The Regent and Oceania Culinary Program

Regent and Oceania share a parent company, and they share a culinary philosophy: multiple specialty restaurants at no extra charge, made-to-order menus, and an emphasis on regional ingredients sourced in the ports you're visiting.

The Culinary Arts Program, led by Chef Kathryn Kelly

The piece most guests don't know about until they're onboard: both lines run an optional Culinary Arts Program, led by Master Chef Kathryn Kelly and her team of instructor chefs. It's available on the newer Oceania ships (Marina, Riviera, Vista, Allura) and on Regent's Explorer-class ships (Explorer, Splendor, Grandeur), each with a purpose-built Culinary Center — individual induction workstations, full mise en place, and a professional kitchen behind you.

Classes are paid add-ons (starting at $129 depending on the session), and they cover everything from regional cuisines tied to your itinerary to knife skills, pasta-making, sauces, and seafood. Two important things to know: classes are small (around 24 seats), and they sell out fast — often within hours of the booking window opening. Register as far in advance as the line allows, well before you board.

What you actually cook — and drink

Every session ends with plated dishes you made yourself, usually paired with a cocktail the instructor walks you through at your station. A recent Regent class turned out a seared scallop over crab and a warm bread pudding with bourbon sauce — restaurant-caliber plates coming out of a classroom.

Culinary Discovery Tours: shop the market, cook onboard

The Culinary Arts Program also runs paid Culinary Discovery Tours in port — chef-led excursions where you walk a local market with the instructor, pick out the ingredients, and then come back to the ship to cook the dishes together in the Culinary Center. They're some of the most memorable port days I've ever had, and like the classes, they sell out — book early.

When you book your sailing with Ben's Luxury Journeys, we can help you schedule and plan these tours — and we'll remind you ahead of time so you don't miss out on the classes and excursions that tend to sell out first.

What dinner actually looks like

The Culinary Center is the standout paid experience, but the food included in your fare is the reason most guests keep coming back. On Regent, that means multiple specialty rooms at no cover — Compass Rose, Prime 7, Chartreuse, Pacific Rim, and Sette Mari — plus a pastry team that quietly does some of the best desserts at sea.