Pioneering Chef-Led Destination Tours Redefine Gastronomic Travel in 2025 and Beyond
MIAMI, February 13, 2025 – Regent Seven Seas Cruises®, the world's leading ultra luxury cruise line, has elevated its reputation for world-class culinary travel with 12 new Epicurean Explorer Tours which will see travelers indulging in cuisine-focused shoreside excursions in destinations around the world including Asia, Europe, and Canada & New England.
“With these thoughtfully designed Epicurean Explorer Tours we’re providing a transformative experience that connects ultra luxury travelers deeply with the cultural heart of each destination through its most fundamental expression: food,” said Jason Montague, incoming Chief Luxury Officer, Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “At Regent, we don’t just take our guests to their most desired destinations, we offer the chance to truly explore through countless unique shore excursions, all while enjoying the highest standards of service aboard The World’s Most Luxurious Fleet.”
Combining Regent’s promise of Epicurean Perfection™ and Immersive Exploration™, the new tours present adventurous foodies the opportunity for unrivaled and authentic gastronomic adventures, from foraging in Invergordon, Scotland, for ingredients to make the perfect Cullen Skink, to savoring premium Kobe beef prepared by a teppanyaki master chef in a restaurant overlooking Osaka Castle in Japan.
Limited to 18 guests per session, the intimate Epicurean Explorer Tours allow guests to take a hands-on approach to engaging with global gastronomy and traditions. The new tours range from $129 to $489 per guest and are between 3 to 7 hours in duration, offering tailored experiences designed to spark the curiosity of epicureans, with some experiences including an onboard cooking class at the ships’ Culinary Arts Kitchen.
“Our Epicurean Explorer Tours represent the pinnacle of culinary exploration and are designed following painstaking in-destination research by our team of esteemed and accomplished chefs,” said Chef Kathryn Kelly, Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Enrichment, Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “We are a team of passionate professionals who love nothing more than sharing in-depth culinary and destination knowledge with our valued Regent foodie guests.”
Available to book for voyages on board Seven Seas Grandeur®, Seven Seas Splendor® and Seven Seas Explorer®, the addition of these new tours brings the comprehensive collection to 46 immersive experiences and represents a significant milestone in experiential ultra-luxury travel, offering guests unprecedented epicurean exploration across global destinations.
The 12 new Epicurean Explorer Tours are:
Mediterranean & Northern Europe
Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Plant-to-Plate Luncheon Experience an extraordinary chef-led lunch journey at Amsterdam's Restaurant De Kas, set in a meticulously restored, century-old greenhouse, where ingredients harvested from the on-site gardens transform into an exquisite four-course meal paired with wines in this sumptuous plant-to-plate dining adventure.
Belfast, Ireland: Coastal Flavors of County Down Join celebrity chef and BBC cooking series “Great British Menu" competitor Paul Cunningham for coastal foraging along Dundrum Bay, where guests will discover local seaweeds and herbs before savoring fresh seafood and chowder paired with a perfect pint – all set against the backdrop of Northern Ireland's majestic Mourne Mountains.
Invergordon, Scotland: Foraging & Onboard Scottish Cooking Class Learn the art of making traditional Scottish Cullen Skink while shopping for ingredients at local vendors in Invergordon, Scotland. Sample award-winning haggis at a butcher shop and select organic vegetables at Black Isle Brewery, before returning to the ship for a hands-on cooking class paired with Scottish whiskey.
Valencia, Spain: Albufera Lake and Paella Guests will join a chef for a scenic boat tour of Lake Albufera's rice fields, followed by a hands-on demonstration of authentic Valencian paella at Restaurant El Redoli, where travelers will learn the secrets of this iconic dish before enjoying it fresh from the wood fire.
Valletta, Malta: Artisanal Malta Treasures
Join a chef-led culinary journey through Malta's heritage, from hands-on bread making at a multi-generational family bakery to watching pastizzi preparation in a historic grotto that once served as a WWII shelter.
