Small luxury cruise line scouting locations for 2016

Azamara's ships have capacity for around 700 passengers and are able to get into smaller harbours.

A team is in New Zealand scouting shore experiences for the latest boutique cruise ship operator to arrive in this region.

For the first time, boutique cruise line Azamara Club Cruises will deploy ships to New Zealand from next year for upmarket travellers around destinations including Kaikoura, Russell, Waitangi, Akaroa and the Marlborough Sounds.

Azamara is owned by cruise industry giant Royal Caribbean, which has the biggest ships in the world at 225,000 gross tonnes and capable of carrying 5500 passengers, but has now diversified into small luxury vessels around 30,000 tonnes with just under 700 guests on board.

For its inaugural season in this region, Azamara Quest will sail five voyages in Australasia, ranging from 10 to 17-night itineraries.

Azamara president and chief executive Larry Pimentel said a "deployment team" arrived in New Zealand this week to scope activities for Quest passengers next summer.

"What they will look for are things that are authentic and unique," he said.

"They're not looking at what everybody else is doing - they're looking at what is unique and makes it special. They will look at food, drink, activities at night."

The three-member team will spend almost a fortnight here.

Unlike most other cruise ships Azamara ships spend time overnight in port allowing passengers to make the most of local attractions.

This provided more opportunity for local businesses and attractions to sell to well-heeled guests. All inclusive daily rates aboard the Azamara ships start at about $360, Pimentel said.

"We have a programme 'cruise global, eat local' to be able to guide the guests. We're looking at places where the locals eat."

The ships had no home port, were able to get into harbours bigger vessels couldn't and circumnavigated the globe.

He said bookings for the Australasian cruise season had been very strong. This region was the most desirable destination among passengers surveyed around the world.

About 45 per cent of the line's passengers were from the United States, with the next biggest group from Australasia on 25 per cent.

While the mega cruise ships hog the headlines, the small ship market is growing quickly.

Azamara's entry to the New Zealand market follows the arrival of new French-owned line Ponant whose small ship l'Austral put into Auckland in January.

Silversea cruise line, another small-ship operator that calls around New Zealand, is expanding. Its fleet is set to double from four to eight in the space of seven years.