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Case Study

Azamara Scales HubSpot with Ongoing Retainer Support

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Cover photo representing Azamara cruise operations for HubSpot retainer

250
hrs

Flexible support model covering capital and operational work.

50
+

Redesigned for subscription governance and compliance.

10
+

Covering ticketing, segmentation, and campaign execution.

RETAINER IN ACTION:

Continuous HubSpot Optimization for a Global Cruise Line

azamara-logo

The Client 

Azamara is a global cruise line with more than 600 employees and operations spanning both direct and trade channels. To manage the complexity of global campaigns, loyalty programs, and partner marketing, the company required a sustainable model for evolving its HubSpot environment. They engaged Aptitude 8 on a 250-hour monthly HubSpot retainer focused on campaign optimization, subscription governance, and cross-team training.

The Problem

  • Complex Subscriptions: Multiple marketing and loyalty subscriptions needed to be governed consistently.
  • Campaign Fragmentation: Single-email campaigns lacked structure, attribution, and ROI visibility.
  • Trade Partner Gaps: No opt-in mechanism for trade contacts on Azamara Connect.
  • Ticketing & Service Training: Call center and guest relations needed standardized ticket workflows.
  • Capacity & Prioritization: Work often exceeded project scopes, requiring a more sustainable engagement model.
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    Limited Control

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    Limited Control

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    Limited Control

Photo representing Azamara marketing challenges with campaigns and subscriptions

The Solution

Retainer Engagement Model
  • 250 hours/month with capital vs. operational segmentation for clarity.
  • Weekly syncs with stakeholders to align on monthly priorities.
  • Shared visibility through both Azamara’s Jira and Aptitude 8’s ClickUp for project tracking.
Campaign Optimization
  • Transitioned from single-email campaigns to structured multi-asset initiatives with UTMs, attribution, and dashboards.
  • Established naming conventions, standardized tracking, and reporting frameworks.
Subscription Governance
  • Redesigned marketing and loyalty subscription processes in HubSpot.
  • Built workflows for permission flags, opt-ins, and compliance safeguards.
  • Deployed a trade contact opt-in mechanism with CTA, landing page, and workflow logic.
Training & Adoption
  • Delivered 10+ training sessions for call center teams, marketing staff, and trade partners.
  • Developed custom ticketing documentation and process playbooks.
Ongoing Advisory
  • Continuous consultation on GA4, Seaware, Sprout Social, and Snowflake integrations.
  • Regular campaign reviews, optimizations, and retainer-based innovation.
Photo representing Azamara HubSpot retainer solutions and ongoing support

The Outcome

Azamara now operates on a governed, optimized, and scalable HubSpot environment with dedicated monthly support.

  • 250+ hours/month allocated to evolving priorities.
  • 50+ subscription fields and workflows cleaned and standardized.
  • Campaign ROI dashboards enabled with attribution tracking.
  • 10+ training sessions delivered across sales, service, and marketing.
  • Trade opt-in process launched, ensuring compliance and segmentation accuracy.
250
250hr Monthly Retainer
Flexible allocation across capital and operational tasks.
50+
Governed Workflows

Standardized for subscriptions, opt-ins, and compliance.

10+
Team Trainings

Covering ticketing, campaigns, and segmentation best practices.

The Tools

New Tech Stack

new tech stack

HOW WE SET YOU UP FOR SUCCESS

Next Steps

Through a retainer-based partnership, Azamara now evolves their HubSpot instance continuously, with priorities shifting each month based on new campaigns, compliance needs, and integrations, all without the delays of new SOWs. The engagement model provides predictable capacity with 250 hours per month and clear budget alignment, while ensuring ongoing optimization as campaigns, governance, and reporting are continually refined. It also offers flexibility, allowing tasks to be reprioritized monthly without resetting contracts, and enablement through continuous training that ensures teams use HubSpot effectively.





About Aptitude 8

Implement. Integrate. Optimize.

Aptitude 8 is a technical consulting firm that helps companies make their business process, and the tools they use to deliver it, a competitive advantage. In today's business environment, the experience your customers have when buying from you is just as important as what you're selling. We build it better.

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