Explore Europe on a Viking River Cruise. Photo / Supplied
Forget everything you think you know about cruise ship food and prepare to enjoy unforgettable meals on board these six voyages, writes Tiana Templeman.
From exclusive cooking demonstrations and wine tastings to degustation dinners and hanging out with Michelin-star chefs, there’s a lot to enjoy on a culinary cruise.
Foodies and fjord fanatics will be jostling like hungry diners at a cruise ship buffet to join Michel Roux on this 14-night round-trip Iceland cruise from Southampton onboard the Queen Anne. With five-course dinners honouring Roux’s French heritage served in the Sir Samuels dining room, the famous chef’s presence extends beyond the plate with live cooking demonstrations, entertaining lectures in the Royal Court Theatre and book signings where you can chat one-on-one with a culinary superstar. Even the Carinthia Lounge includes a nod to the voyage’s Icelandic route through the fjords of Ísafjörður and Akureyri, with a special menu featuring Norwegian seafood. Get in quick for this July 2026 sailing, as last year’s cruise sold like hot cakes.
cunard.com | Priced from $3465
Viking’s Grand European Tour is the river cruise equivalent of a European tasting platter with a tempting spread of castles, cathedrals, cheese and chocolate to graze on during a leisurely two-week adventure from Budapest to Amsterdam. Your departure port in Hungary will make you hungry as you browse the paprika-scented stalls at the Grand Market and sip palinka, before the ship sails to Vienna, where Sachertorte sweetens your stay. There’s also an exclusive vineyard dinner where bottomless carafes of wine and accordion-fuelled sing-alongs celebrate the local harvest, plus a sausage-making class and beer tasting in Cologne.
vikingrivercruises.com.au | Priced from $7005 per person
Adventure, nature, wine, and fine dining come together on a cruise onboard a luxury catamaran that combines wine tastings, chef’s dinners and culinary exploration with kayak trips, ancient forests and national parks. For nature and wine lovers, the award-winning four-night journey around British Columbia’s wine islands is the perfect blend, just like the region’s unique wines. Each glass tells a story of passionate winemakers, invigorating sea breezes, and European grape varieties that clearly enjoy the view. With no single supplement on several departures, solo travellers have another reason to raise a glass and pull up a seat at the table on this active culinary adventure.
mapleleafadventures.com | Priced from $8700
Glide down the Danube with a fork in one hand and a wine glass in the other as you sharpen your cooking skills and stir and sip your way through Europe’s culinary heartland on a week-long cruise from Vilshofen to Budapest on Avalon Waterways’ Avalon Passion. By day, you’ll explore Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary, with evenings spent at onboard tasting and culinary events, like a locally inspired wine-matched dinner hosted by an expert sommelier. There are also pretzels and beer steins as big as your head, bike tours and hikes, and fellow foodies to share the journey with. If your suitcase is packed with curiosity, active wear and a corkscrew, this is your perfect trip.
avalonwaterways.co.nz | Priced from $10,285 per person
Hosted by Oceania Cruises’ two French Master Chefs, Alexis Quaretti and Eric Barale, this 10-night itinerary dishes up a cornucopia of highlights including a two-night stay in Bordeaux, multiple Culinary Discovery Tours and sightseeing in Spain with a side of spicy salsa brava sauce. Boarding in Belfast, you can experience a taste of Ireland on a beer-fuelled visit to the Guinness Storehouse, a cooking class in Cork, and on the penultimate day, there’s a tour of the port cellars at Vila Nova de Gaia in Porto. With a two-night weekend wine getaway built into your itinerary, this adventure will satisfy your thirst for culture, cuisine, and cabernet.
oceaniacruises.com | Priced from $6250 per person
Looking for a river cruise that combines ‘bon voyage’ with ‘bon appétit’? On Scenic’s 10-night round-trip Beautiful Bordeaux sailing, you’ll glide along the Gironde, Dordogne and Garonne rivers with stops for vineyard visits in Saint-Émilion, e-bike exploration and an exclusive tasting in the Médoc wine region, wine museum tours, and a classical concert at a grand chateau. If you’re still thirsty but want a break from all things vinous, there’s a full-day excursion to the town of Cognac that includes a Rémy Martin tasting experience. Onboard the ship, there are menus featuring regional specialties, a wine-soaked watercolour masterclass and a hands-on cooking school, Scenic Culinaire, where local chefs will turn you into a culinary wizard with no wand required, just a whisk.
scenicnz.com | Priced from $6320
