Roll Call: Seabourn Legend - September 29, 2007 - Food & Wine!

[Iamboatman]

I am going to be on the Seabourn Legend on September 29th cruise for 7 days from Barcelona to Monte Carlo.

 

There will be as a special guest a James Beard Award winning chef (chosen by Gourmet Magazine as having the best lobster bisque and who has appeared on Bobby Flay's Food Nation) as well as a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner for 20+ years.

 

I'm looking forward to the special sessions (food and wine!).

 

Anyone else going?

[crystal808]

I wish! :D

 

I'll be leaving in early Nov. for a HAL Panama Canal partial transit, and can't take that much time away then...but really would love that itinerary & "special sessions"!!

 

Paul

who would invite you to join the Legend 4/08 crossing, however! ;)

[CruisinMatt]

who would invite you to join the Legend 4/08 crossing, however! ;)

 

That would be wonderful! :D

[cruisr]

I am really looking forward to boarding in BCN on 4-21. Actually, I can't wait...It looks like a great itinerary and lots of off the beaten track ports. Your cruise with the chef and the food and wine programs sound cool. My FAVORITE thing to do (besides having a drink at Sky Bar) is to go shopping with the chef. Sounds like you will have a great time.

 

Bon voyage

[cruisr]

GREAT itinerary, great cruise, great vacation. I'm back! The ports were wonderful and a great choice for a chef hosted cruise. I did shopping with the Chef (Chef Willy from Belgium) in Marseilles. All I can say was WOW. He bought a 16 kilo Yellow Fin Tuna and it was 10 Euros a kilo. He negotiated it lower. It was so much fun watching the happenings and pointing to what we wanted the chef to buy. Some of the passengers were eagerly asking to carry the goodies chef bought. The fish had just literally been caught and were being hauled onto the display tables.

 

Speaking of fish, didn't know this but found out there is a Museum of Fish (NOT an aquarium) in Palamos, Spain. Palamos was a very nice beach town with a great promenade for walking. Tarragona, Spain had lots of Roman ruins. The other ports were in France and included Port Vendres (where I walked about 3 miles to Couliere) Le Lavandou, St. Tropez. All were charming and fun to explore. I really enjoyed Friday night as I dined in the Verandah (as I did every night) and got to watch the twinkling lights of St. Tropez at sunset while dining on a wonderful tasting menu in TWO. That night they had "Movies under the Stars" and showed The Queen as the feature film. All sorts of desserts and after dinner drinks were served. My new favorite after dinner drink is a chocolate martini...yummy.

 

I dined every dinner at Two. I really like the fact that the tasting menus are interspersed with the former Bistros. On a 7 nt. cruise it was split 3 and 3. The other night was of course the fabulous On Deck Barbeque. We did that while docked in Marseilles. No problem getting reservations at Two as the al fresco area was able to be used since the weather was so nice. I am sure it will be just as lovely weather wise in late September.

 

I found a new way to make lunches very interesting. It was my own personal Burger Challenge. Each day at the Verandah I would order a different burger. These included Bacon-Chedderburger, Swiss and mushroom, Blue Cheese and Sauteed Onions and my personal favorite, and an extreme indulgence, Brie and Seared fois gras. (I am suffering from severe Seabourn withdrawal so I may have spelled fois gras wrong!)

Daniel in the Verandah actually told me the chef was looking forward to each lunch to find out what my "challenge" would be. Only on Seabourn!

 

Service and cuisine were all excellent. Your group will have a GREAT time.

Bon voyage

[Martita B.]

Boatman~~~

Count me in!! I just called my T.A. and booked! Sounds too good for me to pass up~~~

See 'ya aboard!;)

Happy Sails!

[Iamboatman]

OK, who is really going?:D ;)

 

Since the theme of the cruise is food and wine, the shopping with the chef (hopefully chefs) sounded great.

 

Cruisr: Did you get to the awesome market in Barcelona? That is probably my favorite market in the world. I'm looking forward to that.

 

Did you find any interesting wine-related experiences?

[johnnycruise]

Is there any space left on this sailing? How is the weather in the Med in early October?

[PeaSea8ch]

Johnny,

I have been in the eastern Mediterranean late October / early November. Venice was cold the beginning of the last week in October but for the rest of the cruise until November 5, it was sunny and warm in Greece and the Greek Isles; Haifa, Israel; Antalya and Ephesus, Turkey and Iraklion, Crete. It rained only one day for a short time.

 

Data for your consideration.

[Iamboatman]

I have spent a lot of time in the Med that time of year. It is beautiful. The days are warm, but not the oppressive heat of the summer and it is relatively dry (better than the spring).

 

There still is pretty good availability on this cruise.

[cruisr]

It was a great market...I loved The Ramblas also. It is a really happening place.

 

The weather was gorgeous, and should be even more so when you go. The last week of Sept. is a great time to be in the Med.

