Theme cruises are all the rage today. Matter, of fact, I’ll be taking my first in January when I join long-time music-loving friends aboard the Norwegian Pearl for a concert-intensive cruise called Cayamo.
And then there are wine cruises, which have become more plentiful in recent years. One that sounds like a lot of fun is scheduled for next July in the Mediterranean, to be escorted by the President of Duckhorn Wine Company, Alex Ryan.
Check out the ports of call:
* July 17 — Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.
* July 18 — Sorrento/Capri, Italy.
* July 19 — Taormina (Sicily), Italy.
* July 20 — Argostoli (Cephalonia), Greece.
* July 21 — Kotor, Montenegro.
* July 22 — Zadar, Croatia.
* July 23 — Koper, Slovenia.
* July 24-25 — Venice, Italy.
Private parties, special wine tastings and a wine dinner are included, as is a gourmet culinary program created by Master Chef Jacques Pepin. There will be optional wine-focused shore excursions, as well as an optional Rome wine package prior to the cruise.
Stateroom prices range from $3,674 to $6,674 per person, and booking information is available here.
If you can’t commit to nine days on the water (plus travel days), a closer-to-home option is being offered early next month by Washington’s Maryhill Winery.
On Saturday, October 4, Maryhill will host a “Cruise Down the Gorge” on a sternwheeler.
The cruise will begin at 11 a.m. and return at 1:15 p.m., and the $70 fare includes wine tasting and appetizers — not to mention the gorgeous scenery of the Columbia River Gorge.
For further information or to RSVP, click here.
Whether it’s a full-blown vacation in the Mediterranean or a leisurely afternoon in the Pacific Northwest, you owe yourself the opportunity to enjoy wine on the water.
