Azamara Club Cruises

From: European Cruise Guide

ABOVE: Azamara Quest in its new blue livery. INSET BELOW: An alfresco Valentine's Day buffet, and two chefs at work.

Azamara Club Cruises is a relatively new cruise line, having been launched as a boutique subsidiary of Celebrity Cruises in 2007.

The line has two attractive 694-passenger ships, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, which are fairly small by today's standards. (We sailed on Azamara Quest during that ship's last voyage as the R7 of Renaissance Cruises, and you read our archived review of a sister ship from 2003.)

In 2013, Azamara is offering seven- to 14-night cruises in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and Northern and Western Europe. Starting in 2013, every European cruise will offer a complimentary "AzAmazing Evening" shore event. (Examples: A night at the ballet in St. Petersburg and a polo match with reception in St. Tropez.)

• Please note: If you're the sort of person who likes to spend evenings ashore, Azamara may be a good fit. The line claims to have "more late-night and overnight stays" in ports than any other cruise operator.

Cruise line's Web site:

Azamara Club Cruises

Photos copyright © Azamara Club Cruises.