New images have been shared of A&K Sanctuary’s 22-passenger riverboat Pure Amazon which set sail on the waters of Peru’s vast Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve earlier this year.

The vessel offers “intimate wildlife encounters across 21,000 square kilometres of protected Amazonian wilderness.”

Designed by Milan-based architect Adriana Granato, A&K Travel Group’s Artistic Director and Director of Studio Ibsen, Pure Amazon features “site-specific commissioned pieces” from Peruvian artists.

Granato describes the vessel as “a mysterious presence, its façade softly lit with spots that mimic firelight,” reflecting Pure Amazon’s commitment to elegance, sustainability, and reverence for the rainforest.

At the heart of the dining room hangs “Manto de Escamas de Paiche,” a striking installation by Venice Biennale artist Silvana Pestana. The piece features hand-crafted bronze and clay elements” put together to conjure the Amazon’s giant fish scales. Pestana’s works across the vessel explore environmental themes, particularly illegal gold mining’s impact, using materials like gold leaf and traditional textiles.

Every suite features authentic kené textiles by Shipibo-Konibo master artist Deysi Ramírez, whose intricate patterns represent cosmological maps. The BENEAI Collective also contributed exclusive hand-embroidered cushions with “20 unique compositions,” supporting Indigenous women artists and preserving their ancestral craft.

Sailing through the reserve, guests can witness pink river dolphins and three-toed sloths. Guided by expert naturalists, travellers might also spot giant river otters, piranhas and scarlet macaws.

Meanwhile, the Iquitos-based culinary team has created a nightly five-course tasting menu paired with Latin American wines. The bar celebrates Peruvian heritage with pisco cocktails infused with “coca leaf and dragon’s blood resin.”

Through A&K Philanthropy, Pure Amazon extends its luxury ethos to conservation and community engagement. Partnerships with Nueva Arica and Amanatari foster sustainable bio-businesses such as aguaje fibre and honey production. Guests also visit FORMABIAP which empowers Indigenous youth—especially women—through education and cultural preservation.

The post Pure Amazon brings A&K touch to Peruvian waters appeared first on LATTE Luxury News.

The inaugural Luxury Cruise Showcase, a collaboration by The Cruise Centre by Travelcall and Main Beach Travel, part of the Goldman Travel Group, took place last week at the Emporium Hotel South Bank, Brisbane.

The event hosted more than 150 cruise travellers and 11 partner cruise lines. Delivered in two sessions, the event offered attendees the chance to explore “a wide variety of luxury cruise experiences and discover their next voyage.”

“Luxury cruise is evolving, and our goal is to connect clients with experiences that truly inspire them. The event highlighted the diversity of today’s cruise experiences, from intimate river voyages to extraordinary polar explorations,” Anthony Goldman, Joint Managing Director at Goldman Travel Group said.

“We are incredibly grateful to our cruise partners for their support – their expertise and presence made this inaugural event an outstanding. It was also wonderful to integrate our newest member of the Group, Main Beach Travel, into this showcase.”

The first session, themed Find Your Perfect Cruise Match, welcomed 100 clients and new-to-cruise prospects. It featured showcases and presentations from AmaWaterways, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal, Oceania Cruises, Ponant Explorations, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn, Silversea, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Tauck, and Viking.

Guests “engaged directly with cruise specialists, explored exciting itineraries and learned about exclusive offers, with cruise presentations that highlighted stand-out destinations.”

The second session, presented in partnership with The Luxury Network, explored luxury travel more broadly with 50 clients. Highlights included a travel trends presentation by Goldman, followed by a fireside chat with Elizabeth Clarke, Director of Cruise at Goldman Travel Group, and Mandy Dwyer, Director at Main Beach Travel. The discussion explored “what it means to be a modern luxury cruise traveller and sharing insights into the latest destinations and experiences shaping the industry.”

The post First Luxury Cruise Showcase takes place in Brisbane appeared first on LATTE Luxury News.

The all-inclusive model introduced by HX Expeditions has “proved itself very well” over the past year, according to CEO Gebhard Rainer, as growing global demand for expedition cruising continues to reshape the market.

Speaking to LATTE during a visit to Sydney this week, Rainer confirmed that the all-inclusive concept had been “really well accepted by our customers.” “One of the things that they wanted to have is a simplification in terms of planning for their own vacations,” he explained.

