News roundup from premium and luxury lines

Read the latest news from Crystal, Cunard, and Holland America, plus find out if your favorite lines garnered an award from Travel Weekly.

Crystal

[% 13516 | | Crystal %] announced its 2009 itineraries, which include visits to all seven continents. The luxury line’s 57 voyages will sail to a total of 185 ports and will feature new itineraries in South America, Europe, and the Middle East. Highlights include a return to Amazon cruising, a fall cruise to Israel and Egypt, and maiden calls to Kotor, Montenegro; Lipari, Italy; Patmos, Greece; Sinop, Turkey; Alesund, Norway; and Kiel, Germany.

In March 2008, look for two new restaurants to debut aboard the Crystal Symphony. World-class master chef Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa has teamed up with Crystal to create Silk Road and The Sushi Bar, which will offer Japanese food influenced by Peruvian and European cuisine.

Cunard

[% 9732 | | Cunard %] fans have the opportunity to witness a once-in-a-lifetime event on January 13. For the first and only time, the three Cunard queens will sail together out of New York Harbor. The Queen Elizabeth 2, Queen Mary 2, and Queen Victoria will depart at 6:30 pm and cruise past the Statue of Liberty at 7 pm to a fanfare of fireworks. You can watch the ships from Battery Park, Robert F. Wagner Park, The Esplanade, and Hudson River Park.

Holland America

[% 9823 | | Holland America %] revealed the itineraries for its newest ship, the ms Eurodam. The ship will set sail on its 10-night maiden voyage on July 5, 2008, and visit Norway’s fjords and the Scottish Highlands. Prior to that, it will sail a three-night prelude cruise from Rotterdam to Copenhagen via Hamburg. The ship will remain in Europe for the summer. It will then transit across the Atlantic to sail a three-night cruise out of New York City on August 29 before beginning a season of fall Canada and New England sailings, followed by Caribbean voyages for the rest of 2008.

Accolades

Travel Weekly (registration required) announced the winners of its Reader Choice Awards. Here are the winners in the cruise category—do you agree with its results?

Domestic: Carnival
Alaska: Princess
Caribbean: Royal Caribbean
Europe: Holland America
Luxury: Regent Seven Seas
Sales and service: Carnival
Overall: Royal Caribbean

Travel Weekly also singled out a few noteworthy ships, including the Liberty of the Seas (rookie of the year), the Queen Mary 2 (luxury), and Carnival Spirit (best overall).