Carnival Corporation Expands Industry-Leading Celebrity Chef Partnerships

MIAMI, Nov. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's largest travel and leisure company, continues to expand its culinary offerings across its family of 10 global cruise line brands and 100 ships with more than a dozen partnerships with celebrity chefs and internationally-renowned culinary experts -- more than any other company in the cruise industry. The company's brands have recently added several partnerships to its lineup, including most recently Princess Cruises announcing last week that it will team with well-known chef Ernesto Uchimura, the former executive chef of Umami Burger and the current chef of Plan Check Kitchen + Bar, to open The Salty Dog Gastropub aboard its Crown Princess ship.

"With exclusive partnerships across our brands, we're bringing the best specialty restaurant concepts and celebrity chef-designed menus to sea, making sure our guests enjoy a great dining experience during their vacation with us," said Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for Carnival Corporation. "We know how much our guests enjoy having so many great dining options, and we are constantly working with our chefs to deliver high-quality ingredients and creative options that are prepared with great care for each and every guest. Having great meals with family and friends is one of the many reasons people love going on cruise vacations, and we're more committed than ever to making sure that continues."

The expanded offerings build on the company's extensive lineup of unique dining options that bring its cruise guests some of the world's best culinary experiences.

According to research from Carnival Corporation, about two-thirds of vacationers – including those who have never taken a cruise -- believe cruising offers sophisticated dining options compared to less than half of all vacationers who think a beach vacation offers great dining experiences. As a key area impacting the overall guest experience, dining options remain a focus for Carnival Corporation and its brands, including an emphasis on exclusive dining opportunities and the freedom for guests to casually enjoy great food and beverage options in multiple restaurants at their leisure.

New Partnerships with Acclaimed Chefs, Well-Known Brands for Inspired Restaurants, Menus

As dining is an important and memorable part of the guest experience, Carnival Corporation brands offer various types of restaurants and cuisine from all over the world and continue to expand their offerings fleet-wide. To ensure the company is bringing the most innovative and enjoyable cuisine at sea to guests, its brands are partnering with renowned chefs and brands to create new menus and restaurant concepts.

The latest example is Costa Cruises' collaboration with Barilla, one of the Italian cruise company's partners, to launch an ongoing pasta initiative as a tribute to World Pasta Day celebrated on October 25. Starting October 25, Costa's new pasta dishes became a regular weekly appointment on all the company's cruises under the name "Pasta in Festa."

Another recent addition is Princess Cruises' expansion of its Chocolate Journeys experience, pairing up again with internationally-acclaimed master chocolatier Norman Love to create a series of delicious new chocolate products, including breakfast treats and a premium chocolate cocktail. The indulgent offerings will be rolled out across the fleet in November, including on Princess' Australian-based ships. The new chocolate items will be in addition to the chocolate desserts, drinks, spa treatments, cooking demonstrations, chocolate and wine pairing, and formal night treats already offered onboard.

Another partnership adding to Princess' "Come Back New" brand promise is with esteemed restauranteur, New York Times bestselling author and television personality Chef Curtis Stone this fall. SHARE by Curtis Stone, the Australian chef's first restaurant at sea, will open onboard the Sun Princess in April 2016, following its debut on Ruby Princess and Emerald Princess in December and its January launch on Coral Princess cruising the Panama Canal. "Crafted by Curtis" menu items will also be offered in the main dining rooms of Princess ships, rolling out fleet-wide through the end of 2015. Additionally, Curtis Stone's Chef's Table experience will debut in early 2016, bringing a unique and intimate experience designed by Stone.

Carnival Corporation's Seabourn brand recently created a partnership with world-renowned American chef and restaurateur Thomas Keller, bringing mouth-watering dishes to its guests beginning in the fall of 2015. The culinary genius behind a trio of Michelin-starred restaurants – The French Laundry, Per Se, and Bouchon – Keller brings his award-winning French and American cuisine to the ultra-luxury cruise line, adding new flavors and flair to complement Seabourn's already celebrated cuisine. The chef is developing an array of dishes, ranging from appetizers to entrees to desserts for dining venues aboard Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn and Seabourn Quest. 

In addition, Seabourn will partner with Keller to introduce a new signature restaurant that will be revealed in the spring of 2016 on Seabourn Quest before being rolled out to the entire fleet, including its two new ships, Seabourn Encore in 2016 and Seabourn Ovation in 2018.

Adding to its recent pasta announcement, Carnival Corporation's Costa Cruises brand has unveiled new menus designed by Michelin-starred chef Fabio Cucchelli. He worked with a team of corporate chefs to update the line's onboard cuisine, creating 14 authentic regional lunch and dinner menus and 252 new dishes. The new menus are part of Costa's new "Italy's Finest" campaign -- an effort to bring a stronger taste of Italy to its ships around the world by partnering with the country's most popular food and beverage brands. The line recently announced collaborations with Barilla, Illy Caffe and Ferrari wines and has also revamped its entertainment offerings to feature more of Italy's best traditions.

Ongoing Chef Partnerships for Unique and Memorable Restaurants

Other brands in the Carnival Corporation family continue to deliver their guests the best possible culinary experiences at sea through restaurant offerings inspired by award-winning chefs and their signature dishes.

Salt grill by Luke Mangan is featured on all P&O Cruises Australia ships. The award-winning chef brings his reputation, talent and flair onboard, delivering the very best fine dining and finest Australian wines exclusively to P&O Cruises Australia. When the brand launched the first Salt grill by Luke Mangan on Pacific Jewel in December 2009, the restaurant was an instant hit, serving a full house twice each night. Mangan has written five best-selling cookbooks and his autobiography "The Making of a Chef."

