If you didn’t get the memo, the beloved luxury brand Crystal Cruises went belly up about a year ago. Its two luxury liners, Symphony and Serenity, were purchased on the auction block by the prestigious travel company Abercrombie & Kent.

A&K has altered the cruise line's name to Crystal: Exceptional at Sea but retained the ships' names. They've been redesigned and reimagined to include more spacious suites and staterooms, nine restaurants, dazzling décor, a new spa, gym and even a pickleball court.

Much to the delight of Crystal’s foodie fans, world-famous Master Chef Nobuyuki (Nobu) Matsuhisa will once again offer his culinary creations for your dining pleasure in the superb Japanese-influenced venue UMI UMA.

Family-owned AmaWaterways will be the first river cruise company to sail the magnificent Magdalena River in Colombia in 2024 when it debuts  its AmaMagdalena and AmaMelodia.  This is good news for riverboat lovers looking for adventures on new vessels.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have two beautiful ships joining our growing fleet of 26 award-winning river cruise ships and share details on the new itineraries cruising between Cartagena and Barranquilla along the Magdalena River,” said Rudi Schreiner, co-founder and president of AmaWaterways.

Fans of Silversea Cruises can look forward to a series of epic Grand Voyages that include three drooly-worthy expedition voyages. 

Take if from one who has sailed on several lengthy Silversea journeys — there’s nothing like it. We’re talking a voyage in the lap of luxury with butler service, fine food, crew members who can’t say no (even with no tipping expected) and lots of free stuff (including Wi-Fi).

"With the global restart of cruise travel, we saw — and continue to see — a strong demand for extended voyages among our guests," said Barbara Muckermann, chief commercial officer of Silversea. "People are prioritizing travel like never before, with a sense of urgency that is unprecedented. Our Grand Voyages tap into a growing interest among luxury travelers for more immersive travel experiences that take them closer to the authentic beauty of the world.

Although the hit TV series is long gone, Princess Cruises is still banking on the show with a special promotion that runs through Oct. 31, 2022. So hurry up and grab your love nest.

Fares to love by

The special deals are available for bookings in 2023 and beyond on cruises and cruise tours to Mexico, the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, the California Coast, Hawaii, the Panama Canal and Canada New England. Fares feature a $765 value when booking during The Love Boat Sale and include a $100 shore excursion credit.

If you booked a lower-priced cabin on a Princess cruise and are having second thoughts about it, not to worry. Starting in September you can upgrade to a higher category just by making a bid for it. 

Don't be one of those passengers who book cheaper accommodations only to suffer veranda, suite or mini-suite envy once on board. It really makes a difference to sail in more luxurious digs if you can swing it. 

It’s been a year since Holland America rebooted its cruise schedule with sailings on Nieuw Amsterdam back on July 24, 2021.

Surveying the state of cruising today, Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line, said, “The emotions and excitement from a year ago still resonate today as destinations around the world open and we persist in fully getting back to cruising. We are grateful to our guests who returned to sail with us, to our team members who came back to sea, to the ports that welcomed us, to our partners who stood by us and to all of our shoreside employees who got us back in the water.”

Over the past year HAL has operated more than 240 cruises, with hundreds more sailings on the horizon.

Courtesy of Holland America LineNieuw Amsterdam was the first Holland America ship to resume sailings after the pandemic.

10 ships sailing the seas

 Since last July, 10 remaining HAL ships resumed operations in a variety of destinations. In addition to Alaska, its ships are sailing travel to Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mediterranean, Mexico, Northern Europe, Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and South Pacific. And by year’s end,  the ships will return to Australia/New Zealand and South America/Antarctica.

Uber luxury cruise line Silversea just released a first look at its eight signature restaurants for its upcoming new ship Silver Nova. And the offerings are looking very tasty, with settings and menus for every culinary persuasion.

Passengers have a choice of spacious settings or intimate little venues and assorted cuisines. Silversea says diners will benefit from a greater sense of space and stronger connections with the destination, as each restaurant will incorporate all-new design features, facilitated by Silver Nova’s innovative asymmetrical design.

The fast-growing river cruise line AmaWaterways is celebrating the modern epicurean lifestyle aboard its upscale ships with the announcement of its upcoming wine cruise itineraries and release of its new Wine Cruises Through Europe brochure.

With a new luxury ship in its fleet, AmaKristina, and 95 sailings hosted by celebrated North American wine experts, AmaWaterways invites guests to uncork the traditions of the local culture and experience the wonders of wine along Europe’s legendary waterways.

Princess Cruises is adding some serious perks for guests in the form of its just-announced Princess Premier package — and it sounds like a sweet deal. Passengers who opt for the add-on score unlimited Wi-Fi for up to four devices, premium top-shelf beverages, photos, specialty dining and gratuities at a cost of $75 daily per person.

All told, the savings come to more than 50 percent if the perks are purchased separately. 

But that's not all. Princess Premier passengers will also be automically entered into an onboard promotion for a chance to win a cruise for two every year for a decade and up to $100,000 in cash prizes. Wow!

AmaWaterways’ two previous Seven River Journey Through Europe itineraries proved so popular that the river cruise line has launched a third itinerary, this one for autumn 2023.

Departing August 24, 2023, the Seven River Journey Through Europe: Autumn Edition is a 46-night journey across 14 different countries along the Seine, Scheldt, Maas, Rhine, Moselle, Main and Danube rivers, visiting charming villages and glittering cultural capitals along the way.

Guests will fly into Paris and depart for their first river cruise on August 24 on board the AmaLyra for six days. Along the way, the enchanting French countryside awaits, with a stop at the town of Honfleur, where some of the greatest Impressionists were inspired, as well as the beaches of Normandy before ending in Rouen.

Viking Ocean Cruises announced the next two ships being added to its fleet would run on hydrogen and carry more guests than its other vessels built to date. 

According to Cruise Critic, Chairman and Founder Torstein Hagen said the cruise line’s unnamed ocean-going ships will be longer than the existing vessels in the fleet to carry the hydrogen fuel.

The hydrogen-powered ships will measure 11 meters longer than their fleet mates, bolster no more than 25 additional cabins and limit the overall passenger count to less than 1,000. The vessel will be powered by a hybrid propulsion system based on liquid hydrogen and fuel cells.

Norwegian Cruise Line announced it would sail into the metaverse with the launch of the cruise industry’s first collection of NFTs, adding to the brand’s legacy of pioneering firsts.

Starting Wednesday at 9 a.m. ET, Norwegian will open for auction and sale a collection of six NFTs to celebrate the launch of the cutting-edge Norwegian Prima Class ships through the cruise line’s soon-to-launch online NFT marketplace.