New Cruise Line Just Sets Sail: Azamara

There's a new cruise line in the business and its first ship just set sail on May 4. The line is Azamara and it's owned by Celebrity Cruises.

The Azarma Line is what might be considered a niche line. First of all, the ships are smaller. The Azarmar Journey accommodates just 710 guests. Its sister ship, the Azarma Quest, will enter service in October 2007.

Second, the line is going to be "deluxe," which a Celebrity spokesperson said is "between premium and luxury." In other words, upscale, but not the super-posh.

But the real reason Azamara is going to stand out is the destinations. The line plans to visit some very unusual destinations for cruise lines. While the line's official itinerary has not been published to date, Celebrity says that the line will visit more than 200 ports in 70 countries. What's more, most of these ports will be "new to cruise travelers."

Using smaller ships is going to make it possible for these vessels to go a bit more off the beaten path. Itineraries remain a bit vague at the moment, but the line promises to have a lot of Asian destinations as well as the more familiar Caribbean.

Spa services will be emphasized, including a variety on in-room treatments for suite passengers. Each ship has two specialty restaurants on-board and boasts an extensive wine cellar.

Check it out: http://www.azamarcruises.com.