Since 2011, Carnival Cruise Line has partnered with celebrity chef Guy Fieri to offer a free shipboard dining venue called Guy's Burger Joint, featuring hand-crafted burgers, fresh-cut fries and special recipes created exclusively for the brand. The dining option has rolled out to several Carnival Cruise Line ships and will also be on Carnival Vista, making its inaugural voyage in 2016. Known for his boldly flavorful food and even bolder personality, Fieri is one of the biggest stars on the Food Network, where his shows include "Guy's Big Bite," "Diners, Drive-ins & Dives" and "Rachael vs. Guy." He also has several restaurants throughout the U.S. including locations in New York City, Baltimore, Las Vegas and on the West Coast.

The Todd English Restaurant aboard Cunard Line's flagship Queen Mary 2 was designed by renowned Chef Todd English and features his specialty Mediterranean dishes.

Chef Atul Kochhar brings his highly sought after talent and years of experience to Sindhu aboard a number of P&O Cruises UK ships. Born in Jamshedpur in eastern India, Kochhar's reputation brought him to London in 1994, where at 31 he became the first Indian chef to be awarded the coveted Michelin star. At Sindhu, guests can expect modern Indian cuisine with a British twist.

Another P&O Cruises UK partner, Master Patissier Eric Lanlard, delights guests with his French-style tapas, specialty flat breads, charcuterie and antipasto at the Market Café and aboard Britannia during the afternoon tea experience.

Holland America Line's Culinary Council enriches the brand's culinary initiatives and presents signature recipes that are featured in all the dining venues on its 15 cruise ships. Culinary Council members include Council Chairman and Holland America Line's Master Chef Rudi Sodamin, along with renowned international chefs Jonnie Boer, David Burke, Jacques Torres, Elizabeth Falkner and Mark Best.

Engaging Onboard Culinary Offerings and Immersive Land-Based Options to Enhance the Guest Experience

As a group, the Carnival Corporation family of 10 brands is constantly looking for ways to enhance its culinary offerings to ensure that guests' palates will never be bored. With its commitment to exceed guest expectations, Carnival Corporation continues to provide unforgettable dining experiences to its more than 10.6 million guests a year.

Holland America Line offers a groundbreaking experience that combines a love of food and wine through The Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine magazine. The center features hands-on cooking classes, appearances by special guest chefs, wine tasting and mixology. There are regionally-inspired workshops with local market tours. Kids can also participate in the culinary fun with special demonstrations offering basic cooking techniques, kitchen safety and recipe instruction.

Holland America Line also recently announced a winemaking experience for wine connoisseurs and novices alike at BLEND aboard its new ms Koningsdam when the ship debuts in spring 2016. In collaboration with Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington State's oldest and most acclaimed winery, the intimate venue will enable guests to blend their own wine and enjoy it at dinner or in the privacy of their stateroom. BLEND – the first of its kind for Holland America Line and the only purpose, built-wine-blending venue at sea – will have a tasting table that accommodates 10 guests who can create their own blend from a selection of five barrels of single-vineyard red wine.

Carnival Cruise Line's newest ship, Carnival Vista, which debuts in 2016, will have a pub with a working brewery – a first for a North American line. The RedFrog Pub will serve three house-made beers that guests can watch being made in tanks behind a wall of glass.

P&O Cruises UK has lined up a host of celebrity chefs who will be on a number of Britannia sailings throughout the year, running two-hour cookery masterclasses in The Cookery Club. Guests have the chance to roll their sleeves up, cook and eat with their favorite chefs such as James Martin, host of many cooking shows on BBC. With book signings, Q&A sessions and exclusive chef's table dinners, there are plenty of activities for food lovers to participate in onboard the Britannia. P&O Cruises UK also partnered with the head chef in ITV's Hell's Kitchen, Marco Pierre White, for a gala night (black tie) onboard, and specialist sommelier Olly Smith for a unique wine bar and restaurant, The Glass House.  

AIDA Cruises features a 7-day cooking school taught by the Chefs de Cuisine. Each cooking school has a different theme such as meat, fish, spices and gourmet cuisine. Tempting desserts and chocolate specialties are also on the program. Each participant receives an AIDA apron or the fresh market AIDA cookbook.

Guests can also enjoy a unique and authentic insight into culinary specialties around the world as they experience market excursions with AIDA Cruises' chefs. Market tours are filled with a variety of colors and scents, exotic fruits and fresh fish. In the evening, guests will enjoy the jointly purchased food at a six-course meal in the gourmet restaurant Rossini.

Menus aboard the Adonia of Carnival Corporation's social impact line, Fathom, will feature thoughtfully prepared, healthy and regionally inspired Dominican- and Cuban-themed meals, including a variety of vegetarian options. In Cuba guests will enjoy lunch held in privately-owned restaurants or private homes known as paladares.

About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest cruise company in the world, with a portfolio of 10 cruise brands in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, comprised of Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (UK) and Fathom. 

Together, these brands will operate 100 ships in 2015 totaling 219,000 lower berths with 17 new ships scheduled to be delivered between 2016 and 2022. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour companies in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Traded on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc is the only group in the world to be included in both the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100 indices. 

Additional information can be found on www.carnival.com, www.hollandamerica.com, www.princess.com, www.seabourn.com, www.aida.de, www.costacruise.com, www.cunard.com, www.pocruises.com, www.pocruises.com.au and www.fathom.org.

SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc

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