Crystal Cruises’ Culinary Developments & Voluntourism

Over the past fifteen years, Crystal Cruises has continued to lead when it comes to innovations.   2012 is “A Year of New Developments.” These include a wide range of product enhancements, destinations and shore-side adventures Crystal Cruises will continue to announce monthly.  For starters, expanding culinary experiences is one part, as is expanding their innovative “You Care, We Care” Voluntourism program. What’s new in these areas?

Culinary Experience Expands – The Bistro offers evening hours

One of the new changes will be expanding the hours of The Bistro, one of Crystal Cruises’ most popular daytime dining spots.  With its central location, The Bistro has become an extremely popular spot for guests to enjoy a continental breakfast, afternoon snacks, and fresh fruits The Bistro will now offer evening hours, becoming a new nightly café, with a complimentary menu that includes desserts, “small bites,” and “midnight snacks” along with flavored coffees and premium wines. This will launch onboard the Crystal Symphony starting in April, and onboard the Crystal Serenity in June.

Special Culinary Cruise May 24 with Master Chef Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa

World class master chef Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa first began partnering with Crystal Cruises in 2003, and his cuisine quickly became tremendously successful on the Crystal Serenity. This led to the expansion of adding two new restaurants onboard the Crystal Symphony in 2008.  The Sushi Bar and Silk Road debuted on Crystal Symphony’s Trans-Pacific cruise  March 3, 2008,  and Chef Nobu  was onboard to oversee the launch.  At that time these new restaurants represented an expansion of his culinary partnering with Crystal Cruises. And it is ongoing – Chef Nobu also designs all the menus, personally trains all the Chefs and also does in-person visits each year.

The upcoming May 24 culinary cruise onboard Crystal Serenity features Master Chef Nobu himself. He will serve as the in-person Executive Chef in The Sushi Bar and Silk Road, his specialty restaurants. Chef Nobu will also personally prepare dishes.  A few of the many  onboard events include cooking demonstrations for all guests, as well as a more intimate hands-on cooking class for 10 – 12 guests, nightly appearances, autograph signings of his two cookbooks,  and photo opportunities. And there’s more – a special add-on “Omakase” dinner includes sake champagne and sake pairings chose by Sake Master Fumio Hazu, best described as “the man behind Nobu’s exclusive ‘living’ Hokosetsu sake.”  The Crystal Serenity will be on a 12 day Western European/Mediterranean cruise itinerary.

 “You Care, We Care” Voluntourism Shore Excursions Expand

Crystal Cruises first introduced their unique, “You Care, We Care” Voluntourism program in 2011 and it has become extremely popular. “You Care, We Care” includes complimentary voluntouring shore excursions on each of their cruise sailings. Now into the second year, “You Care, We Care” includes new voluntouring excursions. In Cambodia, for instance, cruise guests can teach children the arts and plant a vegetable garden at an orphanage. In British Columbia, the voluntourism excursion includes stocking, packing and distributing toys and food at a local food bank. While in Singapore, the voluntouring excursion is helping literacy-challenged children to read, and in South Korea, guests can provide benevolent support to a home for underprivileged children.

What’s Next

A few more of Crystal Cruises’ new developments focus on making the travel experience much easier for their guests, and new onboard experiences.  Stay posted for more on these.

 

Great American Steamboat Company’s Chef Regina Charboneau

Cuisine is one of the top motivators when it comes to traveling. Dining onboard ships has gone through major changes,  from pulling in renowned chefs and  developing a wide range of culinary options, to intimate restaurants featuring  unique cuisine. The launch of the Great American Steamboat Company this spring with their American Queen  takes cuisine to a new level, thanks to their Chef de Cuisine, Regina Charboneau, a celebrated American chef and native of Natchez, MS.

Background on Chef Regina Charboneau

Chef Regina Charboneau has  an amazing, diverse culinary career with numerous successes.  She first worked as a camp cook  in Alaska to earn money to attend culinary school in Paris. Then Chef Regina returned to Alaska where she served as Executive Chef at the Tower Club in Anchorage. Later she opened her restaurant, Regina’s, in San Francisco. Located in the heart of the theater district, it became a favorite night spot for  theater-goers and well known stars.

Some of Chef Regina’s other  accomplishments include having the first Biscuits  & Blues nightclub also located in San Francisco,  opening a martini bar, Chi Chi Beignet, and serving as Chef de Cuisine for Uncommon Journeys’  two vintage rail cars.

What attracted her to becoming a part of the Great American Steamboat Company’s executive team as their Chef de Cuisine?  When Chef Regina and I spoke, she jokingly  mentioned, “After they  secured the American Queen, they found me and then they found the captain.”  She also noted  she’s known Christopher Kyte, President of Great American Steamboat Company, for several years and they work well together.

