New Offerings For Oceania's Culinary Classes

Oceania Cruises has unveiled its new 2014 curriculum for the Bon Appétit Culinary Center on board its mid-sized luxury cruise ships Marina and Riviera. More than 20 different classes are offered, ranging from regional cuisines to the secrets of home-made pasta, with each session expanding guests’ knowledge and appreciation of local flavours.

Take your pick from these five voyages that all feature the new Culinary Center offerings:

French Classics: At the centre of the gastronomic sphere, French cooking methods and techniques are the benchmark for culinary standards worldwide. In this class, gourmands master several fundamental French techniques and prepare elegant dishes that can be recreated at home.

On Riviera, May 5, Historic Holy Lands; 10 Days, Istanbul to Athens

Italian Family Table: This class celebrates the cuisines and speciality dishes of the many regions visited by Oceania Cruises. Students learn techniques and recipes that have been passed down for generations and shared around family tables in the fabulous Italian destinations visited, which include Portofino, Amalfi, Tuscany and Sicily.
 

On Riviera, June 1, Venetian Revelations; 10 Days, Barcelona to Venice

Viva España: Guests are transported to the tapas bars of Spain, learning how to host a tapas party, complete with sangria and delicious, authentic Spanish dishes. Exciting arrays of tapas are prepared with recipes by Oceania Cruises’ chefs discovered on journeys to San Sebastián, Barcelona and Andalucía.

On Riviera, September 1, Flavours of Europe; 7 Days, Rome to Barcelona

Modern Nordic: The fresh, inventive dishes of restaurants including Copenhagen’s Noma and Geranium have changed the way the world views Nordic cuisine. Inspired by Oceania’s Baltic travels, the line’s chefs have developed a class devoted to favourite recipes of the region.

On Marina, June 7, North Sea Coasts; 7 Days, London to Copenhagen

Magical Morocco: With a special emphasis on tagine recipes, this class teaches guests the basics of Moroccan cooking, one of the most popular cuisines today. Highlights are the spices and ingredients of the Moroccan pantry and how to utilise them for flavourful dishes.

On Marina, September 24, Tapestry of Cultures; 10 Days, Lisbon to Rome

More info: www.oceaniacruises.com or call on 0845 505 1920.

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Three More Of A Kind!

It's another three-for-the-price-of-one in today's Special Offer category, with each of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises featuring some great deals, for the short-term only.

Take your pick from:

Family fun in the Fjords with Royal Caribbean

Get active next summer by exploring the Norwegian mountains as well as scaling the onboard rock-climbing wall, enjoying a round of golf and hitting the basketball court on Adventure of the Seas on a week-long Norway cruise (above) from £749 per person (based on two sharing an interior stateroom).

The price includes the seven-night cruise departing from Southampton on May 23 and calling at Kristiansand, Alesund, Flam and Stavanger before returning to Southampton; plus all meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

More info: call 0844 493 2061 or visit www.royalcaribbean.co.uk.

Discover Scandinavia & Eastern Europe with Celebrity

Join Celebrity Cruises and explore the beauty of the Baltic's most renowned capital cities on board Celebrity Eclipse on a 14-night cruise from only £1,421 per person (based on two sharing an interior stateroom).

This price includes meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees, while the voyage departs from Southampton on June 7 and calls at Copenhagen on an overnight stay, Stockholm, Tallinn St. Petersburg on an overnight stay, Klaipeda (Lithuania) and Gdansk (for Gdynia in Poland) before returning to Southampton.

More info: call 0845 456 0523 or visit www.celebritycruises.co.uk.

Italian festivities with Azamara

Guests will be treated to a private “Festival Piedigrotta” at the Agrumeto Gardens in Sorrento, with singers, actors and musicians bringing old Naples to life as part of the Azamazing Evenings event on Azamara Quest's 11-night Mediterranean Easter fly/cruise from £2,735 per person (based on two people sharing an interior stateroom). The event is included in the cruise price.

