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.”