Pro tip: snag a table on the top deck. You can, and should, ask to sit outside at every meal, depending on the weather. In my mind, nothing can beat the view of water in every direction, with the twinkling lights of small islands in the distance. The movement of stars and the moon are a better show than any big cruise ship musical revue. Without to-do lists or chores, breathing in the fresh ocean air, my son and I were able to connect and share the pleasure of great food. I raised this boy to nineteen; what a gift to enjoy his company in such a magical place.
Each morning, about thirty seconds after my son and I arrived at breakfast, two perfect lattes were served in bone china from Porsgrunds Porselænsfabrik, the Norwegian factory that has supplied the country’s royal family for three generations. We ate thin, lacy Swedish pancakes with lingonberries, whose bright Nordic tartness felt improbably perfect as we ate overlooking Caribbean beaches.
Carnivores don’t go wanting. My son often ordered a five-course dinner featuring proteins, later followed by a juicy room-service cheeseburger and one of SeaDream’s exclusive tea blends, a pot of rhubarb ginger rose. I ordered Asian cashew curry salad, vegetable lasagne made with “noodles” created with spinach leaves, and raw avocado Key lime pie.
On our last night, we decided to try a completely plant-based dinner. Just as a fresh carrot and green papaya salad, and a rice-and-lentil stew were served, we witnessed an eerie, electric-purple light show from the underwater hull lights of a neighboring megayacht.
At our top-deck table, we ate a rustic eggplant and cauliflower, brightened by a fresh basil and tomato coulis. Next up, king oyster mushrooms dressed up as scallops, seared to a caramelized crust, and served atop miso polenta the color of our morning lattes. I cut in expecting the fibrousness of a mushroom stem against my knife, but found only a slight resistance giving way to the silky yield of a perfectly cooked scallop.
My chocolate tofu indulgence was dense and dark in a rocks glass, buried under fresh raspberries and blackberries and tasting rich… As rich as a tech billionaire, and might I say, more elegant.
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The Inside Scoop
For sailings in Northern Europe, ingredients including wild mushrooms, berries, and root vegetables are sourced from Brynestad’s organic farm outside Oslo, where he and his wife, cookbook author Linn Stokke, grow more than fifty varieties of vegetables during the short Scandinavian summer.
“The galley itself is designed for flexibility,” says Brynestad. “Guests can mix courses from different menus at the same table, so mise en place is prepared daily across all of them, and the signature dishes are always ready to support spontaneous orders.”
What that actually requires is staggering: in a 1,430-square-foot galley, fleet executive chef Tomasz Kozlowski leads a culinary brigade of twelve, who prep the components for four full five-course menus everyday, a rotating selection of French and Mediterranean dishes, an entirely plant-based menu, and a roster of always-available signatures.