Cuisine re-creates American classics with fresh, local ingredients

Chef Regina explains that her passion has always been cooking, along with a love for entertaining. Her father comes from a long line of fine Louisiana cooks,  while her mother has a wonderful skill when it comes to being a hostess. As far as culinary creations,  Chef Regina notes she will be re-creating many American Classics by using the fresh ingredients that each location along the Mississippi River region has. Wild pecans, artisan cheeses and wild honey, as well as sustainable fish and seafood, along with the abundance of vegetables and citrus are just a few samples. She’s been doing extensive research to develop the menus, and Chef Regina further explains, “The key is to re-create without totally re-inventing a classic; I want to hold on to the core of what has made a dish an American Classic.”

The  restaurants and  featured cuisine

The four different  restaurants onboard the American Queen range from casual to semi-formal, with no surcharges involved. One favorite  Chef Regina will be including is her Pepper Brisket of Beef. The traditional “Po Boy” sandwich will also be one of the new onboard snacks and for breakfast, guests can enjoy a crème brulee French toast or bananas foster French toast. The outdoor Calliope Bar area is being expanded and this lunch and evening casual dining venue will include ribs and barbeques as well as burgers.

Spending the afternoon with Chef Regina at her plantation on a special tour

In 2000, Chef Regina and her husband had relocated back to Natchez, her hometown, where they purchased and restored Twin Oaks Plantation, making it their home. In addition, Twin Oaks Plantation (it dates back to 1832) has six guest rooms on the property and is an extremely popular guesthouse. Also, several times a year Regina hosts Southern Cooking Classes there.

When Great American Steamboat Company  was developing different tours, one idea they had was to provide guests with a tour of Twin Oaks Plantation, because it’s in Natchez, one of their stops.   Regina came up with an extension of the original idea, and explains,  “I really wanted to offer something more personal with this tour, because I love all the aspects of entertaining. What we’ve created is  an experience  where guests  will not only take a personal tour of my home, but will enjoy Champagne cocktails as well as a buffet of seasonal sweet and savory treats. And I’ll be sharing some of my secrets about a few of my favorite seasonal foods as well as tips for entertaining.” The tour will be limited to approximately 28 guests at  a cost of $59 per person, with transportation included.

 Ambience, Top Cuisine, All Inclusive and Southern Hospitality

The best way I can describe Great American Steamboat Company?  They’ve  thought of everything,  from Chef Regina Charboneau’s innovative cuisine  to itineraries on an American river cruise experience that fills a missing void. Guests receive a complimentary pre or post night hotel stay, and shore trips are included in the cruise fare.  The lengths of their cruises range from four to ten nights, and handicapped staterooms are available. Great American Steamboat Company brings the river cruise experience back home, and creates another  option to think about for your group.

Cruising from New York City – More Options in 2012 & 2013

Years ago, sailing out of New York City on a cruise was primarily for transatlantic sailings or seasonal sailings to Bermuda and New England/Canada. That began to change in 2003, however, when Norwegian Cruise Line positioned Norwegian Dawn to sail out of New York City year round to the Caribbean. Interest by other cruise lines has also grown, and there have been substantial investments over the past few years. With these two cruise terminals available, there are now even more options for cruising out of New York City in 2012 and beyond.

Background on the two terminals

The $250–million-dollar plus investments by the City of New York and NY Cruise (a unit of the New York City Economic Development Corporation) resulted in two key things. The creation of the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, which opened in April 2006, occurred.  There were also major renovations on the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. The Manhattan Cruise Terminal dates back to the 1930’s, when it was best known for transatlantic crossings. Before the new investments, her last renovation had been done in 1970.  The major renovations and upgrades to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in 2008 involved a $200 million investment.  This included a reconstruction of all terminals, putting in new gangways, widening of Pier 88, and renovation of the cooling and heating systems.

Additional upgrades to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal continue

Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest state of the art ship, Norwegian Breakaway, will make the Manhattan Cruise Terminal her homeport in 2013 when she debuts. To accommodate the Norwegian Breakaway, an additional $4 million investment will upgrade and modify the gangways and fenders of the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Once again, this is being handled by NY Cruise (a unit of the New York City Economic Development Corporation) and the City of New York.

Ships Sailing out of New York City

In 2012, Disney Cruise Line will have its Disney Magic doing a variety of cruises out of the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Miracle will begin making New York City her year round home port in April 2012, offering some new eight day departures with Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries.

Other cruise lines offering itineraries departing from New York City in 2012 include Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Crystal Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Cunard Line.

Convenience

Sailing out of New York City not only offers convenience, but also easy access to numerous flights available into three different airports –

LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark.  Another option available is taking advantage of a pre or post cruise stay to visit and see more of New York City.  Also cruise itineraries include Canada, Bermuda, New England, the Caribbean, Europe and world cruises. With more ships and itineraries available, it does create another cruise option to think about for your group.

Explore the Ship via Behind the Scenes with Royal Caribbean

The best cruise experience is one that goes on seamlessly from beginning to end. Yet, if you think about it, a substantial amount of work, preparation, planning and effort goes on by hundreds of staff members. From the entertainers and productions, to the cuisine and dining, crew member and officers, each plays a critical role.   Ever wonder what it would be like to see a bit more “behind the scenes” onboard a cruise ship?

