Food Network at Sea

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FoodNetworkAtSea

Okay, it doesn’t get much better than this for food AND cruise lovers…..

Celebrity Solstice will sail on August 22, 2010 roundtrip out of Ft. Lauderdale with the Food Network At Sea Featuring Iron Chef Cat Cora and Chef Aarón Sánchez from Chefs vs. City.

MIAMI, June 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Celebrity Cruises has long been recognized for offering award-winning cuisine, and in August, the brand will pair the top-rated megaship, Celebrity Solstice, with invitation-only events sponsored by Food Network and designed for culinary enthusiasts, through the first “Food Network at Sea” program.

The Solstice will sail to San Juan, St. Thomas and St. Maarten.  I personally have been aboard this ship, it’s beautiful!!  Guests who purchase the special cruise package also will have the opportunity to enjoy the following:

  • VIP pierside check-in
  • Red carpet “welcome aboard” reception
  • “Battle of the Celebrity Solstice Chefs” competition event
  • “Dine-around” experience featuring samplings of favorite Food Network recipes
  • Access to the Food Network VIP Lounge and screening room
  • Caribbean cocktails on Celebrity Solstice’s Lawn Club
  • Pre-paid gratuities and special turndown gifts

Let’s hope this is a hit, I would LOVE to do this someday!

Foodies, Fun News from Celebrity Cruise Lines

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MidnightBuffet

Celebrity Cruise Line is offering a way to visit behind the scenes with the master chefs.  Introducing the Savor series, designed by award-winning chef, and Celebrity’s Vice President of Culinary Operations Jacques Van Staden. It’s your chance team up with master chefs on the cutting boards, explore the “Art of Food and Wine Pairing” or expand your palate during the “Riedel Comparative Wine Workshop” designed in partnership with Riedel® Crystal.  Here is a peek at what they offer on board, how much fun does this sound??  I found all of this great info on www.celebritycruises.com .  Some of these classes are complimentary and some have a fee.  Enjoy browsing 🙂

FOOD AS ART

The Heartbeat of the Operation: Meet our chefs, and learn how they prepare your favorite dishes in this behind-the-scenes look at our culinary playground

A Taste of Equinox:  Join our Specialty Restaurant chefs as they demonstrate their interpretations of world cuisine

Star Chefs Cooking Competition:  Watch 2 of our chefs battle it out for shipboard supremacy – at least for the day

Global Flavors:  Our Executive Chef prepares some of his favorite dishes in a light-hearted cooking demonstration

Signature Series

Mixology 101:  Watch and learn the secrets to a perfect Mojito and other popular Celebrity cocktails

Molecular Mixology with the Liquid Chef:  Experience the new trend of “chef-inspired” bartending

Jameson Whiskey Tasting: Join our Whiskey Professor in learning about and tasting the nuances of Irish whiskey

Master of Malts from the Macallan:  Learn the fine art of Scotch production, flavor profiles, aromas and styles from Macallan Master Blenders

Small Batch Bourbon Tasting:  Taste our exclusive collection of Kentucky bourbons, and learn the history behind this classic American whiskey

Celebrity Vineyards

Celebrity’s Wine Appreciation 101: Join our Cellarmaster and Foodie to learn, taste and compare several wine varietals and styles

Celebrity’s World Wine Tour & Silent Auction:  Treat your palate to a global wine tour, and place a bid in our wine auction, hosted by our ships’ Sommeliers

Riedel Comparative Wine Crystal Workshop:  Discover the difference the shape and quality a Riedel glass makes to the enjoyment of fine wine

The Art of Food and Wine Pairing:  Learn the answers to your food and wine pairing questions in this educational workshop hosted by our Cellarmaster

Cruising to Bermuda

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Wow! What a gorgeous island. My new husband and I just took our honeymoon to New York City followed by a 7 night cruise to Bermuda where we spent 3 full days. A little different than we are used to, no changing ports each day. It gave us an opportunity to explore the island a little more. The water is absolutely breathtaking, so blue!! On our first day we did an excursion that involved snorkeling in the Bermuda Triangle. I’m scared fish, so my poor husband had a clingy snorkel partner. The second day we toured the Crystal and Fantasy Caves. What an interesting find in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. Horseshoe Bay Beach and Gibbs Hill Lighthouse on the 3rd day wrapped up our stay in Bermuda. Our ship was our hotel the entire time we were there, which meant no packing and unpacking, yeah!!! We finished each evening on board with Norwegian’s entertainment. A production of Bollywood was definitely a highlight and a favorite of both Jason and mine. We sailed on the Norwegian Dawn and had a fabulous time. Lots of BBCs and Bushwackers 🙂 Thanks to our Honeyfund users we enjoyed lots of cake, champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, canapes, cheese and fruit tray all delivered to our stateroom. Ah the perks of a honeymoon. I would absolutely sail Norwegian Cruise Line again, hopefully on the new ship, the Epic.

River Cruising

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River cruises are increasing in popularity as a unique option for those who enjoy ships but want to explore further inland.   Think about it!  A  river cruise  is one of the best ways I know to explore the inland, visiting cities, towns and villages that traditional big ships can’t access.  Europe, China, Brazil, Egypt and Russia all have incredible itineraries that visit amazing places.  As with big ships, your hotel goes with you and you don’t have that packing/unpacking dilemma.  River cruising is a little different from big ship cruising in that you won’t find all the big-ship features such as casinos, kids clubs, multi-level sun decks and large theaters, the real difference between a riverboat and a cruise ship experience is the intense emphasis on the places you visit. River itineraries in Europe, for example, feature a nice mix of sophisticated cities like Paris, Vienna,  Budapest and Amsterdam as well as charming and picturesque small towns and villages like the Rhone’s Chablis, the Danube’s Durnstein and the Rhine’s Cochem.   The shore excursions are almost always included in the cruise fare, not usually the case with a large cruise ship sailing.

Here is a list of some of the well known river cruise lines:

– Avalon Waterways

– Uniworld

– Viking

– AMA Waterways

Castles, cathedrals, bustling marketplaces, charming squares, ancient myths, spiritual wonders, a pagoda with golden dragons, rain forests and exotic wildlife are just some of the things to experience up close and personal on a river cruise of a lifetime.  Time to revisit the bucket list 🙂

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