Crystal Cruises Offers Brazilian Wine & Food Cruise With Local Flavors

More educational programming, more unique local ingredients and more guest chef dinners - including, for the first time ever, two Vintage Room Dinners - comprise Crystal Cruises’ fall Wine & Food-themed voyage, from Miami to Rio on November 23.  The line-up includes Hans Neuner, Portugal’s two Michelin-starred, 2012 Chef of the Year and former Crystal chef more than a decade ago; Rob Wilson, Culinary Institute of America N.Y. graduate and master/executive chef at the Montage Laguna Beach; renowned Master Mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim; and wine historian Nina Wemyss. The cruise aboard Crystal Symphony visits six Brazilian ports (including one maiden call), two Caribbean islands and a local overnight in Rio de Janeiro.

Sourcing local ingredients and products during port visits, the experts will incorporate them in:

·        Seven-course Vintage Room Dinners, prepared by each of the guest chefs, with wine pairings and edification from the guest wine expert.

·         Two Guest Chef Dinners for all guests in the Crystal Dining Room, with all-inclusive wine pairings recommended by the guest wine expert.

·         Cooking demonstrations, newly held outdoors on Crystal’s pool deck (weather permitting). Neuner will showcase his modern, art-meets-technology approach to the Portuguese flavors that have influenced traditional Brazilian cuisine, including bacalhau. 

·         Hands-on cooking classes in Crystal’s galley.

·         Hands-on cocktail-crafting sessions, teaching guests how to make the local libations for friends and family back home. Abou-Ganim will give his “Modern Mixologist” twist to traditional local cocktails like the batida and caipirinha, using cachaça and local spices – with guests receiving a souvenir muddler to take with them.

·         Tastings of South American wines.

Crystal’s own culinary team will also be present for American Thanksgiving, preparing gourmet takes on traditional fare such as butternut squash soup drizzled with pumpkin seed oil; maple-brined, roasted turkey with chestnut, wild mushroom & raisin dressing; praline sweet potatoes; cider-thyme gravy; and caramel-apple bread pudding with homemade pumpkin ice cream and bourbon-vanilla sauce.  

From Miami, the sailing visits Barbados/Bridgetown, British West Indies; Devil’s Island, Iles du Salut, French Guiana; and Belém, Fortaleza, Natal (maiden call), Maceió and Salvador, Brazil, ending with an overnight stay in Rio. All-inclusive, “Book Now” fares for the 16-day cruise begin at $3,990/person, with $1,700/person in savings if booked by Aug. 30. A shorter, 12-day “Getaway” version of the voyage is also available from Barbados to Rio, starting from $2,995/person if booked by Aug. 30.

For more information, visit www.crystalcruises.com.