The Azamara Journey set sail from Port Louis on Jan. 4 to kick off a unique itinerary to East Africa and the Indian Ocean.

Sailing roundtrip from the port in Mauritius, the 16-night cruise features visits to destinations in the Vanilla Islands, Tanzania and Kenya.

The cruise started with calls in Madagascar, including Diego Suarez and Nosy Be, before heading to Mayotte in Comoros.

Heading to the African continent, the Azamara Journey is now scheduled to make overnight visits to Zanzibar in Tanzania and Mombasa in Kenya.

Before returning to Port Louis, the ship is also set to visit three destinations in the Seychelles: La Digue, Praslin Island and Mahé.

In addition to visits to eight ports of call, the itinerary also features eight days of cruising through the Indian Ocean.

After completing the itinerary later this month, the Azamara Journey is set to offer a 14-night cruise to South Africa before returning to the Northern Hemisphere.

Sailing from Port Louis to Cape Town, the open-jaw itinerary will include stops in Saint-Denis in Réunion and Fort Dauphin in Madagascar.

The Azamara Journey then makes visits to four destinations in South Africa: Richard’s Bay, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Mossel Bay.

Concluding its winter season around Africa, the vessel is set to embark on a repositioning voyage to the Canary Islands in early February.

The cruise is highlighted by a visit to Saint Helena, a remote British territory in the South Atlantic, as well as calls to Dakar in Senegal and Banjul in Gambia.

Upon returning to Europe, the Azamara Journey offers a series of spring cruises to the Canary Islands, Iberia and the Mediterranean.

The ship is then scheduled to offer itineraries in Northern Europe, Iceland, Canada and New England during the summer months.

In related news, Azamara recently transferred its four-ship fleet to RINA classification.