Canada & New England
Halifax, Nova Scotia: Cider and Chowder: Authentic Nova Scotia Experience Nova Scotia's culinary evolution through a tasting flight at an artisanal cidery, followed by lunch at a trendy Dartmouth restaurant where you'll savor their signature seafood chowder and innovatively delicious “crobster” roll while watching the chefs at work.
Quebec City, Canada: Culinary Journey through Ile D’Orleans Discover Quebec's Island of Orleans rich culinary heritage through visits to the intimate La Maison de thé, a charming tea house offering aromatic herbal teas, fresh pastries, and a traditional sugar shack for sampling artisanal maple products in this fertile foodie paradise.
Victoria, British Columbia: Infusions: Flowers, Tea and Honey Join a master chef for an elegant garden-to-table journey, starting with a traditional afternoon tea at Butchart Gardens' private mansion room, followed by a garden tour and artisanal gelato tasting, before discovering the art of beekeeping and honey production at the Country Bee Honey Farm.
Asia
Busan, South Korea: Busan Markets Tour Join a Regent chef on a culinary exploration through Busan's famous Jagalchi Fish Market and Gukje Market, discovering unique seafood and local ingredients before returning to the ship's Culinary Arts Kitchen to transform guests’ market finds into authentic Korean dishes.
Kobe, Japan: Culinary Journey through Kobe Immerse in the artistry of Japanese culinary craftsmanship in this evening tour, from discovering traditional knife-making techniques to savoring premium Kobe beef prepared by a teppanyaki master chef at a restaurant overlooking Osaka Castle.
Kochi, Japan: Tataki Culinary Tradition Follow a culinary discovery through Kochi's vibrant Hirome Market, sampling local delicacies before learning to cook the region's signature dish “katsuo no tataki” - a perfectly seared fresh bonito fish over an open flame at restaurant Tosa Tataki Dojo.
Shimizu, Japan: Japanese Fish Essentials Tour
Join a local master chef for an authentic Japanese culinary journey at Shimizu's bustling Kashi-no-Ichi fish market, followed by a hands-on sushi-making class where guests will learn to craft their own sushi using the market's fresh seafood.
For more information, please visit RSSC.com/epicurean-tours, call 1.844.873.2381 or contact a professional Travel Advisor.
About Regent Seven Seas Cruises®
Unrivaled at Sea™ for over 30 years, Regent Seven Seas Cruises® is the world’s leading ultra luxury cruise line. Carrying between 496 and no more than 850 guests, the line’s spacious and stylish ships -Seven Seas Explorer®, Seven Seas Grandeur®, Seven Seas Mariner®, Seven Seas Navigator®, Seven Seas Splendor®, Seven Seas Voyager®, and Seven Seas Prestige™ which is scheduled to be delivered in 2026 - form The World’s Most Luxurious Fleet®. Offering Immersive Exploration™ in more than 550 destinations globally, guests travel the world in Luxurious Space featuring sumptuous all-suite accommodations, nearly all with private balconies, which are among the largest at sea. Regent’s signature Heartfelt Hospitality™ can be found throughout lavish public areas and expansive outdoor spaces, or while savoring Epicurean Perfection™ in a range of specialty restaurants and al-fresco dining venues. Delivering The Most Inclusive Luxury Experience® Regent’s All-Inclusive Cruise Fares offer amenities such as unlimited complimentary shore excursions, exquisite cuisine, beverages including fine wines and spirits, entertainment, Starlink Wi-Fi, free valet laundry, gratuities, a one-night, pre-cruise hotel package for guests staying in Concierge-level suites and higher, and more. In addition, Ultimate All-Inclusive Fares include roundtrip flights with the flexibility to choose desired air class, transfers between airport and ship, and exclusive Blacklane private executive chauffer service for guests to personalize their journeys. For more information, please visit RSSC.com, call 1.844.873.2381 or contact a professional travel advisor. Regent Seven Seas Cruises® is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH). To learn more, visit www.nclhltd.com.
Quinn PR Media Contact
Loren Duran
917-353-0949
lduran@quinn.pr
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Media Contact
James Arnold
Senior Director Public Relations, Regent Seven Seas Cruises
+44 (0)7408 956315
jarnold@rssc.com
