Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest travel and leisure company operating nine cruise lines and over 100 cruise ships, continues to expand its world-class culinary experiences with more than 20 celebrity chefs and internationally-recognized culinary experts.
The corporation’s brands have recently announced several additions to its food and beverage partnerships and programs, with the expanded offerings building on the corporation’s extensive lineup of dining options that bring some of the world’s best culinary experiences to guests sailing on its nine cruise line brands.
As dining is an important and memorable part of the overall guest experience, Carnival Corporation’s brands offer a host of inspired restaurants and cuisine from around the world, and continue to innovate their offerings to deliver extraordinary dining experiences at sea to guests.
The latest example is the grand opening of Rudi’s Sel de Mer restaurant on Holland America Line’s newest ship, ms Nieuw Statendam, recently launched in December 2018. The cruise industry’s first French-inspired, seafood brasserie specialty restaurant serves a classic selection of French seafood dishes with a contemporary twist, created by Chef Rudi Sodamin – one of the hospitality industry’s most innovative chefs and chairman of Holland America’s Culinary Council, a game-changing collaboration of seven world-class chefs guiding the culinary offerings on board and sharing their specialty menu items in all dining venues.
Carnival Cruise Line recently introduced new dining concepts onboard Carnival Horizon, its newest ship launched in 2018, including Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse | Brewhouse with BBQ favorites created by Food Network star Guy Fieri and featuring four new craft beers brewed on board. The ship also features Bonsai Teppanyaki, the line’s first teppanyaki venue. And when the brand’s totally transformed Carnival Radiance debuts in 2020, it will be the first cruise ship to feature “Big Chicken,” a seagoing version of a new restaurant created by the line’s Chief Fun Officer, NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal. The menu will feature a variety of fried chicken sandwiches and fries, with flavors to match Shaq’s larger than life personality, all free of charge.
Princess Cruises, the world’s largest international premium cruise line, is setting a new standard for the best wine list in the cruise industry with a newly imagined wine menu, offering nearly 50 percent more selections than previously available for a total of 142 wines – the most extensive in the cruise line’s history, carefully selected in partnership with Master of Wine and Master Sommelier Doug Frost. The brand also recently revamped its six-course, fine-dining experience from award-winning Chef Curtis Stone at SHARE, with fresh menu offerings and new “Crafted by Curtis” dishes on the main dining room menu rolling out fleetwide.
Carnival Corporation’s Seabourn brand, the world’s finest ultra-luxury cruise line, announced in early January the introduction of Regiis Ova caviar on its fleet of five ships – an extension of Seabourn’s culinary partnership with Chef Thomas Keller through his new caviar company. The addition of the new caviar brand, set to take place across the Seabourn fleet during the first part of 2019, further elevates the brand’s sought-after caviar service, which is renowned throughout the luxury travel industry.
P&O Cruises (UK) announced that its newest ship, Iona, will debut in 2020 with a choice of 30 different bar and restaurant venues – the widest ever selection of places to eat and drink on a ship built exclusively for the British cruise holiday market. New innovative and flexible dining options include a “foodie” market offering cuisine from around the world, a new gastropub concept for the brand and a laid-back cocktail lounge. As part of the new approach to dining, Iona will exclusively offer Freedom Dining in all of its main restaurants, a first for P&O Cruises (UK) designed to give more flexibility to each and every guest. They can choose where and with whom they want to eat, and when they will sit down for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
For those who want to peer behind the curtain to see how the culinary magic happens, Carnival Corporation’s cruise line brands offer plenty of opportunities for guests to learn from legendary experts.
During Holland America Line’s 2019 Food & Beverage Aficionado Cruises, participants will have the opportunity to attend cooking, cocktail or wine demonstrations showcasing the talents of Culinary Council members and other experts from famed New York-based chef David Burke to sushi master Andy Matsuda.
Additionally, thanks to Holland America Line’s partnership with America’s Test Kitchen, guests can embrace their love of cooking alongside the experts during onboard cooking shows on every cruise, hosted by Holland America Line’s chefs. The brand recently announced five new shows starting in January 2019 – covering everything from tacos and takeout to dinner for two – that will join the 14 current shows and feature a mix of video, instruction and live recipe demonstrations.
In AIDA Cruises’ Tim Mälzer Cooking Studio on board AIDAprima and AIDAperla, adults and children can test out new tips and tricks to bring home. In the newly styled steakhouses named by the popular German TV chef, guests embark on a culinary journey: from Tim’s burger to his favorite cut or chocolate cake, there’s something for everyone.
P&O Cruises (UK) works with the brightest lights of the culinary scene to bring innovative, delicious menus and exclusive foodie experiences to its guests. Highlights include the brand’s carefully crafted Food Heroes experiences – gourmet experiences on shore and on board with iconic Chef Marco Pierre White, master pâtissier Eric Lanlard and award-winning wine expert Olly Smith. Guests can join the chefs on shore to explore a new destination through its culinary landscape, and meet the Food Heroes on board through master classes and hosted dinners on select sailings.
Princess Cruises also offers a culinary shore excursion program in collaboration with the number one food lifestyle brand, Bon Appétit, offering guests the opportunity to indulge in culinary experiences inspired by their surroundings while cruising to destinations around the globe. Guests can choose from 30 excursions to immerse themselves in local ingredients and cooking styles, as well as demonstrations and tastings from local chefs and personalities.
