Silversea has unveiled its first collection of SALT (Sea And Land Taste) Culinary Voyages, a series of itineraries designed to discover each destination through its gastronomy, its flavors and the people who make them unique.
Each journey revolves around four concepts: Gather, Craft, Celebrate, and Indulge, connecting travelers with the ingredients, traditions, and culture of each region through immersive experiences.
The collection will debut with seven cruises aboard the Silver Dawn and Silver Spirit, which will travel through Portugal, Spain, France and the United Kingdom coinciding with the European grape harvest season.
Each itinerary will combine an expanded culinary program on board with exclusive SALT experiences on land, such as private sessions to create Port wine in the Douro Valley, lunches led by Michelin-starred chefs, truffle hunts in historic French castles and many other offerings.
“With this new collection of SALT culinary voyages, we are reinforcing our position as a benchmark among smaller cruise lines in terms of culinary experiences, offering our guests direct access to the people and places that define the gastronomic culture of each region,” explained Bert Hernandez, president of Silversea.
“We’re talking about experiences as exclusive as cooking alongside a countess in northern Portugal or learning family recipes from a chef in her own home in Normandy. These are experiences impossible to organize independently, and this privileged access is precisely what distinguishes this collection.”
SALT Culinary Voyages will bring the culinary essence of each destination to life through itineraries designed according to the season and guided by chefs, sommeliers, local experts, and mixologists. To celebrate the grape harvest, all cruises will include a special program of gastronomic activities, including:
- Iberia's Autumn Bounty, a nine-course dinner at La Dame restaurant, dedicated to the autumnal flavors of Portugal and northern Spain, accompanied by a selection of wines.
- Wine tasting from the European Atlantic coast, guided by the ship's sommelier.
- Premium tasting of Bordeaux wines, led by the head sommelier.
- Tasting of premium champagnes, comparing prestigious houses with small producers.
- Cognac and Armagnac tasting, led by the SALT Bar team.
- Cocktail masterclass at the SALT Bar, where guests will create cocktails inspired by the harvest season.
- Atlantic Coastal Catch, a live culinary demonstration focusing on the finest Atlantic produce, followed by a six-course paired lunch.
- French cheese and wine tasting, guided by the head sommelier.
- Autumn Forest Treasures, an exclusive six-course lunch at La Dame based on wild products such as mushrooms and fresh truffles.
The theme of the grape harvest will be present throughout the entire trip, from the welcome cocktail with caviar tasting on embarkation day to a grand autumn brunch and a special harvest-inspired appetizer.
Exclusive experiences during the European grape harvest
The culinary offerings continue on land thanks to the SALT Experiences excursions, designed to provide direct contact with the local culinary culture. Among the most notable are:
- Custom-made Port wine and grilled lunch at a historic wine estate in the Douro Valley, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
- Private visit to Château du Prince Noir, where Michelin-starred chef Vivien Durand will welcome guests to his kitchen before a three-course wine-paired lunch.
- Gastronomic experience in the Basque Country, with txakoli tasting and food at the Garena restaurant, distinguished with a Michelin star.
- Cooking class with chef Brigitte Dumant, at her residence in Normandy, followed by lunch in the garden.
- Enjoy traditional Portuguese cuisine alongside a countess at a historic estate in northern Portugal.
- Visit to Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, one of the prestigious Premier Grand Cru Classé of Sauternes, with commented wine tasting.
- Black truffle hunt and gourmet lunch at the historic Château Royal de Cazeneuve.
- From field to table in Portugal, accompanying chef, fisherman and forager José Velhinho on a day of wild product gathering in Sintra, followed by a four-course paired lunch.
The collection will begin with several itineraries that will travel through Portugal, Spain, France and the United Kingdom during the months of August, September and October 2026. Among them are:
- Southampton – Lisbon (August 27 – September 8, 2026), aboard the Silver Spirit, with a three-day stay in Bordeaux during the grape harvest and stops in Bilbao, Santander, Vigo, Porto and Lisbon.
- Lisbon – Lisbon (September 8-18, 2026), also on the Silver Spirit, visiting the Douro Valley, Bordeaux, Bilbao, Santander and Gijón.
- Southampton – Lisbon (September 19 – October 1, 2026), aboard the Silver Dawn, with stops in the Channel Islands, Brittany, Bordeaux, Bilbao, Santander, Vigo, Porto and Lisbon.
- Lisbon – Southampton (October 1-13, 2026), traveling along the Atlantic coast from Portugal to the United Kingdom, including a three-day stay in Bordeaux coinciding with the grape harvest.
- Southampton – Lisbon (October 13-25, 2026), again aboard the Silver Dawn, with visits to Saint-Malo, Bordeaux, Bilbao, Santander, Vigo, Porto and Lisbon.
With this new collection, Silversea expands its SALT gastronomic offering, providing travelers with a different way to discover each destination through its flavors, traditions, and the people who best represent its culinary identity.
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