In celebration of Easter, Cruise Weekly’s chocoholic Louise Goldsbury dips into the best chocolate features on cruise ships.
Cruising basically forces you to eat chocolate. How else do you get to sleep when you find a sweet square of chocolate on your pillow? It has to be removed and disposed somehow!
And then there’s the desserts: the chocolate mud cake, ganache, éclairs, ice-cream. And don’t think I don’t see those chocolate donuts slipped in at the breakfast buffet. I may not eat them, out of pure shame, but I see them.
In celebration of Easter, let’s indulge in a mouth-watering round-up of the Greatest Ever Chocolate Experiences On A Cruise.
1. Chocolate fountain
Hello, endless cascade of melted chocolate pouring down a tower of tastebud heaven! This fountain of flowing fabulousness is found on Costa Cruises, but you’ll find one on most big ships, from Celebrity to Crystal. Dip and repeat.
2. Chocolate dipped strawberries
On Princess Cruises’ formal night, even the strawberries get dressed up! This little fellow arrived in my cabin on Sea Princess in Tasmania.
3. Warm chocolate melting cake
This is cruising’s most famous chocoholic dessert: Carnival’s oozing hot fudge dream in a bowl. The first scoop is the sweetest…
4. The Chocolate Shop
P&O took it to the next level with this café on its Australia-based ships. The menu includes chocolate ravioli, chocolate volcano with a lava heart of pure chocolate, Belgian waffles with chocolate sauce, choc chip cookies and hot chocolate.
5. Chocoblock
Not stopping there, Pacific Pearl and Pacific Jewel have a sugary shop jam-packed with chocolate bars and a pick’n’mix section.
6. Choc-theme shore excursions
River cruises sail through the top 3 chocolate countries: Belgium, Switzerland and France. One of the tastiest tours is Uniworld’s trip to Cité du Chocolat, Valrhona, on its Burgundy/Provence itinerary. On ocean cruises, New Zealand passengers can visit Cadbury World in Dunedin.
7. Choc-theme river cruise
AmaWaterways is holding its first-ever Chocolate Cruise this week onboard the AmaCerto on the Danube River in Europe. Hosted by the founder of Norman Love Confections & Artisan Gelato, the trip involves chocolate-making demonstrations and tastings, chocolate-themed shore excursions, educational seminars on chocolate, and a chocolate mini-buffet extravaganza.
8. Chocolate extravaganza buffet
Carnival Spirit does this on every cruise. Stop everything. Book now.
9. Cupcake Cupboard
Voyager of the Seas’ Cupcake Cupboard offers cupcake-making classes, if you prefer your choccy in cutesy packages.
10. Easter cruises
To make the most of your addiction, plan a cruise over the Easter weekend, when ships have special activities. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises organise Easter egg hunts, meet and greet with the Easter bunny, themed food and drinks, Easter-themed trivia, and egg painting in Adventure Ocean kids club.
Carnival Spirit, on Easter Sunday, has an Easter spoon relay game and egg-diving in the main pool, among other crazy games, and a party with the Easter bunny.
Holland America Line has an Easter bonnet competition and egg decorating.
On P&O ships, you will find the Easter bunny, Easter eggs with coffee and tea service during Easter Sunday’s dinner, hot cross buns, and lots of Easter fun in the Youth Centres.
Crystal gives its guests in Penthouse suites a special platter of Easter treats.
Silversea features a special holiday luncheon or dinner, with Easter eggs as a turndown gift in every suite.
Church services are also held onboard many ships on Easter Sunday.
Happy Easter, choc-and-cruise-aholics!