Azamara Quest Getting Exclusive Penthouse Deck With 12 New Luxury Suites
Azamara Quest will receive a brand-new Penthouse Deck with 12 luxury suites including two Panorama Suites with 270-degree ocean views. Construction begins October 2026.
Azamara Cruises just unveiled plans to add an entirely new deck to one of its ships—and the accommodations coming with it might make you reconsider what’s possible on a boutique cruise vessel.
The cruise line announced on January 15 that Azamara Quest will receive a brand-new Penthouse Deck as part of the company’s ambitious “Azamara Forward” refurbishment program. The addition marks a rare move in the cruise industry: building upward on an existing ship to create premium accommodations without removing any current space.
Two Panorama Suites With 270-Degree Ocean Views
The crown jewels of the new Penthouse Deck are two Panorama Suites positioned on the forward corners of Deck 11. At 656 square feet, these corner suites offer something rarely seen at sea: 270-degree panoramic ocean views through floor-to-ceiling windows.
Each Panorama Suite accommodates up to four guests and includes separate living, dining, and bedroom spaces. The accommodations feature walk-in closets, oversized spa-inspired bathrooms, and butler service. Pricing starts at $20,000 per person for a 10-day sailing—positioning these among the most premium offerings in Azamara’s fleet.
What makes these suites particularly noteworthy is their location. Forward-facing corner accommodations with wraparound views are typically reserved for much larger mega-ships. Azamara is bringing that level of premium real estate to a boutique vessel carrying fewer than 700 passengers.
Ten Grandview Suites Round Out the Deck
Complementing the two Panorama Suites are 10 Grandview Suites, also located on the new Penthouse Deck. These 243-square-foot accommodations feature contemporary design, floor-to-ceiling ocean views, and spacious bathrooms with dual sinks and walk-in showers.
The Grandview Suites start at $12,000 per person for a 10-day sailing. While still a significant premium, they offer guests access to the exclusive Penthouse Deck experience at a lower price point than the flagship Panorama Suites.
A Sun Deck Moves Up to Make Room
To accommodate the new Penthouse Deck on Deck 11, Azamara is relocating the ship’s Sun Deck to a newly created Deck 12 above. The cruise line says the new configuration will maintain the same open-air relaxation space and spectacular sail-away views guests currently enjoy.
This approach is what sets the Azamara Forward program apart from typical cruise ship refurbishments. Rather than converting existing cabins or removing public spaces, the line is optimizing previously underutilized areas to add premium accommodations while maintaining overall ship capacity.
CEO Dondra Ritzenthaler called the transformation a “thoughtful evolution,” noting that it “reflects years of listening to our guests and travel partners.”
The Larger Azamara Forward Vision
The Penthouse Deck is the most dramatic element of Azamara’s $80 million fleetwide refurbishment program, but it’s exclusive to Quest. The ship will enter drydock in Athens on October 31, 2026, with work expected to last 26 days. The enhanced vessel resumes sailing on December 18, 2026, departing Miami for a Panama Canal transit to San Francisco.
The broader Azamara Forward program includes updates across all four ships in the fleet: Quest, Onward, Journey, and Pursuit. The enhancements feature lighter aesthetics, new dining venues including a Chef’s Table restaurant and reimagined Discoveries Restaurant, an Atlas Bar, and renovated public spaces.
One ship per year will undergo the transformation, with Azamara Onward scheduled to follow in 2027.
Why This Matters for Boutique Cruising
Azamara’s decision to literally build upward on Quest signals an interesting shift in the boutique cruise segment. For years, small-ship cruise lines have competed primarily on itineraries and destination immersion rather than onboard accommodations.
As Director Victoria Chigwidden noted, “We’ve never been a company that has ever spoken about the ship. We’ve always talked about the destination.”
But the Penthouse Deck addition suggests that even destination-focused cruise lines recognize the value of premium accommodations—particularly when they can add them without compromising the intimate ship experience or removing existing capacity.
The move also creates a unique selling proposition for Quest within the Azamara fleet. While all four ships will receive Azamara Forward enhancements, only Quest will offer the Panorama and Grandview Suites. That gives the line a flagship vessel with accommodations that rival much larger ships, while maintaining the boutique scale and destination-intensive itineraries that define the brand.
For guests who’ve been priced out of ultra-luxury yacht cruising but want more than a standard balcony cabin, these new suites could represent a compelling middle ground. And for existing Azamara loyalists, the line is offering upgrade priority—a savvy move to reward repeat customers while building early buzz for the enhanced ship.
The first Penthouse Deck sailings open for booking now, with the enhanced Quest returning to service in mid-December 2026.
Source: Latte Luxury News - Azamara adds Penthouse deck as part of fleetwide transformation