Flavours for Foodies: A Culinary Guide to European River Cruises
经过丹妮丝·凯亚佐(Denise Caiazzo)/
甜,酸,咸,苦,咸。客人将在欧洲河流巡游中找到所有经过精心策划和准备的烹饪口味。食物,葡萄酒,烈酒 - 以及当地文化对那些可口的区域口味的影响 - 都是体验不可或缺的一部分,同时是欧洲著名的河流。
At ASTA’s 2022 Global River Cruise Expo in Budapest in March, most of the river cruise brands had ships lined up along the banks of the Danube, open for inspections by travel advisors and to sample lunches and dinners onboard. Overall, participants we spoke to at the event were delighted with the cuisine and the service.
All of the major river cruise lines tout meals prepared with local ingredients that reflect the authentic tastes of the regions through which they sail. Beyond that commonality, there are some notable differences. Here is an overview of the culinary offerings on European river cruises, both onboard and during excursions.
Amadeus River Cruises
One of the culinary highlights on Amadeus is the line’s fresh-baked bread, according to a spokesperson. “Every morning, before dawn breaks the horizon, bakers all over Europe begin their day by preparing bread dough and honoring age-old traditions that have been distinctly tied to their region’s heritage for centuries. Bauernbrot. Kaiser rolls. Pumpernickel. Croissant. Brioche. These recipes have been passed from generation to generation, and over the years, very little has changed. Onboard every Amadeus river cruise ship, our bakers are hard at work doing exactly the same … representingourEuropean heritage, customs, and culture.”
Onboard meals are mainly taken in the elegant Panorama-Restaurant, including an impressive breakfast, a lunchtime buffet, and a fine-dining, 5-course evening menu. An alternative light lunch is also offered in the Amadeus Salon. Of note is Café Vienna, daily turning out scrumptious homemade cakes, tarts, and imaginative desserts in a traditional Austrian style. Would you expect anything less from a river cruise line with a patisserie onboard?
During optional shore excursions, Amadeus offers tastings of regional cheeses, wines, chocolates, and beers; as well as seasonal samplings such as gingerbread, gluhwein, or almond cookies during Advent/Christmas.
厨师指导的市场冒险也建议冒险。“我们认为了解目的地是体验他们的美食如何购物,如何准备和食用以及如何启发。”“加入Amadeus厨师,在某些港口中对当地农贸市场进行唯一的访问。了解选择合适的产品和生产的重要性新见解,并为某些专业品尝样品品尝。”目前提供了这些厨师指导的经验:阿姆斯特丹Dappermarkt,Vienna Maschmarkt,Nurnberg Hauptmarkt,Budapest Markthalle,Cologne Senf(Mustard)博物馆,Cochem Senf(Cochem Senf(Mustard)Museum,Bernkastel Sausage Walk和Regensburg Sausburg Sausage Walk。
AmaWaterways
A standout feature of the dining experience on AmaWaterways is The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant featuring a multi-course tasting menu. During this intimate, gastronomic experience, guests have the opportunity to join together with fellow epicurean travelers to observe the chef cooking in an exhibition kitchen. Private and secluded from the rest of the ship, dining at The Chef’s Table requires no additional cost, only a reservation.
A multi-course, fine-dining menu is also served every night in the main dining room, while lighter meals are available from the Bistro and Tapas menus offered in the lounge. Exclusive to the revolutionary AmaMagna are two additional dining venues: Al Fresco Restaurant, featuring vegetable-forward dishes enjoyed along with spectacular views of the Danube; and Jimmy’s, a relaxed, family-style restaurant.
“We pride ourselves in offering authentic and personalized culinary experiences that immerse our guests in the flavours and culture of the destinations we sail through,” said Rudi Schreiner, co-founder and president of AmaWaterways.“我的妻子克里斯汀岩溶- AmaWaterway的创立者之一s with me in 2002 – and I both originate from Europe and collaborate personally with our dynamic Culinary Director Robert Kellerhals to evolve our exceptional dining experiences incorporating healthy choices and visually stunning presentations. Our award-winning culinary team ensures each onboard meal is prepared with passion and love, taking advantage of the freshest seasonal ingredients sourced from the surrounding local communities.”