Royal Caribbean International’s All Access Tour provides just that

If you’re sailing onboard one of Royal Caribbean International’s ships, you can now do that. Royal Caribbean International decided to provide a view of the inner workings of their ships, best described as “behind closed doors and below decks”, to their guests with their All Access Tour. Introduced in July 2011, this onboard tour allows guests to see a variety of different “back of the house” areas on board while being escorted by staff members.  Guests can see areas they normally wouldn’t have access to while onboard, and this “behind the scenes” tour is available on each of Royal Caribbean International’s ships.

What’s included in the All Access Tour

Escorts take cruise guests to several different areas, including a visit to the bridge, the engine control room, the backstage area of the main theater, as well as other “behind-the-scenes” operation areas.  They also get the opportunity to meet with some of the key shipboard staff members in their respective areas. The tour lasts about 3.5 hours.

How often they’re offered, cost, and how to reserve

With Royal Caribbean itineraries that run less than seven nights, at least one All Access Tour is available. At least two tours are offered on cruises that are seven nights or longer, and additional tours can be added based on demand. The cost is $150 per guest.

As far as reserving?   Guests can purchase  The All Access Tour onboard using one of three different ways – at the Guest Relations Desk, with the Crown & Anchor Society Loyalty Ambassador, as well as with the Concierge.

More about the Royal Caribbean Experience

A key area  Royal Caribbean  International has devoted  time and investment into is consistency throughout all of their ships, most recently through their Royal Advantage program.  It provides fleet wide enhancements and revitalizations, from a greater variety of entertainment and dining options to  other onboard amenities. These enhancements are being done to the “Vision,” Voyager,” and “Radiance” class ships over the next three years.  The All Access Tour is one way for guests to see and take in the  Royal Caribbean contemporary experience in a more unique way.

Often cruise guests concentrate on tours they can take at various ports, but if you and your group are looking to experience something a bit more unique, the All Access Tour might be a another tour to consider while actually onboard.

 

Behind the Scenes Dining in New Ways with Princess Cruises

Gone are the days of just traditional dining onboard cruise ships, with more alternative choices, and cuisines. Another new area involves the dining experience with a touch of exclusivity. Perhaps the best example is Princess Cruises’ innovative “The Chef’s Table.”

More than a behind the scenes look – Princess Cruises’ “The Chef’s Table”

First launched in 2007 onboard a few of their ships, Princess Cruises created “The Chef’s Table”  to combine a “behind the scenes” look with an exclusive dining special experience.  Now  “The Chef’s Table” is onboard  all  their ships, excluding Sun Princess and Dawn Princess, which are based out of Australia year round.  Geared for dining enthusiasts, it provides guests not only the experience of a behind the scenes tour to see dinner hour preparations (escorted by the Maitre d’ hotel) but also includes a specially prepared multi-course dinner at a special private table.

Menu and what is Included

The menu is designed by the Executive Chef, and courses are also accompanied by details of preparation methods and features, and specially selected wines complement the courses. The chef rejoins the group during the dessert course at their private table and is available to answer questions and share culinary secrets.

Guests also receive a complimentary photo taken at the table with the chef, and a personalized, autographed copy of Princess Cruises’ cookbook, Courses, a Culinary Journey.    “The Chef’s Table” experience is limited to 10 passengers per night, with reservations made onboard. The additional cost is $95 per person, but considering the additional “behind the scenes” and the exclusivity touches?  It is extremely popular, books up quickly and there is usually a waitlist.

My Chef Table Experience

In a preliminary meeting a few days before  “The Chef’s Table,” the Maitre D’ Hotel’s staff went over a few key things. This included maintaining a safe, hygienic environment onboard their galley, along with a form that guests participating in “The Chef’s Table” were required to sign. They outlined what would be involved. During the first part, we would have a private galley tour wearing white lab coats provided, and also go through proper hand washing procedures when entering and leaving the Galley. Then we would be escorted to our special table in one of the dining rooms for the rest of the dinner experience.

The night of “The Chef’s Table,” we met, donned our white lab coats, and entered the Galley, escorted by Neville  Saldanha, Maitre d’hotel. After a tour, we then went to another section of the Galley. Executive Chef Giuseppe De Gennaro met us and we were able to enjoy a few different specially prepared appetizers. Then we left the Galley, returned our lab coats and went on to our exclusive table in the dining room.

We then enjoyed  additional courses of our dinner, complete with different selected wines along. Before our entrees were served, we also enjoyed a Lemon Sorbet with Mango Slaw.  The cuisine was wonderful and a fun experience to share with others at “The Chef’s Table.”

Desserts are always a highlight, and for our Chef’s Table dining, Executive Chef Giuseppe De Gennaro prepared a Passion Fruit Dome Cake, which had a whiskey soaked raspberry soft center and mango glace.  The presentation speaks for itself!

At the end we were given a signed copy of Princess Cruises’ cookbook, Courses, a Culinary Journey and it was a wonderful end to terrific new experience.

A Dining Experience Creating Special Memories

Yes “The Chef’s Table” does create some new special dining memories, and I can see why it books up quickly.  For members of your group who might want to perhaps take in a new experience with intimate special touches,  I would definitely suggest it.

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