Foodies Are Flocking To One Cruise Line's Immersive Dinner Show Called A 'Sensory Dining Masterpiece'

Imagine sitting at a dining table shaped like a half-circle, with 20 other guests dressed in their finest cruise attire. An identical table sits opposite, completing the circle. Encircled by LED screens, you set sail on a guided voyage through the Mediterranean. Is that Brooke Shields reading from a diary on her way from Spain to France, then Italy and Greece? Yes, it is. Your senses are unyieldingly tempted as the aromas of lemon, lavender fields, and salty sea air mingle with freshly caught seafood and just-baked bread. Your tableware changes color as if a magician were beside you. No, you're not in a magic show. You're not donning VR headgear, either. You are participating in Princess Cruises 360: An Extraordinary Experience.

Available exclusively on Discovery Princess and Enchanted Princess, 360: An Extraordinary Experience is a foodie's dream — an intimate and immersive gastronomic experience that envelops the senses and tantalizes the palate in a stunning display of technology, impeccable service, and culinary expertise. Each course is meticulously crafted by master chefs and wine experts for perfect pairings, while your emotions soar as your narrator guides you deep into village alleyways and orchards where the freshest food is prepared with love of life and tradition. Listen and watch local winemakers take you step by step through the winemaking process as the fragrant vines permeate the air. 

During your gastronomic voyage, the wait staff perform an intricately choreographed service, with your plates and glasses switching from Italian to Greek to French mosaics as digital projection lights flicker through the air. Your fingertips get in on the digitally enhanced action, too. Before reading how to book this one-of-a-kind dining experience, read up on the unwritten rules of dining on cruise ships.

As mentioned, 360: An Extraordinary Experience is available on the Discovery Princess and the Enchanted Princess. Combined, these ships sail the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Adriatic, Alaska, and more. The cost is $149 per person and is limited to 20 guests per seating. The seven-course dinner lasts approximately 90 minutes and can be booked by calling the Princess Dine Line or using the Princess Cruises app up to six months in advance, once your cruise is paid in full. You may inform the cruise line of dietary restrictions or preferences. To make your cruise even more memorable, travel expert Samantha Brown gives her top tips on planning a dream cruise vacation.

Is it worth it? According to traveler and expert reviews, the answer is an unequivocal "yes." Rose Palmer, owner of the travel blog Quiltripping, likens the experience to the immersive Van Gogh art exhibitions from a few years ago. "Advances in digital technology have the ability to place me inside Van Gogh's Starry Night painting," Palmer writes. " But by stimulating all five senses, the Princess 360 takes all this and raises it to a level of Mt.Everest proportions." According to another traveler on Reddit, "The food was excellent, beautifully presented, and the balance of flavors, textures, and aromas was perfect." As wonderful as specialty dining for dinner can be on a cruise, consider these breakfast alternatives that offer better food and a more enjoyable cruise.