For 10 weeks every summer, the whole of Britain goes baking-mad. Sweet treats and towering desserts are the order of the day, with TV shows, blogs and radio phone-ins dedicated to baking culture.
To celebrate the upcoming baking bonanza, we’re taking a look at the cruise ships boasting brilliant bakeries and palate-pleasing patisseries. Understanding how important a wonderful cupcake or delicate breakfast pastry is to guests’ overall enjoyment, cruise lines have gone above and beyond to ensure their ships impress and delight.
Here are just a handful of the cruise ships we always turn to when we’re yearning for delicious puddings, cakes and pastries.
P&O Britannia
Although she’ll be busy with the new series of the BBC’s favourite baking show (and the root of all this baking fervour), national treasure Mary Berry, has worked closely with P&O in the past, offering baking masterclasses aboard their flagship, Britannia. P&O know full well that many holidaymakers judge a trip on the culinary treats they sample on their journeys – and have invested in the help of some of cooking’s best-known names to help aboard Britannia. As well as Berry, celebrity chefs James Martin, Marco Pierre White and Atul Kochhar oversee the dining services aboard the ship – meaning plenty of treats for the travelling gourmet.
Those with a proclivity for all things baked will be well catered for aboard Britannia too, with Master Patissier Eric Lanlard bringing his delicious selection of cakes and titbits to P&O’s flagship. Eric’s Market Café aboard the Britannia is the perfect place to sample pastries with Lanlard’s unique twists. His afternoon teas have already earned something of a cult following among passengers looking for the ultimate relaxing indulgence during a day on the waters.
And the good news continues, as Eric Lanlard makes personal appearances on a number of cruises aboard the Britannia, offering baking masterclasses and sharing a few tricks of the trade.
Norwegian Breakaway and Getaway
Unsurprisingly for a class of ships which each boast more than 20 places to eat apiece, the Norwegian Breakaway Class ships are home to a pair of truly wonderful pastry stops – both named Carlo’s Bakery. Specialising in cupcakes, the Carlo’s Bakery team have been trained to the incredibly high standards demanded by TV’s Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro.
A huge range of flavours and designs can be found in cupcake form when you visit Carlo’s Bakery – a perfect treat after a long day of lounging around the pool.
Holland America Line’s Pinnacle Grill
Pinnacle Grill may sound like a meat lover’s paradise, with more attention paid to big mains than to subtle desserts – but the petit fours which make a surprise (though not so much of a surprise now, sorry) appearance at your table beg to differ. A selection of bite-size, sweet treats marks a truly delectable end to a meal – with expertly crafted, melt-in-the-mouth pastry serving as a base for crisp, fresh fruits and wonderfully velvety chocolate.And if the petit fours serve to spark your sweet tooth into action, Pinnacle Grill also boasts an impressive desserts menu to pick from afterwards.
Princess Cruises’ Chocolate Journeys
Across the entire Princess Cruises fleet, master chocolatier, Norman Love, is taking passengers on chocolate journeys. His silky smooth chocolate creations are available throughout Princess Cruises itineraries, included custom-created chocolate desserts and sweet tooth pairings with teas and hot drinks.
Rolling out earlier this year, the Chocolate Journeys have already proven to be quite the hit with Princess Cruises’ lucky guests.
Toscana on Oceania Cruises
The Tuscan-inspired eatery aboard the Oceania Cruises fleet (with the exception of Sirena), offers up a true leftfield dessert – Lasagne al Cioccolato. And it’s exactly what it sounds like, a sweet lasagne with cocoa dough separating layers of rich chocolate ganache. This is all served with a roasted pistachio sauce drenching the delectable warm cocoa doughs.
The only problem with the Lasagne al Cioccolato is saving enough room after scoping out the wonderful menu of antipasti and main dishes. Maybe just a share a starter so your appetite remains until the end of the meal.
If we’ve got the attention of your taste buds, why not check out our guide to our favourite bakeries and patisseries of Europe.
And of course, for our full range of great cruise deals, head over to our homepage or call our friendly sales team on 0808 2746 777.
