OREANDA-NEWS. April 11, 2016.  Princess Cruises announced the first-ever "Discovery at Sea Tours of the Year" award, honoring top-ranked Discovery and Animal Planet shore excursions in Alaska and Europe from the 2015 cruise season. Winning tour operators were recognized at a special ceremony aboard Ft. Lauderdale to honor the best shore excursion experiences in various ports in these popular cruise destinations.

 Discovery and Animal Planet excursions debuted in Europe and Alaska in spring 2015 as part of the cruise line's Discovery at Sea program, an exclusive partnership designed to create memorable vacation experiences for the whole family. Discovery and Animal Planet exclusive excursions are unique tours that cannot be booked independently and are available only through Princess Cruises. Discovery and Animal Planet Recommended excursions provide enriching and immersive once-in-a-lifetime experiences and show guests the most fascinating animals around the globe.

"Getting out to truly experience Alaska and Europe is so important for our guests visiting these magnificent destinations," said Bruce Krumrine, Princess Cruises vice president of shore excursions. "Within our popular Discovery at Sea partnership and some of the best tours in Alaska and Europe, these top-rated local tour operators play an integral role in providing our guests with unforgettable cruise vacation moments, and we're pleased to recognize their outstanding contributions."

"The ‘Discovery at Sea Tours of the Year' awards embody our partnership's shared values and goals of providing Princess guests with culturally rich and immersive vacation experiences focused on adventure, exploration, knowledge and entertainment, while igniting their curiosity," said Robert Marick, vice president, licensing and global location based entertainment, Discovery Communications.

The 2015 "Discovery at Sea Tours of the Year" were the highest guest-ranked tours out of 295 options in Europe and 55 in Alaska, and include: