Cruise Ship Schools That Have Culinary Arts

Holland America Cruise Line

Within its Culinary Arts Center, Holland America has invested, with the assistance of "Food and Wine" magazine, in the creation of a complete cooking school. There is a division for adults and one for kids and teens, so the whole family can get in on the culinary act. This cruise line offers a fully stocked demonstration kitchen housed within an "innovative theater-style venue" in which classes are held, led by world-renowned chefs such as Marcus Samuelsson. There is also a video feed that allows viewing of the cooking classes from inside each cabin. Classes are often coordinated to match the culinary traditions of the ship's ports of call.

If you decide to travel aboard the Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, you'll have the option of participating in the ChefMakers Cooking Academy. Space is limited for participation in this activity, so while you may sign up on board, pre-registration online is recommended. This experience will place you right in the ship's kitchen or "galley," where chefs-in-training of all ages can work alongside the cruise line's chefs to create a variety of dishes. And, after all the preparation, the class sits down to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables and meats) of their labors. Recipe cards are provided so that you can re-create your dishes at home.

Claiming that its Bon Appetit Culinary Center is "the only cooking school at sea to offer hands-on instruction," the Marina ship of the Oceania fleet is primed for the serious cooking-school participant. Each of the 24 students per class works at his own cooking station, guided and led by professional chefs in exploring the preparation of numerous local dishes. For those seeking more traditional culinary education, classes are also offered in skills such as pasta-making. Sign up for a single or multi-session package. Class titles range from "Flavors of the Sea" to "Modern Greek" and "Chocolate Desserts from Simple to Spectacular."

Aboard the Disney ships Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, kids can participate in cooking lessons designed for pint-size participants. If your child loves pizza, then the "Pizza Perfection" class is for her. Guided step-by-step in the creation of the perfect pizza, participants also get to eat their own culinary masterpiece. The ships Magic and Wonder also offer the "Ratatouille Cooking School," named for one of Disney's most popular cartoon characters. Instructed by a "specially trained cookie chef," students in this class will invent, create and execute their own chocolate chip cookie creations.