Who Provides The Best Value
Neither Azamara nor Celebrity is all inclusive, and you will have to factor in costs for items like specialty dining and shore excursions on top of your cruise fare with both. Azamaras fares tend to be higher when comparing staterooms, but its important to consider what you get for your cruise fare and the offers available at the time of booking.
For Azamaras higher price tag, guests can expect standard alcoholic beverages and nice touches like specialty tea and coffee complimentary, as well as a courtesy AzAmazing Evening event on most voyages . Guests can enjoy these benefits in every stateroom/suite, regardless of the fare booked.
Celebrity has fewer outright inclusions in their cruise only fares, and alcohol and specialty teas and coffees will add to the overall cost. They do however have a promotion that allows guests to upgrade their cruise fare to include a couple of extra perks which offers great value as opposed to paying for these benefits on board .
If youve been considering Celebrity Cruises for a while, you may have seen this style of offer referred to as 123Go, Go Big, Go Better, Go Best or Sail Your Way. Regardless of what it is called, these tiered offers tend to be a staple for Celebrity, so keep an eye out for them when weighing up the fare that is the best value for you.
The Sun Has Set On The Royal Caribbean Groups Ownership Of The Luxury Azamara Cruise Line As The Powerhouse Cruise Operator Has Sold The Brand To A Private Equity Group For $201 Million
Bon voyage, Azamara.
The sun has set on the Royal Caribbean Groups ownership of the luxury Azamara cruise line, as the powerhouse cruise operator has sold the brand to a private equity group for $201 million.
Royal Caribbean announced the news Tuesday, sharing that the brand will be sold to private equity firm Sycamore Partners in an all-cash deal expected to close in the first quarter of 2021. From there, Sycamore will own the lines three-ship fleet and associated intellectual property.
The cruise ship Azamara Pursuit anchored off the coast of Paraty, Brazil.
CARNIVAL CORP. SAYS IT’S BOOKED MORE CRUISES FOR 2022 THAN 2019
In a news release on the transaction, a Royal Caribbean executive explained that the sale will allow the Miami-based cruise operator to narrow its focus on its Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea brands during the unprecedented, ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“Our strategy has evolved into placing more of our resources behind three global brands, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea, and working to grow them as we emerge from this unprecedented period,” said Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group.
“Even so, Azamara remains a strong brand with its own tremendous potential for growth, and Sycamore’s track record demonstrates that they will be good stewards of what the Azamara team has built over the past 13 years.”
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Who Owns And Operates What In The Cruise Industry
Cruise Line & Cruise ShipJason Leppert July 14, 2016
As much as it surprises people to discover that Lamborghini is owned by Volkswagen and Ferrari was once predominantly owned by Fiat in the auto industry, which corporations control and operate specific cruise lines and brands is also rather fascinating. Besides a handful of independent cruise companies, the bulk of brands are owned by four corporations. Heres how it all breaks down with a primary focus on U.S.-centric oceangoing cruise lines.
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Carnival Corporation
The biggest single company on the list is Carnival Corporation, which collectively deploys over a hundred ships across ten cruise lines. As one would accurately surmise, the ubiquitous Carnival Cruise Line, with 25 ships alone, is the top brand, and the latest brand is Fathom, now deploying the Adonia, , to the Dominican Republic and historically to Cuba.
To help differentiate its other brands, their distinctive personalities and individual source markets, the remaining eight are collected under separate groups. The Holland America Group, for instance, heads Holland America Line, P& O Cruises Australia, Princess Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Line. This just goes to show, as with cars, a luxury brand like Seabourn is, in fact, owned by what began as a singular standard line in Carnival.
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Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited
Genting Hong Kong
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Azamara Sold What It Means
Until today, Royal Caribbean Group included Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Silversea, and Azamara. What should be made of the announcement that Azamara is being sold to a private equity firm? RCL is, of course, spinning this as focusing on the growth of their core brands, but its difficult to see how this is anything other than shedding costs in an industry that the only certainty is cruising will return at some point.
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Royal Caribbean Group today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Azamara brand to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm specializing in consumer, retail and distribution investments, in an all-cash carve-out transaction for $201 million, subject to certain adjustments and closing conditions. Sycamore Partners will acquire the entire Azamara brand, including its three-ship fleet and associated intellectual property. The transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021.
Royal Caribbean Group
While Im skeptical of the stated reason, and that Silversea is considered a core brand, selling Azamara is a smart move that allows Royal Caribbean some flexibility and puts Azamara in a portfolio where it will get some attention and love.
Azamara Cruises Gets A New Owner And Adds A New Ship
A company thats taking over Azamara Cruises from Royal Caribbean, is wasting no time. Its expanding the three-ship fleet with the addition of a former Love Boat, Pacific Princess.Sycamore Partners has purchased the Pacific Princess, a former R-class ship comparable in size to our three sister ships. Just like Azamara Journey, Azamara Quest, and Azamara Pursuit, our newest addition will be able to sail into intimate rivers, visit smaller, as well as less-crowded ports other vessels cant access, said Carol Cabezas, Azamaras chief operating officer, in a letter to guests. We are thrilled to be expanding our fleet with a fourth ship, allowing us to visit even more regions of the world and better serve our guests.
