So you’re interested in cooking cruises for 2011. Amazing cuisine has always been part of a cruise experience, however cruise lines have really stepped it up to entice “foodies” onto their cruise ships. Here is an overview of some of the most exciting enhancements by various cruise lines. For full details visit our Culinary Travel site.
Celebrity Cruises
•Food and Wine Enrichment Program – Superior cuisine has always been a major part of the Celebrity experience. Now the Celebrity Life on board entertainment program includes plenty of sessions for foodies and wine aficionados: Star Chefs Cooking Competition, Mixology 101, the Art of Food and Wine Pairing, Wine Crystal Workshop and Wine Appreciation 101.
•”Savor Your Destination” Theme Cruises – 12 culinary cruises are planned for 2011 featuring special guest chefs. Meet-and-greet cocktail reception, guest chef-led cooking demonstrations, book signings, and a “Star Chefs” cook-off featuring an interactive cooking competition and a special recipe booklet featuring the guest chef’s creations. Guests can join the guest chef for hands-on cooking classes in the ship’s galley or enjoy an exclusive food-and-wine-pairing dinner designed and presented by the guest chef.
•State-of-the-Art Venues
◦Cellarmasters wine bars – Featuring the “Enomatic” wine serving system which allows guests to select wines by the glass at the touch of a button.
◦Qsine restaurant – Have fun at Qsine, the first shipboard restaurant to present its menu and wine list on an iPad. Dining is raised to a performing art with unique food presentations while guests interact with the wine and cocktail menus on the iPad, entering tasting notes, emailing their favourite wine selections and scanning wine labels. Available aboard Celebrity Silhouette.
Learn about the Food Network cruise with Anne Burrell for this October onboard the new Celebrity Silhouette.
Crystal Cruises
•Wine & Food Festivals at Sea – Meet celebrity chefs and wine experts during these special theme sailings. There are culinary and wine events on board and ashore during each cruise scheduled in 2011 on June 13 (Norway), August 13 (Alaska), October 1 (Western Mediterranean), October 24 (Eastern Mediterranean) and December 11 (Mexico).
•The Vintage Room – For the ultimate culinary/wine experience with a twist, this private dining room features special menus pairing the food to a selection of rare wines. Offered several times each cruise to intimate groups of up to 14 guests.
Holland America Line
•An Evening at Le Cirque – Experience eating at one of the world’s most illustrious restaurants when the Pinnacle Grill restaurant presents An Evening at Le Cirque. From the renowned menu to the fanciful orange Le Cirque china, the experience will be something very special.
•Culinary Arts Center – Entertaining cooking classes take place in these theatre-style kitchens on every cruise. 12 guests work alongside the chefs. You won’t miss a thing if you’re in the audiences as the slicing and dicing is shown close up on big screens around the room. Celebrity chefs are on hand for cooking demonstrations, book signings, themed lectures and Q/A sessions during culinary theme sailings.
Oceania Cruises
•Marina – “Designed for epicureans” – Launched last January, Marina features 10 dining venues, all comparable to the best shore-side restaurants, the Wine Spectator wine program and Master Chef Jacques Pepin’s first namesake restaurant at sea. That’s not all you’ll find aboard this amazing new ship:
◦The Bon Appétit Culinary Center – At the first completely hands-on cooking school at sea, expand your knowledge of local cuisine as expert Master Chefs provide instruction in a professional kitchen atmosphere. You’ll work at your own cooking station to create the day’s delicious recipes.
◦Indulge your passion for fine dining – Privée is a private restaurant that can be booked for up to eight guests featuring a custom-designed seven-course gourmet menu. Each evening, La Reserve welcomes 24 guests for a sumptuous seven course meal. Each course is specially paired with the perfect wine.
Seabourn
•Shopping with the Chef – Join the Seabourn chef for a wander through local markets to find the freshest ingredients for today’s meals. Available in select ports around the world, this unique program is very popular.
•In-suite dining; course by course – Aboard the all-suite ships of Seabourn, you can dine in and still experience the exceptional service you’d expect in the dining room . Order from the restaurant menu and have your meal served in the comfort and privacy of your luxurious suite, one delectable course at a time.
Silversea
•Stars Supper Club – Aboard Silver Spirit this trendy venue takes you back to the supper clubs and cabarets of the 1930’s. Designed after the old Rainbow Room in New York, you’ll dine on a tasting menu of regional specialties as you enjoy live music, dancing and nightclub-style entertainment.
•Culinary and Wine Theme Voyages – On Relaix & Châteaux L’Écolle des Chefs sailings enjoy cooking demonstrations and other events designed exclusively for Silversea by Relais & Châteaux and hosted by an internationally accomplished Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux. In addition, culinary and wine voyages are offered throughout the year around the globe aboard the Silversea fleet.
•Slow Food at La Terrazza – Watch for the logo of Slow Food Promozione beside menu items. These items comply with the Slow Food’s mission to link pleasure and food with awareness and responsibility of where the ingredients are sourced. A series of Slow Food culinary voyages is also planned.
These are just some of the many wonderful programs you can enjoy aboard the ships of our preferred partners. The culinary world at sea is exploding with unique experiences, enhanced by the romance of sailing the world’s oceans.
Search all 2011 culinary cruises on our specialty website.