The price also includes flights from London Heathrow, transfers and selected standard spirits, wines and international beers; complimentary bottled water; soft drinks; speciality teas and coffees; housekeeping and dining gratuities; the bespoke AzAmazing Evenings event; and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. It departs from Nice on April 11 and calls at Civitavecchia (for Rome), Sorrento, Siracusa, Valletta, Trapani and Livorno (for Florence and Pisa) before returning to Nice for the flight home.

More info: call 0844 493 4016 or visit www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk.

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Windstar Cruises Announces 2015 Winter Voyage Collection

Windstar Cruises 2014-15 Winter Caribbean & Panama Canal voyages are now open for sale, with the line's three sailing yachts exploring the warm waters of the islands and Latin America with four unique voyages, including Classic Caribbean, a new seven-day round trip itinerary from St. Maarten. 

The 2015 Winter Collection, showcasing voyages from December 2014 to March 2015, is rounded out with the recently announced South-east Asia & Arabia voyages on the all-suite Star Pride.

Yacht style cruising is the perfect way to explore the pristine beaches of the Caribbean, with every voyage offering Windstar’s signature beach barbecue, an exclusive party on shore in intimate and exclusive style. Guests can also enjoy the tropical waters right from the yacht, with each ship's Watersports Platform, which offers complimentary sailing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kayaking, paddleboarding, and other water games.

The Caribbean & Panama Canal voyages include:

Classic Caribbean
From the stunning drama of the Pitons, to the captivating charm of Les Saintes, this seven-day cruise showcases the best of the Caribbean in one voyage. Wind Surf sails round-trip from Philipsburg, St. Maarten, with visits to Barbuda; Pigeon Island, St. Lucia; Roseau, Dominica; Les Saintes, Guadeloupe; Basseterre, St. Kitts; and Gustavia, St. Barthelemy. Highlights include the pink beaches of Barbuda and scenic cruising past the Pitons.

Jewels of the Windward Islands
Sail to little-known isles off the tourist radar such as the unspoiled Grenadines and the rugged natural beauty of St. Lucia. Wind Star offers seven-day sailings round-trip from Barbados with stops at Pigeon Island; St. George’s Grenada; Mayreau, Tobago Cays, St. Vincent & the Grenadines; Mayreau, St. Vincent & the Grenadines; and Bequia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines. Highlights include Grand Etang National Park on Grenada and scenic cruise past the Pitons.

Yachtsman’s Caribbean
Experience a yachtsman’s paradise while visiting exclusive ports like glamorous St. Barts and the enchanting British Virgin Islands. Sail on Windstar’s flagship, Wind Surf on a seven day round trip from Philipsburg, calling on Falmouth Harbour, Antigua (overnight); Soper’s Hole, Tortola, B.V.I; Jost Van Dyke, B.V.I. (overnight); Virgin Gorda, Prickly Pear Beach, B.V.I. (overnight); and Gustavia. Highlights include local treasure at Soper’s Hole Wharf and a sail by The Baths.

Passage Through Panama
Explore the natural and man-made wonders of beautiful Costa Rica and the impressive Panama Canal on this seven-day sailing from Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica or Colón, Panama. Wind Spirit will visit Bahía Drake, Costa Rica; Golfito, Costa Rica; Isla de Coiba, Panama; Panama Canal Transit; and San Blas, Panama. Highlights include Corcovado National Park and Golfito’s rainforest.

Star Pride, Windstar’s first all-suite power yacht, will spend its Winter season in South-east Asia & Arabia, sailing the following voyages:

• Wonders of Arabia – From Athens to Dubai, this 18-day voyage showcases the Red Sea, the Nile and the rose-coloured ruins of Petra.
• Pearls of the Indian Ocean – On this 15-day voyage from Dubai to Singapore, guests enjoy everything from India’s colourful cities to the tranquil beauty of Thailand’s beaches.
• Singapore & the Malay Peninsula – long days in port and blissfully beautiful destinations can be found on this 10-day round trip voyage from Singapore.
• Treasures of South-east Asia – This 14-day voyage round-trip from Singapore explores the ancient trading city of Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary, Hue and Halong Bay.
• Vietnam Unveiled – Guests can visit Imperial Hue, ancient Hoi An, breathtaking Halong Bay, and amazing Ho Chi Minh City on this 10-day voyage from Ho Chi Minh City to Hong Kong.

