Celebrity gives birth to Azamara, a new "deluxe" cruise line

It's rare for an existing cruise line to split itself in two, but that's exactly what Celebrity Cruises has done with its introduction of "deluxe" cruise line Azamara Cruises. "Azamara" is word invented for the occasion, from Romance language roots blue ("aza"), and the sea ("mar").

The new upscale cruise line will sail with two of the extremely popular midsize 700-passenger R-Class ships originally built for now-defunct Renaissance Cruises. One of these vessels, Azamara Journey, had been sailing already as Celebrity Journey and launched the Azamara brand in a re-inaugural voyage May 5. The sister ship, Azamara Quest, comes online in October.

Celebrity has emphasized that the Azamara brand stakes out a new "deluxe" territory between "premium" and "luxury" cruising. However, we would argue that the very successful Oceania Cruises, which has sailed with R-Class vessels since its inception in 2002, had already carved out this same niche.

Azamara Cruises President Dan Hanrahan, who also is president of Celebrity, said "Azamara Cruises is expressly designed for travel enthusiasts who appreciate what a cruise vacation has to offer, but are looking for something a little different, and a little more special. And what's special about Azamara Cruises is its distinctive combination of impeccable service, exceptional cuisine and off-the-beaten-path destinations, with truly immersive excursions."

Journey and Quest offer butler service in every stateroom and suite, as well as concierge-style amenities, including fresh-cut flowers, fresh fruit, Elemis toiletries, complimentary use of Frette cotton robes, two complimentary pairs of slippers, plasma TVs and plush European bedding.

The premium cruise lines like Celebrity have struggled for years to convince guests to pay a premium price over their "non-premium" competitors, so from the perspective of Wall Street, an effort like this one to deliver clearly enhanced benefits with separate branding, and command a higher per-diem price, will be most welcome.