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Azamara Officially Sold Takes Possession Of Fourth Ship
Cruise Line & Cruise ShipTheresa Norton March 19, 2021
Azamara, the upscale boutique cruise line, is now an independent brand and has taken delivery of its fourth ship, named Azamara Onward.
The vessel handover, which took place on March 15, 2021, coincides with the close of Azamaras purchase by Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm, specializing in consumer, retail and distribution investments. Royal Caribbean Group sold Azamara in an all-cash transaction for $201 million that includes three ships and associated intellectual property.
The brand said it chose the name Azamara Onward to represent moving forward in space or time. The name is meant to evoke feelings of resilience, positivity, and the endless possibilities of the future. As a whole, the name reflects the brands trajectory and journey to the next chapter, a company statement said.
Today marks a new beginning for Azamara, as we increase our capacity and begin our journey as an independent cruise company, said Azamara President Carol Cabezas. When selecting a unique name, we realized our fourth ship marks the start of a new adventure, and we chose a name that celebrates the bright future ahead for the brand, our guests, and the industry as a whole.
Azamara, which is dedicated to Destination Immersion experiences, is positioned for continued growth as an independent company, said Orlando Ashford, executive chairman of Azamara.
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Royal Caribbean Group Completes $201m Azamara Sale To Sycamore
Anne Kalosh | Mar 19, 2021
This included Azamara’s three-ship fleet Azamara Pursuit, Azamara Quest and Azamara Journey and associated intellectual property.
Royal Caribbean Group said the disposal allows it to focus on expanding its Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises brands.
Fourth ship Azamara Onward
‘This creates huge opportunities for all parties,’ RCG Chairman and CEO Richard Fain said. ‘In fact, as we are inking this deal today, Azamara already has added a fourth ship to their fleet. I am confident that the brand’s success and growth trajectory will continue under the stewardship of Sycamore.’
The additional ship is the former Pacific Princess, built as R3. It will be called Azamara Onward and is scheduled to begin sailing in Europe in 2022, following an extensive refurbishment. It was handed over Monday and is currently docked at Civitavecchia.
‘We look forward to guiding and supporting Azamara in its next phase of growth,’ said Stefan Kaluzny, managing director of Sycamore Partners. ‘The brand’s high guest engagement, personalized service and unique destination immersion strategy, position it strongly for continued growth in the upmarket space.’
The team, too
Azamara President Carol Cabezas and the team go to Sycamore with the sale, and Sycamore’s Orlando Ashford will serve as executive chairman.
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Larry Pimentel Resigns As Azamara Ceo
Anne Kalosh | Apr 15, 2020
Earlier this week, when deliberating how best to help Azamara bear the brunt of the cutbacks, Pimentel decided the time was right to step down from leading the brand, RCL Chairman and CEO Richard Fain said in a company memo.
‘We lost a cruise giant today,’ an Azamara colleague said, adding that people were taking it hard.
Destination immersion
One of the travel industry’s most prominent figures, Pimentel built Azamara into a brand that punched well above its weight. He came up with the idea of ‘destination immersion’ with longer stays and overnights in port.
In his memo Fain called that a ‘defining breakthrough for the Azamara brand and, eventually, the industry,’ adding: ‘I say that because destination immersion broke our competitors into two camps those who tried to borrow his idea, and those who tried to steal it.’
Pimentel managed to raise yields to the extent that justified RCL adding a third ship to the Azamara fleet.
‘One of the finest minds and one of the best people in the travel industry’
Fain saluted Pimentel as ‘one of the finest minds and one of the very best people in the travel industry. He is an original thinker, an entrepreneur and someone whose informed, considered opinions helped raise the bar not only at Azamara but at RCL over the past 11 years. Hes also been a counselor and mentor to countless individuals across the company.’
”I have learned so much from him,’ Pawlus said. ‘He was a very inspirational leader.’
Where Is Viking Cruises Based And Where Are Viking Ocean Cruise Ships Registered
Privately held Viking Cruises, which operates both river and ocean divisions, is registered to do business in Basel, Switzerland, with U.S. headquarters in Woodland Hills, California — about a half-hour from Los Angeles. Its river ships are flagged to Switzerland, and its oceangoing vessels are registered in Norway.
Learn more about
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Royal Caribbean Group Announces Plan To Sell Azamara Brand
Today, Royal Caribbean Group publicly announced that it will be selling its Azamara cruise line brand to New York-based private equity firm Sycamore Partners. According to the official statement from Royal Caribbean Group, Sycamore Partners will acquire the entire Azamara brand, including its three-ship fleet and all associated intellectual property. The transaction, worth $201 million, is subject to customary conditions and is anticipated to close in Q1 of 2021.
