cruise

In 2022, Anglo-Eastern Univan Group acquired Cruise Management International (CMI) and CMI Leisure Management (CMIL) from shareholders, including SunStone Maritime Group.

CMIL president and chief executive Dietmar Wertanzl tell PST he is excited about the opportunities the acquisition is bringing. “We are now part of a much larger, stronger company and will have a significantly broader scope. Anglo-Eastern is one of the world’s leading ship managers and we are excited to have such a strong parent with more horsepower.” 

The takeover of CMI and CMIL allows Anglo-Eastern to enter the cruise industry, a new sector for the company. Mr Wertanzl says, “Anglo-Eastern primarily manages non-passenger vessels, but our two businesses share the same values and synergies we can each build upon, plus our hotel sector is a nice extension of its brand.”

Anglo-Eastern is the world’s largest provider of independent ship management services, with full management of more than 650 vessels, more than 1,800 shore-based staff, and 30,000 active seafarers.

Its acquisition by Anglo-Eastern is already proving beneficial for CMIL, which is creating a new digital platform for hiring crew and managing their experiences. CMIL is working with its new parent on the app. “They already have a template, and we are working to tie into that,” says Mr Wertanzl.

CMI and CMIL will continue to operate from Miami.

CMIL has 12 ships in operation this year and will provide the hotel management of Albatross Expeditions’ Ocean Albatross next year.

The ship management company is still seeing challenges after the pandemic. “We are still facing global issues. The logistical challenges have not gone away, though we hope they will, with fewer headwinds and more tailwinds. By Q3 and Q4 this year, it should improve. People are excited to travel again, and we are pleased to have 12 ships in operation to help them do just that and enjoy memorable experiences,” says Mr Wertanzl.

A big focus for CMIL is sustainability and accordingly it has launched its Green Initiative Programme 3.0. This takes the principles of recycling, reducing and reusing.

Mr Wertanzl says, “Sustainable practices are very important to us and take precedence at Anglo-Eastern, which is committed to shaping a better maritime future through carbon-neutral shore operations and decarbonising its managed fleet. Our programme dovetails nicely with this and is constantly evolving through the adoption of new best practices. Currently, we are looking at everything from chemicals to plastics and how to do better.” 

Azamara Expands Atlas Bar Experience Across its Fleet

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Following the Azamara Onward’s debut, Azamara is expanding the ship’s exclusive Atlas Bar to the rest of its fleet this spring, starting in August 2022, according to a press release.

The Atlas Bar Experience, which is available in The Den lounge and features some of the speciality venue’s most well-liked destination-inspired libations, is available to guests on any of Azamara’s ships, according to the company.

This spring, the Atlas Bar debuted as a special addition to the Azamara Onward. The speciality venue serves inventive handmade cocktails inspired by Azamara ships’ visits to a variety of interesting locales, which can be matched with an exotic premium menu of small meals served hot and cold.

“The response from our guests about Atlas Bar has been even more positive than we had anticipated. The designer created a beautiful space that really complements the cocktail and food menus that our food and beverage team worked so hard to perfect. I couldn’t be more proud of the team’s work here, and we wanted to be able to offer the experience on our other ships, even if we didn’t have the same physical space,” said Scott Daniels, assistant vice president of hotel operations for Azamara.

The offer will be available on the Azamara Journey, Azamara Pursuit, and Azamara Quest. The Taste St. Tropez aboard the Azamara Journey’s seven-night Med Springtime Voyage, Sip the Osaka Spice on the Azamara Quest’s twelve-night Hong Kong to Tokyo Voyage and Have a glass of the Grand Bazaar on the Azamara Pursuit’s twelve-night Black Sea Intensive Voyage are among the destination-inspired concoctions at Atlas Bar that are perfectly paired with upcoming Azamara voyages.