Savoring Chile & Argentina's Cuisine, Wines & Culture

We are delighted to announce a new fully escorted small group tour to Latin America. With international food and wine expert Liz Caskey as your host, travel and taste throughout some of Chile and Argentina's famous wine regions with Cox & King's. From wine makers to farmstead cheese makers, connect with the people who make it happen.

Savoring Chile & Argentina's Cuisine, Wines & CultureSpecial departure: September 23-30, 2010

Highlights:

• Explore vibrant markets in Santiago, winding through the stands of our favorite vendors.

• Taste your way through notable wineries of Chile's Colchagua Valley, from unassuming "garage" bodegas to chic and innovative wine superstars.

• Meet local farmers and beekeepers, as well as artisanal producers of cheeses, premium olive oils, and herbal liquors.

• Enjoy delicious meals prepared with the best of seasonal produce in rustic haciendas, renovated wine cellars, turn-of-the-century villas, and al fresco.

• Tour Mendoza's main wine regions, including Luján de Cuyo, Maipu, and Uco Valley, with the dramatic Andes as a backdrop.
• Learn to prepare regional classics during a cooking class at Cavas Wine Lodge, Mendoza.

Trip Costs and Booking:

The cost for this 8-day, 7-night journey is $4995 based on double occupancy ($685 single supplement). Includes all accommodations with most meals, sightseeing, transfers, baggage handling, and taxes. Meals not stated on the itinerary, gratuities and personal expenses, are an additional cost. Internal airfare is an additional $325 per person in economy class. International airfare is not included. Tour starts and ends in Santiago, Chile.

If you're passionate about food and wine, and exploring how they are intrinsically tied to the local culture, we invite you to travel with us, Savoring Chile & Argentina's Cuisine, Wines & Culture.

Ship Tour - Silver Shadow (Silversea Cruises)

January and February of each year, some of the world’s finest cruise ships travel through the ports of Los Angeles and San Diego as they begin their World Cruise Programs. These cruises range from 119 days to as much as 163 days, visiting exotic ports of call, carrying internationally known lecturers and experts of all kinds and circumnavigate the globe, ending in London, New York, Miami or Los Angeles. When these amazing ships and their worldly guests come through Los Angeles we try to get out and see them, as they are not on the West Coast of the US often.
This last Superbowl Sunday (2010), while the Saints and the Colts where gearing up for battle in Miami, I was queued up in San Pedro, in the rain with about 30 other travel professionals for an exclusive and rare invitation to tour the Ultra-Luxury cruise ship, the Silver Shadow, part of the 6 ship fleet of Silversea Cruises.

First of all, Silversea defies comparison to the rest of the mainstream cruise companies and ships. What I found in my afternoon on the Silver Shadow was a truly unique, luxury travel experience, and I will expand on that more shortly. Many of our clients are used to asking us about this ship and that ship and how they compare. We have used comparisons to hotels, such as ship A compared to ship B, would be similar to the difference between a city hotel like the Trump International in Chicago and the La Quinta Resort in the California desert and what all that means to the client. We have compared them like cars, this ship is for people that prefer a Mercedes, with a driver over a zippy BMW sportster. These comparisons help us get across the style, the “feel” of a ship and the level or service or care expected on a certain vessel.

Silversea transcends this type of comparison in that it is not a floating resort or hotel at sea, it is a true luxury lifestyle experience. I found the ship extremely understated, but very elegant at the same time. The artwork is impressive and rare, but also simple and subtle. The dining venues are immaculate, well designed, beautiful, but again understated and comfortable. I walked away with the feeling that Silversea is for Travelers and Voyagers, not simply a vacation.

Silversea is also an international company with approximately 50% of their guests coming from homes outside of North America. This makes for a very different and enriching travel experience. One afternoon you may be sitting by the pool with the winemaker from a vineyard in Argentina, then dining with a doctor from Ireland. This international mix adds to the overall travel experience, but also has Silversea offering more to their guests than found on other ships to accommodate the international crowd.

Launched in 2000, the Silver Shadow only carries 382 guests in six-star personalised service, and all of them in ocean-view suites. I found the suites to be exceptionally well laid out and spacious, regardless of the room type. My favorites were the mid-range Silver and Medallion Suites ranging from 521 - 701 square feet plus a Veranda. Both of these had a nice sitting area, gorgeous italian marble bathrooms and a Glass wall enclosed bedroom area. These suites are designed for comfort and relaxation and I found them to be that, and so much more.

View a full ship tour here: Silver Shadow Ship Tour

Silversea is one of the only All-Inclusive cruise ships, that is really All-Inclusive! All Silversea Guests receive complimentary beverages throughout the ship and the cruise, including fine wine, spirits, bottled water and anything else you could desire. They also stock your in-suite mini-bar with your personal preferences prior to your boarding the ship. Silversea aims to make the experience seamless, with transfers into town included at most ports around the world, complimentary in-suite dining if you choose, an exclusive and complimentary shoreside event on most cruises and a butler at your service to help unpack, pack, assist with dining arrangements and anything you could ask for.

I’ve posted pictures on our Legendary World Facebook Page - so become a FAN and check them out! If you have any questions about Silversea or Luxury Cruising, you know how to get ahold of us!

Please post any comments or share your experiences on Silversea by clicking on the “Comments” button below.

