Azamara is NOT getting the M-class ships! ?

It seems that Celebrity has put two of the M-class ships up for sale:

Two M-Class Ships for Sale?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2483290

So I guess Azamara isn't going to get them, unless they're saving the other two...

It seems that Celebrity has put two of the M-class ships up for sale:

Two M-Class Ships for Sale?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2483290

 

So I guess Azamara isn't going to get them, unless they're saving the other two...

The ships Re old and I hated the lay out. Balconies. Were great on deck 12. ThinkmLarrybwanta to stay smalll

It was never going to happen. Too large for Azamara. Hope they find good homes. They are very nice ships, spoiled somewhat by adding cabins later.

As said above, it was never going to happen. Azamara ships carry 670 guests. M class ships carry 2000 guests - a totally different product and experience. I never understood why people kept bringing this up.

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Agree - but also remember to ignore the interior of any ship as it is now.

IF Azamara find an existing ship of the right size, with a maintained outer shell and engine at the right price, you can be sure it will be gutted inside and reimagined. So forget layouts etc.

However that link totally reinforces the maths Larry has always quoted, second hand ships cost up to £50m then you have refit costs so very quickly unless you can get the right ship at the right price new build is a more appropriate longer term investment.

The best price second hand ships come during insolvencies - hey how did Azamara start up :)

This is probably of more interest to Azamara - http://www.qpsships.com/copy-of-passengercar-ferry-2230-passen

This is probably of more interest to Azamara - http://www.qpsships.com/copy-of-passengercar-ferry-2230-passen

That's probably Pacific Princess whose sale has been mooted before. In the current climate and by what the head of Azamara has said I don't think they are in the market for it. Much has been speculated here. I wish it were true and it was coming to Azamara though.

I am still wishing for Azamara to obtain a small (200pax) explorations ship. We would love to cruise the Galapagos, Antartica, the Artic, etc, on an Azamara ship. The current luxury/luxury light options in the ice regions are limited to Silver Seas and Ponant.

I am still wishing for Azamara to obtain a small (200pax) explorations ship. We would love to cruise the Galapagos, Antartica, the Artic, etc, on an Azamara ship. The current luxury/luxury light options in the ice regions are limited to Silver Seas and Ponant.

We have done Galapagos on Celebrity Xpedition and the experience is closer to Azamara than Celebrity. From landing in Quito to departing Quito everything was included and we were looked after extremely well.

Local regulations mean that all the staff with the exception of the Hotel Director are Ecuadorian, but service was excellent. Our suite was serviced 3-4 times a day, due to the hot and humid weather and that you are doing two trips every day we were showering a lot and the room was serviced every time!

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We have done Galapagos on Celebrity Xpedition and the experience is closer to Azamara than Celebrity. From landing in Quito to departing Quito everything was included and we were looked after extremely well.

Local regulations mean that all the staff with the exception of the Hotel Director are Ecuadorian, but service was excellent. Our suite was serviced 3-4 times a day, due to the hot and humid weather and that you are doing two trips every day we were showering a lot and the room was serviced every time!

Since Celebrity just added two more ships to their Galapagos fleet (both yachts) and branded them Celebrity, there do not seem to be any plans to expand Azamara into expedition cruising.

I am still wishing for Azamara to obtain a small (200pax) explorations ship. We would love to cruise the Galapagos, Antartica, the Artic, etc, on an Azamara ship. The current luxury/luxury light options in the ice regions are limited to Silver Seas and Ponant.

We are recently back from 14 days south of the Antarctica Circle on Hurtiguten's Fram. Wonderful ship, great crews (ship, hotel and naturalists). Couldn't think of anything "better" in the 200 passenger category for expedition cruising int eh ice regions.

Those M-class ship are an all-time favorite. Sorry to see them leaving Celebrity. They are well designed with excellent common passenger spaces.

That's probably Pacific Princess whose sale has been mooted before. In the current climate and by what the head of Azamara has said I don't think they are in the market for it. Much has been speculated here. I wish it were true and it was coming to Azamara though.

Agree with you 100%. Azamara not interested in Pacific Princess - they feel the total cost would be too much (tho Oceania recently did the same math and bought the other R ship from Princess and it's now sailing as the Sirena). Azamara has been sitting on their hands for years now regarding adding tonnage, while everybody else close to their market has: Regent, Seabourn, Silversea, Crystal, Oceania, Windstar -- and look at Viking Ocean! Sure wish they'd do a new build!

Love Azamara but those two ships aren't getting any younger though the recent refurbishment is lovely.

Sailed Viking Ocean in January. The ship was stunningly beautiful and had many interesting innovations.

Also plenty more New competition on the way.

Virgin springs to mind for one.

Also plenty more New competition on the way.

Virgin springs to mind for one.

There is plenty of new competition for Azamara on the way, but Virgin isn't it. They are building mega-ships for millennials who don't like Carnival.

I stand corrected but I believe Azamara are going to struggle without New builds

We will be sailing Viking Ocean for the first time over the holidays (Barcelona to Rome) and are looking forward to seeing how it compares with Azamara. Taking our young adult children along and we wouldn't take them on Azamara, (mainly because paying for four adults on Azamara is WAY out of our budget!) so hoping it's a nice family option.

We will be sailing Viking Ocean for the first time over the holidays (Barcelona to Rome) and are looking forward to seeing how it compares with Azamara. Taking our young adult children along and we wouldn't take them on Azamara, (mainly because paying for four adults on Azamara is WAY out of our budget!) so hoping it's a nice family option.

Spursgirl and I cruised on Viking Sea in January 2017. It is a simply beautiful ship and the crew were almost as good as on Azamara. The food was great and so was our lovely cabin. However we didn't see many children onboard....just a handful of little ones in pushchairs. This may be because of the date we sailed...children would have just returned to school after the Xmas break but I did have the impression that Viking does not aim to attract families with young children.

I'm sure you will have a great cruise though. Viking is definitely a second option for us now.

Viking is very clear that they do not market to family groups. Some cruise lines are trying to be all things to all people, but Viking has a very clear idea of what they want to be. They market to English-speaking 55+ couples, focusing on North America. So not only don't they have any water slides, there aren't any youth programs at all.

The poster said young adult. To me that around 16 to 18. once you can vote you are an adult. So i am guessing they went Viking over Celebrity due to ports or price.