Deft slicing with a long narrow blade, a swirl of spicy dressing and a gleaming smile, the most famous sushi chef in the world presents a glistening plate of sashimi to me and the other awe-struck diners sitting at the counter.
This intimate setting and personal service is something Nobu’s rich and famous customers, who flock to his restaurants in Los Angeles, New York, Ibiza and London, can only dream about.
It’s been more than 30 years since Robert de Niro, a fan of his low-profile restaurant in Beverly Hills, persuaded Nobuyuki Matsuhisa to go into partnership and open his first Nobu restaurant in New York, serving his special take on Japanese cuisine with Peruvian ingredients.
Now Nobu’s empire spans the globe and he travels ten months of the year, spreading himself thinly across his scores of restaurants and hotels.
So, eat your hearts out Posh and Becks, Brad Pitt and Taylor Swift.
I am sailing with Nobu aboard Crystal Serenity, for a whole week, round trip from Copenhagen.
It is a week in which he cooks two Omakase (‘leave it to the chef’) dinners in his Umi Uma restaurant, and one in the private Vintage Room.
Both menus, which cost extra, consist of many courses, each paired with fine wines.
Caroline Hendrie steps onboard the Crystal Serenity for a weeks’ round trip from Copenhagen
It is a week in which the owner of A-lister haunt Nobu, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa (pictured), cooks two Omakase (‘leave it to the chef’) dinners in his Umi Uma restaurant, and one in the private Vintage Room
Eat your hearts out Posh and Becks, Brad Pitt and Taylor Swift: Caroline hangs out with Nobu
As Master Chef Nobu pops in and out of the galley taking exquisitely crafted lobster salad with nashi pear and steamed turbot with caviar to the Vintage Room, we feast on his legendary miso black cod, wagyu beef and our fill of sushi and sashimi, noodles and light-as-air fried tofu.
Attentive waiters make sure our glasses are never empty, pouring our choice of sake, wine or beer.
While only 14 lucky guests get to enjoy these menus cooked by Nobu himself, everyone onboard the two Crystal ships can dine in the only Nobu restaurants at sea, included in their fare.
Then Japanese-owned Crystal Cruises opened the first sushi bar on a cruise ship in 2008, with Nobu at the helm.
And now, Crystal Serenity is even more swish, having been thoroughly revamped by her new owners A&K Travel in 2023, creating fewer, larger cabins, for just 700 or so passengers (and almost as many crew).
Butlers abound – every cabin has one.
Ours, Rodrigo from Brazil, glides in every afternoon with a tray of canapés, placing it on the coffee table in the roomy sitting area of our verandah suite on deck 8.
He makes our dinner reservations and brings early morning tea too.
Crystal Serenity is even more swish now, having been thoroughly revamped by her new owners A&K Travel in 2023, creating fewer, larger cabins, for just 700 or so passengers (and almost as many crew)
Butlers abound – every cabin has one. Ours, Rodrigo from Brazil, glides in every afternoon with a tray of canapés, placing it on the coffee table in the roomy sitting area of our verandah suite on deck 8
We have a deep balcony, as well as a huge bathroom and walk-in wardrobe – the greatest luxury you can find on a ship; space. This precious spaciousness extends to the plentiful public areas
We have a deep balcony, as well as a huge bathroom and walk-in wardrobe – the greatest luxury you can find on a ship; space.
This precious spaciousness extends to the plentiful public areas.
The lounges, bars, restaurants, nightclub, cinema and theatre are never crowded. And we can always find a table for al fresco lunches at the Marketplace buffet restaurant.
And below our balcony, is the best ever promenade deck I have set foot on at sea.
Broad and long, uncluttered by deckchairs or lifeboats, the sun-bleached deck wraps all the way around the ship.
With lungfuls of fresh air walking forward, and the breeze on my back pushing me along, after ten laps I’ve walked three miles.
Down on deck 7, close to the waves, this is prime position to spot dolphins and the place to be for shimmering sunsets.
There is dancing in the evenings in the Palm Court, with Ambassador Hosts ready to cut a rug if you haven’t brought a partner with you.
The lounges, bars, restaurants, nightclub, cinema and theatre are never crowded
We can always find a table for al fresco lunches at the Marketplace buffet restaurant
The Palm Court also does a splendid afternoon tea. The cucumber sandwiches and scones with clotted cream – the real thing from Cornwall – are worth missing lunch for
The Palm Court also does a splendid afternoon tea. The cucumber sandwiches and scones with clotted cream – the real thing from Cornwall – are worth missing lunch for.
Umi Uma is not the only restaurant on board with menus created by a celebrated chef.
Italian restaurant Osteria D’Ovidio has signature dishes from the Alajmo brothers’ three-Michelin-starred Le Calandre in Padua, along with their take on Venetian cuisine.
The Spaghetti Con Bloody Mary has quite a kick.
Meanwhile the glass-roofed Beef Bar, open for lunch and dinner, is much more than a steak house.
Our table is laden with bao buns, Kobe beef tacos and beef ham with salty Panettone.
Crystal Serenity is a sizeable ship, but nifty enough to get in close at ports of call.
We are a ten-minute stroll around Oslo harbour to the striking Opera House with walk-over roof and cutting edge Munch Museum next door.
Crystal Serenity is a sizeable ship, but nifty enough to get in close at ports of call
With superb service, fine dining and the gentle pop of champagne corks from morning till night, on Crystal Serenity we are all A-listers at sea
It is the same in Kristiansand.
The shining new Kunstsilo, a sort of Tate Modern for Norway, stylishly converted from a disused 1930s grain silo, is just around the waterfront from our docking place.
And in Copenhagen it is a pleasant waterside walk past the Little Mermaid statue to colourful old Nyhaven filled with bars and restaurants.
With superb service, fine dining and the gentle pop of champagne corks from morning till night, on Crystal Serenity we are all A-listers at sea.
