Portofino, Italy
As a part of the brand’s stream of OceaniaNEXT enhancements, Oceania Cruises has added over 120 new Go Local tours to their series of immersive destination tours.
Go Local tours are completely distinctive and one-of-a-kind, ranging from dining with a local family in Bordeaux to tango dancing at one of Buenos Aires famed milongas to learning to make traditional Irish Soda Bread in Belfast.
The exclusive small-batch tours go beyond the typical tourist sites and give guests a deeper dive into local communities, where they are welcomed into homes and businesses and immersed in the local way of life. Guests will have the chance to engage with local artisans, craftsmen, religious figures and others.
“On our new Go Local tours, you don’t see the highlights or even visit a landmark. On these tours you are being introduced to local artisans, shopping local markets, and quite literally becoming part of a local family. You’re learning about and experiencing generations-old traditions and the ways of their day-to-day lives,” stated Bob Binder, President and Chief Executive Officer for Oceania Cruises.
Go Local Tours – A Few Samples
Fishing with The Natives in Portofino, Italy
On this excursion, guests spend the day at sea with a local fishing crew, watching them haul in the day’s catch. The Captain and crew will describe their typical day on the beautiful Ligurian Sea and explain the different methods they use such as casting nets or the traditional palamiti – long lines with hundreds of hooks. No day at sea would be complete without a meal of traditionally prepared, just-caught fish followed by a refreshing dip in the sea off the coast of Portofino.
Shepard for a Day in Mahon, Spain
Guests will be welcomed to a family farm in the countryside of Ciutadella or Es Mercadal and introduced to the lifestyle and operation of the farm, including the milking and shearing of the sheep. They will learn the intricacies of making goat cheese. After the immersion into sheep farming, participants will savor a meal around the family table and sample local cheeses, fresh baked bread, cured meats and wine.
Shop for Dinner and Set the Table in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Accompanied by a local guide, this is a fun and engaging afternoon and evening of shopping local markets and then retiring to a local residence where dinner is prepared and enjoyed. Navigating through a market bustling with locals, there will be opportunities to ask the butchers for the best cuts, the fish monger for today’s catch or the grocer for the best price on vegetables. One need not be a foodie to appreciate the richness of this experience.
Ardmore Village & Inspiration of a Local Artist in Waterford, Ireland
At the Brigid Shelly Gallery in Ardmore, the locat artist known affectionately as “The Cow Lady” guides you during a hand-on painting class in her studio. Shelly loves to capture landscapes and people on canvas but she is a bit fascinated with painting the local cows. She starts with a tour of her and then turns everyone loose to release his or her inner Picasso. During the session she will tell tales of local life, history and lore. Everyone returns home with their own personal masterpiece.
The more than 120 tours are offered throughout Europe, Alaska, and South America and are available on cruise vacations onboard Oceania’s fleet of intimate and luxurious ocean ships.
