A grand total of 59 nights, 15 countries, 36 ports plus 6-star luxury is what “Circle South America” voyage aboard all-balcony suite Seven Seas Mariner will bring from January through March next year. From the spectacular Amazon rainforest to the majestic Chilean fjords and sublime beauty of the Argentine Lake District, Regent Seven Seas´ all-balcony suite Seven Seas Mariner offers guests the chance to “live the luxury” on a 59-night, 15-country, 36-port “Circle South America” itinerary.

Cunard Line will make further maritime history on January 13, 2008, as its newest ocean liner, Queen Victoria, departs New York simultaneously with Cunard´s esteemed ocean liner, QE2, for their world cruise voyages. Sailing roundtrip from New York, the concurrent world cruise departures mark the start of Queen Victoria´s 105-day Pathway to the Explorers maiden world cruise and QE2´s 90-day South America, Pacific and Far East Odyssey, her first foray into South America in more than a decade.

The 110,000-ton Carnival Glory, based in Port Canaveral, FL, has launched a new four-port, weeklong western Caribbean route, which now visits Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, as well as Nassau, the Bahamas, and Belize. The new itinerary is part of the ship´s alternating western and eastern Caribbean portfolio of itineraries. The eastern itinerary visits Nassau as well as St. Maarten and St. Thomas.

Celebrity Cruises relieved the captain of the Mercury of his command and was dismissed from the company following his failure to pass a breath alcohol test given by the U.S. Coast Guard, according to Celebrity´s parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises, in a statement. The staff captain assumed command of the ship, Royal Caribbean said.

Crystal Cruises will be the first cruise line to offer an excursion to climb Tanzania´s 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro, said John Stoll, Crystal´s director of land programs. Starting in March 2007, the nine-night pre or post cruise program will be available to Crystal Serenity passengers on two cruises out of Cape Town, South Africa.

Royal Caribbean International´s Majesty of the Seas will get what cruise line president Adam Goldstein called an “extreme makeover” in January 2007. Upgrades will extend from changing the carpeting, window coverings and decor in the Schooner Bar to relocating a larger, “more contemporary” ShipShape Fitness Center to Deck 9, the line said. A Johnny Rockets and Sorrento´s pizzeria also will be added to the Majesty. Cabins, meanwhile, will get new beds.