Boutique luxury cruise lines Azamara and Oceania return to sea

Azamara and Oceania Cruises have returned to sea for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the industry globally in March last year.

Azamara was first to resume cruising last week with Azamara Quest, while Oceania Cruises resumed services with its ship Marina this week.

RELATED: Azamara rolls out 200-port European cruise program for 2023

RELATED: Oceania Cruises expands 2021 restart plans to three more ships

Oceania’s ship Marina is its first to resume sailing, and was also the first cruise ship to sail from the port of Copenhagen since 2019.

“Today is one of those days we will all remember for a lifetime as we reunite with our shipboard families and our guests to start exploring the world once again,” said Bob Binder, President and CEO, Oceania Cruises.

All Oceania Cruises voyages are operating with a requirement that 100% of guests and crew are vaccinated.The line is undertaking a phased restart with a robust SailSAFE Health and Safety Program that creates multiple layers of protection against COVID-19.

Marina will spend the remainder of the northern hemisphere summer and autumn cruising around Western Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Greek Isles prior to setting sail for Miami where she will arrive on December 1st, 2021.

She will be followed by Riviera, which resumes sailing in the Greek Isles on October 18th, 2021, and Insignia from Miami on December 21st, 2021, to kick off the epic six-month-long Around the World in 180 Days voyage.

Sirena resumes sailing in the Caribbean on January 21st, 2022, and Regatta will start sailing on February 5th, 2022 in Polynesia, followed by Nautica in the Mediterranean on April 1st, 2022.

RELATED: Azamara rebrands and adds new Cape Town and Dubai options

RELATED: Oceania Cruises expands fleet with billion dollar new ship order

Azamara also resumed services this week, with Azamara Quest departing from Greece on her first cruisesince the pandemic. Azamara Quest’s departure was also the first for the cruise line since it was sold to Sycamore Partners in March 2021 by Royal Caribbean Group. 

Azamara is also bigger, having acquired a fourth ship, Pacific Princess, from Princess Cruises. The ship has been sent for refit and renovation and renamed Azamara Onward.

Azamara Quest will sail five back-to-back Greece Country-Intensive Voyages before crossing the Atlantic in November for a series of Caribbean cruises. Departing from Miami, the ship is offering longer cruises to Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean.

Azamara Journey is the next to resume service. On October 13th, the ship starts a short season in the Mediterranean before repositioning to the Canaries, where it is set to spend the winter.