Rainer, who joined HX from all-inclusive hospitality brand Sandals, added that the approach has also helped to redefine perceptions of the term “all-inclusive”. “It had this stigma attached that once it’s all-inclusive, it must be cheap, it must be cheerful, it must be not good quality – but none of that really applies anymore,” he pointed out.

“You can still have it, but there is differentiation and with us over this last year now, your inclusive concept really proved very well. Our customers are very happy with and operationally, it works very well as well.”

While he “absolutely” sees HX as an all-inclusive pioneer within the expedition cruise sector, the spread of the all-inclusive model from hospitality into other segments in recent years has made HX’s own transition an easier concept for both consumers and the trade to grasp, according to Rainer.

“All inclusive has really spread from hospitality into other segments as well. It’s not the norm yet, but it’s become the new desire of many areas to come up with the simplicity of pricing an experience, without having to nickel and dime the consumer along that journey,” he said.

That simplicity has resonated strongly amid what Rainer described as “very healthy growth” in global demand for expedition travel. “The market since 2019 pre-pandemic has grown over 70% in expedition, in terms of demand – consumer demand and consumer purchase,” he said. “The US market has seen year over year growth of over 50%. The Australia, New Zealand market has seen close to 30% growth year over year.”

With greater demand comes greater competition, but Rainer is adamant this is good news for HX. “Competition is healthy. It helps expedition to be more exposed and be more seen,” he said.

But he expects the landscape to shift further over the coming years. “I think there’s going to be a natural selection or natural cleansing,” he predicted. “Because within the field of companies that are there now, there’s too many onesies and twosies. “There [are] small ones that would have difficulty surviving. We’ve seen the beginning of that already with Exploris in France that just declared bankruptcy. And I think there’s going to be others that will emerge and and collapse into larger organisations.”

Amid these competitive shifts, Rainer sees HX’s future as certain thanks to its clear point of difference around science and sustainability. “The advantage that we have, or the advantage that we have built, is the fact that we are the only ones at the moment that are clearly focused on sustainability, science and education,” he said.

“We work with over 30 different scientific institutes around the world. We have constantly scientists on board that work on projects. Every one of our ships has professional science lab as well. All of our customers can participate as science citizen scientists.”

He referred to HX’s recent expansion of its partnership with UTAS as case in point, with the free educational series extended to cover Arctic destinations.

The post All-inclusive switch pays off for HX Expeditions, says CEO Rainer appeared first on LATTE Luxury News.

Japanese cruise newcomer Mitsui Ocean Cruises has confirmed its newest vessel Mitsui Ocean Sakura, formerly Seabourn Sojourn, will enter service on 19 September 2026, sailing a debut season of 29 voyages.

The ship, purchased from Seabourn in March 2025, will be delivered to Mitsui after completing its final Seabourn voyage in May 2026. Following a comprehensive refurbishment, the Mitsui Ocean Sakura will enter service under the Japanese flag in September 2026. It will join Mitsui Ocean Fiji, which launched in December 2024, in the fleet.

The inaugural season will feature several short voyages of one to three nights, over a three-month period through December 2026. Itineraries will be centered on Japan with the vessel’s compact size enabling it to call at “ports in various regions, from remote islands in Okinawa and Hokkaido … to ports located within walking distance of urban areas.” Reservations for these debut cruises will open on Monday 19 January 2026.

The ship will blend tradition with innovation, reflecting the company’s signature hospitality and design philosophy. “While preserving the ‘Omotenashi’ cultivated through previous cruise ships … the new cruise ship will offer guests a new kind of cruise experience with our sense of Japanese beauty unique to MOL Cruises,” the company said.

Among the ship’s new features are the Shiosai Sushi Bar and a Grand Pool with Foot Bath.

Mitsui Ocean also announced the appointment of Captain Satoshi Ninomiya, former master of the Nippon Maru, as one of the ship’s inaugural captains, and Executive Chef Katsutoshi Nakayama, also a Nippon Maru veteran, as the ship’s Head of Culinary Operations.

Mitsui Ocean Sakura’s itineraries will include short and medium-length cruises, along with themed voyages celebrating “festivals, fireworks, music and food.” The company will also continue to offer one-night cruises, which have proven especially popular among domestic travellers.

