Azamara Pursuit Marks 25 Years During 2026 Alaska Season
Built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique as the eighth and final R-class ship, the vessel later sailed as Minerva II, Royal Princess and Adonia before joining Azamara.
Azamara Pursuit has completed 25 years in service. The 30,200-ton ship debuted in February 2001 as Renaissance Cruises’ R Eight. The 710-passenger vessel is spending 2026 in active deployment for Azamara, with an Alaska season before a September repositioning to Asia.
The ship’s first operating phase was brief. Renaissance’s financial problems led to its withdrawal from service in late 2001. Since then, the vessel has sailed under five names and for several cruise brands before joining Azamara’s fleet in 2018.
A ship with a fragmented early career
Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France built the ship for Renaissance Cruises as the eighth and final R-class sister ship. After several months in service as R Eight, the vessel spent about two years laid up in France before returning to operation in 2003 under charter to Swan Hellenic as Minerva II.
The ship remained with Swan Hellenic for four years, during a period when the British brand was part of Carnival Corporation. It later moved to Princess Cruises, where it became Royal Princess and began sailing for the line in April 2007 with a Europe season.
Before its Azamara acquisition, the vessel also operated as Adonia for P&O Cruises and Fathom Cruises. Azamara bought the ship in 2017, and it entered service for the line in August 2018 after a major refurbishment at Harland & Wolff in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Alaska season includes Nanaimo call
For summer 2026, Azamara Pursuit is operating 10- and 11-night Alaska cruises from Whittier and Vancouver. The ship is then scheduled to reposition in September for fall and winter itineraries in the Far East, Southeast Asia and the South Pacific.
The Alaska program has included the ship’s first call at Nanaimo, British Columbia, on June 2. The Nanaimo Port Authority said the visit was the first time its passenger terminal welcomed a peak-season Alaska cruise itinerary.
Kimberly Kelly, manager of cruise development at the Nanaimo Port Authority, called the visit “an important moment for our Port and community” as Nanaimo works to build its presence on Alaska itineraries during the peak season. Kelly also credited Azamara for selecting the port as a guest destination.
Modernization timing remains open for Pursuit
Azamara Pursuit is also due for a major refurbishment under Azamara Forward, the line’s modernization program covering all four ships. Azamara has not announced a dry-dock date for Pursuit, but planned work includes a new Chef’s Table, a reworked cocktail lounge, refreshed staterooms and suites, and upgrades to public spaces.
Azamara Quest is first in the program, with dry dock scheduled to begin Oct. 31, 2026, and its new Penthouse Suite Deck due to be available from the Dec. 18, 2026 sailing. Azamara Onward is scheduled next in 2027, while a refit date for Azamara Journey remains to be announced.
