Looking ahead to 2017

It may seem like 2017 is an ocean away but the truth is, with the luxury lines announcing their itineraries and new ports of call, and offering both new look vessels and entirely new ships too, now’s the time to start thinking of just where you’d most like to go in 2017 and which cruise line you’d like to experience, so you can book your cruise while there are still places available. The world of luxury cruising is a fast-moving one and with so much going on, we thought we’d offer you an informative round-up of what’s new for 2017 to get you in the mood for your luxury cruise.

New ships, new looks in 2017

By the time 2017 comes around, there will certainly be some exciting new changes within the world of luxury cruising to enjoy.

One of the most eagerly-awaited has to be the all-new vessel from Regen Seven Seas Cruises, Regent Explorer, which will embark on its first full year of cruising in 2017 after its scheduled summer 2016 launch. The most luxurious ship to set sail will also be the line’s largest vessel, offering all-suite, all-balcony accommodations and one of the best staff-to-guest ratios in the industry. As well as much loved favourites like the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, guests can look forward to a new French specialty restaurant, Chartreuse.

By 2017, Oceania’s newest ship Sirena will also be embarking on her first full year at sea, after she joins the fleet in 2016 following an extensive $40m refurbishment. You can expect all the opulence of the rest of the Oceania fleet along with new additions like the mouth-watering cook to order grill at the Terrace Café.

Another exciting addition to the luxury cruising world will be Crystal Esprit, sure to have an exciting selection of itineraries in store for 2017. Making her debut later this year, she’ll by the line’s first dedicated luxury yacht, offering Zodiac explorations, a water sports marina and literally immersive experiences, thanks to her on-board submarine.

Seabourn Encore is another luxurious ship which will also be enjoying her first full year at sea in 2017 after making her debut next year. She’ll be modelled on the line’s existing Odyssey class vessels and benefit from the experienced touch of master designer Adam D Tihany, who’ll be lending his expertise to the design of the whole ship, so expect plenty of flair, curves and a distinctly yacht-like ambiance.

Though she’s not a new ship, Silversea’s Silver Cloud will also be making her debut in 2017. Confused? Well, this luxury cruise favourite is definitely staying with the line, but will be moving over to its dedicated expeditions fleet, to enjoy a whole new adventurous future.

Though the line has no new ships on the horizon, Azamara has something special in store for its fleet in 2016, something which cruisers can enjoy to the fullest in 2017. Azamara Reimagine is a complete overhaul of all the line’s ships and it’s no ordinary refurbishment. The line’s renowned for its destination immersion and will continue this immersion on-board, where the offshore experience is replicated thanks to inspiration from the four natural elements. Expect muted earth tones throughout the ship, spa suites offering sea views and all new rain showers, plenty of open air venues and a new outdoor pool and grill representing the element of fire in a truly mouth-watering manner. No area of the ship will go untouched in what promises to be a truly memorable makeover to enjoy in 2017.

New places in 2017

If there’s one thing that a cruise can do, it’s introduce you to new places and new experiences. Even if these are not new destinations in themselves, they could be a first for you. However, if there’s one thing that sets the luxury lines apart from the rest, it’s that desire to take even the most seasoned cruiser to a new port of call that they’ve never visited before and offer a host of shore experiences a little off the beaten trail.

Azamara is a line which certainly always likes to take passengers to somewhere new and even if they’re in a destination they’ve been before, to offer them new experiences. The line has four brand new ports lined up for 2017, namely Kaikoura in New Zealand, Mahe in the Seychelles, Yucatan in Mexico and George Town In Grand Cayman. If you’re looking to explore the West Indies or Central America, the line has some exciting itineraries lined up for both spring and autumn 2017.

Crystal Cruises will be making its first ever voyages to New Guinea in 2017, with maiden calls in Vanuatu and New Caledonia, which is part of its epic 99-day Grand Pacific Explorer Grand Cruise. The line’s Crystal Symphony will also be one of the first luxury ships to visit Dohar in Quatar. The line will be making more maiden calls than ever before with 33 new ports on a host of exciting itineraries, such as Maroantsetra in Madagascar and Iquique in Chile.

Oceania will also be making plenty of new waves in 2017, calling at no fewer than 19 all-new ports of call, many of which will be across Australasia, including Alotau in Papua New Guinea, Esperance in Australia and Nelson in New Zealand. The line will also visit a number of new ports across the Americas, including Manzanillo and La Paz in Mexico, Airica in Chile and Catalina Island in California.

As for Silversea, its fleet will be visiting a total of 14 new ports in 2017, including Sir Bani Yas in UAE, Sassnitz in Germany, Gerladton in Australia and San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua. One new itinerary the line will be offering in 2017 will take place towards the end of the year, offering cruisers the chance to explore a host of captivating ports across Indonesia, including the chance to get up close and personal with Orang-utans. A Barbados round-trip over Christmas is another highlight, ensuring you some festive sunshine to see 2017 out in style.

Seabourn has something special planned to start 2017 off in style; a 39-day epic adventure which will take you from Fort Lauderdale to Barbados to explore some of the Caribbean’s finest ports in-depth and of course, escape those January blues! For those in search of something truly exotic, the year will also see the line continue to offer its popular Vietnam and Thailand 14-day sailing from Singapore to Hong Kong. It will also be possible to combine voyages in 2017, to create an 89-day Pacific Rim cruise from Singapore to Seattle.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises will of course continue to offer the cruising world’s most all-inclusive voyages throughout 2017, with its 128-night World Cruise being one of the most epic and unforgettable sailings you could ever hope to embark on. This Miami round-trip will cross six continents, visit 31 countries and call at 62 ports, and for culture vultures, there’s 29 UNESCO World Heritage Sites to experience throughout the sailing.

As you can imagine, with so much going on, so many exciting new ships and new itineraries, demand is sure to be high for 2017 so it’s always important to book your cruise early so that you don’t miss out.