Azamara’s vessel handover for its fourth ship took place March 15, just as the upmarket, boutique cruise line transitions into an independent brand and cruise company. Additionally, Azamara announced the newest ship’s name — Azamara Onward.

The name was selected to represent moving forward in space or time, and is meant to evoke feelings of resilience, positivity and endless possibility. Azamara Onward will join the current fleet, including Azamara Pursuit, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest. Currently docked in Civitavecchia, the ship will receive an extensive renovation, scheduled to sail its inaugural season around Europe in 2022.

“Today marks a new beginning for Azamara, as we increase our capacity and begin our journey as an independent cruise company. Our beautiful new ship can access smaller ports and allow us to bring our guests to even more destinations,” said Carol Cabezas, president, Azamara. “When selecting a unique name, we realized our fourth ship marks the start of a new adventure and we chose a name that celebrates the bright future ahead for the brand, our guests, and the industry as a whole.”