除了登机经验外,烹饪风格的客人还可以从各种各样的地方露天海岸游览中进行选择,其中包括学习如何在德国面包店塑造完美的布雷策(德国人);参观当地的房屋,以演示制作传统的保加利亚人巴茨糕点;并享受荷兰啤酒品尝,比利时巧克力和华夫饼品尝。
还提供了以葡萄酒为主题的欧洲航行,其中包括特殊旅行,品尝,葡萄酒配对晚餐和互动讨论。计划在2022年为该行的“有60多个出发事件”庆祝葡萄酒巡游”由北美和欧洲葡萄酒专家主持。客人将享受私人酒窖之旅,参观标志性的葡萄园,隐藏的热点品尝品,以及与当地葡萄酒商的真实相遇。这些增强的伊壁鸠鲁体验包括在巡航的价格中。
Avalon Waterways
The Avalon Fresh menu is a distinctive feature on Avalon Waterways. “Turning the table on cruise dining,” it provides guests with heart-healthy artisanal dishes.Brothers Karl and Leo Wrenkh, raised in the first high-quality vegetarian restaurant in Austria and founders of the Wrenkh Vienna Culinary School, created the Avalon Fresh menu so guests can partake in regional delicacies while remaining true the healthy-habits regime they may follow at home.
Restaurants onboard include: The Panorama Dining Room, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (dinner includes 4- and 5-course meals); The Panorama Bistro, open for dinner and offering a tapas-type tasting menu; and The Sky Grill, open at lunch when sailing and weather permits, offering grilled foods.
On-shore Discovery excursions include such culinary adventures as: Shaking it up at a cocktail workshop in Palais Benedictine where the world-famous liqueur is made; whipping up sweet Chantilly cream at the even sweeter Chantilly Castle; discovering the art of French cooking, sans Julia, in Lyon while learning how to make a Lyonnaise specialty; and enjoying an out-of-your-shell experience at an oyster farm in the Camargue National Park to taste the French delicacy and learn how it is farmed. Avalon also offers beer-, wine- and culinary-themed cruises for dedicated connoisseurs or those wishing to expand their food-and-drink horizons.
CroisiEurope
CroisiEurope has one restaurant onboard, but it promises to delight its guests with sophisticated French fare.
“CroisiEurope最大的资产是优良的法国人gastronomy served onboard. Meals are created by the company's head chef, Alain Bohn, member of the esteemed French association Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, which includes only 250 chefs from all over the world, and the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs since 2013,” said Michael Da Costa, general manager, CroisiEurope North America. “With his team of chefs, he creates each of the menus in the pure tradition of French gastronomy while bringing out the local tastes and flavours of the regions and countries crossed. The wines served on board are specially selected to accompany each meal and menus can be adapted for people with allergies or those with specific dietary restrictions.”
在Croisieurope的游览中All the Must-See Sites on the Rhone” cruise, guests are treated to two meals at restaurants from the iconic French Chef Paul Bocuse: Abbaye de Collonges and Les Halles de Lyon. Beyond these gastronomic highlights, guests on this itinerary discover Valrhona chocolate and lavender honey.
The line also offers a number of culinary-themed cruises, such as: 1)“Grand Gastronomic Cruise on the Rhine” - Enthusiasts of fine dining and wine embark on a cruise with Marc Haeberlin, a 2-star awarded French chef in the Michelin guide (2021), and Serge Dubs, the Alsace-born best sommelier in Europe and the World from 1974 to 1989; 2) “Exceptional Wine Tasting Cruise in Burgundy” - For wine lovers, the Saône offers many wonders including the prestigious Burgundy city of Beaune, the impressive ruins of the Cluny Abbey, and the Beaujolais Route, with the highlight of this cruise being an exceptional evening in Beaujeu to greet the annual release of Beaujolais Nouveau; and 3) “Alsace: Land of Tradition and Gastronomy” - Discover Alsace, the land of tradition and gastronomy, located in the heart of Europe, visiting the must-see places of this charming region while discovering its gastronomic specialties.