 

If you have any more questions, please post. Almost forgot: If anyone is the least bit worried about motion discomfort the ship never went faster then 8 knots as all the ports were really close to each other. We were pretty much in sight of land the whole time and there were TWO late nights. One was MArseille, where we left at 11:00pm and the other was St. Tropez where we left at Midnight.

 

Bon voyage

[simonv]

Be sure to have lunch in the market. Had the best sole I've ever tasted. Best sandwich, too. I'm still talking about it.

[Iamboatman]

I have a picture from a few years ago of my children outside a stall which had nothing but candied fruit...right after I told them "NO". I also have a picture of them in front of the same stall last summer right after I told them "YES".

 

Cost the first time: Big frowns. Cost the second time: 20 Euros. Value of the photos side by side: Priceless!

 

BTW, while the fish is phenomenal, the hams are indescribably good. (I may just skip the fish in Barcelona and hit the fish market in Marseilles.)

[johnnycruise]

Boatman,

 

If you know the guest chef, you may wish to advise him to contact the SB "Entertainment Coordinator." SB should post a press release in order to provide more complete information and give the chef the appropriate publicity and recognition (unless, of course, it is a private affair). I received the following response when I requested further details regarding the Barcelona - Monte Carlo 9/29 voyage:

 

 

 

Good afternoon,

 

Our Entertainment Coordinator has advised no specific details for the cruise have yet been finalized. Once we receive updated information, we will first post it on our website under the "Press Release" section of the page.

 

Please feel free to contact us periodically, or you can visit our site and sign up for Seamail. Once signed up, you will receive email information on special promotions, itineraries and news updates on Seabourn.

 

Thank you for your interest in the Yachts of Seabourn.

 

********************************************

 

 

 

johnny

[Iamboatman]

The guest chef, etc. are not open to all Seabourn guests as it is being done as a program in coordination with Seabourn, but not as part of the standard entertainment program. The cruise, however, can be booked separately.

 

Does that make sense?

[johnnycruise]

Yes, that makes sense. However from what I found elsewhere on the Internet;) , it would make sense for SB to use the guest chef as a selling point for this particular "slightly-off season" itinerary. A recurring improvement suggestion I've noticed on this board is the need to "refresh" the menus. A culinary expert (with samples of his/her craft) would be a draw for those who have had lobster, lobster, lobster more than three times.

[Iamboatman]

Ironically, some of the Seabourn past "guest chef" cruises haven't been such big successes. This one is being handled differently and the chef and restaurateur/wine expert are truly exceptional so the response has been quite good.

 

While lobster is one kind of seafood, I am looking forward to some interesting exclusive alternatives, some great unique wines/parings...and possibly a very unusual dessert called a "Soup and Sandwich" (if we are lucky).

[Iamboatman]

This cruise is getting close so I was wondering if there were any other people taking this cruise.

 

The special wine tastings are getting their final touches, the port shopping organized, and tours finalized.

 

I am very much looking forward to this cruise...and what a change from my cruise in French Polynesia that ended just this past Saturday! (It was great, but wish Seabourn went there!)

[seapenarth]

I am going to be on the Seabourn Legend on September 29th cruise for 7 days from Barcelona to Monte Carlo.

 

There will be as a special guest a James Beard Award winning chef (chosen by Gourmet Magazine as having the best lobster bisque and who has appeared on Bobby Flay's Food Nation) as well as a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner for 20+ years.

 

I'm looking forward to the special sessions (food and wine!).

 

Anyone else going?

 

Who is Bobby Flay ? When is his new name ready ? :D

[Iamboatman]

Actually Bobby Flay had the chef and restaurateur on his show Food Nation. They make Bobby Flay's mother's favorite lobster bisque. (Now, who could argue with his mother?!)

[Iamboatman]

Well our cruise is a sell-out.

 

I will be in Monaco for the Monaco Yacht Show less than a week before the cruise, so I feel like I am getting two for the price of one! (Of course flying back and forth twice in about a week is not great fun, but I don't think I will be getting any sympathy.)

 

Anyone have a favorite restaurant in Marseilles or St. Tropez?

[crystal808]

(Of course flying back and forth twice in about a week is not great fun, but I don't think I will be getting any sympathy.)

 

...you're right! Envy? Probably! ;) Sympathy? Not hardly!! :D :eek: :)

 

Paul

who wishes he could be there!

[Iamboatman]

All the details are now in place with a private wine and food paring one day, a private shopping with 2 chefs another and a cooking demonstration (with our demonstrating how to eat!) on another...plus some coordination with Seabourn's events.

 

I saw the Legend while she was in Monaco the other day and can't wait to be boarding her on Saturday!

[crystal808]

Eric:

 

It sounds like a wonderful week! Hope you have a great time, and that you will let us hear from you during or after! :D ;)

 

Paul

[lord of the seas]

Eric,Have a wonderful time.I hope that you pack the elastic waisted trousers.