Azamara to feature Saudi Arabia on 2024 country-intensive Europe itineraries

Azamara will be sailing 84 Europe itineraries across its four-ship fleet in 2024, with three of those itineraries also venturing into the Middle East to call in Dubai and Egypt, as well as Saudi Arabia for the first time.

Azamara will cruise to Saudi Arabia in April, May and October in 2024 on voyages ranging from 18 to 26 nights, embarking in Dubai, Singapore and Athens.

The three Saudi Arabian itineraries will also be aboard three different ships in the Azamara fleet: Azamara Onward, Journey and Pursuit.

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The new voyages are country-intensive itineraries, reflecting high demand across the cruise industry for longer cruises that provide guests with the opportunity to experience more cultures and histories.

On 53 of the 84 itineraries announced, half of the ports of call will be late night departures, or overnight stays in port so that guests have more time to explore ashore.

“Our Country Intensive voyages have continually proven to be a guest favorite with increased bookings throughout 2022, so we are pleased to offer even more options for our guests to discover all these incredible countries have to offer,” said Carol Cabezas, President of Azamara.

“With unique new ports and plenty of late stays and overnights, we encourage guests to explore each destination at their own pace and travel off the beaten path, and our new Lens of a Local video series can help our guests get immersed even before they board the ship,” he added.

Lens of a Local is a brand-new video series that allows guests to get an exclusive look into the immersive excursions that can be experienced from a local’s perspective on an Azamara voyage.

It will feature first-hand accounts from a gondolier in Venice, Greek dancers in Crete and a perfumer in Florence, among others, and will be debuted on Azamara’s social channels.

The three cruises featuring Saudi Arabia in 2024 are a 21-night voyage from Dubai to Istanbul departing April 26th, 2024; a 26-night cruise from Singapore to Athens departing May 3rd, 2024; and an 18-night Dubai to Athens itinerary departing October 26th, 2024.

All three will call in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in addition to Safaga in Egypt and Aqaba in Jordan. Both are gateways to iconic cities in the interior of each country: the ancient Roman city of Luxor in Egypt, and the 300BC city of Petra in Jordan, with tombs and temples carved into pink sandstone cliffs.

In Jeddah, meanwhile, passengers will discover 7th-century UNESCO-listed historic districts, a buzzing waterfront promenade, luxury shopping, state-of-the-art architecture, and fine dining.