Jilly Goolden Joins Fred. Olsen's Vistas programme

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is delighted to announce that wine expert Jilly Goolden (above) will be joining a Balmoral cruise to Iberia in 2012, hosting a theme of ‘Wines of Iberia’ as part of its cruise enhancement programme, Vistas. The 10-night cruise departs from Southampton on October 3, 2012, and visits Lisbon and Portimao (both Portugal), then Casablanca (Morocco), Cadiz, and La Coruna (both Spain), before returning to Southampton.

Goolden will host wine-tastings and give talks during the cruise, specialising in wines from the region, so the theme dovetails perfectly with the very attractive cruise itinerary.

Prices for this cruise start from £1,049 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin cabin, Grade ‘I’. The price includes all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes. There is no charge for attending Jilly’s talks, as part of the Vistas programme, but there may be a small charge for wines used in tastings.

For more details, visit www.fredolsencruises.com or contact the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

Wine tasting excellence from $29 per person

Royal Caribbean International is launching a series of beverage programmes to on-board wine aficionados through an exclusive new partnership with renowned French winemaker Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite). The programme debuted in December aboard Allure of the Seas, and will be deployed fleet-wide by the end of March. The hour-long Lafite Wine Experience features a tasting of four wines from the winemaker’s Reserve Speciale series and is available to guests from just $29 per person.

Guests will sample four Reserve Speciale wines, beginning with Reserve Speciale Bordeaux Blanc and Rouge, progressing to Reserve Speciale Medoc, and finally culminating in Reserve Speciale Pauillac. Led by a Royal Caribbean International Cellar Master, the Lafite Wine Experience aims to expand guests’ understanding of several of the growing regions in Bordeaux and how its soil cultivates the grapes and elevates the wines’ bouquet. Along the way, guests will learn the perfect food pairings and be able to purchase a special two-bottle gift set to take home in addition to the information kit they will receive during the programme.

The Lafite Wine Experience may be booked on-board or in advance through www.RoyalCaribbean.com/PreCruisePlanner.

Have A Top Tipple With Royal Caribbean!

Royal Caribbean is launching a series of beverage programmes to onboard wine aficionados through an exclusive new partnership with renowned French winemaker Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite). The programme debuted in December aboard Allure of the Seas and will be deployed fleet-wide by the end of March this year. The hour-long Lafite Wine Experience features a tasting of four wines from the winemaker’s Reserve Speciale series and is available to guests for $29 per person.

"Royal Caribbean continues to expand our extensive range of food and beverage offerings through enrichment programmes such as the Lafite Wine Experience,” said Frank Weber, vice president of Food and Beverage Operations. “This robust wine experience provides even the most novice wine drinkers the opportunity to refine their palate and discover the fine nuances of one of the world’s most renowned vintners.”

Guests will sample four Reserve Speciale wines, beginning with Reserve Speciale Bordeaux Blanc and Rouge, progressing to Reserve Speciale Medoc, and finally culminating in Reserve Speciale Pauillac (pictured). Led by a Royal Caribbean Cellar Master, the Lafite Wine Experience aims to expand guests’ understanding of several of the growing regions in Bordeaux and how its soil cultivates the grapes and elevates the wines’ bouquet. Along the way, guests will learn the perfect food pairings and be able to purchase a special two-bottle gift set to take home in addition to the information kit they will receive during the programme.

The Lafite Wine Experience may be booked on-board or in advance through www.RoyalCaribbean.com/PreCruisePlanner.

Domaine Barons de Rothschild owns and manage wineries around the world including: Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Rieussec, Chateau Duhart-Milon, and Chateau l’Evangile in Bordeaux; Vina Los Vascos in Chile; Bodegas Caro in Argentina and Chateau d’Aussieres in Languedoc.

Celebrity Wine Cruise

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Guests onboard a Celebrity cruise departing between 1 November and 11 December 2010 will have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of exclusive wine-related events including the cruise line's second annual onboard Wine Harvest Celebration.

Highlights of this special onboard event include an emphasis on French food, wine and spirits, all presented in partnership with the French Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and available on Celebrity's ships from November 1.

Celebrity Cruises will reprise its 2009 industry-first unveiling of Beaujolais Nouveau across the fleet on 18 November (19 November on Celebrity Century). Hosted by a guest speaker and Celebrity's own Cellar Master, the event will offer guests the opportunity to sip the eagerly-anticipated light wine from oak casks and commemorative bottles, while enjoying live music and dancing, canapés, gourmet French cheese and a roast carving station.

Throughout the course of the celebration, a "Celebrity Wine Harvest Exhibition" will be open to all guests on embarkation day. Hosted by certified sommeliers, it features a complimentary glass of house wine, canapés and hors d'oeuvres, and an overview of the varied wine experiences and packages available for guests, paired with the opportunity to make reservations for limited-capacity events.

The Wine Harvest Celebration will be offered on nine of Celebrity's 10 ships; Celebrity Xpedition, the 92-guest mega-yacht sailing year-round in the Galapagos Islands, will not offer these activities.

For more information, see http://www.celebritycruises.co.uk/

Vintage Cruising

By guest blogger Steve Newman.

Fine wines and elegant dining have always been part of the cruising experience but now Oceania have taken that tradition a step further with their new luxury ship Marina due to launch in January next year.

Teaming up with Wine Spectator magazine the company have incorporated into the design a specially designed wine tasting centre where guests can sample some of the world's finest vintages as chosen by the magazine's connoisseur experts.

Quaffing wines from the region where you are anchored does sound eminently appealing, plus the lectures given on the production, history and ethos of the wines should ensure you enjoy them that much more - and help get the tastebuds into top gear.

It doesn't stop there either as Oceania have set up seven-course (yes, 7!) tasting menus to help you appreciate the wines that much more, while the magazine's editors will also recommend reds and whites to accompany the evening menus.

As with all Oceania's cruises, there are ample choices when it comes to dining areas, - it's something they are renowned for.

So, if sipping one of those unique red wines from Ajaccio, watching the sunset bathe the Corsican hillside in that beautiful orange light, or raising a glass of Bianco D'Alcamo as you sail gently pass Sicily appeals, then why not find out more?

The only trouble I can see is that it's not the cruise line but the waistline that's going to be the problem. Great, isn't it!