Wine or dine from Mexico to Parma to Philly

Magical food, wonderful food, marvelous food, fabulous food, beautiful food, glorious food!
"Food, Glorious Food" from "Oliver" (1963), by Lionel Bart

For some travelers, a good meal, perhaps with a glass or two of native wine, adds a lot to a vacation. For others, culinary experiences are the main reason for the journey. Either group may be interested in what the following trips are serving up:

Food fans can look forward to a memorable meal aboard the new Emerald Princess cruise ship. The Chef's Table experience begins with pre dinner cocktails and hors d'oeuvres with the executive chef in the galley, followed by a multicourse tasting dinner in the dining room. Each course will be described in detail, and red and white wines will be included. During dessert, the chef will rejoin the group for a discussion about the meal. The event costs $75 a person and can be reserved by up to 10 passengers on selected nights. After its debut on Emerald Princess, Chef's Table will be introduced gradually on all Princess ships.

Call 800-PRINCESS (800-774-62377) or visit princess.com .

Casa de Sierra Nevada in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, calls its four-night offering the Spice of Life Culinary Package. Included are accommodations, a two-hour tour of the San Miguel market with a chef as guide, an immersion lesson in some of the regional cuisines of Mexico, recipes from local cooks, a wine tasting, a three-course dinner at one of Casa de Sierra Nevada's restaurants, and culinary amenities upon arrival. The package, offered April 9-Sept. 28, costs about $780 per person.

Call 800-701-1561 or visit casadesierranevada.com .

TourCrafters has introduced a variety of Gourmet Tours of Italy ranging from a two-night package in Parma to an 11-night tour of Sicily. The Parma La Golosa package costs $439 and includes visits to the Parmesan Cheese Museum , a prosciutto factory, and a balsamic vinegar factory, as well as accommodations at the Hotel Palace Maria Luigia , two dinners, daily buffet breakfasts, three days' car rental, and hotel service and taxes. The Grand Tour of Sicilian Flavors features coach transportation all over the island, all accommodations and meals, tastings and lunches in wineries, aperitifs in a Baroque palace, lunches in typical Sicilian restaurants, gourmet dinners, and visits to cheese factories and fish markets. Among other things, the price depends on the number of participants.

For these and other culinary trips, visit tourcrafters.com and click on Tours for Connoisseurs or call 800-482-5995 .

The 11th annual Nantucket Wine Festival, May 16-20, matches renowned wines with gourmet cuisine, with the island's scenic and historic settings as a backdrop. Prices for the many events begin at $50 a ticket, and some sessions are sold out. The $525 Grand Cru Package includes access to all four Grand Tasting sessions, access to a Saturday morning VIP reception at the Grand Tasting, access to one of the six symposiums, tickets to three more wine and food seminars, and a souvenir pass, poster, and hat.

Visit nantucketwinefestival.com for information and links to lodging or call 508-228-1128 .

The Inn on the Alameda and the Santa Fe School of Cooking have teamed up to create a Muy Sabrosa (Very Tasty) package, which includes a 2 1/2-hour class with recipes, professional instruction, and a demonstration of the menu, followed by a lunch prepared moments before. In addition, the package includes two nights' accommodations, a continental buffet each morning, an afternoon wine and cheese reception daily, and a 20 percent discount at the popular Santa Fe restaurant Ristra . Prices for two range from $320 to $648 depending upon the choice of room and time of year.

Call 800-984-2122 or visit innonthealameda.com . For information on the cooking school, go to santafeschoolofcooking.com .

Dates have been set for the 12th annual Epcot Food & Wine Festival, which has blossomed into one of the year's most popular events at the Walt Disney World theme park in Orlando . From Sept. 28-Nov. 11 , more than 25 international marketplaces will serve tapas-sized portions of regional specialties for $1.50-$4.50 a serving, with recommended wines and beers also available. In addition, there will be demonstrations, seminars, exhibits, and musical entertainment, all included with regular Epcot admission.

Visit disneyworld.com/foodandwine or call 407-WDW-FEST (939-3378) .

Wining and dining can be expensive, of course. In Philadelphia, one way to save is to bring your own bottle . Because of Pennsylvania's strict liquor laws and high liquor taxes, more than 200 restaurants of all types eschew serving wine, beer, or liquor and encourage the BYOB tradition. In fact, the Zagat Survey of Philadelphia restaurants even contains a separate BYOB listing.

Visit gophila.com and put BYOB in the search box.

Small-ship travel has caught on big in recent years, so much so that it has overtaken Grand Circle Travel's land vacations in popularity. Accordingly, the Boston-based company (gct.com), which specializes in the 50-and- older crowd, has published a free booklet, "101 Tips for Small Ship Travelers Abroad." The tips include advice on choosing a trip, medical and health issues, shopping, tipping, solo traveling, and many other s.

For a copy, call 800-248-3737 .

LongTermParking.com distributes nearly 200,000 discount parking coupons monthly. For Logan International Airport, there is a coupon good for a free day of parking at Pre Flight in Chelsea, when you stay at least two days. For Thrifty Airport Parking in Revere, there is a 10 percent-off coupon.

Royalty Inn, near New Hampshire's Tuckerman Ravine, has a mud season ATV package through May 30, which includes two nights' lodging, two-day ATV rental, safety equipment, and use of all resort facilities. Prices range from $171-$366 per person, depending upon the number of riders.

Call 800-437-3529 . For resort information, visit royaltyinn.com .

If you have the rupees, you can dine with maharajas and savor everything India has to offer, from elephant polo to fall festivals and fireworks. The Soul of India, from Abercrombie & Kent, is a 22-day trip in a private Boeing 757 originally designed to carry up to 186 passengers but reconfigured to accommodate just 50 guests. Experienced guides will take the travelers to Kerala, Agra, Udaipur, Jaipur, and New Delhi , among other places, often allowing them to customize their experience. Regal hotels and gourmet dining are also part of the package, which begins at $70,339 per person.

Call 800-554-7094 or visit abercrombiekent.com and click on Private Jets .

When not included, hotel taxes, airport fees, and port charges can add significantly to the price of a trip. Most prices quoted are for double occupancy; solo travelers will usually pay more. Offers are subject to availability and there may be blackout dates. Richard P. Carpenter can be reached at carpenter@globe.com.