Regent Seven Seas Cruises announced that it has completed the $40 million refurbishments of Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Voyager. The work — which included the creation of a new restaurant, Prime 7 — was completed prior to the start of the world voyages for both 700-passenger ships. Voyager was finished in December, with Mariner just completed, both at Grand Bahama Shipyard.

Prime 7 is the line’s contemporary interpretation of a traditional grill restaurant and replaces Latitudes, which offered an Indochine menu. Other work included the re-design of lounges and public rooms to create more spacious areas for relaxation and the creation of new lounge and dining areas around the Pool Grill.

More casual dining options are now available with the installation of a pizza oven and an ice cream bar. An extended coffee and snack bar area was created on Seven Seas Voyager, similar to the Coffee Connection on Seven Seas Mariner.

The second phase of the refurbishment program, a similar makeover for Seven Seas Navigator, is scheduled for April 2010.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises will include free shore excursions on 35 cruises this year, as part of what it calls “ultra-inclusive” cruise pricing. Regent said it would offer passengers on the 35 trips a choice of at least one free excursion in every port, worth up to several hundred dollars per person per cruise. Complimentary shore excursions include a visit to the Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg, Russia; a countryside fishing and lunch tour in Tallinn, Estonia; a sailing trip in Helsinki, Finland; a visit to Pompeii from Sorrento, Italy; a tour of Mayan ruins in Belize; a visit to the Peace Park in Nagasaki, Japan; and a kangaroos and koalas tour in Melbourne, Australia.

Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises announced that they will eliminate the fuel supplement for all 2009 sailings.

Prestige Cruise Holdings, parent company to both cruise lines, stated while they had previously waived the supplement for 2010 voyages, effective a month ago, they decided it was appropriate given the drop in oil prices to include the 2009 season as well.

Customers who have paid in full for their 2009 sailings will receive a shipboard credit. For those with reservations not paid in full, the charge will be removed from their final payment.

“As long as oil prices remain below $65 per barrel, we are confident that we will not require a surcharge in the future,” said Frank Del Rio chairman of Prestige Cruise Holdings.

Anne Campbell’s ShipCritic Blog is reporting that Regent Seven Seas Cruises is uping their fuel surcharge from $7.50 per person a day to $15 per person per day on bookings from June 16, 2008 and beyond. ShipCritic Blog says Regent’s surcharges will be the highest in the industry to date. Go to ShipCritic Blog for more information.