Talk about a Big Fish Fry! The grill tonight features a grouper so massive it’s almost larger than any of the cooks who are grilling it. But it will somehow vanish like magic into scrumptious filets over the course of a sunset dinner on the Sea Cloud Spirit. It’s just one taste of why dining on the world’s largest fully-rigged sailing cruise ship, that carries only 136 pampered guests, is among the most varied and inventive at sea.
A day starts with a perfect cup of cappuccino enjoyed under dozens of billowing sails that are set by intrepid crew who climb the masts and unfurl each sail by hand. There’s a choice array of the freshest fruits from the ports we’re visiting and eggs done to order. But this is also a European luxury line, so treat yourself to a plate of perfect Parma ham and cheeses and a mimosa made with fresh-squeezed juice and Pommery Champagne. Or maybe a Hawaii toast topped with pineapple?
Pace yourself, though, we’re just getting started with the inventive cuisine. Fresh and local are the key words for everything on the plates on Sea Cloud Cruises, a cruise line that even has its own signature vintage of Champagne bottled by Pommery and its own label of sustainable caviar.
What Chef Jose Miranda, Sea Cloud Spirit’s chef de cuisine and his team were able to conjure up from the galley on our cruise in the Adriatic Sea from Venice made dining remarkable. Local ingredients on our cruise along the Dalmatian coast from Venice include cornucopias of fresh seafood along with perfectly ripe fresh fruits and a fascinating range of vegetables and cheeses.
There are always salads with inventive ingredients and dressings, and entrees grandma probably didn’t make unless she had a degree from an international culinary school. Ever tried a kohlrabi and pomegranate salad? Daily soups for this hot weather cruise were often chilled and fruity and featured a float of cream on the top.
You might not find the usual burgers and fries for lunch on this ship. But, wouldn’t you rather sample the wild boar ragout? Or how about roast venison with blueberry sauce? Forget pizza; check out the lunch entrees that include I’ve never tried that discoveries. A memorial find was a Chak Chuka, the spicy Tunisian form of the north African dish shakshkuka that features poached eggs over a spicy tomato sauce with onions, bell pepper, and garlic.
And the pastry chefs deserve standing ovations for their irresistible cakes and sweets, and always a choice of rich ice creams and a fantastic array of delicious European cheeses. What’s that green cheese? Wasabi? Really–who could have guessed I’d ask for seconds.
Life on board is similar to the schedule on river cruises. Explore a port in the afternoon after a morning under sail. Back on board for a cocktail hour that starts around 6:30 and here’s a special rave to the bar team that includes a Sea Cloud star, its head bartender Anton Campos. In his 35 years’ experience on Sea Cloud ships he’s developed an encyclopedic knowledge of every cocktail ever invented, and the lore behind them. Don’t even get him started about Sex on the Beach. A briefing about the following day ends with the ringing of the dinner bell at 7:30.
I was happy to see that the Spirit’s elegant restaurant is used more on this cruise than on a past sailing we did on Spirit in the Caribbean, where dining was generally on the Lido deck.. The room harkens back to the Gilded Age with wood trims, large arched windows, and nautical oil paintings on the walls. The four-course meals in the dining room feature white-glove service on gala nights that include showy reveals of entrees delivered under silver domes. For a more casual dinner you can still opt to dine on the Lido deck by notifying staff in advance.
Sea Cloud is also expanding a series of special culinary-themed cruises that invite noted guest chefs on board to wow the guests. Among the foodie voyages for 2026 is a Caribbean cruise featuring Below Deck star and Michelin-starred chef Ben Robinson. Sailing Jan. 25 from St. Maarten, the seven-night culinary sailing is part of Sea Cloud’s Cultivated Journeys series and offers guests culinary showcases, personal storytelling, and tasting events.
Sea Cloud Spirit menus always indicate lactose and gluten-free options, and there’s always a vegetarian entrée for dinner. The culinary team urges guest to let hem know about any allergies or dietary restrictions you have when booking and also talk to the culinary team about preferences once on board.
Story by Wallace Immen, The Cruisington Times
