Cruising...for Foodies

Pricing Notes

Cost: Cruises are priced per cruise line/ship, itinerary (including length of voyage) and cabin type.
Tour de Forks is also available to plan pre and post cruise stays. Read our Terms & Conditions

As we've happily tasted our way through cities and towns, farms and fields and village markets, we've been looking out to sea. And we like what we see - and hear - about cruising today.

We're excited not with just the increased focus on cuisine and the variety of dining experiences - think an authentic French bistro created by world-famous chef Jacques Pepin - but with the top-notch cooking lessons and demonstrations in specially constructed state-of-the-art-studios.

High-profile guest chefs are onboard lending their delicious expertise and wine tastings and tutorials round things out. When in port, chefs shepherd guests on market visits to purchase fresh produce and shore excursions include cooking lessons in special venues. Take a look.

Cruising in 2012 In 2012, we will be expanding our offerings and our destinations will include the high seas and the rivers all over the world. We are researching the best cruise lines and special voyages to tempt you and provide you with a fit-for-a-foodie cruise experience. Below is a sampling of what some of the cruise lines are offering. Check back soon for more information, dates and itineraries. In the interim, if you can't wait to "go to sea" do contact us at foodiecruises@tourdeforks.com

Silversea Cruises– These all-suite vessels are intimate, elegant and the epitome of luxury. Silversea lays claim to an affiliation with the prestigious Relais & Chateaux L'Ecole des Chefs and offers a cooking school on selected voyages; its innovative curriculum celebrates the cultural flavor of the ship's itinerary. Additionally, Relais & Chateaux collaborates on a signature menu, La Collection du Monde (guests feast on dishes like roasted wild boar with porcini mushrooms and breast of pigeon slow-cooked with foie gras) and directs Le Champagne, an exclusive wine restaurant. They are very proud of their a partnership with Slow Food Promozione (an arm of Slow Food Italy) and that makes dining at its specialty Italian restaurant La Terrazza, well, special. Silversea and Slow Food work jointly at sourcing food products from around the world that meet the standards of Slow Food.

Regent Seven Seas – Guests on the luxurious ships of this Six-star level cruise line are delighted to discover Signatures, the only permanent Le Cordon Bleu restaurant on a cruise ship. Its chefs source and incorporate local and seasonal ingredients at every port of call. A cooking school program, the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu Class Culinaire

Oceania– Affordable luxury, a country-club casual atmosphere and an exquisite cuisine are the hallmarks of Oceania's ships. This food-focused cruise line boasts menus crafted by Jacques Pepin, the world-renowned master chef and Oceania's executive culinary director. Distinctive restaurants include the ship Marina's Jacques, an authentic French bistro, the first restaurant to ever bear the name of Chef Pepin. Classic dishes are deconstructed and ingeniously re-created. Coq au vin is beyond imagination and his steak frites pairs prime beef with the crisp sweetness of pommes de terre. An exciting and state-of-the-art culinary studio affiliated with Bon Appetit is equipped with 24 individual cooking stations (one guest per station) and Master Chefs deliver hands-on instruction with a focus on regional cusines.
Ask us about sailing on the Marina from Barcelona to Rome with Chef Jacques Pepin.
Delicious ports of call include Marseille, Saint-Tropez, Monte Carlo, Portofino, Livorno...and more. Guests will be treated to signature menus, engaging lectures and culinary demonstrations.
May 12-22, 2012

Crystal Cruises – Ever the gourmand cruise line, the ultra-luxurious ships of Crystal Cruises, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, offer a stimulating and indulgent environment. Menus have been specially created by renowned chefs Wolfgang Puck, Piero Selvaggio and Nobu Matsuhisa. Each year, Crystal operates a series of six culinary-themed cruises called Food & Wine Experiences of Discovery that include "Michelin Stars and Iron Chefs" the likes of NYC's Danny Meyer, the indomitable Beau McMillon and the recently knighted Master Chef Anton Mossiman.

On board, hands on instruction and culinary shore excursions reflect each itinerary's geographical region. Wine experts and mixologists provide wine tastings, pairing sessions and cocktail-making classes. A changing roster of culinary luminaries include food writer/personality Mark Bittman and Tour de Forks' associate Italian food expert Michele Scicolone enhance the cruising experience with engaging lectures.