FOOD & WINE CRUISE TO VISIT AUSTRALIA’S FOODIE HOTSPOTS

Australian-based Shoretours.com.au has launched their Food and Wine Cruise Series for 2015, with a choice of two tempting February itineraries aboard Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas.

A ten-night southern cruise visits the renowned food and wine regions around Burnie, Melbourne, Adelaide and Hobart. All guests will enjoy the relaxation of independent cruising, including delicious on-board cuisine, then, at each stop, be chaperoned on exclusive and unique food and wine tasting adventures. Guests may find themselves sipping a dram of whisky at Hellyer’s Distillery, tasting Tasmania’s freshest oysters, hand-crafting fresh produce at a farm on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula or indulging in a snack marathon at the bustling Adelaide City Markets.

For those who enjoy a tropical breeze, the eleven-night Queensland cruise stopping at Newcastle, Cairns, Airlie Beach and Brisbane is the perfect opportunity to discover the Sunshine State’s burgeoning foodie credentials. A tasting tour of Hunter Valley wine and cheese is the perfect entree to later innovative twists on the traditional rainforest and resort experience. Enjoy a glass of Queensland Wine in luxurious Gold Class on Kuranda Scenic Rail as the Daintree slides by your window, sample some of Queensland’s finest seafood in the Whitsundays or revel in the ultimate wine tasting experience as you combine vineyard reds with seared Angus Beef from the cattle farm next door.

“With over 830,000 people taking a cruise last year and Masterchef completing its sixth season we know that Australians love taking their time off in style and their food and wine the same. There didn’t seem to be a better way to holiday than a combination of the two.” explains Shoretours.com.au Director Hope Kramer. “The regions offer exemplary produce and the opportunity to speak directly with the producers and sample the local temptations is second to none”. Numbers are limited to provide a more intimate experience, with a maximum of sixteen people on the Southern cruise and thirty two on the Queensland cruise.

Royal Caribbean International’s Rhapsody of the Seas is in intimate vessel, yet still boasts eleven decks, eight pools or whirlpools, including the glass-canopied, adults-only Solarium, eight bars and lounges, as well as the replenishing powers of the full-service Vitality Spa. Refreshed, guests can get swept into the plethora of on-board activities, games, quizzes, shows and live music the Rhapsody crew have created to share with you, and for those then struck with the contagious spirit of adventure, the rock-climbing wall, Casino Royale awaits.

Included in the package are all meals at the Windjammer Buffet Café, or the sweeping elegance of the multi-level Main Dining Room. Modest charges grant access to a dozen exemplary dining experiences including Izumi Sushi, Chops Grille Steakhouse and Portofino Italian.

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NOTE TO EDITOR:

Shoretours.com.au will be exploring some of the finest foodie experiences the Southern States and Queensland have to offer. Prices start from $2875AUD per person. For further information or to download a brochure visit Shoretours.com.au.

Photos available upon request