Select Cunard Ships to Offer Wine Certification Courses

Cruise lovers all over the world are treated to a whole range of different experiences on board their luxury liners. It’s one of the many perks of cruising. On-board water sports, cookery lessons and dancing masterclasses are just a sample of what’s on offer. And now, to add to the plethora of choice available, Cunard will offer wine classes on-board some of their cruises.

Wine Not?

Wine lovers are already perfectly at home on cruises. They provide access to some of the world’s greatest winemaking regions, as well as having some fine bottles to sample on-board. So it makes perfect sense for Cunard to team up with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and provide wine classes to all the vino enthusiasts out there.

The classes will be available from December 2016 onwards, and will initially be exclusive to passengers on the Queen Mary II heading west across the Atlantic. The first of the superb classes was held on 15th December, with the lucky passengers heading from Southampton to New York being the first to try them out. And over the next year, Cunard also hopes to provide the classes on its Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth ships.

Exploring the wines of the world

Cunard’s unique new offering will be taught by Andres Solis Lira, a wine educator certified by WSET. The classes will involve tasting a range of different wines, with study materials and guidance provided to give passengers all the wine tasting expertise they need for the multiple-choice exam at the end.

With different complexity levels available, the classes aren’t just for wine novices. For the WSET Level 1 Award in Wines, passengers will take part in a five-day course. Tasting at least ten wines, they will be given a solid base of knowledge about wine types and their styles. A fee of around $295 covers all the wines, studies and examination as well as a Champagne reception and wine inspired four course meal.

The more advanced course, a WSET Level 2 Award in Wine and Spirits, will require a slightly longer cruise for 12 days of wine tasting, along with a few spirits. Initially costing $595, passengers will taste a wider range of around 40 wines and four spirits Again with a Champagne reception, the slightly more advanced course will be available on world cruises, travelling from Southampton to Cape Town, Cape Town to Fremantle, Hong Kong to Dubai, and Dubai to Singapore

Wining and dining

To sign up for the experience, passengers can either book ahead through Cunard, or sign themselves up on-board. And by booking your Cunard cruise through Cruise1st you can make sure you’re getting the best deal when you book your cruise in the first place. With over 20,000 cruises and exclusive packages, we can help you plan your perfect getaway. Our dedicated cruise experts are on hand to assist with any queries or bookings too. Give them a call on 0808 2746 777 or check out our online cruise search tool.