Once you’ve done a Mediterranean cruise, you’ll be spoilt for life – there’s nothing that beats escaping to the sunny shores of Europe during a frosty South African winter! The Med cruise season happens conveniently when locals in SA are bundled up in their winter woollies, so the timing couldn’t be more perfect. The Crush team can attest to how restorative a jaunt to the European summer can be, having sailed onboard the NCL Escape in 2022.

Meet the Winemaker 2023

The Meet the Winemaker series held onboard certain NCL cruises during the season provides wine enthusiasts and foodies of all skill levels with an exclusive opportunity to engage with winemakers and other connoisseurs through various enriching seminars and activities.

The immersive programming offers guests intimate wine tastings, wine-paired dinners, interactive culinary demonstrations and meet-and-greets on board. Guests can also purchase wines on board that are otherwise only available by visiting the wineries directly.

Love Whisky?

A new and noteworthy addition to this year’s series includes special guest Emma Walker. Walker, a Master Blender at Johnnie Walker, the highest rank in whisky craftsmanship, has spent over a decade perfecting whisky production, maturation, and blending processes.

She leads the Johnnie Walker Whisky Specialist team based in Menstrie, Scotland, where she has access to more than ten million casks of maturing Scotch whisky. She will join the 17 September 2023 sailing on NCL’s award-winning new ship, Norwegian Prima, in Northern Europe for NCL’s first-ever Johnnie Walker cruise where guests can learn the history of the brand and savour the wide range of aged whiskeys.

Join NCL’s first-ever Johnnie Walker cruise where guests can learn the history of the brand and savour the wide range of aged whiskeys.

Dine with Certified Angus Beef®

Also notable to the programme is Chef Ashley Breneman, Executive Chef at Certified Angus Beef®, one of the best beef brands in the country and is featured across the NCL fleet in its specialty restaurant, Cagney’s. Breneman, who began her career studying at Le Cordon Bleu culinary institute and has worked for numerous celebrity chefs, including Gordon Ramsay on the hit show “Master Chef,” will join returning winemaker

Antonio Hidalgo for the 9 July 2023 sailing aboard Norwegian Encore to Alaska to add a culinary component to the Meet the Winemaker experience.

Having experienced the Meet the Winemaker series onboard NCL led by Antonio Hidalgo, we can highly recommend this exciting series. Fancy escaping the impending winter for a cruise of your own? You should! Read all about our time sailing onboard the Norwegian Escape right HERE.

Full Schedule Meet the Winemaker Series

The complete 2023 Meet the Winemaker series lineup includes:

• April 2, 2023 – Norwegian Bliss, Mexican Riviera: Featuring award-winning celebrity chef and TV personality Aaron Sanchez
• April 9, 2023 – Norwegian Encore, Eastern Caribbean: Featuring fourth-generation winemaker Miguel Torres
• April 22, 2023* – Norwegian Bliss, Alaska: Featuring world-class winemaker Salvatore Ferragamo of The Il Borro estate in Tuscany, Italy, producing world-class wines
• June 10, 2023* – Norwegian Bliss, Alaska: Featuring Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite Wine Dinner Hosted by Special Guest: Diane Flamand
• July 9, 2023* – Norwegian Encore, Alaska: Featuring Antonio Hidalgo of the globally recognized family-owned Spanish Sherry house, Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana, and Certified Angus Beef^® Executive Chef Ashley Breneman
• Sept. 17, 2023 – Norwegian Prima, Northern Europe: Meet the Master Blender, Emma Walker of  Johnnie Walker
• Oct. 22, 2023 – Norwegian Escape, Bermuda: Featuring Michael Mondavi of the Michael Mondavi Family Estate
• Oct. 28, 2023 – Norwegian Joy, Western Caribbean: Featuring Gérard Bertrand, “The Drinks Business” Master Winemaker of the Year 2023 recipient
• Oct. 29, 2023 – Norwegian Escape, Bermuda: Featuring Randy Ullom from the Kendall-Jackson family

*subject to change, please see the NCL website to confirm dates.

Browse upcoming cruises here and also, be sure to follow NCL on social media to see for yourself how much fun it can be.

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