TUI Cruises signed a contract with STX Finland Oy to build a 97,000-ton cruise ship for delivery in spring 2014. The vessel will be built in the Turku shipyard. TUI Cruises has an option for another ship.

Azamara Club Cruises’ new 2012 Destination Guide details its 64 sailings next year to 181 ports in 57 countries. The guide outlines Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest itineraries, notes arrival and departure times, and denotes late-night and overnight stays. Color-coding allows for easy planning, with new features such as individual voyage maps, highlights for each voyage, as well as area average temperatures, and lead pricing next to the respective itinerary listing.

Windstar Cruises is offering two free hotel nights in San José, Costa Rica, in combination with the March 10 and March 17 cruises on the 148-guest Wind Star. The seven-day cruises sail roundtrip from Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica, and visits San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; and Playas del Coco, Quepos, Bahia Drake, Curu, and Tortuga Island, Costa Rica.

Norwegian Cruise Line said the first piece of steel was cut on Sept. 21 for its new 144,017-ton Norwegian Breakaway at Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. The first of two ships in the order, the new vessel is set for delivery in April 2013. The first plate of steel took four minutes to cut by a plasma torch in the yard’s facility. This plate will become a supporting part of the double bottom in the middle of the new ship.

American Cruise Lines’ 100-passenger American Spirit will operate its recently introduced Alaskan itineraries debuting in June of 2012.