Oceania Cruises SVP and MD Bernard Carter shares his advice for travel agents looking to attract guests who want a gourmet cruise offering the best in culinary creations.

Cruising offers world-class dining with the opportunity to be in a different destination for every delicious dish. In fact, a cruise offers guests the luxury of countless dining experiences all in one place. 

Oceania Cruises proudly serves the “Finest Cuisine at Sea“ and all our gourmet speciality restaurants are complimentary. Guests can enjoy Toscana’s authentic Italian dishes, Polo Grill’s steakhouse fare, Red Ginger’s bold Asian flavours and French country cuisine at Jacques.

There’s also the opportunity to savour continental cuisine, regional specialities, healthy options and innovative plant-based dishes in The Grand Dining Room or to enjoy the lavish buffet in the Terrace Café. For those who are wine connoisseurs there is La Reserve; a dining experience like no other that includes a seven-course wine or Dom Pérignon champagne pairing menu. There is a supplement for this exclusive venue, which caters for just 24 guests.

If authentic cuisine experiences are required, foodie excursions on land are an excellent option. Guests are increasingly interested in delving into the local destination and sampling different foods. Oceania Cruises has the answer to these demands with its Culinary Discovery Tours on Marina and Riviera, which encourage travellers to explore the local food scene and ultimate destination dining on every voyage.

The tours take guests into towns, homes, shops, restaurants and markets to learn about, taste and cook authentic, local cuisine. Guests benefit from an expert chef’s local knowledge and receive an insider’s look into the lives and food of real people.

Highlighting choice

Quite simply, quality is key. Oceania Cruises’ on-board gastronomy is inspired by executive culinary director Jacques Pépin, who has served as personal chef to a number of French heads of state, and corporate executive chef Franck Garanger, who has a wealth of experience and rare culinary artistry following a career in distinguished French restaurants, including Michelin-starred Le Vert d’Eau in Angers.

Oceania Cruises’ cuisine rivals the very best ashore and as a company we spend more on the overall culinary experience than any other cruise line.

Of course, there is a great choice of cuisine on board, but there are also options in the choice of dining experience. For example, if guests have had an action-packed day checking out the sights or enjoying activities on the ship, they may want to dine in relaxed fashion in the Terrace Café or choose complimentary room service. However, if they have had a day at sea, they may wish to extend their dining experience with a silver service affair.

Oceania Cruises is increasingly seeing a greater need for choice, healthy menus and varied options for specific dietary regimes and we take a personal approach to dining, ensuring all guests enjoy a full gourmet experience, regardless of their dietary needs.

There’s an impressive staff-to-guest ratio but, more than that, Oceania Cruises prides itself in hiring staff who have worked in the finest hotels and restaurants.

Top tips

• Highlight the ever-expanding level of culinary choice on ships
• Explain the number of first-class dining experiences available
• Elaborate on the popularity of authentic foodie excursions