Culinary Artistry – Barcelona to Rome...Cooking Vacations...Culinary Getaways...Cooking Classes!
Culinary Artistry – Barcelona to Rome
1-800-405-0313
A Mediterranean Culinary Adventure with Chef Jacques Pepin
11 days | 10 nights
Pricing: $5,998
Saturday, May 12, 2012 - Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Package includes:
- 10 Nights, Marina - Veranda Stateroom - For One (Dbl Occ)
- Free Round-Trip Economy Airfare Included!
- Seven-Course La Reserve Wine Tasting Dinner
- Bon Appetit Culinary Center
- Excursion to Sorrento with Hands-On Cooking Class
- Optional Spa Services – Canyon Ranch Spa Club
- Day 1: Barcelona, Spain
- Day 2: Sanary Sur Mer, France
- Day 3: Marseille, France
- Day 4: Saint Tropez, France
- Day 5: Monte Carlo, Monaco
- Day 6: Portofino, Italy
- Day 7/8: Florence/Pisa/Tuscany
- Day 9: Amalfi/Positano
- Day 10: Sorrento/Capri, Italy (Included in Your Cruise Package)
- Day 11: Rome, Italy
A Mediterranean Culinary Adventure with Chef Jacques Pepin - Barcelona to Rome
Sail with us onboard Oceania’s Marina as we travel over the cerulean waters of the Mediterranean to exotic ports of call. Five star a-la-minute dining, presented by gifted chefs, is quite frankly, the best at sea, all available in six distinctive gourmet restaurants at no additional charge. Cook in the first Cooking School at sea sponsored by Bon Appetit, under master chefs. Gain appreciation for the pleasures of food and wine pairing at a private dinner at La Reserve, by Wine Spectator. Go ashore with your chef to buy fresh ingredients in the markets which you will turn into wonderful creations. Attend an exclusive private class with the top cook book author in Europe. Unlike any other cruise, we provide, an exclusive Onboard Epitourean Concierge just for you. She will make your dining reservations and handle any concerns that you may have to make your cruise as perfect as it can be...you’ll never want to come home.
Marina - Veranda Stateroom - For One (Dbl Occ) map
As its name implies, Veranda Staterooms feature a private veranda, our most popular luxury. Besides offering an abundance of space, this wonderful outdoor area is comfortably furnished to enhance the experience of watching the ever-changing panoramas. Each of these remarkably plush 282-square-foot staterooms contains a wealth of conveniences including a marble and granite-clad bathroom with shower and separate tub, refrigerated mini-bar, vanity desk, breakfast table and choice of a queen-size or two twin beds. Never before have accommodations been so unusually spacious or contained such unrivaled attention to detail.
Free Round-Trip Economy Airfare Included!
Round-trip economy airfare from 21 primary gateway cities is included in your cruise package price. A small supplemental fee applies for 117 other cities. Gateway cities include: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston (IAH), Los Angeles, Miami, New York (JFK), Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa and Washington, DC (IAD). In addition, round-trip transfers from the airport to the pier are provided. We will co-ordinate your pick-up times with your flights.
Seven-Course La Reserve Wine Tasting Dinner
You will sample a flight of distinctive wines, hand-selected from the cellar that day, perhaps reflecting the area of the world where you are sailing or simply to highlight their unique characteristics. These will be expertly paired with a seven course meal served to you as one of only 24 bon vivants. On this epicurean cruise, we have selected an exclusive winery that will offer pairings thoughtfully matched with the exquisite gourmet cuisine being served during this special event.
Bon Appetit Culinary Center
Immerse yourself in the joys of cooking gourmet cuisine in Oceania Cruises' Bon Appétit Culinary Center. With 24 individual cooking stations, it is the world's only hands-on culinary studio at sea, a distinction that elevates the gourmand experience onboard Marina to a level of participation far beyond even the grandest expectations. Expert Master Chefs provide instruction in a professional kitchen atmosphere, helping to expand your knowledge and appreciation of local cuisines. To immerse you in the regional flavors of each destination, you will use fresh, locally purchased produce, meats and fish. Imagine accompanying the chefs while shopping for porcini mushrooms in a quaint village market, or selecting freshly caught seafood from local fishmongers along the waterfront. Your special cruise package includes several hands-on cooking experiences that will reflect the myriad cuisines of the Mediterranean.
Excursion to Sorrento with Hands-On Cooking Class
Your host will meet you in Positano where you will join your fellow students on a short excursion to Sorrento. Saint Agata is situated between two gulfs, a few kilometers from Sorrento high on a hill offering the best location for panoramic views. On one side the Gulf of Naples curves along the skyline, and on the other, the Gulf of Salerno stands between the sea and the horizon. Upon arrival, you are in for a wonderfully memorable adventure with Chef Carmen as she guides you through the creation of a multi-course meal. Ample work space in the teaching kitchen allows for direct hands-on instruction for each student. Of course, wine is provided to inspire your creativity. You may surprise yourself with how easy and fun it is to prepare a delicious, full-course Mediterranean meal. Afterward, take a seat in the Villa Oasi restaurant and enjoy the meal you helped create, tasting the antipasti, pasta, main course and dessert while you relax and take in the gorgeous view of the sea. A special guest will join the group toward the end of your class – Mama Agata and her daughter Chiara will personally sign their beautiful new hard bound cookbook that won Europe’s Cookbook of the Year Award for 2011.
