Here’s a quick look at what’s new this week in cruising, and how it could impact your next trip…

• In a few months, you'll be able to splurge big on Regent Seven Seas Cruises' new Seven Seas Explorer, which the line is dubbing "world's most luxurious ship." For an even more memorable experience, we hear that you can splurge more (up to $799 per person) on escorted Gourmet Explorer tours in the Mediterranean. Some of these foodie-focused experiences include access to exclusive Michelin-starred restaurants, like La Vague d'Or in Saint-Tropez pictured above (the kind with several-month waiting lists).
• It's official. Carnival Cruise Line beat out Princess Cruises for "Best Cruise Line" in USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards -- which, as the name suggests, are voted on by the public. (We're guessing that pleading by Carnival's very popular cruise director on his very popular Facebook page didn't hurt the cause.)
• Attention, cocktail enthusiasts: Master mixologist Dale DeGroff -- a James Beard Who's Who inductee also known as "King Cocktail" -- has partnered with Holland America Line for a new libations menu that puts a twist on the classics. A margarita made with yuzu and a Hemingway Daiquiri (DeGroff's spin on the Papa Doble), for example, are coming to the Eurodam this month and fleetwide by springtime.
• To get you excited about cruising in the new year, two major cruise lines are out with fun new campaigns. With ads featuring a snippet of Pitbull's "Freedom," Norwegian Cruise Line's Feel Free initiatives encourages cruisers with flexibility to do what you want on vacation, thanks to a varied menu of free perks. And Celebrity Cruises asks travelers to answer the call of Modern Luxury, showing off all that there is to discover on ships and seafaring adventures.