Newly Launched Azamara Cruises Announces Expanded Itineraries

Deluxe Brand Opens Bookings for Asia and Additional Europe, South America Sailings

MIAMI, May 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Travelers now have a new way to reach some of the farthest corners of the world in luxury, comfort and style. Today, Azamara Cruises, the high-end, destination-driven cruise line operated by Celebrity Cruises, opened bookings for 2008-2009 Asia itineraries on Azamara Quest. The line also announced 2008-2009 itineraries for its sister ship, Azamara Journey, in Europe and South America. With the addition of these itineraries, Azamara Cruises will visit 175 ports in over 60 countries around the world.

AZAMARA QUEST - ASIA

-- Azamara Quest's Asia season will begin with a 24-night voyage from Athens (Lavrion), Greece to Singapore departing on November 22, 2008. Highlights include stops in Alexandria, Egypt; passage through the Suez Canal; overnight stays in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Bombay (Mumbai), India, and stops in Cochin, India; Penang, Malaysia; and Kuala Lumpur (Port Kelang), Malaysia.

-- On December 16, 2008 Azamara Quest then will sail one 18-night Southeast Asia voyage from Singapore to Hong Kong, China. The voyage starts with an overnight stay in the harbor in Singapore, before traveling to Kuala Lumpur (Port Kelang); Malacca, Malaysia; and Ko Samui, Thailand. After an overnight stay in Bangkok (Laemchabang), Thailand, the ship will sail to Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Next, the ship travels to Vietnam, offering another overnight stop in Ho Chi Minh City (Vung Tau), a call on Hue (Da Nang), and an overnight stop in Hanoi (Haiphong). The final stop before Hong Kong is Canton (Guangzhou), China.

-- Beginning January 3, 2009, Azamara Quest will sail two 14-night Southeast Asia cruises open-jaw between Hong Kong and Singapore. Both sailings include overnight stays in Hanoi (Haiphong) and Bangkok (Laemchabang), as well as stops in Hue (Da Nang), Ho Chi Minh City Vung Tau), and Sihanoukville.

-- On January 31, 2009, Azamara Quest will sail four 14-night Northeast Asia cruises open-jaw between Hong Kong and Beijing (Tianjin), China. Ports of call during these sailings include Shanghai, China; Pusan, South Korea; Fukuoka, Japan; Hiroshima, Japan; an overnight stay in Kyoto (Osaka), Japan; Seoul (Incheon), Korea; and Dalian, China.

-- For guests wanting to optimize their Asia experience, Azamara Cruises' seven-night escorted cruisetour packages offer unforgettable land-based experiences. Guests will visit Hong Kong, Beijing, Xian and Guilin, as well as see sights such as the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors. Cruisetours are offered before or after the Northeast and Southeast Asia sailings onboard Azamara Quest.

-- The final Asia voyage will depart on April 7, 2009 from Singapore back to Athens (Lavrion), Greece. Ports will be the same, in reverse order, as those during the Athens-to-Singapore sailing at the start of the season.

AZAMARA JOURNEY - EUROPE

-- Azamara Journey's summer Europe season will begin with a 16-night eastbound transatlantic voyage from Miami, Florida to Barcelona, Spain, departing on April 9, 2008. Ports of call will include Hamilton, Bermuda; Ponta Delgada, Azores; Lisbon, Portugal; Seville (Cadiz), Spain; Almeria, Spain; and Alicante, Spain.

-- Two open-jaw voyages sailing 10 and 11 nights will immediately follow the ship's arrival in Spain. These sailings will travel through Western Mediterranean and the Adriatic Coast between Barcelona and Venice, Italy, calling on ports that vary to include Monte Carlo, Monaco; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Sorrento, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Split, Croatia; Koper, Slovenia; Bari, Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; and Provence (Marseilles), France.

-- A 16-night Western Europe voyage will follow, departing on May 16, 2008, from Barcelona to Copenhagen, Denmark. Stops include Valencia; Almeria; Lisbon; Bilbao, Spain; Bordeaux, France; La Rochelle, France; St. Peter Port, Channel Island; St. Malo, France; two nights in the harbor in London (Greenwich), England; a stop in Amsterdam, Holland; and a cruise through Kiel Canal, Germany.

-- Azamara Journey then will sail a handful of 12-night Scandinavia and Russia cruises, a 12-night Norwegian Fjords cruise and a 14-night British Isles cruise, all roundtrip from Copenhagen, Denmark. The Scandinavia and Russia cruises include Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany; Helsinki, Finland; two nights in St. Petersburg, Russia; a stop in Tallinn, Estonia; an overnight stay in Stockholm, Sweden; and a stop in Kiel, Germany. The Norwegian Fjords cruise features stops in Oslo, Eidfjord, Bergen, Geiranger, Olden, Molde, Alesund, Flam, and Stavanger, Norway. The British Isles voyage features an overnight in the harbor in Edinburgh (South Queensferry), Scotland; as well as stops in Inverness/Loch Ness, Scotland; Scrabster, Scotland; Oban, Scotland; Belfast, Ireland; Dublin, Ireland; Cornwall (Falmouth), England; St. Peter Port; Amsterdam, and Kiel Canal.

-- On August 14, 2008, a 16-night Western Europe cruise is planned, open- jaw from Copenhagen to Barcelona, cruising through Kiel Canal and calling on Amsterdam before spending two nights in the harbor in London (Greenwich), England; and stopping in St. Malo; St. Peter Port; La Rochelle, France; Bordeaux; Bilbao; Lisbon; Almeria; and Valencia.

-- There are two 14-night Egypt/Israel voyages slated on August 30 and September 13, 2008, both sailing open-jaw between Barcelona and Athens (Lavrion), Greece, calling on Rome (Civitavecchia); Sorrento; Limassol, Cyprus; Haifa, Israel; Ashdod, Israel; Port Said, Egypt; Alexandria, Egypt; Santorini, Greece; and Chios, Greece.

-- Prior to the end of the Europe season, a series of 10-, 11- and 12- night Western Mediterranean & Morocco and Adriatic Coast voyages are planned; some will sail roundtrip from Barcelona, and some will be open-jaw between Barcelona and Venice and from Barcelona to Lisbon, Portugal. Ports of call vary to include Sorrento; Rome (Civitavecchia); Provence (Marseilles); Monte Carlo; Portofino, Italy; Florence/Pisa (Livorno); Bonifacio, Corsica; Malaga; Casablanca (Marrakech), Morocco; Valencia; Sorrento; Bari; Dubrovnik; Split; Koper; Venice; Tunis, Tunisia; Valletta, Malta; Taormina, Sicily; and Cartagena, Spain.

-- On December 2, 2008, Azamara Journey will finish the Europe season with a 16-night westbound transatlantic cruise from Lisbon to Sao Paulo (Santos), Brazil. Stops include Casablanca (Marrakech); Agadir, Morocco; Lanzarote, Canary Islands; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Salvador De Bahia, Brazil; and an overnight in harbor in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.