Record-breaking Hall of Famer Annika Sörenstam will Host Exclusive Spotlight Voyage Around Six of the UK’s Historic Golfing Greens in 2025
Optional Pre-Cruise Land Program Featuring Inaugural RSSC Golf Tournament
MIAMI, SEPTEMBER 11, 2024 - Regent Seven Seas Cruises®, the world’s leading ultra luxury cruise line, has announced a sensational 14-night Spotlight Voyage around the British and Irish Isles in Summer 2025, perfect for golf enthusiasts.
The Spotlight Voyage, hosted by Annika Sörenstam - widely considered to be the greatest female golfer of all time - will be on board the new Seven Seas Grandeur®, sailing 23. Juni 2025 roundtrip from Southampton, England.
During her 15-year Hall of Fame career, Sörenstam has amassed over 95 worldwide victories, including 11 Major Championships, and is the only female to break 60 in an official event, earning her the nickname “Ms. 59.” Most notably, Annika received global attention following her historic PGA Tour appearance - teeing off at the 2003 Colonial Invitational and becoming the first woman in over half a century to play in a PGA Tour event.
“We are always looking to create unforgettable experiences for our guests and so we are excited to welcome Annika Sörenstam on board Seven Seas Grandeur to host this incredibly special Spotlight Voyage,” said Andrea DeMarco, President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “Annika is widely recognized as the greatest female golfer of all time and having her host our Spotlight on Golf Voyage is a true privilege that will be sure to excite any golf enthusiast, while they enjoy the highest standards of exceptional service, unparalleled cuisine, and an all-inclusive ultra luxury vacation on board Seven Seas Grandeur.”
Immersing travelers into the worlds of luxury travel and competitive Championship golf, the cruise will visit some of golf’s most iconic destinations, home to Britain’s storied greens. Guests will be fully immersed in the centuries’ old sport with the opportunity to play on six prestigious courses including past British Open hosts Royal Lytham & St. Annes in England and the Turnberry’s Ailsa course in Scotland, plus The Strand Course at Portstewart Golf Club in Northern Ireland.
In addition, Regent Seven Seas Cruises has curated a two-night pre-cruise land program, creating a golfing trip like no other. After checking into The Goodwood Hotel, nestled in the rolling South Downs National Park in West Sussex, England, guests will enjoy beautiful surroundings and stunning rooms inspired by traditional British style. The next day, avid golfers can hit the links during the inaugural RSSC Golf Tournament at The Downs Golf Course.
Onboard, guests will enjoy personalized service from a friendly and professional crew, a range of specialty restaurants and al-fresco dining venues, fine wines and spirits, world-class entertainment, unlimited internet access, free valet laundry, pre-paid gratuities, transfers and one-night, pre-cruise hotel packages for guests staying in Concierge-level suites and above, all as part of Regent’s all-inclusive fare.
Golf Spotlight by Annika Sörenstam
The once-in-a-lifetime sailing will be filled with unforgettable moments, bringing guests fully into the world of competitive golf while enjoying the ultra-luxury, all-inclusive Regent experience with on-board fireside chats and meet and greets with Annika surrounded by the opulence of Regent’s newest ship, Seven Seas Grandeur.
“I am thrilled to host this exclusive Spotlight Voyage with Regent,” said Annika Sörenstam. “I can’t wait to bring my family and share my passion and story with fellow golf lovers on board this incredible cruise around some of the most iconic golfing destinations in the world.”
Embarking from Southampton, England, there will be driving demos on Seven Seas Grandeur’s top deck, a chance to practice putting on the ship’s putting green, an on-board fashion show featuring Annika’s clothing partner, LOHLA Sport clothing, tea-time golf trivia, an in-course long game clinic and plenty of chances to tee off on some of Britain’s most iconic greens:
From Belfast:
- The Strand Course at Portstewart Golf Club, host of the 2017 Irish Open
- Royal Belfast Golf Club, winner IGTOA best Parkland Golf Course in Ireland
From Glasgow
- Dundonald Links, host to the 2024 Final Open Qualifying
- The Turnberry’s Ailsa Course, four-time host of The Open
From Liverpool:
- Royal Lytham & St Annes, host of the 2012 Open Championship
- Formby Golf Club, host of 209:00 vorm.ateur Championship and 2021/2022 PGA Seniors Championship
The voyage will begin with a meet-and-greet cocktail party with Annika in the lavish Observation Lounge. Further opportunities to hear more of Annika’s story - from her famed career to her extensive philanthropic work - include a Fireside Chat Q&A in the Constellation Theatre where guests will be treated to a talk led by TV Personality John O’Hurley, to learn more about Annika’s life and career.