The post Mitsui Ocean reveals details of Sakura’s inaugural season appeared first on LATTE Luxury News.

The flavours of the Arctic’s Indigenous Sámi people are now being rolled out across the Hurtigruten fleet, as the cruise line unveiled a new menu by its latest Culinary Ambassador, Máret Rávdná Buljo.

Blending Sámi traditions with contemporary Norwegian gastronomy, the menu aims to introduce international travellers to the heritage-rich ingredients and techniques of the Sámi people, native to Arctic Europe. The new dishes form part of the company’s award-winning Norway’s Coastal Kitchen concept, which highlights “the freshest and most sustainable produce” from more than 70 local Norwegian partners.

“This is a big step for Sámi cuisine, as it has not always been traditionally acknowledged in Norway,” said Buljo. “Hurtigruten is opening the door for Sámi food to be more widespread. It was important for me when creating the dishes… to tell our history and traditions through the various dishes. I hope international visitors will feel a connection with the Sámi traditions when they visit Norway.”

Buljo, who was recently recognised as one of three nominees for Norway’s Matprisen 2025 sustainability award, has curated five signature dishes for Hurtigruten’s Árran restaurant, found aboard the MS Trollfjord and MS Finnmarken. Highlights include salmon with ember bread, cloudberries, and truffle seaweed, a broth with dried reindeer meat, and warm coffee cheese served with redcurrant sorbet and caramel sauce. Several vegetarian options are also available, underscoring her sustainable approach to Arctic cuisine.

The MS Midnatsol – set to join the Signature Voyage fleet in 2026 – will adopt Buljo’s menu next, while guests aboard the Original Coastal Express ships can sample her dishes at Torget, Kysten, and Brygga Bistro.

Øistein Nilsen, Hurtigruten’s Culinary Director, described the new partnership as “a natural evolution” of the company’s long-standing commitment to local and sustainable flavours. “This honours the Sámi knowledge and craftsmanship that’s been handed down through generations,” he said. “By bringing Sámi cuisine to international visitors, indigenous traditions meet innovation… while still keeping and respecting their heritage.”

The post Sámi menu to be rolled out across Hurtigruten fleet appeared first on LATTE Luxury News.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises will welcome a third Prestige Class ultra-luxury ship to its fleet in 2033, today confirming a newbuild order with the Fincantieri shipyard.

Following the debut of the highly anticipated Seven Seas Prestige in 2026 and a second Prestige Class ship in 2030, the third vessel will build upon the hallmark design and elevated guest experience that has defined the brand’s legacy in all-inclusive, unrivalled cruising.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH), the parent company of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, said the new ship continues the “expansion of the company’s growth strategy in the luxury segment.”

“This newbuild order continues our measured, strategic expansion within the luxury space, providing guests with yet another way to experience the unrivaled aboard The World’s Most Luxurious Fleet,” said Jason Montague, Chief Luxury Officer at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

“It reflects our confidence in the growing demand for Regent’s best-in-class offering and reaffirms our long-standing partnership with Fincantieri, one rooted in craftsmanship and shared pursuit of perfection.”

“Our long-term strategic expansion with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., established over the past years through multiple successful orders, continues to strengthen our collaboration, especially within the ultra-luxury segment represented by Regent Seven Seas Cruises”, commented Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri.

Regent’s Prestige-Class ships begin a new legacy in ultra-luxury travel, marking Regent’s first new ship class in 10 years, following the success of the line’s Explorer-Class vessels.

Seven Seas Prestige will be 40 percent larger than previous Regent ships yet accommodates only 10 percent more guests, delivering truly Unrivalled Space at Sea.

At 77,000 tons and carrying just 822 guests with 630 dedicated crew members, the vessel offers one of the highest space-to-guest and crew-to-guest ratios in the cruise industry.

The class will offer 12 distinctive accommodation categories, including four all-new suite types, and the largest all-inclusive, ultra-luxury cruise ship suite in history: the Skyview Regent Suite, and two-level Skyview and Grand Loft Suites.

The post Regent locks in order for third Prestige-class ship appeared first on LATTE Luxury News.

