Silversea's 2007 Culinary & Wine Voyages

I admit it: I love great food. My husband and I consider ourselves to be "discerning" (okay, maybe picky) when it comes to dining out. We enjoy trying new things and we cook at home quite a bit. To that end, it's always a learning experience when we can speak with a chef to pick up a few new tips and techniques. With Silversea's culinary and wine voyages, there are plenty of opportunities to meet well-known guest chefs in 2007.

Six culinary sailings are currently slated for the year. On each sailing, a guest chef will be on hand for a series of cooking demonstrations. In addition, these Culinary Arts enrichment voyages included a five-course “grand” gourmet dinner, regional specialties throughout the cruise, special food and wine pairings, and an escorted trip to local markets. During your cruise, the guest chef and Silversea’s own executive chef will be available for informal question and answer sessions.

For travelers who are more interested in wine than food, consider the Wine Series. You’ll visit renown wineries and sample some of the finest vintages available. Special lectures by guest speakers are scheduled, as are a variety of wine tastings.

These special voyages are listed below:

CULINARY ARTS

Silver Whisper's 9-day Famous Fortresses cruise from Nice to Athens, May 28 - June 6, 2007 (Voyage 4718). Guest Chef: Anne Desjardins, L'Eau à La Bouche, Ste-Adèle, Quebec. Silver Sailing fares start at $4,557 per person.

Silver Whisper's 6-day Bon Vivant Collection voyage from Barcelona to Rome, June 30 - July 6, 2007 (Voyage 4722). Guest Chef: Cal Stamenov, Marinus at Bernardus Lodge, Carmel Valley, California. Early Booking Incentive fares start at $4,330 per person.

Silver Cloud's special 7-day Privileged Passage from Athens to Istanbul, July 13 - 20, 2007 (Voyage 1718). Guest Chef: Paisarn Cheewinsiriwat, Chiva-Som luxury health resort, Thailand. Early Booking Incentive fares start at $5,350 per person.

Silver Whisper's 7-day Realms of Myth and Legend cruise from Athens to Venice, August 3 - 10, 2007 (Voyage 4727). Guest Chef: Gale Gand, Tru, Chicago, Illinois. Early Booking Incentive fares start at $5,036 per person.

Silver Whisper's 7-day Timeless Treasures cruise from Venice to Rome, August 10 - 17, 2007 (Voyage 4728). Guest Chef: Renato Piccolotto, Hotel Cipriani, Venice, Italy. Early Booking Incentive fares start at $5,036 per person.

Silver Shadow's 7-day Realm of the Romanovs IV cruise from Copenhagen to Stockholm, August 11 - 18, 2007 (Voyage 3720). Guest Chef: Jean-Paul Bondoux, La Bourgogne, Punta del Este, Uruguay and Restaurant Jean-Paul Bondoux, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Early Booking Incentive fares start at $5,485 per person.


WINE SERIES

Silver Whisper's 9-day Mediterranean Collection voyage from Athens to Monte Carlo, May 2 - 11, 2007 (Voyage 4713). Hosted by David Elswood, International Head for Christie's Wine Department. Early Booking Incentive fares start at $6,115 per person.

Silver Cloud's 10-day Landscapes and Legacies cruise from Venice to Nice, July 30 - August 9, 2007 (Voyage 1720). Hosted by Bellavista Winery of Franciacorta (Lombardy), Italy. Early Booking Incentive fares start at $7,036 per person.

Silver Whisper's 7-day Prestige and Traditions cruise from Barcelona to Monte Carlo, September 14 - 21, 2007 (Voyage 4733). Hosted by Virginie Coutou, General Manager of Diva Wines, Madrid, Spain. Early Booking Incentive fares start at $4,925 per person.

Silver Wind's 8-day South American Sojourn from Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires, November 27 - December 5, 2007 (Voyage 2732). Hosted by Eduardo Pulenta, Jr., Export Manager of Pulenta Estate, Mendoza, Argentina. Early Booking Incentive fares start at $4,670 per person.

Silver Cloud's 11-day African Odyssey from Port Louis to Cape Town, December 11 - 22, 2007 (Voyage 1734). Hosted by Duimpie Bayley, South African wine expert. Silver Sailing fares start at $4,286 per person.

For more information, visit Silversea's website.