Disney Cruise Lines will add two new cruise ships to its fleet.

Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger made the announcement at today's annual shareholder meeting.

The company has entered into a memorandum of agreement with the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. The schedule calls for the new ships to be completed in 2021 and 2023.

Disney Cruise Line already has four ships. The Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder are 85,000-ton 877-stateroom ships, and the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy are 130,000-ton 1,250-stateroom ships.

River cruising is exploding in popularity and with good reason. Nonstop scenery, close contact with local cultures, and the ability to dock in the heart of cities and at scenic or historic spots are among its many appeals.

While European cruises are particularly popular, Americans don't need to fly across the ocean to experience the pleasures of rollin' on the river. A small but growing number of boats right here in the US offer cruises in the American Heartland and the Pacific Northwest.

U.S. river cruising has undergone a revival in the last five years as new entrepreneurs have entered the business and invested in building new boats and refurbishing idle ones. The American Queen Steamboat Company, for example, has recently restored two palatial paddlewheelers. One, the American Queen, is the largest steamboat ever built: Six decks high, with a Grand Saloon modeled after Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., and filled with antiques, it carries 432 passengers in Victorian-era splendor.

You may have noticed the buzz that Cruiseable is generating with the Travel Lovers Rewards Club that we just announced. 

Any member of the public who joins will be able to save up to $250 per year on your hotel bills at more than 400,000 hotels and resorts in the United States and abroad. 

The cost for joining? Only $2.99 per month or $29 per year after a three-month free membership so you can check it out. For anyone who travels and stays in hotels, we think you would be hard pressed to find a better deal online.

In case you're skeptical (and we do want you to be assured this is the real deal), your membership entitles you to savings off your hotel fare at more than 400,000 hotels in the U.S. and abroad, including Hilton, Hyatt, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and Marriott, just to name a few.

Seabourn announced last year that it was partnering with celeb chef Thomas Keller in offering fresh cuisine on-board its ships. Now the time has come to taste it.

The small-ship cruise line recently revealed what's on the menu on for Seabourn's Odyssey, Quest and Sojourn ships.

Keller, the chef known for his French Laundry restaurant in Yountville, Calif., and Bouchon in Beverly Hills and Las Vegas, developed recipes for comfort food items like barbecue ribs served in the Colonnade and Keller's signature Napa Burger served at the poolside Patio Grill.

The secret's out that value-packed cruises make for great family getaways, what with fun-for-everyone, multigenerational appeal at every port, and via the plentiful activities, entertainment, and dining options on board.

Now, cruise lines are upping the ante on their accommodations, too, in response to the ever-rising demand of multigenerational family travelers.

These days, you can choose from a wide selection of suites and connecting staterooms that are specifically designed to keep the whole clan connected at sea. Touting plenty of space for you to spread out in comfortable digs (with must-have features like multiple bathrooms), these 5 leading cruise lines are your best bets for finding the perfect suite for your family.

Royal Caribbean International [links go to Cruiseable's 2016 Family Cruise Guide]

Norwegian Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line

Holland America Line

Disney Cruise Line

Scuba divers will love this offering from Silversea Expeditions, a branch of luxury cruise line Silversea. On certain voyages this year and next, the line is featuring free scuba trips on 20 voyages in of some of the world’s most remote areas and top diving sites in the western Pacific and Indian Ocean.

Ok, let’s get this out of the way. Viking river cruises aren’t cheap. In fact, for most of us, saving for a luxury river cruise is a multi-year process.

Of course, this is not necessarily a bad thing, as anticipation can be part of the fun of any trip. But, the question still remains. Do Viking river cruises offer an excellent value for money? Or, are you better off going with one of the lesser-known ships on the river?

This winter, I had the opportunity to join Viking on their Rhine Getaway cruise, so, I now have a good understanding of what they offer. Now, I can’t imagine taking a river cruise with anyone else!

Here are 5 reasons Viking river cruises are worth every single penny.

• Everyone Should Be Treated Like Royalty Once in Their Life
• Unparalleled Culinary Experiences Are Included
• Cultural and Historical Events Aren’t a Side Show
• Generous Amounts of Alcohol Are Included
• A Viking Longship is Actually a Luxury Floating Hotel

I have always felt that any type of cruising is a great value. If you add up all the costs involved (food, transportation, sightseeing, general travel related aggravation) a river cruise aboard Viking River Cruises is actually very cost competitive.  And this does not even take into account the pampering you will receive.

Well, here’s a clever promotion for anglers out there who may be taking an Alaska cruise on Princess Cruises this summer: The cruise line is offering to cook whatever you catch.

When I saw the promotion, it brought back a fond memory of a charming Italian captain named Potenzoni, who was master of the long-departed Fairsky cruise ship from the now defunct Sitmar Cruises, which was acquired by Princess. The captain loved to fish in port and would have his chefs prepare what he caught during Mexican Riviera cruises.

The latest deals from Holland America Line, which just came across our desk, will make any seafarer jump for joy and want to hop on board. The semi-premium cruise provider has a couple of nice promotions going for anyone who books a select 2016 and 2017 cruise by Feb. 29, 2016.

It’s called the “View and Veranda” and offers onboard spending credit on more than 400 cruises (that means you have money to burn at the spa, boutique, on wine, etc.). Plus, HAL is tossing in an opportunity for guests to receive two free shore excursions on cruises calling at select ports in Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America.

Details of the Holland America offer: Multiple options

• Book a cabin on ms Noordam or ms Maasdam in Australia and New Zealand on select departures between September 2016 and March 2017 and score two free shore excursions when the itinerary visits Melbourne, Australia; or Auckland, Picton or Wellington, New Zealand.

Cruising is an experience no one should miss out on. My family absolutely loves to cruise. It’s something we have done since I was little and although we don’t get to go as often now, I will never forget those memories. It is truly an amazing vacation for couples and families alike. Every cruise line and ship offers something different and unique. Be sure to research every line to make sure you find the ship that is right for you. If it’s your first cruise start smaller then work your way up to the bigger ships, that way you won’t be totally overwhelmed. There are Alaskan cruises, Caribbean cruises, European cruises, and more!

Your first cruise can be a bit intimidating. I have definitely learned some things along the way, and I hope others can learn from my mistakes and discoveries!

Before I boarded my 7-night luxury river cruise in Europe, I was a bit nervous. I was traveling with my mom.

While I of course love my mom, this was her first trip overseas and the most consecutive time we’d spent together in at least a decade. I worried Mom would be stressed, I’d have to do the heavy lifting (literally and figuratively), and maybe we’d drive each other crazy before the week was up.

As it turns out, a river cruise was the perfect way to explore the region and introduce my mom to international travel.

River cruises are growing in popularity, with more than a half-dozen companies offering trips throughout Europe and beyond. Mom and I were cruising with AmaWaterways on a wine-themed Rhine river voyage from the city of Basel in northwest Switzerland, up to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The Enchanting Rhine cruise focused on the enjoyment of wine and exploring destinations through local drinks.

Forget the buffet line packed with tasteless fruit trays and warmed-over hamburgers. In fact, forget everything you thought you knew about cruise ship cuisine.

Today's travelers are following their gut, ushering in a foodie-centric renaissance across the industry. On cruise ships, this has translated into a complete overhaul of dining options across nearly every line you can think of. But some lines have gone above and beyond in their attempts to entice the epicurean traveler.