Meet the Winemaker Cruise Series is Back With a Fantastic Lineup
Join us in raising a glass (or two!) in celebration. Norwegian has announced the 2023 lineup for the much-anticipated return of the Meet The Winemaker Cruise Series, scheduled for its seventh year. Get ready to pair your new favorite vintages with gourmet food and spectacular destinations worldwide.
Through a variety of enriching seminars and activities on board — including open-forum discussions, meet-and-greets, intimate wine tastings and wine-paired dinners, interactive cooking demonstrations and educational Q&A sessions — guests will enjoy exclusive opportunities to learn from top winemakers and other industry experts. And the best part, all of this while cruising to amazing destinations. For the first time ever, this year on select cruises, guests will have the rare opportunity to savor unique culinary experiences sponsored by Certified Angus Beef.
Each of the Meet The Winemaker cruises features vintages chosen by the expert and brought on board for these exclusive events. The wine experiences range from $22 USD to $100 USD per person, plus tax and gratuity, and may be reserved on board the ship.
Ready to start planning? Explore all Norwegian cruise vacations.
APRIL 2nd, 2023 - NORWEGIAN BLISS, MEXICAN RIVIERA CRUISE
SPECIAL GUEST: CELEBRITY CHEF AARON SANCHEZ
Aarón Sánchez is an award-winning chef, TV personality, author and philanthropist. He is the chef/owner of Johnny Sánchez in New Orleans, the host and executive producer of Discovery's El Sabor de Aarón, and a judge on FOX's hit culinary competition series MasterChef and MasterChef Junior. He is the partner/creative director of Cocina, the first online content platform dedicated to celebrating Latin lifestyle through its vibrant culinary culture. Aarón grew up in the restaurant business and is passionate about preserving his family's legacy through food and encouraging diversity in the kitchen.
APRIL 9th, 2023 - NORWEGIAN ENCORE, EASTERN CARIBBEAN CRUISE
SPECIAL GUEST: MIGUEL TORRES
Fourth generation Miguel A. Torres pioneered planting Cabernet Sauvignon in Spain creating 'Mas la Plana' in 1970, whereas todays fifth generation is focusing on recovering ancestral Catalan, Spanish and Chilean varieties and on continuing to make top quality wines from unique and special vineyards. The Torres family is also present in Chile, California and other Spanish iconic regions with singular wines and vineyards.
Salvatore Ferragamo, Norwegian's Winemaker Cruises
APRIL 22nd, 2023 - NORWEGIAN BLISS, ALASKA CRUISE
SPECIAL GUEST: SALVATORE FERRAGAMO
Since 1993, Salvatore Ferragamo, together with his father Ferruccio, have been responsible for conserving the Il Borro estate historical heritage but have also transformed the property into a 5-star Relais et Châteaux Hotel in a 1000-year old medieval village and converted all agricultural farming practice to organic farming, producing world-class wines with a unique concept of terroir.
RELATED CRUISES:
7-Day Mexican Riviera Cruise from Los Angeles, Norwegian Bliss - April 2, 2023
7-Day Caribbean Cruise from Miami, Norwegian Encore - April 9, 2023
7-Day Alaska Cruise from Seattle, Norwegian Bliss - April 22, 2023
7-Day Alaska Cruise from Seattle, Norwegian Bliss - June 10, 2023
JUNE 10th, 2023 - NORWEGIAN BLISS, ALASKA CRUISE
DOMAINES BARONS DE ROTHSCHILD LAFITE WINE DINNER HOSTED BY SPECIAL GUEST: DIANE FLAMAND
Diane Flamand, winemaker, Bordeaux Collection Wines, Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite. From 1997 to 2003, Diane assumed the role of training manager at Barton & Guestier (Blanquefort - Bordeaux) where she ran the B&G Wine Training Program and promoted the brand in France and abroad in South and North America, Europe and Russia. In 2003, she spent several months in California at the Sterling Vineyard and in South Africa before formally joining DBR Lafite in 2004 as winemaker, Bordeaux Collection Wines.