Outside of the optional golfing activities Regent guests can take advantage of unlimited included shore excursions from an extensive menu of rich programs in each of the incredible destinations: Belfast (overnight in port), Northern Ireland; Glasgow (Greenock – overnight in port), Scotland; Douglas, Isle of Man; Liverpool (two nights in port), England; Dublin (Dun Laoghaire), Ireland; Cork (Cobh) Ireland; Waterford, Ireland; returning to Southampton, England for disembarkation.
Pre-Cruise Land Program
The Inaugural RSSC Golf Tournament hosted by Annika Sorenstam
Embark on an unforgettable two-night golf stay in one of Southern England’s most stunning National Parks for an exclusive golfing experience. Upon arrival to the glorious South Downs National Park, guests will check in to The Goodwood Hotel. Inspired by classic British style, The Goodwood Hotel offers a perfect balance of award-winning food and comfortable, well-appointed rooms. The Downs course will play host to the inaugural RSSC Golf Tournament where eager participants will tee off hoping to get their hands on the trophy.
Prices for the Golf Spotlight by Annika Sörenstam start from $14.599 per guest. Some experiences will be at an additional cost and have limited capacity.
For more information, please visit RSSC.com/Spotlight-Voyages, call 1-844-4REGENT (1-844-873-2381) or contact a professional travel advisor.
About Regent Seven Seas Cruises®
Regent Seven Seas Cruises® is the leading ultra luxury cruise line, delivering The Most Inclusive Luxury Experience® for over 30 years. Carrying between 496 and no more than 850 guests, the line’s spacious and stylish ships - Seven Seas Explorer®, Seven Seas Grandeur®, Seven Seas Mariner®, Seven Seas Navigator®, Seven Seas Splendor®, Seven Seas Voyager®, and Seven Seas Prestige™ which is scheduled to be delivered in 2026 - form The World’s Most Luxurious Fleet®. Exploring more than 550 immersive destinations globally and offering Unrivaled Space at Sea®, guests enjoy sumptuous all-suite accommodations, nearly all with private balconies, which are among the largest at sea, as well as highly personalized service throughout lavish public areas and expansive outdoor spaces. Unique to Regent Seven Seas Cruises, unlimited complimentary shore excursions are available in every port. All-Inclusive Cruise Fares also include gourmet cuisine in a range of specialty restaurants and al-fresco dining venues, fine wines and spirits, entertainment, unlimited internet access, free valet laundry, gratuities, and one-night, pre-cruise hotel packages for guests staying in Concierge-level suites and higher. In addition, Ultimate All-Inclusive Fares include roundtrip flights with the flexibility to choose desired air class, transfers between airport and ship, and exclusive Blacklane private executive chauffer service for guests to personalize their journeys. For more information, please visit RSSC.com, call 1.844.873.2381 or contact a professional travel advisor. Regent Seven Seas Cruises is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH). To learn more, visit www.nclhltd.com.
About Annika Sörenstam
Annika is often regarded as the greatest female golfer of all-time. During her 15-year, Hall-of-Fame career, she rewrote the LPGA and Ladies European Tour record books, won countless awards, and changed the way women’s golf was played, viewed and covered.
She has amassed over 95 worldwide victories, including 72 on the LPGA and 11 Major Championships. Annika holds a record number of Rolex Player of the Year awards (eight) and Vare Trophies for the lowest scoring average in a season (six). As the only female to break 60 in an official event, she has been nicknamed “Ms. 59.” Perhaps most notably, Annika received worldwide media attention when she became the first woman in 58 years to play in a PGA TOUR event at the 2003 Colonial Invitational.
Annika stepped away from professional golf after the 2008 season to focus on her family and the ANNIKA brand of businesses, which at the time included the ANNIKA Academy golf school, the ANNIKA Collection of high-end women’s golf apparel and ANNIKA Course Design. In 2007, she created the ANNIKA Foundation, which provides golf opportunities at the junior, collegiate and professional levels while teaching young people the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition.
