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.”
Hantavirus-Hit Hondius Passengers Repatriated to Home Countries
Twenty British nationals evacuated from the Hondius are beginning 45 days of self-isolation in the UK after their chartered flight from Tenerife landed at Manchester Airport on May 10, according to the BBC.
The evacuees are isolating at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside for 72 hours before being asked to self-isolate for a further 42 days at home.
Seventeen American passengers from the vessel returned to the United States on May 11, landing in Nebraska, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
The American passengers were transported to the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, the country’s only federally funded quarantine center.
Two of the American passengers traveled in specialized biocontainment units out of an abundance of caution.
One passenger had mild symptoms and the other was the passenger who had tested mildly positive for the Andes virus, the department said.
International passengers from 23 nationalities were repatriated to their home countries following the vessel’s arrival at Granadilla port in Tenerife on May 10 at 06:24 local time, according to Oceanwide Expeditions.
Spanish nationals were given priority during the evacuation process, the Spanish health ministry said.
Passengers were ferried to shore in small launch boats and underwent medical screening before boarding evacuation flights arranged by their respective countries. Luggage stayed on the ship and will be dealt with separately.
The disembarkation was coordinated by local authorities, the WHO and international governments, with the sequence timed to the arrival of repatriation flights.
No quarantine of non-Spanish nationals took place in Spain, Oceanwide Expeditions said.
The Hondius docked in the Canary Islands on May 10 after Spain granted permission for the vessel to sail from Cape Verde.
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