Improving culinary skills is a mouth-watering prospect for many cruise guests. Here is a taste of what’s on offer.

1 – HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES – MIELE CULINARY SCHOOL

Budding chefs will have the very best tools at their disposal onboard Europa 2, which has the only Miele-equipped culinary school at sea. Under the direction of its chefs de cuisine, participants learn how to prepare a multi-course menu corresponding to the cuisine of the region through which they are travelling. Designed for groups of up to eight people, classes can be booked as an alternative to shore excursions. A course costs €80pp and includes accompanying wines, a chef’s apron and recipes.
hl-cruises.com

2 – P&O CRUISES – BRITANNIA COOKERY CLUB

Clients who want to rub shoulders with celebrity chefs should book The Cookery Club onboard Britannia. It has 12 stations for a maximum of 24 people and a chef’s performance area. The two-hour classes are an opportunity to learn from the Food Heroes – James Martin, Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochhar, Olly Smith and Eric Lanlard – who travel throughout the year on selected cruises offering masterclasses and wine tasting. Classes start from £100pp and hosted dinners from £150pp.
pocruises.com

3 – REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES – CULINARY ARTS KITCHEN

There are few more prestigious environments in which to sharpen those skills than in Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Culinary Arts Kitchen, which debuted with the launch of Seven Seas Explorer in July 2016. Starting from $89pp, classes cover topics including French and Italian cuisine, fish and shellfish preparation, food and wine pairings, and an afternoon-tea lesson inspired by Downtown Abbey. Gourmet Explorer Tours offer an epicurean experience ashore, often ending in the Culinary Arts Kitchen.
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4 – OCEANIA CRUISES – THE CULINARY CENTER

The Culinary Center featured on Oceania Cruises’ Marina and Riviera teaches guests how to prepare dishes in a state-of-the-art kitchen. Clients will accrue bragging rights, by fine-tuning techniques in varied cusines from Moroccan and Japanese to Turkish and Cuban. A class celebrating the career of celebrity chef and Oceania’s executive culinary director, Jacques Pépin, is offered with the Essential Pépin course. Culinary Discovery Tours range from a winery in Madeira to a fish market in Rio de Janeiro. oceaniacruises.com

5 – HOLLAND AMERICA LINE – CULINARY ARTS CENTER

Holland America Line’s Culinary Arts Center onboard  Koningsdam offers regionally inspired workshops and hands-on cookery classes. Foodies have the chance to tour local markets with chefs. The centre also offers children aged 3-15 the chance to learn basic cooking techniques and kitchen safety. The cruise line’s new partnership with the TV show America’s Test Kitchen TV has launched on Westerdam and is set to be rolled out fleetwide by October this year.
hollandamerica.com

6 – CELEBRITY CRUISES – SUMMER CAMP AT SEA 

Pizza making, mocktail mixology and cupcake decorating are all included activities in the culinary element of a summer camp, introduced by Celebrity Cruises onboard all 2017 European sailings and selected Celebrity Equinox Caribbean cruises for no additional charge. Also, Sunday barbecuers can raise their game and become a Grill Master onboard Silhouette and Reflection. Both ships have half an acre of real grass on the top deck where guests can grill their food over an open flame at the Lawn Club Grill.
celebritycruises.co.uk