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Cooking classes

the_dylaness

By the_dylaness,
in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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the_dylaness

the_dylaness

Posted
Posted

I've been perusing the cooking classes offered on our January 2024 Grandeur sailing.

 

Many are full (I had no idea this even existed until I was poking around the website this weekend.)

I found one that sounds interesting enough and have tried several times to book it. We have some unused onboard credit - it allows me to select to use the OBC and then at the end when I am to submit the entire purchase it just peters out.

 

So really, two questions in one:

 

1) What would you say about the onboard cooking classes? I am a reasonably experienced home cook and my husband is a good sous chef 😉 The last "well reviewed" cooking class I attended in Antigua last month (private tour, not cruise ship) was fun and enjoyable, but quite a bit more basic than I had anticipated.

 

2) Outside of trying to call Regent (each time I've had the time to call it's been outside their business hours... my problem, not theirs) any ideas on what might be holding up this purchase?

 

TIA!

 

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irishwitchy

irishwitchy

Posted
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My husband and I took a cooking class a few months ago for the first time. We both enjoyed it, but I’m a very good home cook and baker.  I didn’t learn all that much,  but I did discover a gadget I didn’t own!  
 

The class description was about the local food - Australia and New Zealand.  Besides cooking a lamb chop, which I cook frequently and so does my husband,  the shrimp/crab salad, nor the chocolate cake was very local in my opinion.  
 

However,  we both did enjoy the class and the instructor was very good.  He left me alone and helped those who needed it.  I did like the layout of the course - the chef shows you how to do it and you go back to your station and cook it yourself.  So if you don’t like the presentation or want to leave out something you can.  I did both.  
 

Next time, I will take the course in the morning,  the 4:00 class is just a bad time.  I rather see it at 6 and really make it dinner.  

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Techno123

Techno123

Posted
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Has anyone managed to book any classes on the November 23 Tokyo to Bangkok Explorer cruise? 
 

This is one of the replacement cruises from when Regent cancelled stops in China. On the original one we had managed to book a class but so far none have shown up on my account. My TA checked with Regent a couple of months ago and they hadn't organised any then but I check pretty regularly and no sign so far.

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bitob

bitob

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I have taken cooking classes all over the world and also on Oceania, Silversea and Regent.

 

The teaching facility is excellent.  How good the classes will be will depend on the chef instructor.  On my Splendor cruise the instructor was fantastic.  I learned a few things I did not know and even bought a gadget on Amazon that I did not own.

 

For future reference, these classes fill up fast.  They are almost impossible to book once on board.  You need to monitor your account to see when they appear for booking so you can get what you want.

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the_dylaness

the_dylaness

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1 hour ago, bitob said:

 

For future reference, these classes fill up fast.  They are almost impossible to book once on board.  You need to monitor your account to see when they appear for booking so you can get what you want.

 

They are almost impossible to book online, too! 🙂

I finally got a break today during their business hours and called; they were able to sign me up for one of the 10am classes.  They did not know why I could never submit the payment online.

 

What else am I supposed to know or be doing in advance!? I did make shore excursion reservations and I know dining reservations open for me in October...

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bitob

bitob

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50 minutes ago, the_dylaness said:

 

They are almost impossible to book online, too! 🙂

I finally got a break today during their business hours and called; they were able to sign me up for one of the 10am classes.  They did not know why I could never submit the payment online.

 

What else am I supposed to know or be doing in advance!? I did make shore excursion reservations and I know dining reservations open for me in October...

Probably because they have been available for booking for quite  some time.  I have a cruise in mid 2024 where cooking classes are now posted for booking.  There is no rule about when they become available.

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bitob

bitob

Posted
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21 minutes ago, the_dylaness said:

@bitob Thank you for sharing that info. I meant though, the fact that I could not get the purchase to go through even though some had openings. It is all sorted now though and I'm in for Wok Cooking.

Great. Sometimes there are cancellations.  Check when you board or at date for final payment.  

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jeb_bud

jeb_bud

Posted
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31 minutes ago, the_dylaness said:

@bitob Thank you for sharing that info. I meant though, the fact that I could not get the purchase to go through even though some had openings. It is all sorted now though and I'm in for Wok Cooking.

I had a problem that might be similar to yours booking excursions for a cruise last year. I would get to the checkout step and nothing would happen. I eventually noticed a small error code in red nestled among the other text on the page. The error could not be cleared and I ultimately booked the excursion over the phone. 
 

I think I am on the same Grandeur cruise as you and had no trouble booking cooking classes. It seems like a somewhat random issue. 

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DaveFr

DaveFr

Posted
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1 hour ago, TheShag said:

Sorry, newbie here. Where does the one see what is available? Searched My Account to no avail!

In your account, pull up your cruise and click on “MANAGE THIS BOOKING.” If there are culinary classes available, you’ll find a link to them in the customization section of the page.

 

Dave

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Gpilon Great Review Rare

Gpilon

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We are on Grandeur, Barcelona to Rome, July 22, 2024 and have now booked 2 cooking classes (enjoyed a few on 2 Splendor cruises) and also have our excursions booked. Looking forward to the classes after a couple on our Splendor TA this past March.

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Tsunami74

Tsunami74

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3 hours ago, TheShag said:

I guess the schedule is ship dependant given that we sail November 25, 2023 and nothing has shown as available and/or wait list. 

Not all ships have a place for culinary classes.

I think just the larger ones do. (Grandeur, Splendor and Explorer)

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RELS

RELS

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1 hour ago, TheShag said:

Correct. We sail on Explorer. Strange that sailings AFTER mine already have had classes available. Perhaps not being offered or some other reason

 

I am seeing this on the Explorer for our May 2024 cruise, though I was just able to book one for the Grandeur in Feb 2025. I will keep checking...

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