FT. LAUDERDALE, FL., July 17, 2001 - Regent Seven Seas Seven Seas Cruises has been voted "Best Small Cruise Line" in Travel + Leisure's sixth annual "World's Best" Awards readers' survey, to be published in the August issue. Two-time winner Regent Seven Seas Seven Seas was previously awarded "Best Small Cruise Line" honors in 1999.

The winners reflect the responses of thousands of Travel + Leisure's readers to questions about the foremost destinations, hotels, cruise lines, airlines, car-rental firms, spa and tour operators worldwide. In the cruise category, readers rated cabins, food, service, itineraries/destinations, entertainment/activities, and value - with Regent Seven Seas Cruises coming out on top as the world's "Best Small Cruise Line."

Not only was Regent Seven Seas Seven Seas' overall score higher than all other small ship lines, it was also ranked above all other small ship lines in the individual categories of cabins, service, itineraries/destinations, and value. The line's score for service - its highest-rated category - is over 15 points above the average for all small ship lines and over 12 points higher than the average score for all other cruise lines, large and small.

According to Nancy Novogrod, editor-in-chief of Travel + Leisure, "Among Small Cruise lines, Regent Seven Seas Seven Seas Cruises placed first for cabins, service, itineraries/destinations, and value. Combining the ultimate in luxury aboard modern, intimate ships with exotic destinations such as the South Pacific and Central America has clearly earned them our readers' recognition for excellence. "

Mailed in the spring of 2001, the questionnaire was developed by the editors of Travel + Leisure in association with Harris Interactive/Yankelovich Partners. All responses were returned to, and tallied by, Harris Interactive/Yankelovich Partners.

According to Mark Conroy, president and chief executive officer of Regent Seven Seas , "In the increasingly competitive niche of small-ship luxury cruising, winning this award has become increasingly difficult - so we're gratified to have been voted the 'world's best' by some of the world's most discerning travelers. Theirs are the opinions that count, and we'll make every effort to continue to be the 'best in class' in the eyes of our customers."

Regent Seven Seas Seven Seas Cruises will be among the winners to be honored at a gala awards ceremony on July 26 at New York City's Gracie Mansion. The company was named "Best Small Cruise Line" in the overall category of "World's Best Transportation" that included awards for best large cruise line, best domestic airline, best foreign airline and best car rental company.

Regent Seven Seas Seven Seas Cruises is now also the largest luxury line in the world (as measured by berths) with the debut in March 2001 of the Seven Seas Mariner, the world's first all-suite, all-balcony cruise ship, currently in her first Alaska season. The all-suite (90% private balconies) Seven Seas Navigator - which debuted in 1999 - will embark on the cruise line's first World Cruise in January 2002 from Los Angeles.

"We take great pride in being both the largest luxury cruise line in the world as well as the best in our category," Conroy added. "We're giving our guests the luxury of choice in both vessels and itineraries plus the confidence to know we will consistently deliver the top quality, value and service they've come to expect throughout the fleet."

Regent Seven Seas Seven Seas has launched its new generation of luxury cruise ships under the banner "Luxury Goes Exploring," epitomizing its trademark combination of spacious, ocean view accommodations with the industry's highest percentage of private balconies, fine dining with open seating and a destination-intensive spirit of exploration.

"Our guests have told us what they want, and we've been listening," said Conroy, noting that in moving towards all-suite, all-balcony accommodations, with walk-in closets and other top amenities, "we've taken the trend towards more space, intimacy of surroundings and greater privacy, to its logical conclusion."

The line expects to take delivery of the all-balcony suite Seven Seas Voyager, currently under construction at the T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy, in March 2003. Other vessels in the fleet include the six-star, 180-guest Song of Flower, which will offer a series of Vietnam and Asia cruises this winter; the six-star, 350-guest Regent Seven Seas Diamond, now in the midst of her most extensive Europe season; the 320-guest Paul Gauguin, which has become synonymous with elegant year-round cruising in Tahiti and French Polynesia.