A Note From Larry Pimentel

[FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3]Dear Cruise Critic Members,[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3]As always, thank you for your input and engagement with Azamara Club Cruises. It is staggering to note that after 24 plus months following the launch of Azamara Club Cruises in 2010, over 25,000 views appeared on Bill Leiber’s post about our new 2013 enhancements. I respect and appreciate your comments – good or bad, and trust you will continue to provide your input. Regardless of different views shaped by your personal tastes, dialogue is healthy – that is why we have our Presidential debates in the USA. It is a valuable way of creating a more balanced picture of any situation. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3]It is not coincidental that Cruise Critic members voted Azamara Club Cruises “best” small ship in 5 categories in 2012, including Overall; Service; Value; Mediterranean Cruise and Fitness. I see it all over Cruise Critic that you love our onboard teams, the service and ambience they provide and itineraries we offer. Regardless of how our sales and marketing strategies are packaged, I believe you know that you will be served a product onboard by our team that is superior. This is an extraordinary value we provide - a staff that performs at consistent high levels irrespective of where guests are from. Keep in mind that our guests are coming from 40 plus countries and they have a wide pallet of varying tastes. Having stated this, we can do even better – and we will. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3]As a side note, when we introduced new inclusive initiatives in 2010 (gratuities, water, coffee, teas, city center transfers, self-service laundry and boutique wines), I received tremendous criticism (especially from Cruise Critic members) for having made a poor business decision by adding the inclusions. Factually, the concerns expressed did not materialize and the brand has grown in guest loyalty and global reputation for satisfying its guests. Guest satisfaction is at an all-time high and will continue to escalate. Overall cruise experience scores ranged from 225 - 245 when I arrived and today they range from 285 - 295 on a scale where 300 is perfection. Guest satisfaction is high. In fact, we have actually had two perfect 300 scores in the last 14 months. This is virtually unheard of! [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3]Looking ahead we are delighted that the forward bookings for 2013 are excellent. In terms of revenue build we are 46% ahead of where we were last year at the same time. This is a tremendous uptick in business. Following the 2013 enhancements announcement, we are seeing our booking activities increase even further. We have worked hard on evolving our product offering to ensure that our past guests will return, as well as attracting new customers through our new inclusions. And while I realize that it is easy to mis-understand and/or disagree with certain elements, or maybe not see the full context, I will do my very best next week to outline and explain our forward direction. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3]As we categorize your questions in groups and prepare to respond to you next week, I can promise you that you will receive comprehensive responses. I will be honest and direct in my answers, and while there might be items we disagree on, we will simply have to agree to disagree. However, if I feel that there are valid points affecting the majority of our guests, I will review such topics again with my team and determine if a change is in order. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3]Some housekeeping: Questions about the same subject matter will be grouped into one topic by Bill Leiber, and I will try to address all related issues in one response rather than posting to each of your posts. I intend to respond daily throughout the week, and I’ll be relying on Host Andy to keep our conversations on track. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3]Again, thank you for your passion and interest in Azamara Club Cruises. I look forward to next week’s sessions.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3]Sincerely,[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3]Larry Pimentel[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3]President and CEO, Azamara Club Cruises[/SIZE][/FONT]