Royal Caribbean Group will use this sale of Azamara to further expand its other cruise brands – Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea.
Our strategy has evolved into placing more of our resources behind three global brands, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea, and working to grow them as we emerge from this unprecedented period, remarked Richard D. Fain, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Caribbean Group, in the lines official announcement. Even so, Azamara remains a strong brand with its own tremendous potential for growth, and Sycamores track record demonstrates that they will be good stewards of what the Azamara team has built over the past 13 years.
According to the announcement, the sale of Azamara is not expected to have a material impact on Royal Caribbean Groups future financial results.
We will continue to update this breaking news story as needed.
Royal Caribbean To Sell Azamara Brand To Sycamore Partners
Royal Caribbean Group today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Azamara brand to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm specializing in consumer, retail and distribution investments, in an all-cash carve-out transaction for $201 million, subject to certain adjustments and closing conditions.
Sycamore Partners will acquire the entire Azamara brand, including its three-ship fleet and associated intellectual property. The transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021. Royal Caribbean Group noted the transaction allows it to focus on expanding its Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea brands.
“Our strategy has evolved into placing more of our resources behind three global brands, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea, and working to grow them as we emerge from this unprecedented period,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Caribbean Group. “Even so, Azamara remains a strong brand with its own tremendous potential for growth, and Sycamore’s track record demonstrates that they will be good stewards of what the Azamara team has built over the past 13 years.”
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Azamara Cruises Things To Do
- Anyone who wants to enjoy luxury amenities, but wants to save money at the same time, will love the amenities and services featured by Azamara. While Azamara is not a luxury cruise line, it offers the same upmarket services at a reduced price. Discerning travelers who are also budget-conscious will like the pampering they receive on Azamara voyages. The dining options are popular with guests, especially the chef’s table, and the ships’ specialty restaurants, such as Aqualina, known for its Italian cuisine, and Prime C, which features steaks as its major cuisine. The cruise line tends to attract adults, aged 40 and over, who wish to take cruises from 7 to 11 days or longer. Anyone, who is older, who wants to sail in Europe, Asia, South America, or the Caribbean, will generally like what Azamara offers. The quiet onboard atmosphere and higher-than-mainstream prices generally draw the interest of well-established professionals or retirees. Therefore, you won’t find many people with families on board the ship, if at all. Azamara does not feature any kids’ activities. Also, don’t expect to be welcomed if you smoke, as the Azamara features one of the most stringent non-smoking policies of the ships at sea. Of course, this is a good thing for anyone who does not smoke.
Azamara Announces Return To Sail With Greece Country
Azamara is pleased to announce that Azamara Quest will return to the high seas beginning August 28, 2021 with five back-to-back Country-Intensive Voyages and one classic Mediterranean sailing each seven-days in length and a total of 18 late-night stays in port, including Santorini, Rhodes and Heraklion, Greece.
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Azamara Sails Into The Future With New Owner
The line will operate as an independent company, maintaining its focus on destination immersion
Its official. On March 15, Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm specializing in consumer, retail and distribution investments, closed on its $201 million acquisition of the upscale boutique cruise line, Azamara, from Royal Caribbean Group.
Sycamore plans on operating Azamara as an independent cruise company that will maintain its steadfast focus on “destination immersion.”
Stay Up To Date With The Latest Information
As you may have heard recently, The Royal Caribbean Group sold Azamara to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm. Since Captains Club members and Azamara Circle members currently earn points cumulatively in both programs, you may be wondering how that will affect your points and status. Were happy to share that youll keep any reciprocal points that youve earned to date for Celebrity or Azamara.
In other words, you will not lose any previously earned Club Points or Azamara Circle Points. Youre also still able to earn cumulative points in both programs for the time being. At some point in the future this benefit will change, and members will only earn points when sailing on their respective cruise line. Well continue to keep you updated with any additional information. In the meantime, please see the frequently asked questions below.
Bookmark this page to stay up to date.
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Royal Caribbean Sells Azamara Brand And Ships To A Private Equity Firm
PublishedJan 19, 2021 3:41 PM by The Maritime Executive
Royal Caribbean Group, the publicly traded parent company of the cruise lines, has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its smallest cruise line, Azamara, to a private equity firm, Sycamore Partners. The equity firm, which specializes in consumer, retail, and distribution investments, will acquire the Azamara brand, including three cruise ships and the associated intellectual property in an all-cash carve-out transaction valued at $201 million.
“Our strategy has evolved into placing more of our resources behind three global brands, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea, and working to grow them as we emerge from this unprecedented period,” said Richard Fain, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Caribbean Group. “Even so, Azamara remains a strong brand with its own tremendous potential for growth, and Sycamore’s track record demonstrates that they will be good stewards of what the Azamara team has built over the past 13 years.”
After a decade of operations, Royal Caribbean acquired a third sister ship for Azamara that was introduced in 2018. However, unlike the companys other brands, Azamara did not receive any new builds instead remaining a niche brand with a loyal clientele.