Cruises for foodies
We’re often told that the food on cruises is phenomenal but would you know where to send a real foodie? The guide below could be exactly what you need.
From sailing the famous Bordeaux wine region to going fishing for king crab in the Norwegian fjords – what would tick the box for your food-obsessed clients? Below we outline a few of the delicacies available for 2014.
Warning: don’t read if you’re hungry….
Hurtigruten – King Crab Safari
Norwegian firm Hurtigruten prides itself on creating traditional experiences that stay true to the country’s roots. The food onboard is sourced locally and often has a story attached. Here we’ve selected Hurtigruten’s ‘King Crab Safari’ as one of our favourite foodie cruise experiences. The excursion begins with a snowmobile sleigh ride to a fisherman’s home where the king crab will be caught and cooked before your very eyes.
Excursion cost: €179 per person
Viking River Cruises – Bordeaux
8-day Bordeaux roundtrip, departing March through to December
Most experts will tell you that to really get to grips with a country, a river cruise is the only way. This eight-day voyage with Viking River Cruises offers one of the best itineraries for discovering the Bordeaux wine region, taking in the cities of Bordeaux, Pauillac, Blaye, Libourne and Cadillac. The area is renowned for its wine, cognac, oysters and great architecture.
From £2,045 per person
Oceania Cruises – Culinary Discovery Tours
10-day Istanbul to Athens, departing 5 May 2014
No guide to foodie cruises would be complete without mentioning Oceania Cruises – arguably the most food orientated cruise line operating today. The company has its own ‘Bon Appétit’ culinary schools and ‘La Reserve’ gourmet evenings both of which sound like a real treat. The cruise we’ve chosen has three optional ‘Culinary Discovery’ Tours (in Istanbul, Rhodes and Haifa) where guests will have experiences including getting a guided tour of markets with the chef, spend mornings with local families preparing food and eating in local restaurants.
From £1,687 per person
Uniworld – Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong
17-day Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi, departing 2 September 2014
Uniworld’s Mekong river cruise onboard the 29 room River Orchid is a brilliant way to experience the culinary delights of Asia. From trips to local markets to an opening night welcome dinner at a specially selected local restaurant. Amongst its historical offerings the cruise also visits rice paper and candy making shops on its journey. Price includes hotel stays, international flights and VIP departure service with Titan.
From £3,149 per person
Celebrity Cruises – Immersive Wine Cruise
12-day Harwich roundtrip, departing 1 October 2014
Royal Caribbean’s Celebrity Cruises offers an immersive Wine Cruise which takes guests from Harwich down to Le Havre for Paris, La Rochelle, Bilbao and eventually Porto – through some of the best wine country in the world. The experience will include tastings and opportunities to learn about different wines – with plenty of chances to get to grips with the local produce!
From £1,298 per person
Crystal Cruises – Microbrewery voyage
14-day New York to Miami, departing 5 November 2014
Ultra luxury cruise line Crystal Cruises offers a number of foodie cruises with its renowned celebrity chefs including Nobu, Tom Aikens and Heinz Beck. We’ve gone for the 14-night sailing from New York to Miami which interestingly has a focus on microbrews. More details are expected to be released but expect the microbrews to mainly centre on the US part of the cruise – with the Caribbean kept for more traditional cruising.
From £3,353 per person
Silversea – South America wine tour
15-day Buenos Aires to Valparaiso, departing 5 December 2014
Silversea is offering guests the chance to sail with its very own culinary trainer David Bilsland who will be hosting a cooking school designed by Relais & Châteaux while the line’s wine ambassador Lawrence d’Almeida will also be hosting wine tastings. With a cruise that saunters through Chile and Argentina – it’s not a bad way to end the year!
From £3,550 per person