It annually conducts six major golf events for aspiring junior girls: the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex; ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills in China; ANNIKA Invitational Europe and ANNIKA Cup in Sweden; the Women’s Amateur Latin America with The R&A in Argentina and the ANNIKA Invitational Australasia in New Zealand. Moreover, with the support of the Haskins Commission, the Foundation created the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel, which is given annually to the best collegiate female golfer. Since 2014, the Foundation has also annually hosted the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M, a college tournament featuring 12 top Division I schools.
In 2022, the ANNIKA Development Program was established in partnership with the ANNIKA Foundation and Old Barnwell, a private national golf club near Aiken, South Carolina to support college graduates who are pursuing professional golf careers. Four ANNIKA Ambassadors are selected per year and they receive access for three years to Old Barnwell, housing, financial assistance, training, and mentorship from Annika.
Each year, the Foundation also conducts up to five “Share My Passion” grass roots clinics designed to introduce kids to the game. And in November 2023, the Foundation became the main charitable beneficiary from The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, which became the only “namesake” tournament on the LPGA Tour, and the penultimate event of the season.
Over 600 girls from 60 different countries play ANNIKA Foundation events each year, and there are currently 200 ANNIKA Alumnae on the LPGA and EPSON Tours.
Her global success in golf and knowledge of business have enabled her to create a successful brand of businesses, which was featured in Duane Knapp’s book BrandStrategy, Inc. Annika’s brand has also been featured in Brandweek, the New York Times, Fortune Magazine, SportsBusiness Journal, Success Magazine, USA Today, and Wine Spectator to name a few non-golf publications.
Annika still tops the LPGA’s All-Time Money List. In 2021 she made her first start in an official LPGA tournament since 2008, making the cut in the 2021 Gainbridge LPGA. A few months later she captured the hearts of the golf world when she won the U.S. Senior Women’s Open by eight shots. It was her first United States Golf Association (USGA) event in 13 years and the victory gave her a fourth USGA title. What made it even more special was that her husband, Mike McGee, was caddying for her and her kids, Ava (9/1/2009) and Will (3/21/2011), were in the gallery to see her win for the first time.
She represented Europe as a player in eight Solheim Cups, was a vice-captain three times and captained the European team in 2017. She was also the victorious captain for the European Junior Solheim Cup team that came from a record four points down to win on U.S. soil for the first time in 2021.
Annika has received many accolades throughout her life. She was the recipient of the Patty Berg Award in 2003 for her contributions to women’s golf. She was the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year from 2003-2005, and the Golf Writers Association of America Female Athlete of the Year in 1995, 1997 and from 2000-2005. She and Jack Nicklaus were named Global Ambassadors by the International Golf Federation to help with golf’s successful bid for inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Games. Annika won the USGA’s prestigious Bob Jones Award in 2011, which is presented annually to someone with distinct character on and off the course. In 2013, she was named the First Lady of Golf by the PGA of America.
In 2014 the LPGA, in partnership with Rolex, established the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award to recognize the player who, during a current LPGA Tour season, has the most outstanding record in all five major championships. In 2015, Annika was named the top female athlete of all-time in her home country of Sweden. In 2016 Annika received the KPMG Inspire Greatness Award from the KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit advisory council, with the support of the PGA of America and the LPGA. In 2016 Annika received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the business of golf at the HSBC Golf Business Summit.
In 2020, Annika was elected the President of the International Golf Federation which oversees golf in the Olympic Games. In 2021, Annika became the first female golfer and only the third female in sport to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2023, she was the first LPGA professional to receive membership into the esteemed Augusta National Golf Club.
Annika is a very popular motivational speaker, and many corporate executives, CEOs and meeting planners utilize her talents to entertain important clients, reward top performing employees, and build camaraderie amongst their teams. Annika is a driven leader with a vast network of contacts throughout the world of business, sports and entertainment.
Annika represents world-class companies like 3M, AHEAD, AT&T, Bank of America, Callaway, Cabot Saint Lucia, Hilton Grand Vacations, LOHLA Sport, Mastercard, Rēvo, and Rolex. Her Twitter handle is @Annika59 and Instagram is @Annikas59. For more information: www.annikafoundation.org.
Quinn PR Media Contact
Loren Duran
+1 917 353 0949
lduran@quinn.pr
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Media Contact
James Arnold
Senior Director Public Relations, Regent Seven Seas Cruises
+44 (0)7408 956315
jarnold@rssc.com
