Azamara has announced that the fourth ship in its fleet will be called Azamara Onward.

The ship, which formerly sailed for Princess Cruises as Pacific Princess, is scheduled to sail its inaugural season around Europe in 2022.

The official handover of the ship comes as Royal Caribbean Group announced it had completed the sale of Azamara to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm.

Azamara Onward is currently docked in Civitavecchia and is scheduled to undergo an extensive refurbishment.

It will join the brand’s existing fleet, Azamara Pursuit, Azamara Journey, and Azamara Quest.

President Carol Cabezas said: “Today marks a new beginning, 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

“When selecting a unique name, we realised 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.”

Executive chairman Orlando Ashford – who joined the brand after his departure from Holland America Line – said: “Azamara has a bright future and is positioned to continue growing as an independent company.

“We can’t wait to welcome back our loyal customers, as well as those new to the brand, with our expanded fleet offering more unique Destination Immersion programming and itineraries.”

Royal Caribbean Group chairman and CEO Richard Fain said: “This creates huge opportunities for all parties. I am confident that the brand’s success and growth trajectory will continue under the stewardship of Sycamore.”

• Hear more from Carol Cabezas in this special Cruise Corner interview with CTN editor Gary Peters. In this interview, Carol discusses the future for the brand and why guests and travel agent partners should not expect any drastic changes under the new ownership.