Cruise: These are the Cruise Itineraries to Book for Luxe Clients

JAPANThese are the Cruise Itineraries to Book for Luxe ClientsBy Paloma Villaverde de RicoSailings in the Arctic, Africa, Japan…. Where are the luxury cruise lines sailing in late 2024 and into 2025, 2026? We’ve done the footwork, and these are the journeys you want to keep top of mind for luxe clients. SCENIC ECLIPSECulinary-themed Voyage in IcelandScenic Luxury Cruises & Tours will be offering a culinary feast on board the Scenic Eclipse with its Tastes of Discovery series heading to the Land of Fire & Ice on July 15, 2025, for the 11-day Circumnavigating Iceland and Crossing the Arctic Circle voyage. On board, Chef Bryan Voltaggio, a James Beard Award finalist, will mingle with passengers while curating a variety of exclusive experiences, including a Q&A. Additionally, guests on board will indulge in a bespoke chef-crafted dining experience. Ken Muskat, Managing Director of Scenic Group, says, “Chef Voltaggio’s previous sailings with Scenic were met with overwhelming enthusiasm. His ability to interact with our guests and share his enthusiasm for bringing innovative and memorable culinary experiences to the destinations we visit perfectly aligns with our commitment to offering our guests unique and luxurious experiences.” On this itinerary, Scenic Eclipse will sail roundtrip from Reykjavik, visiting car-free Flatey Island; Patreksfjorour, the biggest town in the southern Westfjords with around 650 people; Vigur Island, home to Iceland’s only surviving windmill; Sauoarkrokur, with a well-preserved old town; Akureyri, with colorful homes set on green hills at the base of a volcanic mountain chain; and Grimsel Island, where passengers can walk across the official Arctic Circle. There are sailings through the large fjord of Vopnafjorour and time to explore in both Seyoisfjorour, which features colorful 19th-century timber houses perched on the side of the lagoon, and Heimaey, where there’s the opportunity to see orcas and beluga whales. ATLAS OCEAN IN ASLASKASailings in the ArcticFor 2026, Atlas Ocean Voyages’ Arctic season will feature 6- and 7-night expeditions and, for the first time, include pre-cruise hotel stays. On board World Voyager and World Navigator, the season will also discover new ports exploring the remote Skjoldungen Island in Greenland, the heart of Icelandic culture in Stykkisholmur, and “miniature Norway” from Senja. All expeditions departing from Longyearbyen and Kangerluusuaq include the pre-cruise hotel. “Atlas Ocean Voyages continues to leverage our smaller size to expand expedition experiences including exploring Svalbard, which will soon not be accessible to larger ships with stringent restrictions,” says James A. Rodriguez, President and CEO of Atlas Ocean Voyages. “I am enthused by the Arctic program the team has assembled for the 2026 season, especially these sailings, which enable guests to explore the most remote regions.” Included in the season are shorter Svalbard expeditions. Guests embark on a 7-night expedition from Tromso to Longyearbyen featuring ports along the Norwegian coast, before culminating in the breathtaking landscapes of Svalbard. Longer expeditions—10 to 15 nights—will take in Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland. Among those is a Solar Eclipse sailing: The 9-night Polar Eclipse Quest departing on Aug. 11 from Reykjavik. There are also two departures featuring the Norwegian fjords and Svalbard. For expeditions embarking or concluding in Longyearbyen or Kangerlussuaq, guests will enjoy a charter flight inclusion. Additionally, a complimentary pre-cruise hotel night is included for all departures from Longyearbyen, with accommodations provided in Oslo, Norway. Let clients know, too, that every 2026 Polar Expedition includes a free Cultural Immersion experience. Diverse PortsWith last-minute bookings still a thing among clients with deep pockets, we wanted to alert you to Seabourn’s 90-day Grand Africa Voyage, departing on Nov. 30, 2024, roundtrip from Barcelona on board the Seabourn Sojourn. Passengers will explore the East, South and West Coasts of Africa, visiting 42 destinations in 20 countries and sailing over 20,000 nautical miles—in other words, a