Play the World’s Best Courses with Azamara’s New 2028 Golf Cruises

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Premium boutique operator Azamara Cruises has officially announced an exclusive long-term partnership with luxury golf travel specialist Premier Golf, scheduled to debut at the start of the 2028 global sailing season. The comprehensive joint venture will introduce 23 highly specialized, golf-focused voyages. These itineraries are meticulously designed to combine Azamara’s signature Destination Immersion® philosophy with priority, seamless access to some of the most celebrated and historically significant golf courses on the planet.

Spanning across major geographic regions including Europe, Asia, North and South America, as well as Australia and New Zealand, the program offers a truly holistic approach to sports travel. Rather than treating golf as a standard, independent shore excursion that guests have to figure out on their own, the partnership integrates the game directly into the fabric of the cruise experience. This includes dedicated onboard clinics, custom social events, and fully curated land packages overseen by elite golf professionals.

Capitalizing on Small-Ship Access and Destination Immersion

The collaborative program is built to take full advantage of Azamara’s four-ship fleet of intimate, boutique vessels. The cruise line’s operational model emphasizes extended destination days—meaning ships regularly log 10 or more hours in port, alongside frequent late-night and overnight stays. This provides a distinct advantage for golfers, eliminating the typical rush of standard cruise schedules and allowing players to complete full 18-hole rounds at a leisurely, unhurried pace before enjoying the local nightlife ashore.

The executive leadership of both travel brands expressed substantial confidence that this targeted vacation model directly satisfies a growing demographic of affluent, sports-minded travelers looking for experiential premium travel.

Dondra Ritzenthaler, the Chief Executive Officer of Azamara Cruises, stated that golf and travel had always shared a spirit of discovery, and noted that the partnership brought those passions together in a way that perfectly complemented Azamara’s approach to exploration.

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She further explained that working with Premier Golf allowed them to offer guests unique access to some of the world’s most celebrated golf destinations while enjoying the comfort of their intimate ships, longer stays in port, and deeper connections to the places they visited.

An Unrivaled Lineup of Legendary Championship Courses

Through custom packages curated by the decades-long travel experts at Premier Golf, travelers on select 2028 departures will have the rare privilege of teeing off at world-renowned, highly exclusive clubs. The confirmed collection of courses includes a mix of iconic coastal links and pristine parkland designs:

• Seven Mile Beach GC (Tasmania, Australia)
• Cabot Bordeaux GC (Bordeaux, France)
• New South Wales GC (Sydney, Australia)
• Real Club Valderrama (Sotogrande, Spain)
• Tokyo Golf Club (Sayama, Japan)
• Royal Portrush Golf Club (County Antrim, Northern Ireland)
• Kingsbarns Golf Links (St Andrews, Scotland)
• Old Head of Kinsale (County Cork, Ireland)

The inclusive package structures are crafted to accommodate core enthusiasts, country club affinity groups, and PGA Professionals traveling with clients. To elevate the vacation experience further, Premier Golf will place a certified PGA Host Professional onboard every single voyage to oversee the entirety of the golf logistics, coordinate casual shipboard tournaments, host interactive cocktail hours, and deliver personalized data analysis and tips during specialized onboard lectures.

Expanding Opportunities for Global Travel Advisors

The alliance also introduces significant infrastructure updates and financial incentives designed to empower the broader travel trade market. Premier Golf has confirmed a guaranteed 10 percent commission for travel advisors on the total baseline value of the specialized golf packages booked for their clients.

Additionally, Azamara will officially launch a dedicated Premier Golf educational chapter within its digital training platform, the Azamara World Academy. This specialized module will equip retail agents with technical knowledge, sales tools, and consumer insights required to seamlessly market and book premium golf-themed cruise packages.

Asia as a Strategic Focal Point

While the program boasts a footprint across five continents, the Asian maritime theater will serve as a primary operational anchor for the 2028 rollout. This emphasis directly parallels Azamara’s newly unveiled regional deployment strategy, which showcases intensive country-specific itineraries focusing heavily on regional coastal hubs.

As travelers and booking agents prepare for the official launch of individual sailing schedules and reservation books in the coming months, the program is positioned to redefine high-end sports tourism. Discerning vacationers will be able to effortlessly combine an upscale hotel experience at sea with bucket-list fairways, winding through the historic ports of South Korea, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, and Tokyo, Japan, Asia.