Good wine is now available on all cruise ships.
In order to attract more sophisticated travelers, the cruise ships upgraded the dining experiences they offered their passengers a few years ago. Since good food and wine go hand-in-hand, expanded wine cellars, professional tastings, and multiple-course dinners with food-and-wine pairings weren’t far behind.
Today, you can drink as well at sea as you can on dry land. Many of the luxury cruises include good wine in the cruise fare. In addition to on-board tastings and seminars, many voyages include vineyard visits and tastings in some of the world’s top wine regions. And most ships have at least one wine bar where you can enjoy new and classic wines by the glass.
Here’s our list of the Top 10 Cruise Ships for Wine Lovers:
1) Avalon Scenery
Those who want to learn more about French wines should opt for a European river cruise on Avalon Scenery. Their Burgundy & Provence itinerary travels through the vineyards of the Saone and Rhone River valleys and offers plenty of opportunities to sample great wines. Cruisers visit a cave in Beaune, and sample Burgundy, Beaujolais, and Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines both on and off the ship. An on-board expert conducts seminars, and food-and-wine pairings enhance the experience.
2) Azamara Journey
Complimentary red and white wines chosen from the 8,000-bottle wine cellar are served at lunch and dinner. Reserve wines are available from an extensive wine list featuring selections from all over the world. The specialty restaurant, Prime C, has a glassed-in wine cellar with seating for 12 where tastings and seminars are held.
The Adam Tihany wine tower on Celebrity Solstice
3) Celebrity Solstice
With more than 500 selections and a cellar that stocks over 10,000 bottles, Celebrity Solstice is a wine-lover’s dream. The staff of 23 USSA-certified Sommeliers will help you choose the perfect wine to complement your meal. And the Enomatic system in the Cellar Masters Wine Bar lets passengers pour their own wines by the glass. The Wine Experience includes classes, a comparative tasting using Reidel glasses, and a Connoisseur’s dinner that pairs five wines with food courses. Taste of the Vineyard packages run from $129 to $191.25 per person. The Adam Tihany-designed glass wine tower in the dining room is a thing of beauty.
4) Crystal Serenity
Crystal offers 16 food and wine cruises a year, and if you’re serious about wine, they’re a great way to learn more and to taste wines you may not have encountered before. The Crystal’s wine list has more than 230 selections with 20,000 bottles in the cellar. The Reserve wine list even includes a 1959 Chateau Lafite Rothschild. In the Vintage Room, up to 12 guests can gather for an evening of wine appreciation. With the assistance of the Head Sommelier, you can select an array of wines to taste and the Executive Chef will prepare dishes to match.
5) MSC Poesia
The Italian cruise line, MSC Cruises, is a great choice for lovers of Italian wines. They offer dozens of wines from Italy, including the highly rated Barbera d’Asti Cremosini and Barbaresco Mantico in their bars and restaurants. Salumi, cheeses, and other antipasto items are also served in Grappolo d’Oro, the attractive wine bar. Their wine packages, especially those that include their house wines, are some of the most affordable on any cruise ship. MSC also offers several food and wine-themed cruises.
6) Oceania Marina
Oceania partnered with Wine Spectator Magazine to create the 24-seat La Reserve, a top-deck venue where a seven-course tasting menu was designed to complement fine wines selected by Wine Spectator experts. Wine tastings and educational seminars will also be featured in the space which opens onto a patio with sweeping views. The editors of the magazine also helped create the wine list and chose the selections offered in the main dining room. Marina’s maiden voyage is in January, 2011.
7) Seven Seas Voyager
Complimentary wines served at lunch and dinner might include Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse, St. Armand Macon Villages, Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc, Chateauneuf du Pape Grenache Syrah and Mourvedre, Spy Valley Pinot Noir, and St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon. Premium wines selected by Regent sommeliers are top of the line. Spotlight on Wine voyages include wine-focused shore excursions and on-board tastings. And five-course wine connoisseur dinners are offered on most voyages.
8) Seabourn Odyssey
Seabourn includes good quality wines such as R.H. Phillips Chardonnay and Domaine St. George Cabernet Sauvignon with lunch and dinner and offers packages for those who want to enjoy reserve wines with their meals. Passengers who purchase the Silver Package for $225 can choose three bottles from a list of six reds, six whites, and a dessert wine. The Gold Package runs $450 and includes four bottles chosen from a deeper list. The wine list features more than 200 wines from all over the world. Prices range from reasonable to fairly extravagant. Tastings of reserve wines usually take place during the cruise. Space is limited so make reservations as soon as you board. Several shore excursions include visits to wineries and vineyards.
9) Sea Dream Yacht Club I
Sea Dream includes freely flowing wine and Champagne throughout the cruise. The Sea Dream Sommeliers have also chosen classic vintages and boutique wines which are available for purchase. One of the most popular features of these cruises is the Champagne and Caviar Splash, which is usually held on a deserted island.
10) Silversea Silver Spirit
Complimentary wines served at lunch and dinner aboard Silver Spirit include Domaine Bastide Cote du Rhone and Hugel Gentil. Reds on the Connoisseur’s list lean heavily toward France and Napa and are in the $200 – $250 range. The whites are mostly French and run from $45 – $180. The Wine Restaurant by Relais & Chateaux, called La Champagne, serves a six-course tasting menu with food chosen to complement wines from the world’s most celebrated regions. The Degustation Dining option includes five premium wines for $200 per person.
Read about the Top 10 Cruise Ships for Food Lovers here.
Good wine is now available on all cruise ships Image Flickr: Mr. T in DC
The Adam Tihany wine tower on Celebrity Solstice Image Flickr: Tom Mascardo 1