里维埃拉River Cruises
The culinary highlight on Riviera River Cruises is the splendid 4-course dinner served each night in the main restaurant: entrée, soup, main, and dessert, all in the elegant ambience of a first-class restaurant. Toward the end of every cruise, the captain also hosts a Captain's Dinner with an extended menu of six elaborate courses and the chef preparing signature dishes of the countries and regions visited.
此外,厨房我更亲密的河景s located at the stern and seats no more than 28 guests. On cruises on the Seine and Rhône rivers in France, classic charcuterie, regional cheeses and traditional boulangerie are available; while classic European dishes are served on Rhine and Danube cruises, all accompanied by wonderful vistas.
"Guests aboard our ships will find a variety of fine dining experiences waiting to be savored. These range from the 4-course dinners featuring international specialties and dishes inspired by the countries and regions we're cruising through, to the more intimate stern restaurants with open kitchens, large panoramic windows and al fresco seating, to more lavish dinners hosted by the captain of the ship at the end of every cruise and over the Christmas and New Year's holidays," said Marilyn Conroy, Riviera River Cruises’ executive vice president sales and marketing North America.
至于游览期间的烹饪经验,“杜罗,波尔图和萨拉曼卡”河邮轮包括在波尔图举行的港口品酒,在萨拉曼卡举行的传统弗拉门戈表演,以及在Quinta da Pacheca的晚餐(可追溯至18世纪)。“勃艮第,罗纳河和普罗旺斯河”行程包括在勃艮第的葡萄酒之都博恩的葡萄酒品尝。另外,可选的“个性化度假”游览包括在“莱茵与摩泽尔”行程的Moselle山谷中品尝品酒;以及在“多瑙河帝国城市和Yuletide市场”的斯洛伐克小屋上品尝品酒和当地美食。
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
Tom Goetter, Iron Chef finalist and disciple of French Laundry, is Scenic's executive chef and oversees the fleet’s culinary efforts, which boasts a total of 2,500 recipes across all of its restaurants.
This river cruise line gives guests an impressive six choices for dining experiences.Portobello is a 25- to 30-seat fine dining venue, located at the bow of ship, offering 4-course, wine-paired meals, prepared in front of the guests. Table la Rive, a 10-seat chef’s table serving 7-course, wine-paired gastronomic treats, is reserved for X level guests and junior suites. The River Café provides lighter fare for guests wishing to have something quick and easy. Rounding out the offerings are the main dining room, an on-deck barbeque (weather permitting), and 24/7 room service.
葡萄酒在游览期间对于客人来说是一个很大的吸引力。几乎每个航行都有厨房的商店,在近海体验。另外,大多数船只都有Culinaire,这是一个6-10人的烹饪课厨房,厨师在各种食谱中提供课程。
Scenic has also partnered with Top Chef favorite Brian Voltaggio for a special, culinary-themed departure of their 11-day South of France river cruise in October 2022. “Spectacular South of France” sails with Voltaggio roundtrip out of Lyon, exploring many of France’s most food-focused regions along the Rhône River.
Tauck
Every Tauck riverboat features the main Compass Rose restaurant offering fine dining, as well as a second and more casual dining venue called Arthur’s (named after Tauck Chairman Arthur Tauck, Jr.), and barbecue grills on the top Sun Deck for fun cookouts on select nights.
But the culinary突出Tauck河邮轮的客人ten a special dinner experience off the ship in a truly memorable venue, such as: the Palais Pallavicini (a private palace in Vienna), the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, the Akademia Club in the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest, Lobkowicz Palace at Prague Castle in Poland; as well as numerous other chateaux, castles and palaces across Europe. Guests on one Tauck river cruise enjoy a dinner in a decommissioned subterranean salt mine in Poland. Many of these venues are exclusive to Tauck, and all are included in the brand’s cruise prices.
Some of Tauck’s shore excursions might be expected, from a demonstration and tasting of Belgian chocolate in Brussels to wine-tasting excursions in Burgundy, Alsace and Austria’s Wachau Valley. Other culinary experiences might be more unexpected, such as visiting an Absinthe museum in France; tasting apple cider and Calvados along the Seine; enjoying a banquet of Provencal specialties at a private ranch in the Camargue; and sitting down to a 3-course lunch at Munich’s annual Oktoberfest celebration.
