Ask holidaymakers what the most important part of any cruise is and the likelihood is they’ll mention the itinerary, the ship, the on-board facilities and the shore excursions. But what about giving due consideration to another element entirely – courteous and friendly staff can really make a cruise holiday after all.

The importance of good service is absolutely essential within the cruise industry – and that extends prior to embarkation at the point of sale too – so that’s why Cruise Trade News is partnering with leading employee engagement survey specialist Best Companies to discover the best places to work in cruise. See full details of how to participate in this exciting new initiative on page 11.

Also in this issue we have yet another fantastic competition for you – the chance to be one of the first people to board AmaWaterways’ new ship, the Ama Magna, for an unforgettable sailing down the Danube. Check out the competition on pages 12 and 13 to find out how to be in with a chance of winning.

Don’t forget, too, that you still have the opportunity to win a weekend away in Amsterdam that includes lunch on board Holland America Line’s delightfully elegant Nieuw Statendam – plus five Elemis spa kits are up for grabs (see page six).

Elsewhere in the issue we turn the spotlight on expedition cruising, with a look at how to sell voyages to Alaska on page 25 and an industry roundtable write-up (pages 28-31).

For destination inspiration we bring you the Atlantic Islands, Bali and Stockholm, while our focus on brands at sea recounts how big names such as Marco Pierre White, Lego and Cirque du Soleil are all helping to boost the popularity of cruise holidays (pages 46-47).

Enjoy reading the issue and see you again in April.