As the global leader in luxury small-ship expeditions, Aqua Expeditions works with award-winning chefs to take guests on world-class culinary adventures. Sailings feature innovative menus inspired by each destination’s culture using only the best local produce.
Aqua Expeditions is thrilled to reveal three exclusive chef-hosted departures for 2025 with renowned Australian Chef & Restauranteur Benjamin Cross on Aqua Blu (East Indonesia) and Peruvian legend Chef Pedro Miguel on Aqua Nera (Peruvian Amazon). Guests sailing on one of Aqua’s chef-hosted departures can expect to explore the world’s most biodiverse and culturally significant destinations aboard best-in-class vessels, all whilst enjoying exquisite culinary delights created by our chefs. They will also benefit from the exclusive opportunity to learn about the creation of Aqua’s menus, connect with Schiaffino or Cross, attend guided market tours, and gain a deeper appreciation of local flavours.
Aqua Nera Departures with Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino (Peruvian Amazon)
3 – 7 June and 30 September – 4 October 2025
The pioneer of rainforest-to-table cuisine, Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino’s menus fuse Peruvian ingredients with traditional techniques and his ability to transform unusual ingredients into authentic delectable dishes is echoed in Aqua Nera’s culinary offerings. Schiaffino focuses on using fresh and locally sourced produce — from the rainforest straight to the dining table — with 70 percent of all ingredients used on board sourced within Amazonia. Menu highlights include grilled tiger catfish wrapped in bijao leaf, ‘causa’ with shrimp cocktail, and paiche fish ceviche with sweet potatoes and fresh corn.
Aqua Expeditions’ partnership with Chef Schiaffino transcends the unique culinary proposal offered onboard our expeditions. Meaningful collaborations for conservation projects, such as the protection and rehabilitation of native paiche fish population, as well as our work with local river communities to foster sustainably sourced produce in the Amazon take centre stage.
Rates start from US$6,560 (approx.£5,269) per person based on double cabin occupancy.
Aqua Blu Departures with Chef Benjamin Cross (Komodo National Park, East Indonesia)
23 – 30 August 2025
A region’s soul is captured not only in its landscapes and waterways but in its cuisine. In the nutmeg- and pandan-infused dishes of Aqua Blu, guests find stories of ancient spice routes across the islands of Indonesia — over which wars were fought, and kingdoms rose and fell. Aboard Aqua Blu, East Indonesia’s first resident long-range ocean explorer yacht, each meal is an adventure of its own. Guests will experience remarkable cuisine curated by Benjamin Cross, who promises inspiring food, drawing inspiration from Indonesian, European, and Mediterranean palettes.
With over 160 recipes crafted exclusively for Aqua Blu’s Indonesian expeditions, Chef Cross presents highlights including the 48-hour beef short rib rendang, Balinese suckling pig with bumbu Bali (Balinese spices), organic Javanese prawns marinated in fragrant oil and lime, and his personal favourite, freshly handline-caught fish grilled with Balinese sambal. Incorporating a variety of the region’s signature spices and flavours, the onboard menu allows explorers to embark on a multi-sensory journey of this incredible archipelago.
Rates start from US$9,800 (approx. £7,870) per person based on double cabin occupancy.
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About Aqua Expeditions
A recognised global leader in luxury small-ship expeditions, Aqua Expeditions explores the world’s most biodiverse and culturally significant destinations aboard best-in-class vessels of stylish contemporary design. Expect tailored five-star itineraries, a highly exclusive 1:1 crew- to-guest ratio with personalized service, world-class dining, and small group expert-guided activities and excursions, with a maximum of 16-40 guests per ship. Aqua Expeditions currently operates river explorations in the Peruvian Amazon and the Mekong Delta (Cambodia and Vietnam), and coastal yacht voyages in East Indonesia — Komodo National Park, Ambon and the Spice Islands, Raja Ampat, and Asmat — and the Galapagos Islands.
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