NEW SHIP REVIEW
A WINE-TASTING FIESTA
A feature on many cruises are the SUPER TUSCAN WINE TASTINGS held in the enticing surroundings of Sabatini’s.
On my voyage, Lamberto Frescobaldi, President of the prestigious Marchesi de’Frescobaldi, proved a perfect tutor.
He explained the Super Tuscan movement began in the late 1960s when a few forward-thinking wine makers in the Chianti region broke with tradition by using unauthorised grape varietals and non-traditional oak barrels.
The resulting wines attracted international attention and are considered some of the world’s finest.
“Affordable” and “Super Tuscan” rarely appear in the same sentence but, as Signor Frescobaldi put it, “Super Good, Super Intense, Super Expensive, equals Super Tuscan.”
For a bargain $40, we tasted Remole 2011; Lucente della Vite 2010; Le Serre Nuove 2010; Ammiraglia 2009; and finished off with an outstanding Ornellaia 2007.
three days at sea gave me ample opportu- nity to see just what this titan has to offer. Not surprisingly, as this was one of the first cruises, we sailed full to the gunwales. The nationality breakdown included 1,300 from the United States; over 300 from Britain; 300 Australians; 700 Spanish speakers; 130 from Germany; and over one hundred Russians. Dress code was mainly ‘smart casual’ with two formal nights scheduled during my cruise.
T 74 WORLD OF CRUISING I Autumn 2013
here are 1,780 staterooms that fall into five different grades: 36 suites (made up of 14 Owner’s Suites, 14 Penthouse Suites and 8 Premium Suites); 314 Mini- Suites; 358 Deluxe Balcony Staterooms; 730 Standard Balcony Staterooms; and 342 Inside Staterooms. Each type features upholstered headboards, generous wardrobe space, fridge and 42-inch TV with complimentary movies. All grades from Deluxe Balcony down have showers with clingy plastic curtains. A defining quality of Princess is its cui- sine and this love affair with all things epicu-
rean has been enhanced on Royal Princess with no fewer than 16 places to eat as well as a proliferation of Italian-themed options. The Allegro Dining Room has set-table companions and set seating (usually at 6 and 8.15pm); the Symphony and Concerto Dining Rooms operate open-seating dining from 5.30-10pm. All offer the same menu, with popular items such as lobster and beef wellington on formal nights. The Con- certo Dining Room is open for breakfast and lunch every day. Known for creating the first-ever chef’s table at sea, Princess have set a new standard for this prestigious event with the debut of the 12-seat Chef’s Table Lumière in the Allegro Dining Room. This delightful enclave is surrounded by a 6,000-strand fibre-optic curtain of light enveloping the custom-made Tino Sana handcrafted table, which shimmers under a Murano glass chandelier. Supplement for this hedonism is $115, including champagne in the galley followed by a multi-course meal accompanied by
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