The best culinary cruises to book in 2024
For many, food is the best part of traveland I can relate. I’ve taken cruises all over the world, and they’ve led to many culinary firsts for me: My first-ever lobster was on a Caribbean cruise when I was just a teenager, my first bite of reindeer came in a cozy bowl of chili during an Alaskan cruise, and my first (and last!) time eating escargot happened on a cruise in the Mediterranean. While these dishes were all parts of the all-inclusive menus on my cruises, I decided to kick things up a notch on the foodie scale by hopping on board the growing trend of special culinary cruises, which feature food and wine in a variety of special ways. These days, youll find the best cruises partnering with celebrity chefs, featuring specialty-dining venues and offering excursions filled with meals youll dream about long after you return home.
“I helped start the first culinary-themed cruises in the early ’90s when I began noticing interest, and today this concept is more popular than ever,” says Executive Chef Rudi Sodamin, head of culinary arts on Princess Cruises and Master Chef for the Holland America Line. “Experiential food and beverage experiences are often some of our most popular activities on board. It is my goal to surprise and delight guests while also educating them and meeting their every gastronomical desire.”
Getting hungry yet? Weve rounded up the best themed cruises for every type of foodiefrom seafood lovers and wine aficionados to fans of French, Italian and Spanish cuisine. Ive been on my fair share of these cruises, including a recent one to the Mediterranean, and trust me when I say these trips may just become your favorites of all time.
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