Azamara Cruises has announced sweeping upgrades and enhancements to its on-board program plus the addition of more overnight stays in port and unique shore excursions.  And to launch the upgrades, the cruise line also has a new name: Azamara Club Cruises.

Starting April, 2010, passengers sailing aboard the 694-passenger Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest will find gratuities, house wine at lunch and dinner, specialty coffees, soda, bottled water and shuttlebus service to and from port communities included in the cruise price.  In addition, suite passengers will have complimentary dining in the ship’s two alternative restaurants.

Azamara, which is an upscale division of Celebrity Cruises and owned by Royal Caribbean International,  has taken these steps to create greater competition with Oceania Cruises.  Both cruise lines operate identical small ships that were previously operated by now defunct Renaissance Cruises.  The cruise line’s president and CEO Larry Pimentel says that while fares will increase “This is about taking an already great product and making it exceptional.”

Like Oceania, Azamara Club Cruises schedules overnight stays in port, allowing passengers to get a more in-depth experience ashore.