Azamara Cruises Transforms Travel Industry as New Travel Advisor Council Gives Power to the Experts Shaping Tomorrow’s Cruises!

Published on February 26, 2026

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In a highly anticipated move reshaping cruise‑industry collaboration, Azamara Cruises — the internationally recognised small‑ship line headquartered in Miami, USA — has unveiled a brand‑new Travel Advisor Council designed to deepen strategic engagement with expert travel advisors. This initiative marks a significant shift in how cruise lines work directly with trade professionals, giving them a voice in future programmes and services that will influence how voyages are marketed and sold. For many travel advisors around the world, this announcement brings both excitement and validation: their frontline experience will now directly inform Azamara’s strategic decisions in marketing, product refinement and sales support. The move is being widely interpreted by industry specialists as a testament to the growing influence of advisor‑led insight in shaping luxury and experiential cruising options.

What the Council Is — And Why It Matters

The newly launched Travel Advisor Council is a 12‑month advisory programme that brings together a hand‑picked group of top travel advisors from North America to work collaboratively with Azamara’s senior leadership. Members are selected based on experience, expertise and a proven track record of selling and sailing with Azamara, ensuring that the council represents advisors who intimately understand both the product and the customers. But this isn’t a ceremonial body. According to industry reporting, council members will provide strategic insights, product feedback, and real‑time trade perspective that influence new tools, programmes and initiatives before they are broadly rolled out to the travel trade community.

Leadership Voices: What Azamara Says

Speaking about the initiative, Michelle Lardizabal, Chief Sales Officer for North America at Azamara, underscored the company’s intention to listen, learn and grow alongside travel advisors. She made it clear that the council is intended as an ongoing partnership rather than a one‑off engagement, with advisors treated as key collaborators and not just intermediaries. This strategic framing highlights a growing industry trend: cruise companies increasingly regard travel advisors not as mere distribution channels but as trusted influencers whose customer‑centric insights can improve the overall cruising experience and help shape product innovation.

Who Gets to Sit at the Table?

The council comprises 10 travel advisors selected by Azamara’s sales leadership in the USA and Canada. Selection criteria are rigorous: each advisor must have a minimum of five years of cruise‑focused industry experience, be a graduate of the Azamara World Academy training programme, and have both sold and personally sailed with Azamara. Once selected, members will engage in structured collaboration sessions, regular feedback forums and early access to new initiatives — shaping the way Azamara launches and markets future products to the broader travel community.

Deepening Trade Relationships at a Strategic Moment

This development follows a broader pattern of Azamara strengthening trade support and educational resources. Over recent months, the cruise line has introduced initiatives like a dedicated advisor hotline, expanded training modules and celebratory incentives for advisors who complete learning programmes. The launch of the council arrives at a time when cruise lines globally are intensifying their focus on the travel advisor ecosystem due to its proven role in driving bookings, enhancing customer satisfaction and expanding market reach into experiential and immersive travel segments.

What This Means for the Cruise Consumer

For cruisers, this strategic shift ultimately means better‑informed travel advisors who are more intimately aligned with the product, experience and differentiators Azamara offers. With advisors acting as strategic partners, future itineraries, shore‑experience offerings and guest services may reflect deeper travel insights that go beyond traditional sales and marketing feedback loops. Industry watchers have suggested that this advisor council could become a model for other cruise lines seeking to formalise trade collaboration, especially as demand grows for curated, premium travel experiences with local flavour and deep cultural engagement — a hallmark of Azamara’s brand philosophy.

Industry Reactions and Wider Context

Travel industry analysts have noted that integrating travel‑advisor feedback into corporate strategy is increasingly essential in a competitive environment where travel shoppers rely heavily on professional advisors for detailed planning, tailored recommendations and bespoke inquiries. This council is therefore seen as both a symbolic and practical step toward genuine partnership. Additionally, as cruise lines evolve their product offerings with immersive shore days, curated experiences and enhanced onboard programmes, advisors equipped with strategic access to product development insight will be better placed to guide clients to choices that truly fit their preferences.

Looking Ahead: A New Era of Cruise Trade Engagement

As the first year of the Travel Advisor Council unfolds, both Azamara and its advisor partners are expected to measure success not just in bookings but in how effectively council insights are translated into meaningful improvements in guest satisfaction and advisor support. While the long‑term impact will only be clear with time, early feedback from the cruise trade community suggests that empowering advisors with a strategic voice could lead to deeper trust, stronger collaboration and mutual growth — transforming how the cruise industry teams with its most experienced professionals

Conclusion: A Human‑Centred Step Forward for Travel Professionals

For many travel advisors, the launch of Azamara’s Travel Advisor Council signals not just corporate innovation but genuine recognition of their expertise, passion and role in shaping unforgettable travel experiences. As they take their seats at this strategic table, the wider cruise community will be watching closely, anticipating how this partnership translates into richer voyages for travellers and new opportunities for advisors alike