voyage for the record books. Included in the sailing are overnights in Zanzibar, Victoria, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Walvis Bay and Casablanca. On board, passengers will be privy to a brand-new collection of cast shows, 28 guest entertainers and 12 renowned speakers, including West End star Ricardo Afonso, soul singer and American Idol star Michael Lynche, explorer and TV host Dr. Mireya Mayor and Iceland’s First Lady, Eliza Reid. In late 2024 and into early 2025—and again in November 2025—Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Quest will embark on a series of voyages across Southeast Asia and Japan, visiting diverse regions, from the vibrant cultures of Vietnam and Thailand to the dazzling skyline
of Singapore. “With its diverse beauty, rich culture and deep history, our ultra-luxury cruises to Asia continue to be a favorite among our guests,” says Natalya Leahy, President of Seabourn. “To meet the growing demand, we’ve enhanced our itineraries this season and
are offering many exciting voyages throughout Asia to new, hidden gems across the region.” Seabourn Encore will start with seven sailings between Singapore and Hong Kong, then continue to Japan, and finish with a transpacific crossing, marking her first-ever visit to the U.S. Seabourn Quest will explore Japan during the cherry blossom season in spring and return in the fall to showcase the country’s autumn landscapes and will visit new destinations such as Akita and Wakayama, Japan. Seabourn Encore’s 14-day Southeast Asia & Japan sailing, departing March 2, 2025, will feature a port of call never before visited by the Seabourn fleet: Tokushima, Japan. The itinerary will also feature an overnight in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and maiden calls for Seabourn Encore to Kochi, Japan and Kobe, Japan. The ship will finish its season with a 25-day Japan & Hawaiian Islands Pacific Crossing from Kobe, Japan to Long Beach, California, featuring a maiden call to Wakayama, Japan. Setting sail from March through April 2025, Seabourn Quest’s 2025 spring Asia itineraries range from 14 to 34 days with options to combine. Guests will explore the northernmost and southernmost islands of Japan, immersing themselves in the nation’s geography, history and beauty at the height of cherry blossom season. Seabourn will also offer a 20-day Pacific Passage: Golden Week to Glacier Bay voyage departing in April 2025. This itinerary will immerse guests in the cultural festivities of “Golden Week” in Japan, where they’ll witness the cherry blossoms in full bloom, before heading to Alaska during the less-crowded early season.PRINCESS IN DRThe Caribbean is CallingPrincess Cruises says its 2026 summer Caribbean season will be its biggest ever, with two ships, Regal Princess and Caribbean Princess, sailing over 90 voyages to every region of the Caribbean. Regal Princess will be departing from Ft. Lauderdale/Port Everglades, while Caribbean Princess will be sailing from
Port Canaveral. “Princess continues to expand access to our world-class premium experience now operating from eight North America homeports. With ships now departing from both Central Florida and South Florida, it’s easier and more convenient than ever to set sail aboard the iconic Love Boat,” says John Padgett, Princess Cruises’ President. Caribbean Princess offers sailings to both the Eastern and Western Caribbean on 7-day cruises that can be combined to see both regions on 14-day Caribbean Adventurer sailings. A sample cruise is the 7-day Eastern Caribbean with Puerto Rico, visiting San Juan, Amber Cove and Grand Turk, or a 7-day Western Caribbean with Mexico, visiting Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan (Mahogany Bay). On board Regal Princess, your clients can choose between 7-day Eastern or Western Caribbean itineraries, or an 8-day cruise in the Southern Caribbean. And guests who want a longer vacation to visit multiple regions can sail on a combination cruise for 14 days. You can recommend, for example, the 8-day Southern Caribbean itinerary with ABC Islands, visiting Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Princess will also sail two Southern Caribbean Islander cruises at the start and end