Celebrity Cruises adds new chef tours and excursions curated by Ben Fogle

Celebrity Cruises has added a new range of chef tours as well as an expanded range of excursions curated by TV personality and ‘‘Destination Expert’ Ben Fogle.

Hosted by one of the cruise line’s chefs, the new Chef’s Market Discoveries tours allow guests to meet farmers and food producers, tour markets and taste local specialities. The experience culminates with an exclusive dinner on-board, prepared by the chef using ingredients from the day’s market purchases.

Guests on Celebrity Cruises’ European holidays during summer 2016 will be able to visit food markets and specialist producers in towns and cities throughout the Mediterranean and Scandinavia. The cruise line is also rolling out the Chef’s Market Discoveries to destinations in the Caribbean, Asia, Australia and South America.

Highlights include:

• Naples – Choosing the lemons to make the perfect Italian Limoncello, visiting a mozzarella farm and learning about cheese and olive oil production in Naples before wine tasting and touring the Amalfi coast for fresh Italian fruits and vegetables for dinner in the evening.
• Iceland – Visiting fresh fish markets in Iceland, sampling a number of its varieties and preparing dishes from ceviche to dried fish, joining a fisherman’s cookery school and choosing the fresh fish for dinner that evening.
• Russia – Learning how to pair vodka with different foods over lunch in St Petersburg, Russia as well as trying caviar, honey, cottage cheeses and meats in specialist markets.

Jo Rzymowska, managing director, UK and Ireland, Celebrity Cruises said: “One of the best experiences of a holiday is enjoying the freshest local produce unique to that destination and discovering a new dish or ingredient. Celebrity Cruises’ Chef’s Market Discoveries deliver our guests the culture and local flavours of a destination through an authentic gourmet experience, all under the expert guidance of our chefs. Celebrity Cruises now delivers exceptional foodie experiences both on-shore and on-board whether you’re in Crete or Cozumel, St Petersburg or San Juan.”

Prices for the Chef’s Market Discoveries tours range from $169 (£122) to $359 (£258) per person, and all prices include a private dining experience hosted by an on-board chef.

The cruise line is also expanding on adventurer and TV personality Ben Fogle’s programme of Great Adventure shore excursions. Highlights include rafting in Rome, hiking in Montenegro, mountain biking in Malaga and a speedboat adventure in Helsinki Archipelago.

Ben Fogle will sail on two European sailings in summer 2016, giving guests the opportunity to meet the TV adventurer at his travel seminars and adventure talks. Passengers will also hear first-hand about Fogle’s challenges, and learn about the people and places that have inspired his travels.

He will be sailing on-board Celebrity Reflection for an 11 night Greece, Turkey and Italy cruise departing from Civitavecchia. Prices for the 25 April 2016 departure start from £1,239 per person and the 10 October 2016 departure start from £1,249 per person, based on two sharing an interior stateroom with return flights from London Gatwick.

(Photo credit to Celebrity Cruises)