Culinary & Wine Cruises 2014

1. Top Chef at Sea: Europe                       09/19/2014          12 days    Celebrity Cruises                 Celebrity Cruises is excited to announce their partnership with Bravo and their Emmy Award winning television show—Top Chef. It’s a match made in... well, the kitchen—and the results of pairing culinary expertise with their culinary savoir faire are simply mouthwatering.  On board, your chefs will give demonstrations, lead private cooking classes, join you for special dinners in one of our specialty restaurants, participate with you in Quickfire Challenges, and be featured in the main restaurant during Top Chef Night, where they’ll hobnob with you and your fellow guests as you enjoy dishes that carry their seal of approval.
2. Top Chef at Sea: Caribbean                   11/15/2014           7 days     Celebrity Cruises                             To create the Top Chef At Sea program, Top-Chef -inspired activities and flavors into an already extensive culinary experience. Step aboard and be wowed with Quickfire Challenges that put you in the spotlight where you’ll feel the pressure the chef’testants experience on the show. Plus, indulge in some of the dishes the judges raved about on the show at theTop Chef Night in the main restaurant, where we’ll feature a wide selection dishes, from appetizers to desserts, that were big hits on the show—all for your discerning palate. Rub shoulders with the chefs and sample some of their creations at special Meet & Eat gatherings (featuring hors d’oeuvres prepared from the chefs’ recipes). With as many as four chefs per sailing, you’ll have the opportunity to get the low-down on what it was like to be on the show and find out what they have in store next.
3. Culinary and Wine Delights of Spain     11/15/2014           8 days      Windstar Cruises       
   Travel the south coast of Spain, exploring its rich culinary and wine traditions hosted by America’s most respected importers of fine Spanish wines, Stephen Metzler and Almudena de Llaguno, founders of Classical Wines. Involved with key players from their formative stages, Classical Wines is recognized as an international pioneer in the category – featuring a portfolio of the best wines of Spain such as Tinto Pesquera.
   Enjoy over 40 special themed events & activities.  Experts of Spanish wines, Stephen Metzler and Almudena de Llaguno and sommelier host two wine paired dinners and wine lectures.  Complimentary local wines served throughout the voyage.
   Complimentary daily pre-dinner wine tasting and tapas.
   Choice of two complimentary culinary and wine themed excursions. 
4. Wine & Food Festival: MicroBrews        11/05/2014        14 days     Crystal Cruises                            Each Experiences of Discovery cruise includes complimentary cooking classes, demonstrations, beer tastings and mixology lessons, plus an optional seven-course dinner featuring local flavors and wine pairings selected by the guest wine expert.
   The microbrew-themed cruise will offer beer pairings instead of wine and craft beer sampling throughout the voyage.         
5. Savories of the South                             12/06/2014          7 days     American Cruise Line         American Cruise Lines' culinary masters have created this delectable 7-night New Orleans river cruise to highlight the amazing flavors of the South, from Cajun to Creole. Featuring specially invited featured chefs, exclusive cooking demonstrations and tastings.
6. French Culinary River Cruise - 2 Rivers  10/20/2014       16 days     Avalon Waterways                    Enter a food-lover's paradise in northern France. An expert chef will dazzle you with regional specialties and food preparation tips. There'll be cider and wine tastings, visits to a distillery and cheese farm—you'll even come away with easy-to-make recipes. Bon Appetit!
   This fantastic cruise vacation showcases France's breathtaking scenery, amazing history, and exciting variety. Your adventure begins on the stunning Côte d'Azur, then travel to Arles to board your ship and sail north up the scenic Rhône and Saône Rivers. Along the way, explore Arles, Avignon, delightful Viviers, medieval Tournon, charming Vienne, France's gastronomic capital of Lyon, as well as Mâcon, Tournus, Chalon-sur-Saône, and fascinating Beaune. In Paris, embark your second cruise ship and spend two overnights in Paris with sightseeing of some of the famous sights. Then begin your journey along the Seine River into the picturesque Normandy region. Choose between a guided excursion to Vincent van Gogh's Auvers-sur-Oise or Napoleon and Josephine's elegant Château de Malmaison. Next up: your choice of a guided visit of Claude Monet's stunning gardens at Giverny or magnificent Bizy Castle. On to Joan of Arc's historic Rouen, where you choose between an included excursion to Normandy's historic landing beaches or an interesting "Taste of Normandy." Continue to Les Andelys, home of dramatic Château Gaillard, with free time to explore on your own. Return to Paris for the conclusion of your magnifique cruise vacation.

           Please email your inquiries to info@redlettergetaways.com

Culinary Travel and Cruises

Culinary travel is one of the fastest growing segments in travel.  Ask anyone about their vacation and you are likely to hear about meals they enjoyed during their travels or the wonderful wine they discovered. People love to talk about food, but more importantly, they love the experience of dining and learning about what they eat and drink.  This is why culinary specialists like myself see the growing demand for travel that includes delicious food and wine itineraries.

Culinary cruises combine food and travel

In response to the growing interest in all things culinary, cruise lines play an important role.  Cruises provides their guests with the ultimate culinary experience by featuring celebrity chefs, wine lectures and food festival-themed cruises.  A culinary cruise is the perfect way to combine one's love for travel and fine food and create one incredible cruise experience.

For those with the love of cooking and dining, a big part of the cruise experience is the sampling of local dishes and wine tasting. Culinary Cruises offer these highlights and so much more. Often on a culinary cruise celebrity chefs demonstrate their techniques, share their menus and let you participate in the process.

Take a tour of a local market with a culinary expert!                                                            

Culinary cruises take immersion into a local destination to a new level.  Culinary theme sailings offer many special features for guests. You are provided with unique experiences, including exclusive shore excursions, private cocktail receptions, special dinners with master chefs and wine paring workshops.  Such delights all enhance your cruise experience.

Discover fascinating worlds of culture, adventure, history, art and cuisine through a diverse collection of shoreside experiences and distinctive onboard events.  The pleasures of luxury travel and fine dining are combined with unparalleled excellent aboard various award-winning cruise ships.