Holland America Line’s Sip & Savor cruises are underway and have been a very popular addition to the voyages. If you like to dine on regional cuisine created by an acclaimed local chef, learn more about the fine art of wine from a renowned winemaker and attend a beer tasting by a local brew house, then the Sip & Savor cruises are for you!
In 2015 there are still two voyages left — the July 13 departure on Statendam and the Aug. 16 cruise on Amsterdam, so be sure to check them out and join us on these enhanced Alaska adventures. If you’re looking to cruise in 2016, stay tuned to see what dates will be added to the Sip & Savor schedule.
WESTERDAM’S SIP & SAVOR VOYAGE IN ALASKA
Journalist Chris Owen of Chris Cruises recently sailed on Westerdam’s Sip & Savor cruise, and he wrote, tweeted, Facebooked and Instagramed about it along the way. Join Chris on his Alaska adventure through his words and photos. To read more from Chris, visit his website: www.chriscruises.com.
Sip-Savor-Sail Events were done well, appreciated by those in attendance and respectfully scheduled to not interfere with Alaska-related events and tours.Often when it comes to wine, the subject can get very complicated very fast in the wrong hands. Celebrity chefs Jeff Maxfield and Seis Kamimura kept it easy to understand. Winemaker Bob Bertheau brought his love of wine and shared it naturally. Brewmaster Steve Gamba came along with the reputation of Alaska Brewing Company on the line, delivering a whole lot more than we bargained for. — Chris Owen, Chris Cruises
During his first cooking demonstration, Chef Jeff Maxfield from Seattle Space Needle’s Sky City restaurant showed guests how to make Northwest-influenced Wild Stinging Nettle Soup with Pastrami Cured Wild Salmon and Crème Fraiche.
Chef Jeff Maxfield during his cooking demonstration.
The Best Of The Pacific Northwest Wine Tasting had winemaker Bob Bertheau from Chateau St Michelle winery in front of a packed dining room full of wine lovers. Bertheau was joined by the ship’s Cellar Master, himself an interesting speaker with a wide base of wine knowledge at his disposal. — Chris Owen
Winemaker Bob Bertheau from Chateau St Michelle winery.
It was not all about wine though as Alaska Brewing Company’s Brew Master Steve Gamba hosted a nightly Sip & Savor event that normally pairs wine with some little creation from the kitchen, in a pre-dinner sort of way.
A beer tasting is a great way to sample a variety of brews.
The Brewmaster’s Lunch, held in the ms Westerdam’s Pinnacle Grill, paired five different culinary delights with five Alaska Brewing Beers. Who knew beer could be paired with a dessert? Surprising. — Chris Owen
The Brewmaster’s Lunch paired Alaska brews with local dishes.
Another last day event, a hands-on Cooking Class, presided over by the guest chefs, gave Holland America Line guests the chance to get their hands dirty and actually cook with the chefs. — Chris Owen
A hands-on cooking class with the guest chefs highlighted the cruise.
Here are a few more photos from Chris taken during his Sip & Savor cruise.
Menus featured items from the guest chefs.
Chef Kamimura during his demo; a grand dessert during the Captain’s Dinner; and Chefs Kamimura and Maxfield and winemaker Bertheau during the joint class.
In addition to the shipboard programming, the Sip & Savor cruises offer some unique opportunities to go ashore with the chefs and participate in some fun, food-themed tours. Learn more here.
What’s your favorite part about attending a cruise with special culinary experts? Do you like the cooking demonstrations, special menu items or the beer and wine tastings? Tell us what you like below!
All photos in this post were taken by Chris Owen.
Although we weren’t aboard the Sip Savor and Sail cruise itself, we were on the Statendam recently and enjoyed all of the the Sip and Savor pre-dinner gatherings offered onboard. For $5 you could enjoy a fantastic appetizer paired with a lovely glass of wine of your choosing (both red and white pairings were available). We found the 3 crew members at these events to be a delightful addition to our journey, and we looked forward to each next event. Kudos to Bonnie (culinary host), Marvin (wine steward) and especially Andrew (sommolier and general wine pairing genious!!) for making these events a stand out favourite on our cruise!