Optional Spa Services – Canyon Ranch Spa Club
Discover a legendary spa experience aboard the Marina. Award-winning Canyon Ranch – with its family of destination health resorts, hotel, wellness communities and Spa Club facilities – has been the acknowledged world leader in healthy living expertise and a haven of luxury, comfort and warmth for 30 years. Experience the profound pleasures of Canyon Ranch in a spectacular setting. Enhance your voyage with indulgent services, enlightening presentations, nurturing wellness services and exercise classes that promote resilience, restore serenity and leave you feeling fantastic!
Day 1: Barcelona, Spain
Your complimentary Pre-Cruise Overnight Hotel. Hotels are world class and are selected for their superb location, ambiance, standards of service, cuisine and amenities. Also included is a free transfer from the hotel to the ship the next day. This is one of the Mediterranean’s busiest ports filled with surreal modern architecture set in contrast with the Gothic. The chefs here leave even the French grasping for superlatives! You must try the food; it’s memorable. (Excursions Available and Priced Separately)
Day 2: Sanary Sur Mer, France
A petite, carefree fishing village which has remained unchanged for years, filled with boutiques, boulangeries and cafes. Stop in for delicious pastries or seafood delicacies on your way to explore the historical sites that are everywhere. (Excursions Available and Priced Separately)
Day 3: Marseille, France
Visit historic old Marseille and perhaps the charming fishing village of Cassis, or you might want to venture into the countryside of Provence with its lavender fields and sunflowers to visit nearby Aix or Avignon and the village of Les Baux. Whatever you do, the food will be a big part: Seafood, bread, wine, cheese, and fresh vegetables...the aromas of the herbs as you pass through the villages. (Excursions Available and Priced Separately)
Day 4: Saint Tropez, France
Stop in at the harbor’s elegant boutiques before you head out to wander the lovely hilly countryside of Provence with its charming villages and narrow stepped streets, lovely churches and stunning views. Visit local wineries or try some lavender ice cream...yum! (Excursions Available and Priced Separately)
Day 5: Monte Carlo, Monaco
You may feel like James Bond as you step ashore in this glamorous port. Explore the wonderful casino he made famous and then the Old City. There are charming little villages along the Cote d’Azur each one so special. The food is just as delicious: why not stop for a bite? (Excursions Available and Priced Separately)
Day 6: Portofino, Italy
Pasta, pesto and prawns: the perfect trio. Enjoy them with a crisp white wine in a little café as you enjoy the stunning scenery. Very little will pry you from your chair overlooking this view of the harbor, even though there is a Castle and ancient church...There’s something about being seated just feet from the sea, sipping wine. (Excursions Available and Priced Separately)
Day 7/8: Florence/Pisa/Tuscany
Spend a glorious day amidst the fabled architecture of this Renaissance city. See the Duomo with Brunelleschi's dome, the famous baptistry, Michelangelo's magnificent David, the bridge over the Arno and the astonishing Uffizi Gallery. Visit Pisa's superb Campo dei Miracoli and its beautiful cathedral and famed campanile. Or enjoy the Tuscan countryside, Siena and San Gimignano, renowned for its medieval towers. (Excursions Available and Priced Separately)
Day 9: Amalfi/Positano
A plaque in the middle of town declares: “For those natives of Amalfi who are called to Paradise, Judgment Day will be just another day.” It is indeed the most interesting town on the coast, with trattorias and shops to visit. (Excursions Available and Priced Separately)
Day 10: Sorrento/Capri, Italy (Included in Your Cruise Package)
Savor the handmade pizza on Capri, or try the fresh seafood with pasta and superb wines in this beautiful port. There are stunning panoramas, villages, and charming piazzas for you to discover and perhaps find a lovely piece of artwork to bring back with you. Discover chic Positano with its relaxed, sophisticated air and white Moorish-style houses clinging to steep slopes around a sparkling bay filled with colorful fishing boats. You will be greeted by your host for the day as you travel by coach to Sorrento for your very special hands-on cooking class and gourmet lunch. There is an extra special treat in store for our culinary cruise guests as Mama Agata and Chiara personally sign their award-winning cookbook.
Day 11: Rome, Italy
Spend a day reveling in magnificent monuments, from the ancient Roman Forum and Coliseum to the splendor of St. Peter's Basilica with Michelangelo's Pietà and his breathtaking frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Or enjoy a drive through the lush farmlands of the Roman countryside to lovely medieval Castelgandolfo. (Excursions Available and Priced Separately)