Many of us travel for our next great meal. As Hilton’s 2025 Trends Report shows, some 50% of travelers book restaurant reservations before they book their flights, and one in five will travel just to seek out new culinary experiences. These cruises deliver both the travel and dining you seek at sea with flavors from ports with rich cultures and exclusive culinary experiences. These are the sailings to book for 2026.
Learn about food history in Greece
COURTESY OF ATLAS OCEAN VOYAGES
Atlas Ocean Voyages’ 2026 Epicurean Expeditions include cruises for those looking to immerse themselves in Mediterranean flavors. In July, chef Ippy Aiona returns for a third season, along with his family, leading two 10-night journeys through Greece and beyond: Athens to Istanbul (July 10) and Istanbul to Rome (July 20). He’ll be joined on board by food historian Mara Papatheodorou, and guests can expect live cooking demos, chef-guided market tours, and shore excursions that spotlight local flavors, from Greek olive oil tastings to Mediterranean spice blending. 10 nights from $6,299
Enjoy the freshest lobster in Iceland
JULIEN FABRO/COURTESY OF PONANT
Sailing aboard Ponant’s icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot means coming face-to-snout with polar bears and glaciers — then celebrating with cuisine guided by iconic chef Alain Ducasse. His consulting team, Ducasse Conseil, trains the onboard chefs at Nuna, the ship’s exclusive restaurant, on how to craft elevated plates like lobster with peas and wild mushrooms or cabbage stuffed with black truffle. Itineraries span Greenland explorations, Arctic Ocean crossings, and even the geographic North Pole, with departures running all year round. 11 days round-trip from Reykjavik from $31,680
Explore more of what the land has to offer with Regent Seven Seas
COURTESY OF REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is making overnight dockings a centerpiece of the experience, allowing guests to linger over extended evenings ashore. The newest ship, the Seven Seas Grandeur, is set to depart on its first Mediterranean sailing on May 24, on which eight passengers can book an exclusive Monte Carlo overland package, including a stay at the Château de la Chèvre d’Or. In December, the line debuts Seven Seas Prestige, the first of a new class, featuring two‑story suites and a new Mediterranean restaurant, Azure. 13 nights from $14,199
Sip wine with F&W’s Ray Isle in the Mediterranean
COURTESY OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC-LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS
In September 2026, Food & Wine Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle will join National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions’ National Geographic Orion for Crossroads of the Ancient World: Exploring Greece and Turkey. Isle leads tastings — up to 40 bottles per sailing — of varietals he hand selects to showcase the Mediterranean’s finest wines. Beyond local sips, passengers can visit the ruins of Ephesus and learn about Turkish coffee traditions. Other Food & Wine–partnered voyages, in the Mediterranean and in the Pacific Northwest, offer equally impressive experiences. 11 days from $13,370
Sail and dine through the Amazon with Aqua Expeditions
COURTESY OF AQUA EXPEDITIONS
Step aboard Aqua Expeditions’ sister riverboats, Aria Amazon and Aqua Nera, for an immersive sailing up the Peruvian Amazon. On both vessels, days are split between twice‑daily excursions led by expert naturalists and evenings savoring dishes made with sustainable Amazonian ingredients from consulting chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino. Think plantain and yucca gnocchi or star fruit and Brazil nut crumble layered with nougat made from macambo, a rare Amazonian cacao. On the newer, 20‑suite Aqua Nera, a plunge pool, spa, and movie room offer tempting spaces to linger between meals. Three nights from $3,750
Go all-in on luxury with the Ritz
COURTESY OF RITZ-CARLTON YACHT COLLECTION
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection introduced its third superyacht, Luminara, in July with sleek upgrades including an expanded marina terrace and a new Art Bar serving itinerary‑inspired cocktails. Culinary offerings shine across five restaurants, including two new dining venues: Azur, which emphasizes seasonal ingredients and regional menus, and Haesu Bit, which is devoted to Pan-Asian flavors. Meanwhile, Beach House presents Middle Eastern dishes reimagined by Michael Mina, and Seta Su Luminara infuses Silk Road ingredients into modern Italian cuisine. 12 nights from $17,900
Get a taste of Italy’s finest gelato
COURTESY OF CRYSTAL CRUISES
Crystal Cruises, long a partner with world-renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa, continues to raise the bar with fresh culinary collaborations. In 2024, the line welcomed restaurateur Riccardo Giraudi’s famed Beefbar to its two ships. In summer 2025, Florence’s iconic gelato maker Badiani debuted Scoops Gelato Bar, offering eight to 10 daily flavors like Croccantino al Rum with hazelnut brittle and Dolcevita, layered with hazelnut swirls and chocolate. Also in 2025, chef-restaurateurs Massimiliano and Raffaele Alajmo refreshed the menu at Osteria d’Ovidio, serving decadent dishes like langoustines wrapped in pasta and saffron risotto dusted with licorice powder. Three nights from $2,600
Dig into seven courses through Alaska and Portugal
COURTESY OF EXPLORA JOURNEYS
Explora Journeys is quickly expanding. Explora II, a twin to Explora I, debuted in 2024; Explora III will come into service in 2026; and Explora IV will arrive in 2027. Each offers a residential‑style atmosphere and six restaurants led by Franck Garanger, renowned for putting Oceania Cruises on the culinary map. His showstopper, Anthology, serves a seven‑course Italian tasting menu that’s a certified extravaganza. Explora III will set sail in Alaska in summer 2027, and Explora IV will chart a course to Lisbon in April 2027. Eight nights from $9,100
Embrace old-school grand dining once again
COURTESY OF OCEANIA CRUISES
Oceania Cruises launched Oceania Allura in July, featuring 12 dining venues, including a crêperie, and refreshed menus throughout the ship. Guests can snack on everything from bakery nibbles, like ricotta‑filled sfogliatelle, to Grand Dining Room classics, including tournedos Rossini. Allura also rolled out the Bubbly Bar, a tableside Manhattan cart, and low- and no-sugar wines. Shore excursions feature a distinct culinary focus, like vineyard visits or local dining on the Aegean & Turkish Awakening itinerary. The line will debut Oceania Sonata, the first of a new ship class, in 2027. 10 days from $2,899