New 2014 Voyage Collection Brochure

Windstar also recently unveiled its expanded, 128-page 2014 Voyage Collection brochure, which features Star Pride’s inaugural season and over 25 exciting itineraries.

More info: call 0207 292 2387 or visit WindstarCruises.com.

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Expedition Amazon With Hapag-Lloyd

Anyone looking to experience the amazing Amazion River in true expedition style should give serious consideration to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and their adventuring duo Bremen and Hanseatic.

Their small size means the ships can travel a particularly long way upstream, giving passengers first-hand experience of the wonders of the Amazon both on board and during extensive Zodiac rides. The shallow draft of both vessels actually enables them to travel the more than 4,000km passage from the mouth of the Amazon in Belem to Peru and back.

A total of 12 robust Zodiacs await to carry the maximum 164 guests aboard the Bremen on numerous detours into the fascinating Amazonian environment while the slightly larger Hanseatic can carry 184 passengers and has 14 of these inflatable boats to take guests exploring. 

After Manaus, the Amazon narrows and flattens but both ships to continue on to Iquitos in peru. The constant proximity to the world’s largest tropical rainforest, the unusual flora and fauna and the indigenous cultures combine to make Hapag-Lloyd's Amazon cruises a true adventure.

Example cruise:

Bremen: Expedition Amazon from April 10-26, 2015 (16 nights) from Iquitos/Peru, in the Upper Amazon to Manaus; onward journey downstream from the Lower Amazon to Belem/Brazil, from £5,700 (per person, cruise only).

More info: call +49 40 3001-4580 (English-speaking hotline), email salesteam@hlkf.de or visit www.hl-cruises.com.

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Seabourn's Stellar Special Guest Line-Up On World Voyage

By Editor Simon Veness

Luxury specialists Seabourn Cruise Line have announced an impressive line-up of distinguished celebrities, guest entertainers and lecturers for Seabourn Sojourn's World Cruise next year, boosting the line’s “Seabourn Conversations” programme of onboard enrichment and special guest entertainment.

The featured guest speakers and celebrities include Tony Award-winning Broadway star Patti LuPone; former CIA operative Tony Mendez, whose heroic exploits inspired the Academy Award-winning film “Argo”; and Andrew Fairlie, Scotland’s only two-Michelin star chef. Sojourn’s 116-day world cruise begins on January 4 at Los Angeles and ends in Venice on May 1.

From historians and scientists to authors, destination and maritime experts, the exciting luminaries will share their stories, expert opinions and valuable insights to guests throughout the once-in-a-lifetime voyage. In addition, they will experience the journey along with guests, sharing meals, adventures ashore and casual chats throughout the voyage.

“Our guest speakers are as intriguing and worldly as the destinations we will visit during the world cruise,” said John Delaney, Seabourn’s senior vice president, marketing and sales. “Not only will they entertain and delight our guests with their talent, expertise and knowledge, they will also be a part of the daily social scene, enhancing our guests’ experience.”

In addition to the “Celebrity Conversations” with LuPone, Mendez and Fairlie, Seabourn Sojourn’s world cruise will feature “Arts Conversations” with David Smith, photographer and travel writer; “Culinary Conversations” with Dennis Conner, an American yachtsman and four-time America’s Cup winner; “Cultural & Destination Conversations” with Ronald Sampson, CBE, a former commander of the British Empire for Diplomatic Services; Dr. Thomas Lippman, journalist and author specialising in Middle East affairs; and “Current Affairs and History Conversations” with Ralf Vargas and Daniel Silke, foreign policy experts. A list of currently scheduled Seabourn Conversations guest speakers can be viewed here.

