One of the hottest tickets at this month’s annual Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas was the Virtuoso Awards Gala, as Virtuoso executives, luxury travel advisor members and travel supplier executives mixed and mingled.
Virtuoso revealed its awards for two top 2025 Cruise Ambassadors — one a Virtuoso member, the other a partner. These honors are bestowed annually by Virtuoso’s internal leadership team. The award recognizes each individual’s outstanding support of the network and measurable impact on Virtuoso’s cruise sales and innovation:
- Member Winner: Carl Fabruada of TripMatters, an independent affiliate of Montecito Village Travel of Santa Barbara, CA
- Partner Winner: Chris Austin, president, North America, Explora Journeys
Top Cruise Experience Winners
In addition, Virtuoso members and suppliers eagerly listened as announcements were made about which specific luxury cruise lines won top honors for their top-notch cruise experiences.
Previously, Virtuoso advisors were surveyed and had cast individual votes. In making their choices, advisors evaluated cruise lines’ commitment to excellence, innovation, support of the travel advisor community, client satisfaction and, of course, creation of unforgettable travel experiences in some of the world’s most extraordinary destinations.
Virtuoso Awards: Best Expedition Cruise Experience – Ponant Explorations
For more than 35 years, Ponant Explorations has created purposeful voyages of exploration, said Virtuoso in selecting the luxury expedition line as the Best Expedition Cruise Experience. Globally, the line’s French-flagged fleet of ultra-modern, intimate ships operate more than 400 cruises that call at 450 ports on all seven continents.
So, luxury guests can go ashore at iconic, international ports as well as secret harbors accessible only to smaller vessels. Virtuoso’s press announcement also cited Ponant’s attentive service and commitment to responsible tourism.
Advisors can certainly expect more growth in the expedition segment moving forward. From 2023 to 2024, the number of passengers sailing on expedition/exploration cruises increased 22%, according to the 2025 State of the Cruise Industry Report by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). That annual report cited some 40 ships now sailing as purpose-built for expedition and exploration.
Best Ocean Luxury Cruise Experience – Explora Journeys
(Explora Journeys)
CLIA also said in that State of the Cruise Industry Report that the industry’s luxury cruise fleet of 97 vessels has more than tripled since 2010’s level of 28 luxury ships. Growing fast is Explora Journeys, which took top honors in Virtuoso’s ocean luxury cruise experience category.
Virtuoso cited remarkable itineraries, renowned destinations and lesser-travelled ports for journeys that celebrate discovery. Sporting 461 oceanfront suites, all with private terraces, the line’s ships also offer a wide variety of culinary experiences.
In addition, the luxury line’s fleet taps into the latest environmental-supporting and marine technologies.
“Explora Journeys redefines ocean travel for discerning explorers,” according to Virtuoso.
Best Contemporary & Premium Ocean Cruise Experience – Oceania Cruises
Oceania Cruises was the Virtuoso network’s pick for Best Contemporary & Premium Ocean Cruise Experience. The upper premium line sails the globe with seven luxurious, designer-inspired ships that carry a maximum of 1,250 guests. Oceania calls at more than 600 marquee and boutique ports of call in more than 100 countries on seven continents.
Most notably, this brand is focused on providing the finest cuisine at sea, per Virtuoso. The network also cited Oceania’s expertly curated travel experiences, which guests can enjoy on voyages of seven to more than 200 days. For instance, a Luxury Travel Advisor online story earlier this year covered Oceania’s new Culinary Discovery Tours.
Virtuoso Awards: Best River Cruise Experience – AmaWaterways
Virtuoso’s advisors chose AmaWaterways for providing the best river cruise experience. Sailing through the heart of Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, the river line’s 31 ships offer everything from locally sourced cuisine to personalized service, twin-balcony staterooms and fleetwide wellness activities.
A variety of shore excursions are also included in every port, Characterizing the line as “redefining the river cruise experience,” Virtuoso’s award announcement also cited AmaWaterways as the world’s only river line inducted into La Chaine des Rotisseurs, a prestigious culinary organization.
(AmaWaterways)
Best Niche Cruise Experience
Tapping into Windstar Cruises‘ own slogan of “180 Degrees from Ordinary,” Virtuoso said that the boutique luxury line creates a small ship experience “where freedom is the order of the day and casual elegance is the style of choice.” Thus, the line won the Best Niche Cruise Experience award.
Each Windstar yacht accommodates just 148 to 342 guests for an intimate and personalized travel experience. And that unfolds as guests travel to legendary places, superb small ports and hidden harbors.
Separately, Luxury Travel Advisor talked one-on-one with Christopher Prelog, Windstar’s president, earlier this year, and here’s an update on what’s new at this brand.
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