Luxury travel advisors are benefitting from various latest trends reported by Luxury Travel Collection (LTC) at last week’s Harbour Soirée in Hong Kong for the group’s Global Business Owners. Speaking to around 100 Owner Members of LTC and partners, Nikki Glading, General Manager of LTC shared insight on what has the interest of the modern luxury leisure traveller in 2026.

Glading said high-net-worth travellers are craving immersion over material experiences, seeking out “transformation over indulgence,” and demanding authenticity in what they do.

“Experiences over possessions, and planning with purpose.”

“Seventy percent of luxury travellers express frustration with travel standardisation, and they are looking for unique destination identities,” Glading said.

“Spontaneity is disappearing and being replaced by careful curation,” she continued, which leans heavily in favour or expert travel advisors.

As has been the trend among trends for a few years, ‘cool-cations’ are popular with LTC’s clients too, such as Antarctica, Norway and Iceland, while solo female travel and multi-generational travel are continuing to be popular too. More than 70% of solo travellers are now female, Glading highlighted.

Event-inspired travel is also booking, especially among Gen Z and Millennials (earning the phrase ‘gig-tripping’) for events, festivals, concerts and sporting events.

Elsewhere, “more and more people are switching off from their everyday world to immerse themselves in wellness and destinations experiences” choosing a digital detox of some form.

Trending destinations for LTC include Antarctica, Scandinavia, Japan, post-Olympics Paris, and alternative destinations to the widely popular European favourites of Italy in Spain in peak season, to the likes of Slovenia, Croatia and Portugal), and National Parks.

More from LTC’s Harbour Soirée in LATTE this week.

The post LTC reports latest travel trends, including the rise of ‘gig tripping’ appeared first on LATTE Luxury News.

HX Expeditions is inviting travellers – and the agents who inspire them – to look ahead to the most exciting chapter yet in expedition travel. The newly released 2027/28 brochure marks a bold step forward for the company, offering deeper exploration, more choice, and an expanded lineup of iconic polar and global adventures.

From Antarctica’s icy frontiers to Greenland’s remote fjords and Norway’s snow-draped coast, HX’s latest programme is designed to bring guests closer to nature, culture, and the thrill of true discovery.

• Antarctica: HX’s Most Far-Reaching Programme Yet

The White Continent remains a cornerstone of HX Expeditions — and this season, the collection goes even further. Travellers can embark on the popular 12-day Highlights of Antarctica voyages, or venture beyond with the Antarctica & Patagonia expedition, sailing from the frozen south to South America’s untamed edge. A new 16-day Antarctica & Falkland Expedition adds another dimension, combining diverse wildlife encounters with awe-inspiring scenery. Adventurous guests can take it up a notch with optional activities like kayaking and camping on the ice.

• Greenland, Svalbard & the Northwest Passage: The Ultimate Arctic Trio

In 2027/28, HX gives travellers more ways than ever to experience the Arctic. Greenland takes centre stage with shorter voyages, more departure points, and a wider choice of routes, allowing guests to explore on their own terms. In Svalbard, travellers can retrace the steps of polar explorers aboard MS Fram or MS Spitsbergen, journeying deep into remote corners of the High Arctic. And in a highlight for adventurers, HX will again sail the full length of the legendary Northwest Passage, featuring expanded community-led experiences developed in collaboration with Inuit hosts.

• Beyond the Poles: Norway, Iceland, Alaska & More

Rounding out the season, HX is introducing a new 8-day winter voyage through Norway’s Arctic, timed perfectly to celebrate the New Year beneath the Northern Lights. Popular destinations like Iceland, Alaska, and others return with refined routes and enriching experiences that capture the spirit of exploration.

Order the new HX 2027/28 brochure here

Win a HX Merch Pack!

To celebrate the new brochure, agents are encouraged to share the excitement. Simply post a photo of the new 27/28 HX brochure on your agency Facebook page, tag HX, and go in the draw to win 1 of 5 HX merch packs – complete with a tote bag, drink bottle, and a cuddly penguin or polar bear. Entries close 30 November.

