One of the first things I tasted aboard Viking Ocean’s Homeland cruise was an artfully arranged serving of Gravlax.  It was beautifully served in The Restaurant aboard Viking Star as we sailed for Denmark.  I liked it so much, it was the first of many…

I have to admit being completely charmed by my visit to Scandinavia.  In the interests of full disclosure, I went to Denmark and Norway side-stepping Sweden, Finland and far distant Iceland on my 7 day Viking Homeland itinerary.  But I felt completely immersed in Scandinavia…

8 Reasons You Should Take a Scenic Cruise Along the Danube River August 22, 2018. I am very pleased to introduce you to a new outlet that I am working with. It’s called Travel-Wise and it’s a compendium of original travel stories that I think…

Silversea Culinary Voyages to Vietnam Both aboard ship and ashore, Silversea Cruises brings its passengers great Vietnamese food Vietnam is a perfect country for cruising.  It hugs a 1,600-mile coastline from the southern Ho Chi Minh City to the north and Hanoi. Its narrowest point…

Culinary Travel: Dining Like a Celebrity Jan 17, 2018 | 11:53 am By Monte Mathews Staff Writer Celebrity cruise line’s reputation for great cuisine is on full display aboard Celebrity Equinox The Galley Tour on Celebrity Cruise’s Equinox was well-attended despite this being a picture-perfect…

On Monday, I sailed from the World’s largest cruise ship port, Miami, aboard a 121,878 ton Cruise Ship.  Large? Hardly.  It is dwarfed by 40 other ships as the Cruise World expands, regularly building ships over twice this size. Launched just 8 years ago, it…

Emerald Waterways takes to the Rhône With a Top Chef on Board Jun 20, 2017 | 4:26 pm By Monte Mathews Staff Writer Chef Fabien Morreale has created a special meal for the passengers of these ships. Glen and Karen Moroney The Australian Company Scenic…

 The focus of The Daily Meal, is, of course, food.  And so everything I write for them is about Food Events, Wine Touring and Culinary Travel.  I’m proud of my work and have acquired quite a portfolio of stories.  But many of my trips are…

Last Thursday’s  post about the first five days of my Rhine River Getaway, brought news from many of my fellow passengers and I was so glad to hear from them.  To me travel has always been about meeting people, making fresh discoveries together, learning, absorbing…

Learn to Cook Like Viking Ocean Cruises’ Chef While on Board Jan 6, 2017 | 4:54 pm By Monte Mathews Staff Writer Viking Ocean Cruises’ hands-on cooking classes beat the competition, hands down. A Hands-on Approach is key to Viking Ocean’s Cooking Classes. Photo by…

On Viking Ocean Cruises, Mamsen’s Deli Serves Mum’s Recipes on Mum’s China Dec 9, 2016 | 4:49 pm By Monte Mathews Staff Writer For Viking CEO Torstein Hagen, perfection is in the details Torstein Hagen, chairman and CEO of Viking River Cruises, with 61 vessels…

Cuisine on the World’s No. 1 Cruise Line By Monte Mathews Staff Writer Chef Anthony Mauboussin, Culinary Director of Viking Cruises, has a lot on his plate, including 42 new dishes this year alone. Chef Anthony Mauboussin in Viking Star’s Demo Kitchen The cruise world…

Rise and Shine! It’s At Sea Day on Viking Sea’s Maiden Voyage Viking at Sea          On Viking Star there was only one.  On the Maiden Voyage of Viking Sea, there would be three of them but for us, just one.  Sea Days. These port-less…

Chef Anthony Mauboussin in action aboard the Viking Sea. By Land and by Sea: Viking’s New ‘Kitchen Table’ Culinary Arts Program By Monte Mathews Staff Writer We set the scene for Viking Cruise’s new ‘Kitchen Table’ chef experience Since last year’s launch of its first…