Ship Tour - Oceania Regatta

I recently had the pleasure to tour the m/s Regatta, and enjoy lunch aboard in the Grand Dining Room with Adele and some other Travel Industry Professionals.
When launched in 2002, Oceania Cruises, founded by industry veterans Joe Watters and Frank Del Rio, created a new category in cruising - and called it Deluxe cruising. The idea was to fill a missing niche between Premium (Holland America, Celebrity, etc.) and Luxury (Crystal Cruises, Regent, etc.).

From all accounts they have mastered this category, and after touring the ship, I can’t wait to sail with Oceania in the near future!

The differences are noticeable even from the pier as we walked towards the gangway and our entrance to our Deluxe ship, the m/s Regatta. Docked next to us in San Pedro was the Norwegian Star with a capacity of 2200 guests! Our ship looked like a beautiful private yacht in comparison, welcoming us on a very special voyage. As we boarded, the decor, furnishings and finishings immediately soothed the soul, relaxed our minds and made us all slow down and take it in. The lobby was reminiscent of a boutique hotel and the staff and crew were there to greet us and direct us to a welcome cocktail reception in Horizons, the top deck, forward lounge.

Adele and I grabbed a glass of Wine (when in Rome, as they say!), located a spot with some friends and proceeded to take some pictures of this incredible lounge. This area of the ship, and many to follow, are very much like being at the Country Club or Golf Course Lounge back home. Oceania tries in its decor to be welcoming and make you feel at home, and they have succeeded in this endeavor. It feels very comfortable, but not at all sloppy or too casual. It is elegant and sophisticated, without being snobby. The dress on Oceania is “Country Club Casual”, so for those of us that do not care to wear Tuxedos and Suits in the evening, Oceania is a great escape!

Next we headed off to tour the Staterooms and Suites of the m/s Regatta. It was actually rather comical at first, as 350 Travel Professionals all left the Lounge and headed in the same direction to visit the 12 staterooms they had reserved for us! Adele and I quickly found a parallel passageway and shot to the front of the group, and ahead of the crowd as most of them struggled to peep their heads in the doors, as 30 came out of the staterooms. Hey - it’s why our clients look to us for “creative” solutions and ideas!

The Staterooms on the ship are beautifully decorated and very well designed. All have flat screen TV’s, which really add a lot of space to the staterooms compared to the boxy TV’s of old. The inside Staterooms and the lowest level oceanview with portholes and picture windows are 160 and 165 square feet respectively, but felt rather spacious overall. This is probably due to the fact that the bathrooms are VERY small in these categories. They are functional, and for the value of these staterooms is OK, but they are very small. The Balcony Staterooms measure 216 square feet with a 45 square foot balcony. Personally I love the balcony Staterooms regardless of the ship. even if I do not spend any time outside, I love having the floor to ceiling glass as it makes the room feel so much bigger. I also love to have the door open during the day to enjoy the fresh air, and depending upon the destination, have been known to leave the doors open all night. Just don’t tell my cabin steward!

Of course my favorite on this ship are the Owner’s Suites, ranging in size from 786 to 962 square feet, located on the very front or very back, with large wrap-around verandahs, Jacuzzi bathtubs, Butlers, Wedgewood furnishings and all the little extras you would expect in a Suite on Oceania.

Canyon Ranch, right here in Tucson, has recently partnered with Oceania Cruises to add a Canyon Ranch SpaClub on all of the vessels. It is not just a Spa at sea with a fitness center, but a true Canyon Ranch experience, with exceptional facilities and staff to create a complete Health and Wellness program on the Regatta. If you are a Spa nut - then Oceania Cruises is for you!

One of the differentiating features for Oceania is the dining. First of all there are four, open seating restaurants throughout the ship that are available to all guests and without the surcharges that we find on the Premium ships. There is the Grand Dining Room where we were treated to a magnificent five-course lunch and spectacular wines. There is the Polo Grill serving the best steaks not only on the high seas, but in the world. And served in a style reminiscent of the old Hollywood haunts we have all seen and dreamed about in the movies. There is Toscana hailed for its simplicity and keenly balanced flavors, firmly rooted in family traditions. Many of the recipes have been handed down for generations, coming from many of the Italian culinary staff of Oceania itself. Then there is Tapas on the Terrace, each evening this area becomes an alfresco dining experience under the stars! Enjoy specialty cocktails, authentic tapas, paellas and flavorful regional specialties from Spain.

In addition, there is a spectacular 24 hour complimentary room service menu that is second to none that I have seen in my 20 years of cruising. Order coffee, fresh fruit and pastries as your wake up call or a full five course dinner experience served in your stateroom.

We also took some time and toured the pool and deck area of the ship, and the casual, upscale style holds true here as well. The deck chairs and loungers are made of a beautiful Teak and covered with soft white (and thick!) padding for lazy days out by the pool enjoying a good novel or lively conversation. Next to the pool is Waves Grill, the casual lunch spot where you can grab a burger, salad or sandwich while enjoying the pool or as a quick stop between tours and other activities onboard when you do not feel like going to one of the restaurants.

I hope you enjoyed this quick review of the Oceania Regatta and I would love to have you add any comments below if you have sailed or visited this vessel or one of it’s sister ships! If you have any specific questions, please feel free to e-mail me at Scott@LegendaryWorld.com