Azamara Club Cruises

Azamara is curretly offering a complimentary upgrade from Club Interior to Club Veranda on select 2013/14 sailings. Offer expires April 30. Call 302.442.0225 for details.  This upper-premium/luxury line, which previously served complimentary wine with lunch and dinner only, is expanding the free drinks to include wines, beers and some spirits in restaurants and bars starting March 27 and May 15 on Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, respectively.

 Azamara, which features late-night stays and more overnights in port, will also begin offering a complimentary "AzAmazing Evening" event on every voyage starting with the Europe 2013 season. Also, the 694-guest Azamara Journey completed a renovation in January 2013 that included new carpets, upholstery, mattresses and upgraded veranda furniture, among other improvements.

Compagnie du Ponant

This French luxury cruise line will welcome the new 264-passenger Le Soléal in June. The vessel will have a main dining room serving French and international cuisine, a casual grill restaurant, three lounges, a theater, and fitness and beauty facilities. In its first year, Le Soléal will sail to Iceland, Greenland and Russia and then through Asia through March 2014.

Crystal Cruises

To target new time-strapped travelers, luxury line Crystal Cruises is promoting 26 five- to eight-day "Getaways" cruises in Europe from April to November. Most voyages include one or more overnights in port since the company added 50 percent more shipboard overnight stays on embarkation days. To attract solo travelers, Crystal reduced the single supplement on 12 voyages.

Crystal also relaxed its dress code, making black tie optional on formal nights. The changes took effect in January on Crystal Symphony and March 31 on Crystal Serenity.

Cunard Line

There's no doubt about the luxury levels of the Princess Grill and Queens Grill. Cunard has long categorized its ships this way, with those booking Grill-class accommodations dining in upscale restaurants onboard. Cunard continues to host formal nights.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

This German line is expanding its marketing efforts in the U.S. as it introduces a new luxury ship, the 516-passenger Europa 2, in May. It will be a sister to the 408-guest Europa, which is the only vessel awarded five-stars-plus by the influential Berlitz "Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships."

Oceania Cruises

This upper-premium line prides itself on its fine culinary offerings, especially in specialty restaurants on board, but now has upgraded the food and expanded the wine list in its main dining rooms. The new menu is on the newest ship, the 1,250-guest Riviera, and was expected to be available on the other ships by March.

Paul Gauguin Cruises

Long known for its luxury ship based in Tahiti, this line began sailing its second ship, the 90-passenger Tere Moana, in late December. Formerly Compagnie du Ponant's Le Levant, the vessel will operate seven-night European voyages, April through November. It underwent a renovation in November to get a new look described as "chic and stylish with Polynesian touches." Tere Moana has two restaurants, a pool, a spa by Algotherm and a watersports marina.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Regent calls itself "the world's most inclusive luxury cruise line" because fares include round-trip air, wine and spirits, shore excursions in every port, a pre-cruise luxury hotel package and gratuities. The line unveiled a new guest document holder that can fit a tablet computer or e-reader.

Seabourn

On Feb. 19, the company announced it sold its three 208-passenger ships to Windstar Cruises and was planning to build a fourth ship similar to its 450-guest Odyssey class vessels.

In the winter of 2013-14, the Seabourn Quest will operate its first Antarctic season with four 21- to 24-day voyages starting in November. The expedition team will include naturalists, scientists, political and historical experts, digital photography coaches, and lecturers with decades of Antarctic experience.

SeaDream Yacht Club

Later this year, SeaDream will embark on its maiden season in Asia through April 2014. The 112-passenger SeaDream II will operate itineraries that visit Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar (Burma), East Timor, Northern Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea, Vietnam, Cambodia and Hong Kong.

This line will welcome its second luxury expedition ship in September. The 100-guest, all-suite Silver Galapagos will operate seven-day voyages year-round from Baltra Island in the Galapagos. The cruises will include complimentary expeditions guided by a team certified by the Galápagos National Park Service. The Silver Galapagos will feature butler service, complimentary beverages, wines and spirits throughout the ship, stocked in-suite beverage cabinet and all gratuities.

 Silversea also is targeting younger cruisers with a collection of eight four- to seven-day cruises in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.

Windstar Cruises

This company will double its fleet over the next two years as it acquires the three 208-passenger Seabourn ships. Those vessels will undergo renovations to make the décor similar to Windstar's three motor-sail yachts, which were redone last December.

While the three new ships will let Windstar explore more destinations such as Asia and South America, the company already announced plans to return to Tahiti. The Wind Spirit will operate 28 seven-day voyages from Papeete, May 2 to Nov. 7, 2014.

As always, please feel free to contact Ticket to Travel for reservations and information. You haven't lived until you've cruised.  Happy travels!