News

John Torode

The hugely popular John Torode is known as a straight-talking co-host and judge on MasterChef and Celebrity MasterChef, and is a regular guest chef on This Morning, as well as co-hosting with his wife, Lisa Faulkner, on ITV’s John & Lisa's Weekend Kitchen. He has also presented a number of culinary road trips, including an upcoming one from his native Australia for ITV. He was awarded an MBE in 2022 for services to Food, Broadcast & Charity and he has published a range of cookery books.

John will be joining Saga’s all-inclusive 14-night Flavours of France, Spain and Portugal cruise, which departs Dover on Spirit of Discovery on 6 August 2023 and will give two talks over the course of the trip.

The itinerary will follow the coasts of Portugal, Spain, and France, visiting cities such as Lisbon and Portimão, on the popular Algarve, as well as La Coruña, Santander, Bordeaux, and Brest before heading home via the Isles of Scilly. There are still a small number of cabins still available with prices starting from £4,161 per person (based on two sharing). Guests wishing to book should contact the Saga team on 0800 096 0079 to secure a spot.

On joining his first Saga cruise, John Torode said: “I’m so looking forward to my first venture on a Saga Cruise this month. I’m told the guests are passionate about great food, so I expect the cooking demonstrations using flavours of the region, and the question-and-answer sessions I’m hosting to be a lot of fun.”

Oz Clarke

Oz Clarke is one of the world’s leading wine experts, well known for presenting the long running TV series, ‘Food and Drink’ and a host of other TV presenting. His tasting skills have won him an international following and he is acknowledged as having one of the finest palates of anyone writing about wine today.

Oz, who regularly features on Saga’s river cruises, will be joining Saga’s Cape Verde and the Canary Islands cruise departing from Portsmouth on Spirit of Adventure on 13 November 2023, where he’ll be hosting a talk and a Q&A session for guests.

The 21-night all-inclusive cruise heads first to the ‘floating garden’ of Madeira before continuing to the Canary Islands to explore Santa Cruz de la Palma and La Gomera and then on to the Cape Verde archipelago to explore the capitals of Praia and Mindelo. Heading back to the Canaries, it will visit Tenerife’s capital, Santa Cruz, and Arrecife in Lanzarote, before returning home via 3,000-year-old Cádiz and La Coruña. Prices start from £4,150 per person (based on two sharing).

Phil Vickery

Chef, presenter and cookery book author, Phil Vickery, is often best known from his time on This Morning and has appeared on many TV shows including BBC Holiday Programme, Ready Steady Cook. Phil last joined a Saga cruise in November 2022 and this September will be joining the Autumn Colours of New England itinerary, and, in November, Island Hopping in the Caribbean where he will be delivering live cooking demonstrations and Q&A sessions.

Phil worked his way up the kitchen ranks before becoming Head Chef at The Castle hotel in Taunton where he won a Michelin star, four Rosettes in the AA guide, the Good Food Guide’s Restaurant of the Year, The Times Restaurant of the Year, Egon Ronay’s Guide Dessert Chef of the Year and British Meat Chef of The Year. He has also written nineteen cookery books and is the leading authority on gluten-free products and recipes.

The all-inclusive 28-night Autumn Colours of New England cruise departs Portsmouth on Spirit of Discovery on 26 September 2023. It will follow the East Coast of the USA and Canada and take in New York’s port, passing the Statue of Liberty and cruise along the Hudson, the autumn display in Acadia National Park from Bar Harbor, the pretty fishing village of Peggy's Cove in Halifax, and Newport, with its Gilded Age mansions. Prices start from £7,554 per person.

Saga’s all-inclusive, 30-night Island Hopping in the Caribbean cruise departs Portsmouth on 7 November 2023 on Spirit of Discovery. The cruise makes its way to the Caribbean via the Azores and Madeira and visits Antigua, ‘Gateway to the Caribbean,’ the hidden coves and beaches of Tortola, colourful Puerto Rico, tropical St Barthélemy, mountainous Dominica, and the ‘Isle of Spice,’ Grenada. This Caribbean cruise also visits Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. Prices start from £6,512 per person (based on two sharing).

Nigel Blanks, CEO of Saga Cruises, said: “As renowned experts in the culinary world, we know John Torode, Phil Vickery and Oz Clarke will be thoroughly welcomed by our guests. Fine dining and wine are a real passion for many of our customers, so these events are always popular, and we’re delighted to have Phil and Oz joining us again, and to welcome John for the first time.”

Guests wishing to book to join John, Oz and Phil can book call 0800 092 3660.

ends

Images of John, Oz and Phil are available and cruise ship images are available here on the Saga Newsroom.

For journalist enquiries, please contact: sagatravel@headlandconsultancy.com