New York, NY — Radisson Seven Seas Cruises has shed its identity. Marilyn Carlson- Nelson, chairman and CEO of Carlson Companies announced yesterday that the company has paired the luxury cruise line with its upscale Regent Hotels Brand. The cruise line will now be called Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Over the course of the next year-and-a-half, Regent Seven Seas Cruises will be upgrading the suite design, decor, amenities and technology offering of it all-balcony suite vessels. According to Carlson-Nelson, “the development of a world class style of service will be key to the development strategy.” The fleet of ships will be smaller vessels 350-suites or less, and will feature a higher space- and crew- per passenger ratio than the larger cruise ships. But more importantly, the company will be rolling out a number of product and service offerings that are, broadly, designed to incorporate the trend towards experiential travel into the cruise line's agenda. Regent Seven Seas will offer an itinerary that goes beyond the common run of ports of call. “We intend to offer experiences rather than destinations,” said Carlson-Nelson. At the same time, Regent Hotels will be growing, with nine properties set to open in the United States, Asia, the Middle East and Europe over the next two years. The cruise line will be more closely aligned with the hotels, said Carlson-Nelson, including the option of pre- and post-cruise hotel stays and cross-brand customer loyalty programs.TagsHotels and Resorts