Holland America Line has added more “FOOD & WINE® EXC Tours” (shore excursions) with the addition of 20 new tours throughout Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Canada & New England, the company announced.
Developed in partnership with FOOD & WINE magazine, Holland America debuted 23 excursions earlier this year on select cruises in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe that explore food, wine and culture.
During these exclusive tours, guests take cooking classes with chefs, go on culinary walking tours, visit wineries, sample authentic street food, explore local hideaways and more.
“We’ve expanded our exclusive FOOD & WINE tours due to their overwhelming popularity, as food is a universal language that connects travelers with the cultures they visit in a deeply immersive way,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “We’re excited to add this special tour program in several new locations so our guests can discover the diverse flavors of the many different places we visit through these unique and authentic experiences.”
Guests on cruises in Asia, Australia and New Zealand can chose from 14 new options.
The shore excursions are offered in Bangkok, Thailand; Shanghai, China; Singapore; Taipei, Taiwan; Yokohama, Japan; Hobart, Tasmania; Melbourne and Sydney, Australia; and Napier and Dunedin, New Zealand. Among the options include the opportunity to visit numerous markets in Asia, wineries in New Zealand and Tasmania, and “tough-to-get-a-table” restaurants in Australia, the company said.
Noteworthy FOOD & WINE EXC Tours include the Courageous Kitchen Cooking Class, a culinary experience with heart, the company said, as a portion of proceeds from the tour go toward helping to feed locals and train youth in need. The Bangkok tour starts with an exploration of a local market followed by a hands-on cooking class in home-style Thai cooking with Chef Dwight Turner, owner of Courageous Kitchen.
Over the next year, Holland America will continue to expand its food and wine tours to an array of destinations, including Caribbean, Mexico, Panama Canal, South America, Hawaii, and more.