JULY 9th, 2023 - NORWEGIAN ENCORE, ALASKA CRUISE
SPECIAL GUEST: ANTONIO HIDALGO WITH ASHLEY BRENEMAN 
Antonio Hidalgo has a unique connection and commitment with the fascinating world of wines. He is the 8th generation of family owned Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana - a worldwide recognized Sherry house founded by his great grandfather in 1792 in Sanlucar de Barrameda, Spain. Born and raised in Sanlucar with the winery as his playground, Antonio endeavored every single job there was available from harvesting to production. By the age of 17 he became part of the winemaking team.
RELATED CRUISES:
7-Day Alaska Cruise from Seattle, Norwegian Encore - July 9, 2023
14-Day Mediterannean Cruise from London, Norwegian Prima - September 17, 2023
7-Day Bermuda Cruise from New York, Norwegian Escape - October 22, 2023
7-Day Caribbean Cruise from Miami, Norwegian Joy - October 28, 2023
7-Day Bermuda Cruise from New York, Norwegian Escape - October 29, 2023
SEPTEMBER 17th, 2023 - NORWEGIAN PRIMA, NORTHERN EUROPE CRUISE
SPECIAL GUEST: EMMA WALKER-JOHNNIE WALKER MASTER BLENDER
Johnnie Walker Master Blender, Emma Walker, began working for Diageo in 2008 and for more than a decade has been one of the small team of 12 expert whisky makers working together in pursuit of blending excellence. She has a background in scientific research with production expertise and has developed an encyclopedic knowledge of whisky production, maturation and blending. Leading the Whisky Specialist team based in Menstrie, Scotland, Emma has access to more than ten million casks of maturing Scotch whisky from distilleries across the four corners of Scotland.
Michael Mondavi, Norwegian's Winemaker Cruises
OCTOBER 22nd, 2023 - NORWEGIAN ESCAPE, BERMUDA CRUISE
SPECIAL GUEST: MICHAEL MONDAVI
Michael Mondavi is known as the "quiet icon" among his friends and colleagues and is widely credited with helping to establish and build the Napa Valley wine industry as we know it. Raised at the Charles Krug winery in St Helena, Michael's wine career began in 1966 when he and his father Robert co-founded the Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville, Napa Valley. He served in many positions at the winery, including winemaker for the first eight harvests with the celebrated 1974 vintage. In 1999, Michael - along with his wife Isabel and their two children, Rob, Jr. and Dina - founded Michael Mondavi Family Estate, creating a sustainable legacy to be passed down to the next generation.
OCTOBER 28th, 2023 - NORWEGIAN JOY, WESTERN CARIBBEAN CRUISE
SPECIAL GUEST: GÉRARD BERTAND, MASTER WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR
Gérard's father, Georges, began training him in the family business starting in 1975. Striving to produce the most premium wines, Gérard bought Domaine de Villemajou in 1987 and created the Gérard Bertrand Wines company in 1992. Purchasing Château l'Hospitalet in 2002 allowed his company headquarters to relocate to this amazing estate overlooking the sea. Owning 11 estates encompassing the most beautiful terroirs of Languedoc, his company strives to be the leader of the region's most premium wines.
OCTOBER 29th, 2023 - NORWEGIAN ESCAPE, BERMUDA CRUISE
SPECIAL GUEST: RANDY ULLOM
A legend in Sonoma County winemaking, Randy Ullom is known as a pioneer in the California Chardonnay movement. Over the past three decades, he worked to perfect Kendall-Jackson's flagship wine style, the Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay, America's #1-selling Chardonnay for almost 30 years. He is responsible for creating some of the most industry-leading initiatives in the wine space today, such as barrel-fermenting almost every drop of Chardonnay, an unprecedented commitment to artisanal winemaking techniques for a winery of considerable size.