Cunard has partnered with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), the world's largest provider of wines and spirits, to begin offering certified courses on board for its passengers.
This is the first time WSET courses will be available to cruise line passengers. Initially, they will be offered on board the Queen Mary 2.They are expected to be available on the Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth by 2017.
Passengers who embarked in Southampton on January 3, 2017 will be the first to enjoy a five-day course, starting on January 10, 2017, which will allow them to obtain the WSET Level 1 wine qualification.
The course offers a practical introduction to the world of wine in an interactive and relaxed environment for beginners who will be able to acquire basic wine knowledge through sight, smell and taste and learn how it should be served and what foods it should accompany.
Passengers can also participate in a 12-day course to obtain WSET Level 2 in Wines and Spirits. In this course, they will explore the main grape varieties and the wines they produce, as well as the most important regions where they are grown. Participants will also learn about terminology and labeling and gain an overview of spirits categories.
The classes will be taught by Andrés Solís Lira, a WSET-certified professional who has worked in the wine industry for the past decade. He joined Cunard in 2009 as a sommelier on the Queen Mary 2.
Each course concludes with an exam. Upon passing the exam, candidates receive a globally recognized WSET certificate. Passengers can book the course by contacting Cunard before their trip or the onboard sommelier.
The Queen Mary 2 is renowned for having one of the finest wine lists at sea, boasting a total of 484 varieties. Furthermore, The Cunard Wine Academy offers tastings and masterclasses for its guests.
