Azamara has just announced who will be one of the two godmothers of Azamara Pursuit, previously P&O’s Adonia.
Travel Weekly’s editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley will be joined as the ship’s godmother by Ellen Asmodeo-Giglio, AFAR executive vice president and chief revenue officer.
The line’s president and chief executive Larry Pimentel commented: “If we put together a product we do it with a lot of heart. The Pursuit is going to be named in Southampton and that is coming up in August.
When this day comes up the thing which is very important to seamen is the godmothers of the ship.
“I have had a lot of choices. I thought about it and I came to a conclusion. I came to two choices. I admired them both for their drive. Ellen represents the North American market.
But I have also selected an extraordinary godmother and that is Lucy Huxley. Her enthusiasm and drive for the industry is awesome. It really is.”
Huxley will attend the christening ceremony onboard Azamara Pursuit’s sailing on August 28th; the ship’s refit is being carried out in the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast.
Richard Twynam, UK & Ireland managing director, said: “This is fantastic news for the Azamara Club Cruises brand. Larry Pimentel has chosen two incredible ladies that are passionately committed to their areas of expertise.
In Lucy’s case that is the travel trade, which we are also passionate about.”
All four of the ship’s first four voyages will call in the UK with the first departing from Southampton on August 1st visiting eight destinations, including Kristiansand, Flam and Haugesund.
In other Azamara news, the line has hinted that they will buy its fourth ship from another brand rather than build new hardware.
Pimentel stated at Travel Weekly’s Business Executive Dinner yesterday that buying a used vessel was quicker to do than the process it takes to source, finance and build a new ship.
He said: “New builds are taking three and a half to four years from point of concept to point of delivery. That is a little frustrating. I think we are not opposed to looking at the hull which we think is good and rebuilding the whole thing.
Put enough money in there and you can make it look entirely different. I think a fourth ship could come to us rapidly in a year or two, yet that would be a ship that we rebuilt.”
In August, Azamara will launch its third ship which previously sailed as P&O’s Adonia.
Pimentel went on to suggest that Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited, Azamara’s parent company, was well placed to refit an old ship.
He said: “If there is a company that could do that is Royal Caribbean because they have got the talent and the skill set, so that could be one way.
The short answer is that a fourth ship is an older ship, rebuilt and a new ship is a three and a half to four year process. It is just the time that it takes.”
What do you think of Azamara’s choice for Godmother of their next ship? How about their approach to future new ships? Would you rather wait for a little less time and have an old ship refitted? Leave us your comments!
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