Focus on food in fall cruise around Newfoundland

A small cruise ship full of tourists will circumnavigate Newfoundland this fall in a partnership between expedition cruise operator Adventure Canada and grassroots organizations Slow Food Canada and Slow Food USA.

Sailing out of St. John’s on Oct. 2, the 11-day cruise boasts excursions in L’anse aux Meadows, Red Bay, Woody Point and Conne River before jaunting over to St-pierre and then back to St. John’s.

Excursions include visiting the Viking settlement in L’anse aux Meadows, exploring Red Bay’s Basque whaling station and hiking in Gros Morne National Park.

Tourists will mingle on board the Ocean Endeavour with a few locals, billed as “naturalists, musicians and culturalists” to bring some authenticity to the excursion, including film producer Barbara Doran, writer Kevin Major and archeologist Latonia Hartery, among others.

The cruise costs anywhere from $3,995 per person for a shared four-person lower berth interior cabin to $15,195 for a suite.

While the cruise will feature excursions and traditional experiences, such as a kitchen party, there is a special focus on food, which is where the partnership with Slow Food comes in.

Slow Food is a grassroots organization in over 160 countries whose purpose is to focus on small-scale and sustainable production of quality food that everyone can gain access to. The group celebrates a local diet that respects the cultural heritage of food as well as the environment from where it’s sourced.

“We hope to come up with real viable ways to incorporate a reverence for taste and place into the travel culture that we share with our guests. We’re delighted to explore the rich traditions and reinvigoration of Newfoundland and Labrador food culture on our expedition cruise,” said Adventure Canada CEO Cedar Swan stated in a news release.

Slow Food Canada says the cruise will celebrate the flavours of the province, including indulging in a community-prepared meal of cod in Conche.