of the season: The 13-day voyage on board Caribbean Princess from Ft. Lauderdale to Port Canaveral, with visits to Princess Cays, Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, San Juan, Amber Cove, Grand Turk and Nassau (departing April 28, 2026); and Regal Princess’ 14-day sailing from Ft. Lauderdale to New York, visiting Curaçao, Aruba, Grenada, Barbados, Dominica, St. Maarten and San Juan (departing Sept. 5, 2026).Seamless Sailings from TampaIn March 2026, Oceania Cruises will be the first ultra-premium line to sail out of Port Tampa Bay. The cruise line’s Insignia ship will journey from Florida’s Gulf Coast on a collection of 7- to 20-night itineraries exploring Caribbean islands such as St. Thomas, St. Kitts, and Tortola; will have port calls in Cozumel, Costa Maya and Belize City; plus, take a daylight transit of the iconic Panama Canal with an overnight stay in Panama City. “Port Tampa Bay represents an exciting new chapter as Oceania Cruises becomes the first ultra-premium cruise line to have dedicated voyages from Tampa, opening the door as a convenient gateway to Florida’s west coast and the Gulf of Mexico,” says Frank A. Del Rio, President of Oceania Cruises. OCEANIA QUOTE Sailings include the 9-day Tropical Harmony, sailing from Bridgetown to Tampa, with visits to Oranjestad, Montego Bay, Costa Maya and Cozumel. The Leeward Isles Serenade, meanwhile, is a 15-day roundtrip from Tampa that visits San Juan, St. Thomas, Philipsburg (St. Maarten), St. John’s (Antigua), Roseau (Dominica), Basseterre (St. Kitts), Frederiksted (St. Croix), Tortola (British Virgin Islands). One of the highlights of the season is the Panama Canal Connoisseur, sailing March 25-April 14 from Tampa to Miami, crossing the Panama Canal. The World is Your Client’s Oyster For early-bird clients, look to Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 2026-2027 Voyage Collection, featuring 173 sailings with 16 new ports, eight new immersive overnight sailings and four grand voyages. The collection includes Africa & Arabia, Alaska, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, Canada & New England, the Caribbean & Panama Canal, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, South America and the South Pacific. As well as the 140-night 2027 World Cruise, the collection features four new Grand Voyages, which vary from 60 to 82 nights in length covering vast areas of sea and land. Additional highlights include new opportunities to sail to Alaska from Seattle, and the Caribbean from Galveston, Texas and Tampa, Florida. Further afield, there are seven port-intensive voyages in Japan, tours of Fjords of Milford, Doubtful & Dusky Sound in New Zealand, South American adventures taking in Drake Passage and the Arctic Peninsula and four Icelandic sailings, among others. Across the collection there are 144 overnight stays in iconic destinations such as Hong Kong, China; Bora Bora, French Polynesia; and Mumbai, India; as well as 16 maiden ports of calls in exotic locales including Mombasa, Kenya; Zanzibar, Tanzania; and Melaka, Malaysia. Steve Odell, Chief Sales Officer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises, tells Recommend that with these 2026/27 sailings, there’s a focus on Iceland and Greenland, as well as Japan, which, he says, is “very strong for Regent; that’s why we have seven roundtrips there. “Another big thing is getting some more homeport cruises for the North American guests. We’re traditionally Miami, Vancouver, LA, New York, so we’ve added Galveston because we have a big core market in Texas; that’s a bit of a drive-to opportunity. We’ve got four cruises there. The west coast of Florida is big for us, so we’ve put four cruises out of Tampa. And then Seattle, with four cruises on the Mariner.” With this, “we’re opening up different gateways in North America.”Best of the DanubeDid you ever want to walk in the footsteps of Rudi Schreiner, AmaWaterways’ Co-founder and President, who’s also known as the godfather of river cruising? In 2025 and 2026, your clients will be able to do just that as AmaWaterways debuts the 7-night Best of the Danube itinerary in honor of Schreiner’s favorite river cruise route. When asked to pick a favorite route, Schreiner answered, “The