By
Rebecca Gibson |
Azamara Club Cruises has chosen two godmothers for its third ship Azamara Pursuit: Ellen Asmodeo-Giglio, executive vice president and chief revenue officer of AFAR Media, and Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief of Travel Weekly UK.
Asmodeo-Giglio and Huxley, who have almost 50 years of combined consumer and travel trade expertise, have been chosen as godmothers in recognition of both their passion for travel and their ability to represent the Azamara brand in the US and UK.
“Ellen and Lucy’s fearless dedication to adventure, and respect and admiration for different cultures, aligns with Azamara’s commitment and passion to Destination Immersion experiences,” said Larry Pimentel, president and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises. “Both Ellen and Lucy are travel influencers in their own right, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have them christen our new ship Azamara Pursuit.”
Based in the UK, Huxley has spent the past 20 years focusing on the cruise industry.
“My first role within the travel trade media was cruise reporter, and over the past 20 years I have covered and championed the growth of the cruise sector as it has developed into a much-loved holiday choice for British travellers and an area of specialism for many of our incredible travel agent readers,” said Huxley. “Azamara’s commitment to exploring new destinations and offering guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in new cultures and experiences is a fantastic reflection of travel’s ability to broaden horizons and connect people, and I am overwhelmed, delighted and honoured to join Ellen as co-godmother of Azamara Pursuit.”
Asmodeo-Giglio took her first cruise at age 11 and has decades of experience of working in the consumer travel media.
“I’m honoured to be the co-godmother of Azamara Pursuit,” said Asmodeo-Giglio. “Azamara is committed to helping consumers connect with destinations, local cultures, and people, a mission that I am aligned with personally and feel passionate about as a traveller.”
Azamara Pursuit, which formerly sailed as P&O Cruises’ Adonia and is currently being revitalised by MJM Group at Belfast’s Harland and Wolff shipyard, will be officially christened at the UK’s Port of Southampton on 28 August 2018.
Following the naming ceremony, the ship will embark on a sailing to France to enable all 690 guests to enjoy a complimentary AzAmazing event in Cherbourg. The voyage will conclude with a White Night celebration, where Azamara’s officers and crew will serve food and drinks to guests on the pool deck.
Azamara Pursuit will then embark on her maiden voyage, sailing from Southampton to eight destinations in Norway. During her inaugural season, Azamara Pursuit will visit 15 ports that have never been on Azamara’s itineraries, including Seyðisfjörður, Iceland and Maceió, Brazil. She will also be the first Azamara vessel to sail to the Chilean Fjords and Antarctica.