Pacific Northwest Cuisine Showcased on Oceania Cruises in Alaska

June 23, 2010 – Fresh ingredients, simply prepared, with influences from Asian and Native American traditions are characteristics of Pacific Northwest cuisine. Oceania Cruises will up the epicurean ante in Alaska, from May through August 2011, when guests on m/s Regatta will be treated to succulent selections that showcase regional delicacies.

“Oceania Cruises is virtually synonymous not only with fine cuisine, but culinary diversity,” stated Bob Binder, the line’s president. “Our culinary team is eager to showcase Alaska’s renowned regional favorites and the region’s freshly caught seafood as it adds an entirely new dimension to the dining experience.”

Highlights of Oceania Cruises’ maiden Alaska season include two full days of glacier cruising and a mix of marquee and off-the-beaten-path Inland Passage ports, the latter a hallmark of the brand. With two-for-one rates and free airfare, 10-day voyages start at $3,499 per guest, based on double occupancy.

Pacific Northwest cuisine will be featured during lunch in the casual Terrace Café which offers both indoor and al fresco seating and in the ship’s gourmet Grand Dining Room as well. In the evenings, regional specialties will be showcased in all four of the ship’s gourmet, open-seating restaurants; all of which are available with no surcharge.

Great Cuisine in the Great Land
When provisioning locally, the ship’s executive chef seeks the freshest catch and shellfish, making on-the-spot decisions. Consequently, not all selections will always be available and there may be surprise menu additions. Depending on the voyage and venue, appetizers might include Fresh Halibut Velouté – a creamy fish soup with saffron rice and julienne leeks – or Alaskan King Crab Legs, sure to be a guest favorite. Entrées may include:

* Fresh Local Halibut with dill and tomato beurre blanc
* Grilled Alaskan Venison Medallions and wild mushroom fricassée
* Alaskan King Crab Rissotto
* Poached Local Wild Salmon Filet with chive butter sauce
* Grilled Halibut with orange and red onion chutney
* Hazelnut-breaded Chicken Breast with cranberry-orange relish
* Pan-fried Local Ling Cod Filet à la Dugléré
* Thai-spice Encrusted Alaskan Halibut Filet
* Wild Alaskan Salmon with apple cider beurre blanc

Although berries grow abundantly in the vast wilderness areas of the 49th state, they are a limited resource because Alaska’s black and brown bears eat them all summer long. Guests onboard Regatta may nevertheless get the chance to taste the favored fruit when the pastry chef creates Alaskan Blueberry Coffee Cake or Springtime Alaskan Berry Pie.

Four Different & Desirable Itineraries for 2011

· Majestic Alaska – 14 days roundtrip from San Francisco, a maiden port for Oceania Cruises, visiting Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia; Sitka, Hoonah, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska; and Astoria, Ore. Departures: May 12, Aug. 26.

· Alaskan Grandeur – 12 days between San Francisco and Vancouver. Ports include Astoria and Victoria, as well as Wrangell, Juneau, Hoonah, Sitka and Ketchikan. Departures: May 26, Aug. 14.

· Frontiers and Glaciers – 10 days roundtrip from Vancouver, calling at Sitka, Hoonah, Kodiak, Wrangell and Ketchikan. Departures: June 7, Aug. 4.

· Glacial Wilderness – 12 days between Vancouver and Anchorage, with visits to Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, Hoonah, Skagway, Sitka, Seward and Homer. Departures: June 17 and 29, July 11 and 23.

Travelers will discover Alaska aboard Oceania Cruises’ 684-guest Regatta – an intimate ship acclaimed for its open-seating gourmet dining (no surcharges), luxurious public rooms and accommodations, and warm, attentive service.

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Culinary Experts Take Part in Holland America Culinary Arts Program

February 8, 2010 — Taking top chefs from kitchens and restaurants all around the world and inviting them aboard Holland America Line ships, the line’s Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine Magazine, continues to expand in popularity. This year, more than 65 guest culinary experts are participating in the hugely successful program. Culinary notables this season include Bravo-TV’s “Top Chef” contender, Nikki Cascone; Mark Bittman, food columnist for The New York Times and award-winning cookbook author; and Keith Coburn, television personality of the hit series, “Deadliest Catch.”

“Because the Culinary Arts Center is such a hit, we will continue to expand the program and provide our guests with the enriching culinary experiences that have made it so successful,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “For those who love to cook and cruise, there is no more enjoyable vacation experience than taking over a fully stocked and equipped professional kitchen with an expert chef as guide.”

Holland America Line’s award-winning celebrity chefs and experts in the 2010 season include:

• Dean James Max, executive chef of 3030 Ocean (FL) aboard ms Westerdam, March 28-April 4.
• Marisol Koczal Simon, culinary educator, author and chef aboard ms Prinsendam, April 9-26.
• Lon Symensa, executive chef, Buddakan (NYC), winner of the 1996 US Culinary Olympic team and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America sailing on ms Eurodam, May 9-19.
• Martin Blunos, UK television personality and chef sailing on ms Eurodam, May 29-June 8.
• Lars Kronmark, executive chef instructor at The Culinary Institute of America (CA) aboard the inaugural sailing of ms Nieuw Amsterdam, July 4-14.
• Tre Wilcox, executive chef, culinary educator and Top Chef contender, aboard ms Statendam, July 25-Aug. 1.
• Bryan Caswell, chef / owner, Reef and Little Bigs ( Houston , TX ), sailing aboard ms Prinsendam, Aug. 8-18.
• Barbara Lynch, James Beard Award Winner, recipient of Food & Wine Magazine’s “Ten Best New Chefs” award, executive chef and owner of Number 9 Park ( Boston ), sailing aboard ms Noordam, Sept. 18-28.
• Paul McCabe, executive chef, L’Auberge (Del Mar, CA), winner of the Golden Sceptre and Golden Baccus awards from the Southern California Restaurant Writers and named “rising star of American Cuisine” by the James Beard Foundation, sailing aboard ms Amsterdam, Oct.20-29.
• Joey Campanaro, chef / owner, The Little Owl (NYC), aboard ms Amsterdam, Oct. 29-Nov.12.

In addition to partnering with Food & Wine to secure top experts, Holland America Line showcases its own culinary stars on more than 500 annual cruises. The line’s two cookbooks, “A Taste of Excellence” and “A Taste of Elegance,” written by Master Chef Rudi Sodamin, offer guests preparation techniques for some of Holland America ’s most delectable dishes and lavish libations as part of the Culinary Arts Center experience.

The line’s complimentary demonstration classes by award-winning chefs are only one element of the extensive culinary enrichment program. As part of Holland America ’s burgeoning enrichment activities, the program also features one-hour food-and-mixology demonstrations, wine tasting and party-planning sessions, ice carving and floral arranging workshops and hands-on cooking classes for kids. A new feature in the line’s culinary program is Dine with the Chef held in the Culinary Arts Center . A combination of a cooking demonstration and a fine-dining experience, guests sit at elegantly set tables and interact with the chef as he or she prepares a five-course dinner in which each served course is paired with an appropriate wine.

A permanently installed, state-of-the-art “show kitchen at sea,” the Culinary Arts Centers resemble the elaborate show kitchens used by celebrity chefs on television cooking programs. Each facility features a theater-style venue, with two large video screens to display overhead and close-up video views of food preparation, and a large cooking display counter where guests can learn from the masters. Culinary demonstrations are also filmed and aired on in-stateroom televisions. Holland America Line invested nearly $1 million per ship to create and install the Culinary Arts Center facilities. This investment is part of the company’s Signature of Excellence initiative which has invested more than $525 million to date in fleet-wide product and service enhancements.

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