Azamara details Caribbean and Panama Canal cruises
Azamara Cruises has detailed its winter 2009-10 programme of Caribbean and Panama Canal cruises.
The 694-passenger Azamara Journey, which underwent a $19-million revamp before its 2007 launch, will sail in the region between December 2009 and mid-April 2010, visiting 23 ports in 15 countries.
The luxury small ship brand, part of the Royal Caribbean Cruises family, will make first-time calls at Castries, St. Lucia; Willemstad, Curacao; and San Diego, California.
The vessel also will anchor off of the seven-mile island of Bequia, in The Grenadines, a favourite port of call for yachts and small cruise ships because of its unspoiled atmosphere and attractions such as Princess Margaret Beach, cliffside dwellings at Moonhole, and Oldhegg Turtle Sanctuary.
San Diego instead of Los Angeles will be the turnaround port for two 16-night Panama Canal sailings, one westbound from Miami departing on December 18, 2009, and one eastbound to Miami departing on January 3, 2010.
Between the two Panama Canal sailings, Azamara Journey will call at Port Antonio, Jamaica; Cartagena, Colombia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; Willemstad, Curacao; and Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas and Huatulco, Mexico.
A new 10-night Easter voyage sailing from Miami on April 1, 2010 will call at St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands; Marigot, St. Martin; Roseau, Dominica; Basseterre, St. Kitts, and Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands.
A rotation of three different 12-night Caribbean itineraries from Miami between January and March 2010 each feature a balance between beach-intensive, shopping-intensive and nature-intensive ports. These include Bequia; Castries; Roseau, Dominica; St. Croix, US Virgin Islands; Falmouth, Antigua; Fort de France, Martinique; Gustavia, St. Barts; Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe; and others.
Shore excursions include the Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica from the suspended bridges that cross the treetop canopy, the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica and a Mexican cooking experience in Huatulco, where passengers learn to prepare classic dishes such as tortillas, enchiladas, stuffed
chilies or Oaxaca chicken stew.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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