Azamara Clubs Cruises has kicked off its maiden season in Australasia with a bang.

The festivities took to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney, giving guests private tours of the collections, before heading to the Sculpture Terrace for drinks, canapés and smooth crooning from a piano/singer duo.

Azamara’s AzAmazing Evening celebrated the boutique cruise brand debuting in Australia and New Zealand for the first time, arriving in Darwin on December 28 this year.

The line has also confirmed they will deploy a ship to Australia for a third season, with Azamara Journey coming for the first time in 2017 and Azamara Quest returning in 2018.

Each Azamara Club voyage features Azamara Club’s exclusive, bespoke AzAmazing Evening events – a specially created, complimentary night tour that offers a slice of a destination’s authentic culture and character, and which provide a significant boost to the local communities to which the line sails.

In Darwin, for example, guests will be treated to an evening at Crocosaurus Cove, where they will meet the world’s largest captive reptile collection, including nearly 200 saltwater crocodiles. The evening includes the exciting Cage of Death, where a handful of the ship’s brave officers drop into a protected tank to get up close with the giant crocodiles.

Azamara Clubs Cruises also announced both of its 686-passenger jewel-box ships will undergo an extensive makeover in time for their Australasian itineraries. Azamara Quest will be upgraded in September 2015 and Azamara Journey will complete her dry dock in January 2016, before she then commences her season down under in 2017.

“We have our itineraries for 2015, 2016, and 2017 published, and the number one booking region in the entire world is Australia and New Zealand,” Azamara Club Cruises’ president and CEO Larry Pimentel said at the stylish event on Monday evening.

“Our guests seem to love this region and, in fact, I’ve made the commitment this morning to come in 2018, and we will be in this magnificent harbour on New Year’s Eve.”

“For the first time that I have ever seen, in our small two ship fleet, Australia and New Zealand will become the number two producing region in the world,” Pimentel added.

“It represents 24% of our business, which is rather enormous when you consider all of the geographical regions we book from, and I might add that by the end of this year we will have over 20,000 Le Club Voyage members in Australia alone.”

Pimentel went on to talk about the enormous growth down under, explaining that in 2009, the region represented two tenths of a percent of sales, and from that year in 2009 to this year, the growth has jumped 767%.

He said one of the key reasons Australians love the product is because it is experiential and localised.

“All over the world in 90+ countries, we have created venues just like the one you’re in tonight, where we’re exposing people from around the world to local culture.”

“In this case, contemporary art in a unique venue where there are no queues, no lines and simply a delightful evening. That has made a difference.”

He mentioned the importance of the Insider Access programs, which takes guests behind the scenes at heritage estates, family farms, local shops and art galleries in each destination, as well as offering the newly launched Cruise Global, Eat Local program.

This feature curates dining experiences around the globe, leading guests to places the locals frequent, from a traditional family trattoria to a dim sum feast.

“We are probably one of the most unique no-cruise cruises. We think outside the ship, we’re always focused on what’s happening locally.”

“The company while small is also profitable, and we’ve taken it to a new arena, suggesting that destination immersion and culture around the world is something Australians want to see, and in a very, very big way.

“I’ve always been taught that if you win people’s hearts, you will also win their pocket books,” Pimentel said. “And so many of our guests onboard tell us it’s like coming home.”

Full details of Azamara Club’s 2018 Australasian will be announced in the coming months. While the details for Azamara Club’s 2017 season is available now and open for booking.

For more info, check out the website www.azamaraclubcruises.com/en-au.