Cruising with Cultural Immersion on Azamara

Cruising with cultural immersion is a big draw in the tourism industry. According to the 2025 U.S. Summer Travel Trends survey by Enterprise Mobility, traveler interest in experiencing culture and history ranked higher (33%) than visiting family and friends (30%). And WorldVia Travel Group named “purposeful and experience-driven journeys” as one of this season’s top emerging travel trends.

So it’s no wonder that the cruise industry has become increasingly adept at adding cultural elements to itineraries.

Definitions of Culture

The concept of “cultural travel” means different things to different folks — and cruise lines are responding to diverse preferences with an array of offerings, both onshore and onboard the ships.

No two cruise lines or ships are the same, especially when it comes to cultural immersion. That makes the travel advisor’s expertise even more helpful.

Azamara Cruises Ups the Ante on Cultural Immersion

Travel advisors looking to connect clients with culturally rich cruise experiences will find a variety of fresh opportunities with Azamara Cruises, thanks to the brand’s latest offerings. 

In April, Azamara Cruises — a company known for upscale, small-ship cruises — unveiled Destination Immersion Elevated^®, a sweeping initiative that enhances and expands the company’s cultural programs both onboard and shoreside. 

“Azamara Cruises is the pioneer cruise line in destination immersion, and we take great pride in being the industry leader and continuing to push the envelope in immersive travel,” said Dondra Ritzenthaler, CEO of Azamara Cruises. “Destination Immersion Elevated® has been designed to deepen our guests’ connection to the places we visit. With an enhanced culinary program, increased onboard programming, extended shore excursions and more, we’re once again delivering richer, more meaningful experiences.”

Highlights of the new onboard programming include Destination Events, which pair regional alfresco dining with local entertainment; Daily Destination Entrees, which feature locally inspired dishes in the ships’ dining venues; and Stories Under the Stars, a series of expert-led sessions focused on local folklore and myths. Guests can also enjoy new beverage options that include 21 “destination beers” from around the globe. 

Exploring Onshore

Azamara Cruises also offers a variety of new experiential, onshore activities for the 2025/2026 season — including more than 13,500 Elevated Excursions, 246 evening and overnight tours and a series of new, destination-inspired experiences called the Curator’s Collection. In addition, the AzAmazing Evenings® series has expanded to include 34 new cultural events. 

Clients looking to spend more time exploring can also take advantage of any of the 28 double overnight stays that Azamara Cruises now offers in a wide range of itineraries. To give guests an even more “insider” experience, Azamara Cruises has partnered with local guides to offer night tours in destinations including Palma, Mallorca; Dubrovnik, Croatia; and Malaga, Spain.
 
Azamara Cruises also offers an array of resources to help travel advisors sharpen their sales strategies. The Azamara World Academy is an educational program that provides benefits including special advisor rates, an Azamara Cruises Expert certificate and logo and invitations to seminars, ship tours and other events.

Contact My Journey Begins Travel to book with Azamara and combine cruising with cultural immersion!

This article originally appeared in Travel Age West.