2013 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise – South America: Caviar, Beef, History & Natural Beauty!

The 2013 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise sets sail on November 13, 2013 aboard the Seabourn Quest for a seven day cruise from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Buenos Aires, Argentina. While this is the shortest (in length) Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise it will be one of the most interesting with a great diversity of experiences…and food & wine!

November 13, 2013 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
November 14, 2013 Ilhabela (Sao Sebastiao),Brazil
November 15, 2013 Paranagua, Brazil
November 16, 2013 Porto Belo, Brazil (Changed from Imbituba, Brazil) 
November 17, 2013 Sea Day
November 18, 2013 Montevideo, Uruguay (overnight)
November 19, 2013 Montevideo, Uruguay
November 20, 2013 Buenos Aires, Argentina 

(Remember the seasons are reversed from the Northern Hemisphere, so this cruise is near the beginning of the summer!  It will be warm.)

Before I discuss the itinerary I want you to know that I am really excited about one of the Goldring Travel Exclusive Experiences (complimentary, of course!) on our second day in Montevideo, Uruguay.  Seabourn procures all of its Caspian Sea caviar from an environmentally appropriate source:  Uruguay’s Black River Caviar. 

While it is too far to travel to its aquaculture farms, I have arranged for Black River Caviar to bring its caviar (and some live sturgeon too) from its farm to a fantastic restaurant right in the famous Mercado in Montevideo. With a bit of coordination with the Seabourn chef, I can assure you a Champagne & Caviar Event that not only enrich your mind, but your body and soul. 

Setting up this event exclusive to Goldring Travel’s clients, on our first day in Montevideo, I will be hosting the also complimentary Ensemble Experience.  After a tour of the city of Montevideo we head to La Puebla in Canelones where you will visit one of the country’s leading vineyards, H. Stagnari for a exploration of the winery, how the Stagnari family blends old and new technologies and then descend into the old cellar to sample various different high quality wines, including its most award-winning wine, “Old Tannat”.

When adding these two exclusive special events to the always amazing Exclusive Private Food & Wine Tasting created by combining my searching out of some really interesting local wines with the extraordinary talents of the Seabourn Chef and Sommelier, this will be a truly special cruise.

Oh, yes, and then there is the cruise which will allow us to visit not only some of the most famous South American cities, but some places that most people never get to visit no less explore.

As always, flying into the port city a day or so in advance makes great sense.  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil has many great opportunities to explore including its famous beaches and the Christ the Redeemer statue.  But for me, one of the highlights is going to be enjoying the churrascaria, the famous Brazilian steakhouses!  Here is a video highlighting some things you can look forward to before boarding the Seabourn Quest.

After boarding the Seabourn Quest our first port of call is the island of Ilhabela (Sao Sebastiao), Brazil with its almost 20 miles of beaches, a coastal Atlantic rain forest, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, mountain peaks to climb and over 300 waterfalls cascading into the ocean…and a marine sanctuary. I am looking into a possible tour to visit a Caiçaras village where these descendants of the local Indians mixed with Portuguese and African slaves live sustainable lives.

Our next port is Paranagua, Brazil which is a popular beach resort…and it is only a short boat ride to Ilha do Mel (Honey Island) a tranquil island where automobiles are prohibited.  Besides the beach, shopping for handicrafts and black pottery, the seaside is famous for its “por quilo” (all you can eat restaurants).

Not yet confirmed, our next port is believe to be Porto Belo, Brazil.  (The originally scheduled port has decided it cannot properly handle the Seabourn Quest…Oh well.)   Porto Belo is another naturally beautiful port, but with a twist. Close by is Blumenau, an essentially German village built by the large number of Germans who immigrated there in the 1850’s.  Personally, I am in “negotiations” with Seabourn to arrange a Caviar in the Surf day here!

A sea day follows and that means the aforementioned 2013 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Tasting and a day to relax and enjoy everything the Seabourn Quest has to offer.

It is then two glorious, and very busy, days in Montevideo, Uruguay. Because we overnight here there is time to really enjoy this vibrant city with some world class architecture, cuisine and wines. You can also simply “go local” and take an evening stroll along La Rambla.  Check out this video.

Our cruise comes to an end in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but one should not simply hop on a plane to fly home if not required.  From tango, to shopping to opera to fine dining, Buenos Aires offers so much.  Here is a video to whet your appetite.  It is also a great place to head out to Iguazu Falls or the mountains where Bariloche is located.

Prices for this cruise, with Goldring Travel’s special pricing – and including all of the special events – starts at $3,500 per person (including all fees and taxes) for an oceanview suite.  Of course, Goldring Travel has some special offers for hotels in both Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires.

If you are interested, call Goldring Travel at (877) 2GO-LUXURY in the U.S. In the UK: 020 8133 3450, Australia: (07) 3102 4685, International: +1 732 578 8585 or email me at eric@goldringtravel.com.