Best Cruises For Culinary Travelers

Food and Wine Theme Cruises and Culinary Tours on Cruise Ships

Feb 14, 2009
Renee Ruggero

Culinary Arts Center, Holland America Line - Holland America Line

Today's cruise ships are addressing the growing trend of culinary travel by offering food and wine lectures, tastings, cuisine tours in Europe, and celebrity chefs

Culinary travel is one of the fastest growing segments in travel, according to the Specialty Travel Agents Association. (See article in Travel Industry Wire). Considering that cruise ships visit some of the best culinary destinations in the world, here’s a way to combine both pleasures.

Best Culinary Cruises with Celebrity Chefs

Luxurious cruise line, Crystal Cruises offers their Crystal Wine and Food Festival theme cruises throughout the year. They feature culinary lectures and cooking classes hosted by celebrity chefs that share their trade secrets and specialty dishes. Passengers also enjoy innovative menus created especially for foodies.

Another luxurious line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, also offers food and wine theme cruises. Le Cordon Bleu Workshop will be offered nine times throughout 2009. Le Cordon Bleu chefs enrich guests in the fine art of French cooking through their hands-on workshops. They also offer a Spotlight on Chocolate workshop hosted by chocolate experts.

Holland America Line’s demonstration kitchens are featured on all of their ships. The Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine magazine, is located in a theatre style venue with large plasma video screens. These hands-on cruise ship cooking classes are conducted by celebrity chefs.

Wine Tastings and Wine Bars on Cruise Ships

Most cruise ships offer some sort of wine tasting seminar for a nominal fee. For example, Celebrity Cruises offers Wine Enrichment programs for passengers seeking to gain a better appreciation of fine wines. Professional sommeliers guide both novices and connoisseurs on a tasting of vintages from around the world.

Many Princess Cruises’ vessels now feature Vines, a wine bar selling fine wines by the glass accompanied by complimentary gourmet snacks. This specialty restaurant offers appetizers that include sushi, prosciutto with artisan cheeses, and other snacks. The venue also hosts wine tasting sessions throughout the cruise at a nominal charge per person.

Unlike the mainstream cruise lines, the luxury lines offer wine tastings that are included in the cost of the cruise. Silversea Cruises offers their Wine Series voyages from April through October in 2009. These cruises include complimentary vintage tastings, guest lectures, and escorted winery excursions.

Private Galley Tour and Dinner with an Executive Chef

Princess Cruises’ Chef’s Table is a unique foodie experience. On select evenings of every cruise, ten culinary enthusiasts are treated to a galley tour during the busy dinner preparation along with champagne with appetizers and a multi-course tasting menu. Throughout the meal, the Executive Chef explains the details of the ingredients and preparation of each dish ($75 per person, includes wine).

Food and Winery Tours in Europe

The Bracciano Lake & Pasta Party, offered to ships visiting Civitavecchia (Rome). In the Tuscia countryside, a pasta making demonstration ends with a five-course gourmet lunch accompanied by local wines.

On European Cruises, winery tours are offered in almost every port. For example, Royal Caribbean International has eight ships in Europe for summer 2009 with winery excursions in Sicily (Italy), Santorini (Greece), and Cadiz (Spain).

Passengers don't need to be on a food and wine theme cruise to have the opportunity to experience numerous culinary excursions and wineries on one itinerary. And with the added onboard wine tasting seminars and specialty dining, foodies will definitely enjoy cruising.