The fabulous 116-day cruise will visit 53 ports in 20 countries, encompassing destinations such as Hawaii, the South Pacific and Australia, Indonesia and South-east Asia, India, Arabia and the Mediterranean. Rates for the full cruise begin at £32,599 per person, based on two sharing a suite, including round-trip air and a host of other complimentary amenities. For guests who cannot sail the entire voyage, shorter voyages are available from 22 days, with cruise-only rates starting at £5,040 per person, based on double occupancy.

More info: call  0843 373 2000 or visit www.seabourn.co.uk.

 

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Costa's Viva Victoria!

Costa Cruises will unveil the new-look Costa Victoria next week when she departs from Singapore for her first cruise after an $18million dry-dock upgrade. 

Elegant and totally refurbished with new balconies, terraces and windows, Costa Victoria boasts an unmistakable style that marries traditional nautical elements with essential design, making this ship a refined and stylish work of art (according to the Costa designers). The Italy at Sea concept is translated in every detail of the upgraded ship, from the food to the bright colour tone and the tailored service, making the renewed ship a stronger testament to an authentic taste of Italian fashion.

With an emphasis on fine dining, Victoria will offer its passengers sumptuous meals inspired by a true taste of La Dolce Vita. The ship has several new dining experiences, from a Buffet terrace where passengers can dine al fresco to the relaxed Pizza and Noodle area, which will provide a cosy hangout for family time. There’s even a traditional midnight buffet to be enjoyed after sampling the extensive selection of evening entertainment. 

The boutique shopping area has also been treated to a deluxe upgrade, to ensure those perusing the latest international fashions have the upscale shopping experience they deserve.

With almost all of the ship’s interiors re-styled in a contemporary European flair with the intricate use of colours, ingredients and textures, the new Costa Victoria promises to have all the trappings of an international fashion cruise of the utmost quality.

More info: call 0800 389 0622 or visit www.costacruises.co.uk. 

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MSC's Artisanal Partnerships At Sea

Ahead of MSC Divina’s upcoming full-time move to Miami and her Caribbean cruise offerings, MSC Cruises has announced a series of exclusive partnerships with some of the world’s most popular food and beverage companies.

Guests will be able to take their pick from an array of fine 'extras' aboard the line's flagship, and enjoy additional high quality tastes and delicacies.

Taste the smoothest coffee at sea

To start the day in style, MSC has partnered with Segafredo Zanetti, widely considered the best gourmet coffee brand both in Italy and worldwide. The official coffee for all 12 ships in the company’s state-of-the-art fleet, the partnership will be taken to even greater heights on board MSC Divina, whose Caffè Italia will boast beautiful Segafredo branding, showcasing the best of the brand and its intriguing history.

A fresh caress of artisanal gelato

Joining forces with masters of Italian confectionery Venchi, MSC is also bringing the very best in artisanal gelato to MSC Divina’s travellers.

Venchi has been making to-die-for desserts since 1878 and owes much of its success to the use of 100 per cent natural ingredients and exclusive recipes. Divina will boast a beautifully branded Venchi Gelateria next to the main pool area, where guests of all ages will enjoy a gelato menu of classic favourites and innovative new flavours to match each season.

And stylish dining options

MSC Divina will feature the 30-seat evening-only upscale Ristorante Italia, offering an ultra-high-quality ‘table d’hôte’ menu every night, and spectacular 115-seat regional alternative, Eataly Steakhouse, fashioned after the famed Eataly steakhouse in Manhattan.

A boutique Eataly marketplace will also be available for guests to purchase authentic Italian products, including olive oils, dried pastas, artisanal sweets and aged balsamics.

 

More info: call MSC Cruises in the UK on 0844 561 1955 or visit www.msccruises.co.uk.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this year - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link!

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