Ellen Asmodeo-Giglio –EVP, Chief Revenue Officer of AFAR Media – and Lucy Huxley – Editor-in-Chief of Travel Weekly UK – as the Godmothers of Azamara Pursuit. At the forefront of the travel industry, Asmodeo-Giglio and Huxley are seasoned travelers who have dedicated their lives to seeking new perspectives. Their commitment to adventure and global travel, with almost 50 years of combined expertise from both consumer and travel trade perspectives, makes them the perfect Godmothers for Azamara. In addition, with the US and UK as two key markets for Azamara, Ellen and Lucy have been selected to represent the brand and vessel on both sides of the Atlantic.
“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.”
With decades of experience in consumer travel media, including a background as SVP, Publisher of Travel + Leisure as well as serving as the first publisher of the glossy WSJ. Magazine, Ellen Asmodeo-Giglio has a clear understanding of culture and the luxury landscape. She now overseas all revenue for AFAR Media, which has led the experiential travel movement and has focused on “Traveling Deeper,” since 2009. AFAR Inspires, guides, and enables people to connect with the destination, and aligns with Azamara’s Explore Further campaign. The new brand campaign launched in March 2018 features 900+ shore excursions that connect travelers to the destination through intimate experiences, such as cooking dinner with a Parsi family at their home in India.
Asmodeo-Giglio took her first cruise at age 11 with her family, and appreciated the fact that she only had to unpack her bags once when traveling through multiple countries. Her favorite aspect of Azamara is the brand’s commitment to Destination Immersion and the opportunity it gives cruisers to travel deeper. Asmodeo-Giglio is also intrigued by Azamara Pursuit’s country-intensive voyage to Iceland, which includes six ports of call within the island nation as well as excursions, including visiting Iceland’s largest volcanoes and waterfalls.
“I’m honored to be the co-Godmother of Azamara Pursuit. 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 traveler. The AFAR audience is hungry for more opportunities to travel deeper and the Azamara Pursuit will enable them to see the world and connect deeply with destinations in a way they haven’t been able to before.”
Lucy Huxley has covered cruising for 20-years while also having the opportunity to sail on multiple cruise ships. Huxley is committed to encouraging her day-to-day contacts in the UK to educate their customers on all the amazing discoveries to be made while immersing themselves in the destinations they will visit, and has a personal passion for connecting with new places and cultures. Huxley is most excited about Azamara Pursuit’s voyages to South America, as the vessel will venture to must-see destinations such as Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, while also traversing through the Chilean Fjords, a first for Azamara.
Spearheading editorial content across Travel Weekly Group’s market-leading UK portfolio in print and online, including Travel Weekly, Travel Weekly Business, Travolution and Aspire, Huxley joined the company in 2010 and has worked in the UK travel trade media as a journalist and editor for more than two decades. Involved in all aspects of the group, including Travel Weekly’s extensive events portfolio, Huxley has an unrivalled reputation within the UK travel trade
“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 travelers and an area of specialism for many of our incredible travel agent readers. 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 honored to join Ellen as co-Godmother of Azamara Pursuit.”
The two Godmothers will christen Azamara Pursuit in Southampton, UK on August 28. Ship christening is a longstanding naval tradition that can be found in many cultures and dates back thousands of years. Following the naming ceremony, the vessel will set sail for an AzAmazing afternoon event in Cherbourg. Inspired by Azamara’s signature AzAmazing Evenings, the complimentary excursion will offer all 690 guests the opportunity to debark the ship in the evening and experience an exclusive bespoke performance by allowing them to connect with the local culture and discover the destination’s heritage. The voyage will conclude with a White Night celebration, an evening soirée where cruisers can enjoy a feast served poolside by Azamara’s officers and crew before dancing late into the night. Azamara Pursuit will be the first ship in the fleet to have Godmothers.
Departing for its maiden voyage in August 2018, Azamara Pursuit joins sister ships Azamara Quest® and Azamara Journey® in providing guests with one-of-a-kind curated experiences, with access to a selection of the most exotic destinations around the globe with country-intensive voyages. On its maiden voyage, the ship will travel from Southampton to Norway, visiting eight destinations in the Scandinavian country. Azamara Pursuit will visit 15 ports where Azamara Journey and Quest have yet to sail, including Seyðisfjörður, Iceland and Maceió, Brazil; and it will be the first Azamara vessel to venture to the Chilean Fjords and Antarctica, furthering the brand’s commitment to connecting travelers with hard-to-reach destinations.
Learn more about Azamara Club Cruises by their website at http://azamara.com/
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