In addition, although it is not technically marketed as a culinary cruise, the 10-day “Savoring France: Paris, Lyon & Provence” itinerary leans very heavily into French cuisine and local culinary traditions in Paris and along the Rhone.
Uniworld
Uniworld最近任命了一位新的烹饪总监Robert Van Rijsbergen来管理其所有船只的烹饪行动;并协助实施新的食物概念,环保实践和菜单设计。
Starting this season on select cruises, the brand is enhancing its onboard restaurant offerings with a new one-of-a-kind, 4-course private dining experience in the Captain’s Lounge。
Uniworld烹饪经验的亮点是烹饪团队能够反映其航行周围目的地的餐饮专业的能力。beplay银行卡例如,在意大利,晚餐可能包括prosciutto di parma披萨和Osso Buco Milanese,肉类和蔬菜来自仅几英里之遥。或者,经过一天的沉浸在印度文化中,可以将Gajar Shorba和Tandoori Chicken Tikka作为早晨结束的理想午餐。
Guests looking to experience local culinary practices and dive deeper into local traditions can opt for a “Masterpiece Collection” optional excursion, available for an additional cost, offering experiences from tasting cheese with a cheese affineur in Rüdesheim to cruising through the streets of Bordeaux in a retro sidecar.
For foodies and oenophiles alike, Uniworld offers special culinary-themed cruises centered around the finest of French food and wine through the鉴赏家收藏。During these sailings, guests visit famous restaurants, vineyards, orchards, truffle farms, and other French culinary hot spots. In Bordeaux, they experience Libourne’s lively farmers’ market, where the heart and soul of the region is reflected through the freshest fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and breads. In Normandy, they enjoy le dejeuner at a beautiful baroque castle, Château de Champ de Bataille. The collection of themed cruises includes “A Portrait of Majestic France,” “Brilliant Bordeaux,” “Burgundy & Provence,” “法国大法国,” and “Ultimate France。”
维京人
Onboard Viking’s river voyages, guests dine at The Restaurant (an upscale dining venue with floor-to-ceiling windows serving multi-course meals featuring regional cuisine) or The Aquavit Terrace (casual, al fresco dining located at the bow of the ship).
The line offers a variety of shore excursions centered around culinary exploration. A few examples include:阿尔萨斯的口味(Strasbourg, France) - Sample Alsatian and French flavours and pleasures as you meet food merchants, a French sommelier, and a local chef;Historic Farmers Market Visit With Local Chef(Vienna, Austria) - Immerse yourself in culture and cuisine as a leading local chef takes you on an interactive tasting experience;巴伐利亚的微型酿酒厂(Regensburg, Germany) - Sample five of Bavaria’s best-loved brews, accompanied by classic biergarten fare;Flavors of Paris(Paris, France) - Enjoy a guided walk through a richly historic quarter steeped in culinary traditions;Graham’s Port Dinner(里斯本,葡萄牙) - 参观葡萄牙著名的酿酒师之一,以品尝港口,沉迷于传统的葡萄牙餐中;Heurigen Dinner(Vienna, Austria) - Participate in a high-spirited Heurigen Dinner and toast this year’s wine at a local vineyard, a cherished annual tradition throughout Austria that marks the bottling of the season’s vintage; andKinderdijk风车和荷兰奶酪制作(Kinderdijk, The Netherlands) - See the picturesque Dutch countryside as you explore The Netherlands’ world-famous cheeses and windmills.
While Viking does not offer any culinary-themed itineraries per se, the line recently announced a new post-trip extension entitled “Paris: A Culinary Experience”; available in 2023 for guests sailing on the 8-day “Paris & the Heart of Normandy” itinerary, the new extension allows guests to immerse themselves in the culinary history of Paris and taste the gastronomic delights the city has to offer. Additionally, Viking offers a post-trip extension entitled “Great Homes, Gardens & Gin” for guests sailing on the “不列颠群岛的探险家” itinerary, where they experience the flavour of English nobility and get an exclusive look at several country estates that have served as the settings of acclaimed PBS and MASTERPIECE productions.