Black Friday Savings: Up to 35% Off All-Inclusive Expeditions

Agents can also take advantage of incredible Black Friday offers, with savings of up to 35% on all-inclusive expeditions across Antarctica, the Galápagos, Svalbard, Greenland, Alaska, and the Northwest Passage. Fares start from $5,531 per person, with an additional 5% off for HX Explorers loyalty members. Offer ends 3 December — conditions apply. Find out more here

For up-to-date itineraries, pricing and offers, contact HX’s Melbourne-based Expedition Specialists on 1300 159 127, visit travelhx.com, or log in to the Agent Portal at agentportal.travelhx.com.

The post HX Expeditions Unveils Most Ambitious Brochure Yet appeared first on LATTE Luxury News.

The fledgling Patina offshoot of Capella Hotels and Resorts will be the first hotel brand to successfully bridge the worlds of luxury and lifestyle, according to hospitality leader Neil Jacobs.

The Wild Origins Founder and former boss of Six Senses took an advisory role with Capella in July this year.

Speaking at Further East in Bali last week, Jacobs described Patina as a “brand with legs”, that captures the sophistication of high-end hospitality while embracing the energy of modern lifestyle brands.

“I think the gap that Patina is going to fill is, everyone talks about lifestyle, and you have a perception of what a lifestyle hotel is which generally is not super high end, and then you have a luxury hotel, which is a luxury hotel,” Jacobs said.

“We believe that the space for Patina is that intersection between the two and that you can have a luxury lifestyle hotel, just that nobody really has done that yet.”

Currently, Patina operates in two locations – the flagship Patina Maldives, Fari Islands and Patina Osaka which opened in May this year. But the momentum is growing: Jacobs confirmed that four to five more Patina projects are now under development across Asia and Europe.

In conversation with Jacobs, Capella Vice President Lifestyle Lexie Rodriguez highlighted brand clarity as the cornerstone of Patina’s strategy.

“We clearly have different points of view for both Capella and Patina,” she stressed, specifying that the “more progressive” Patina brand invites guests to “participate in the now”. “It allows the brands to complement each other in a group rather than compete.”

Both speakers underscored that Patina’s success will depend on maintaining a disciplined sense of purpose while adapting locally to each destination. “What a Patina is going to look like in Osaka is going to be very different than what another Patina will look like in a city in Europe,” she explained.

Ensuring the market is aware of these differences within each brand portfolio is crucial, but so too is getting across the differentiation between Capella and Patina, according to Jacobs. “We are trying to do a better job at is to absolutely communicate the differentiation between Capella and Patina,” he said. “They stand on their own.”

The post Jacobs, Rodriguez plot pioneering path for Capella’s Patina brand appeared first on LATTE Luxury News.

Luxury travel show specialist This is Beyond is entering a new phase of growth, with Founder & CEO Serge Dive confirming that the company will expand its portfolio of events following its recent acquisition by Emerald Holdings.

The deal was confirmed in March and includes the company’s series of seven events around the globe include PURE Life Experiences in Marrakesh, L.E Miami and Further East.

Speaking to LATTE at Further East in Bali last week, Dive explained that the deal provides a stronger platform for growth while maintaining the company’s long-held focus on quality, creativity and connection worldwide.

Dive confirmed he plans to stay on with the company to drive it forwards, specifying that four new shows are on the cards with launches expected in 2026, backed by the financial and operational power of the Emerald investment. And although his ongoing tenure is a condition of the acquisition, he confirmed that he is “happy to do so.”

Meanwhile, he explained that this year’s edition of Further East continues to reply on its tried-and-tested formula, with a similar mix of leading hotels and resorts and destination management companies as previous years, although with an increased presence from the cruise sector. “It’s very much about showcasing the best of the APAC region,” he said. “We aim to present the very best, the most promising properties and experiences in Asia.”

As a result, prospective exhibitors are carefully vetted to ensure they meet the show’s high standards, according to Dive. “The idea for us is that we want trade show to be more like car shows,” he shared. “When you go to a car show, you don’t want to see a bunch of used cars, you want to see the future of automobiles.”

While the 2025 edition of Further East maintained a strong turn-out of resort destinations, plans are already in motion to broaden its focus. “Next year we really want to focus more on city hotels and having a more varied experience across Asia,” Dive said. He also expects cruise to play a larger role in future shows as the sector continues to adapt to evolving definitions of luxury,

The post This is Beyond moves forward with renewed vigour post-acquisition appeared first on LATTE Luxury News.