Nothing enhances travel quite like cuisine – and there are few better opportunities to discover so many new gourmet experiences than while on a cruise. Smells can transport us across the globe in an instant, while new flavours can enshrine special moments in our memories. Understanding the potential of taste to enhance our travels, Regents Seven Seas Cruises aims to take its guests on not just a physical journey, but also on a voyage of epicurean perfection.

More akin to floating five-star hotels than traditional cruise ships, each of the six vessels within the Regent fleet boasts a collection of on-board dining options, offering everything from fine dining to casual, come-as-you-are eating spots. Best of all, the cruise line’s promise of ‘The All-Inclusive Regent Experience’ means that you can choose any dish at any restaurant and you won’t pay a penny extra. The same goes for drinks; opt for premium wines and major-label spirits for no additional cost.

Of course, the magic of cruising is getting to see different parts of the world during the same trip. Regent travels to more than 500 ports of call, and, through an extensive programme of on-shore epicurean experiences, ensures that your culinary journey doesn’t have to pause when you step on dry land.

Here’s how Regent Seven Seas Cruises is helping its guests savour every single journey…

On-board Dining

Each of Regent’s six ships has been designed to cater to every culinary whim and every dietary requirement. The flagship restaurant on each ship is the Compass Rose, which boasts a menu that changes daily and which provides guests with the option of designing their own entrée from a list of preferred sides, sauces, pastas, fish and meats. Fans of classic French fare will no doubt be drawn to the Chartreuse restaurant, which aims to evoke memories of a chic Parisian fine dining restaurant.

On-board steakhouse, Prime 7, caters to meat lovers, with cuts of USDA Prime and Dry-Aged beef; while over at atmospheric Pacific Rim, the culinary traditions of Asia are explored within beautiful and intricate surroundings. Chances are that sometimes you’ll want to keep things casual, which is where the buffet-style La Veranda and informal Pool Grill come in. For lunch, it’s salad bars, gourmet sandwiches, hot carving stations and delicious desserts at the former; and grilled-to-order burgers, seafood and sandwiches at the latter.

On-shore Experiences

Ranging across every destination to which Regent Seven Seas Cruises travels, its shore-side culinary experiences are designed to help you explore historic markets, sample local food, try new drinks, and even have you learn traditional cooking methods. Specially-crafted small-group experiences, some of which are led by the fleet’s own chefs, invite you to discover vibrant food districts, sample world-class restaurants, and gain a new understanding of how culture and culinary traditions collide.

Visitors to the south of France, for example, can choose to partake in a chef-led tour of Nice market followed by a lunch at Chateau Eza near Monte Carlo. At Bilbao, Spain, a trip to a local market will be followed by a tapas lunch back on board. Guests travelling further afield can look forward to a farm expedition in Belize and a bean-to-bar lunch in St. Lucia. There are paella lunches in Valencia; foraging trips in Málaga; volcanic wine tastings in Sicily; and pesto workshops in Portofino.

On-board Epicurean Experiences

The on-board culinary experience opportunities don’t stop with a visit to one of Regent’s many restaurants. Satisfy your inner gourmand with hands-on cooking classes, demonstrations and kitchen tours. Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Enrichment, Kathryn Kelly, has travelled the world, tasting and exploring many different cuisines and the cultures that create them. Her experience and expertise make her a natural fit to develop the culinary curriculum aboard Seven Seas Grandeur™, Seven Seas Splendor®, and Seven Seas Explorer®.

The cruise line’s Regent Enrichment programme helps guests explore their interest in culinary arts, as well as other things, through classes, guest speakers and other special engagements. Chefs lead workshops, while speakers provide insight into a number of food and drink topics. Elsewhere, Epicurean Tasting sessions invite you to expand your palate and explore new wines, spirits and more with the masterful guidance of the company’s sommeliers and mixologists.

Of course, there will be times when you’d prefer to dine in the comfort of your own suite, which is why Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ room service team works around the clock. Select from an extensive room-service menu and, during normal dining hours, from the Compass Rose menu, too.

Given that 98 per cent of the fleet’s suites have their own balconies, you’ll be able to create your own al fresco dining experience. Bon appétit!

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