Crystal Spices Up Southern European Cruises With More Culinary Excursions

LOS ANGELES, May 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ever the gourmand cruise line, this fall Crystal Cruises has cooked up more than 30 experiences throughout southern Europe that will give intimate and savory insights into the diversity of the area's culinary cultures. New and favorite Crystal Adventure highlights include:

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110509/LA98305)

Cooking Lessons
Classes, with tasting and occasional market shopping, will cover:

• Spanish tapas (Barcelona)
• Romanian "sarmale cu mamaliguta" (Constanta)
• Cycladic island fare (Megalochori/Santorini)
• Turkish meze (Istanbul)
• Croatian honey-sauteed prawns and feta cheese-stuffed calamari (Cavtat/Dubrovnik)
• French flower-based dishes (Pont-du-Loup/Cannes)
• Aristocratic Italian taught by a Countess in stunning Tiepolo Palace (Venice)

Wine Tasting
Viticultural activities will abound in:

• Tuscany/Livorno-Taste local reds and olive oil at a 700-year-old estate owned by the family behind Vespa scooters.
• Yalta-Sip exquisite, perhaps royal, wines at Massandra Winery--the world's largest wine collection, founded by Russia's winemaking "forefather," Prince Leo Golitsyn.
• Spain-Explore medieval, underground wine caves, followed by Valencian wine-tasting.
• Odessa-Inhale a sensory wine and food experience at Shabo Wine Culture Center.
• Greece-Learn why the Robola Winery has a worldwide following.
• Romania-Sip award-winning wines on par with France's Champagne region.

Traditional Meals Inside Local Home
Guests may further:

• Devour brochettes, pasta, or grappa inside Italian farmhouses
• Be an honored guest at a traditional Romanian barbeque
• Dance traditional Greek Sirtaki at lunch at a stone mansion outside Olympia

Historical and Educational Explorations
Additional gastronomic opportunities include:

• Biking the forgotten dirt roads of farmers and winemakers in Croatia's Konavle Valley
• Sampling world-famous Ston oysters outside Dubrovnik
• Tasting the Imperial family's favorite recipes at Yalta's Livadia Palace
• Touring a Turkish tea plantation in Trabzon

The newly-redesigned Crystal Serenity will sail waters from the Canary Islands all the way to Israel and the Ukraine from early August through December. Complimentary shipboard classes with regional guest chefs, wine experts, and mixologists will also be offered on three "Wine and Food"-themed cruises through the area on 8/2, 10/1, and 10/24.

Crystal Cruises' extensive, innovative culinary choices include the ultra-luxury line's coveted cheese and wine cellars, overseen by on-board, certified sommeliers. New "Open Dining by Reservation" adds more flexibility and options to evening dining.

For more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel agent, call 888-799-4625, or visit www.crystalcruises.com.

CONTACT:  Mimi Weisband or Susan Wichmann 310-203-4305, [email protected]
VISIT:  Crystal's Media Center

SOURCE Crystal Cruises