Has anyone taken a cooking course on HAL, Oceania, or Silversea?

Hi, cruisers! I've been researching cruise ships that offer hands-on cooking classes. It looks like the only ones are Holland America, Oceania, and Silversea Cruises. Have any of you taken classes at HAL's Culinary Arts Center, or Oceania's Bon Appétit Culinary Center? If so, I'd love to know some details. Thanks!

DH took several of the classes on Riviera and enjoyed them very much. Those were based on Jacques Pepin dishes served in the dining rooms on Oceania. The classed were full and I believe there was a waiting list.

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DH took several of the classes on Riviera and enjoyed them very much. Those were based on Jacques Pepin dishes served in the dining rooms on Oceania. The classed were full and I believe there was a waiting list.

 

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Going Coastal, thank you for the response! Can you tell me more about the hands-on aspect of the classes? Did everyone get a chance to prepare/cook? Did the chef demonstrate a recipe and then have the class follow the instructions to re-create it? Were the recipes simple appetizers or a full meal? I'd appreciate any further details. Thank you!

DH says they cooked several items with a partner at each station. The chef demonstrated and they followed along. He thought it got a little tiring standing up doing that for two hours.

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Okay, thanks much for the info, Going Coastal!

HAL's cooking classes have been a mixed bag lately.

They cost $29 per person and are limited to 12 people. Some of the chef's conducting them are great. Those chef's break you down into 3 groups and shows everyone how to do their preps. Afterwards everyone goes to the Pinnacle Grill and eat a similar meal that has been prepared. Some times there is free wine with the meal.

Some of the chefs do all the work and you just watch. Still get to have lunch.

Usually you are given an apron and a cookbook as well.

Most times the classes are held on a sea day but there have been times when they are held on a port day.

You can only sign up at the front desk for the classes where you can see what will be prepared and when the class is.

Great info. Thanks much, Krazy Kruizers!

Did a cooking class with a special chef (he had a Michelin star restaurant in the Netherlands) on Rotterdam two years ago. Very interesting, he even brought some special herbs etc. it was a very special menue with oysters, lobster and so on. Nothing you would find on the regular menue. Everyone got something to prepare and we all tried the results during the class and afterward in the restaurant. We got an apron and the recipes to take it home. Was well worth the money. They had also classes held by regular chefs of the ship preparing food from the dining room menue but we didn't attend those.

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I took quite a few classes while on the Marina. All were with the same chef and most were full. We had two people per station cooking a few items one at a time. Each person got the chance to have an influence on each item. It's up to the pair to decide who would do what.

Generally the order of events would be as follows: chef would do an introduction to her and the class, then a demonstration of the first dish, then we would work on our first dishes, then she would show us the next dish, and so on for as many dishes as we had that class.

Everything we made had to be consumed in the room, which wasn't the most convenient for dinner when I had the 3pm classes. We did get a glass of something alcoholic (wine, sangria, etc.) at every class. They also allowed visitors in to help with the food consumption at the end of the class. At least half of my classes went 10+ min over.

Let me know if you have anything specific you want to know.

Highly recommend the Cooking Class on HAL. We have done it twice and enjoyed them both. We did the same itinerary on the same whip 3 months apart and the cooking class was different. Lunch at the Pinnacle with the special menu was lovely. We were able to meet great people who love cruising and the HAL brand. It was very nice. Next time you are on a "DAM" ship and cooking is your thing, go for it.

Where are the cooking classes on HAL ships? I only saw demonstrations. There was no space for participants like there was on Oceania's Riviera and Marina.

Hi-

We took a hands-on cooking class on HAL a few years ago and it was excellent (provided nothing's changed since then...). A few folks volunteered to be hands-on while the rest of us watched. A nice perk was the Food and Wine aprons they gave us.

We've also been on RCI, Celebrity and Princess, and HAL does the best job at a food-oriented program. There are demos (free) and "Iron Chef" takeoffs, some of which have been hysterical.

Also for foodies (I count myself among them!), HAL has an Indonesian "Tea Ceremony," (free) which is less like a ceremony and more like an intro to Indonesian sweets. They also have a wide range of teas and special coffee.

Hope this helps. - Musing About Cruising

Where are the cooking classes on HAL ships? I only saw demonstrations. There was no space for participants like there was on Oceania's Riviera and Marina.

I have taken the HAL hands-on cooking classes on most of my cruises. All are conducted on the stage of the Culinary Arts Center (some Centers double as the ship's theater). In my experience, the recipes are items on the MDR menu that same evening.

Under new Health Code requirements, the students prepare the food under the supervision of a chef (often from the Pinnacle Grill) but they may not consume it because they do not hold a Food Handler's Certificate. Frequent tasting is not discouraged.

With the courses prepared, plated, and garnished, the class eats a similar meal prepared by PG chefs. That is the chance to compare the class-prep with the proper prep. Wine is usually served. It is my experience that opened wine bottles are given to class members for finishing in their staterooms.

The class is a chance to ask lots of questions of the instructor-chef, learn new cooking skills, and have some laughs with the mistakes.

I have learned to skin and filet salmon, flip crepes, create cool garnishes, chop veggies in unique shapes, Mexican cooking techniques, properly season food, make pastry from scratch, etc.

It is rare that someone can have two hours with a professional chef so I strongly recommend the experience.