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CruisesMay 20257 min read

Wine and water: tasting the voyage

A sommelier at sea knows something about seasons, terroir, and what water tastes like when the ship moves.

I

Isaac

IC Vacation · Advisor

A sommelier aboard a cruise ship knows something about water that landlocked people do not — it tastes different when the ship moves through it.

The science of tasting at sea

The swell, the speed, the humidity, the salt air — all of these things change how your palate works. Wine tastes rounder at sea. Water tastes fresher. And because there are few distractions, you actually notice.

Wine tastes rounder at sea.

The sommelier's recommendations

Book wine tastings on the first evening. Talk to the wine staff — they know which wines travel well and which arrive changed. And try local wines at each port. The wine from the island, drunk at the island, becomes part of the voyage in a way that duty-free wine cannot.

Wine and water — the simplest pleasures are often the most memorable.

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