Danube flows through the heart of Europe, offering a river cruise that combines the charm of three capital cities—Budapest, Vienna and Bratislava—with the stunning beauty of the Wachau Valley. These cities are close to each other, ensuring short cruising distances and ample time to explore.”AMA QUOTE The itinerary will sail roundtrip from Budapest, with 15 departures in 2025 and 14 in 2026. Special early-season sailings (Schreiner’s favorite time to see the Danube) are departing on Feb. 23 and March 2, 2025, and Feb. 8, 15, 22 and March 1, 2026, on AmaWaterways’ AmaMagna. Later season departures in 2025 and 2026 will sail on AmaBella, AmaReina, AmaViola and AmaLea. Your clients will spend full days in Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest, with options to explore on bikes or via walking tours, partake in food tasting opportunities and visit cathedrals and palaces. Highlights include sampling the traditional foods and beers of Slovakia; touring the UNESCO site of Melk Abbey, one of the world’s most famous active monasteries dating back to the 11th century; a thrilling guided bike ride along the romantic Danube Canal and through the city, heading to Vienna’s Ringstrasse Boulevard; and exploring the many treasures of Budapest with the city’s Castle District and breathtaking panorama views on the Buda side and the neo-Gothic Hungarian Parliament Building on the Pest side.Cruising in CanadaFor in-depth cruises in Canada, St. Lawrence Cruise Lines offers an array of 4- to 7-night sailings on the St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers and along the famed 1000 islands, with departures from Kingston, Ottawa and Quebec City. In 2025, sailings will begin in early May and run through late October, and all cruises are on board the 64-passenger Canadian Empress, an intimate classic Victorian-era riverboat, with all staterooms featuring river-facing windows. For those clients who want to kick-start the season, recommend the 5-day Discover the River itinerary, which starts and ends in Kingston, Ontario, with overnight stops in the 1000 Islands, Brockville, Morrisburg and Gananoque. It’s ideal for those who want to deepen their knowledge of the history, geography and culture of the 1000 Islands and St. Lawrence River. Discovery Cruise itineraries are enhanced with unique attractions, step-on speakers and an educational focus. In June, there’s an 8-day Celebration of Spring itinerary, a return trip from Kingston to Montreal that explores the 1000 Islands region, as well as the St. Lawrence Seaway lock system. Meanwhile, the 8-day Heritage Summer Cruise, Kingston to Montreal and return traces the historic routes of early Upper Canada explorers and explores the historic trade route between Kingston and Montreal. For a fall foliage cruise, the 8-day Fall Harvest and Colour Cruise—Kingston to Montreal and return—features shore excursions that complement the turning of the leaves. Contact InformationAmaWaterways: amawaterways.comAtlas Ocean Voyages: atlasoceanvoyages.com Oceania Cruises: oceaniacruises.comPrincess Cruises: princess.comRegent Seven Seas Cruises: rssc.comScenic Luxury Cruises & Tours: scenicusa.com/travel-advisor-hub St. Lawrence Cruise Lines: stlawrencecruiselines.com
COVERPALLADIUM SPREADTable of ContentsSANDALSSANDALS SPREADEditor's NotesEDU HOUSE ADLuxury Travel Insights and TrendsMGM RESORTSMGM RESORTS SCSEABOURN SCSEABOURNCustom Content: Living the Luxe Life, Vancouver-StyleALASKA RAILROAD SCCruise: These are the Cruise Itineraries to Book for Luxe ClientsSilversea: Immersive ExperiencesAMA WATERWAYS SCAMA WATERWAYSATLAS OCEAN VOYAGES SCATLAS OCEAN VOYAGESEXPLORA JOURNEYS SCEXPLORA JOURNEYSOCEANIA SCOCEANIA CRUISESPRINCESS CRUISES SCPRINCESS CRUISESST. LAWRENCE CRUISE LINES SCST. LAWRENCE CRUISESSCENIC CRUISES SCSCENIC CRUISESOnboard Review: Exploring Coastal Maine on American EagleOnboard Review: Explora II—Luxury Line Expands and ExcelsOnboard Review: Regent Seven Seas Explorer—All-Inclusive Elegance at SeaOnboard Review: The Viking Mississippi—Adventures on Tom Sawyer’s RiverMexico/Caribbean: Exclusive Escapes—Fresh High-End Experiences in Mexico and the CaribbeanOnsite Review: Spotlight on the Brand-new AVA Resort CancunTURKISH AIRLINES