For those people who have a taste for fine vintages and haute cuisine, a perfect vacation awaits through one of the many global food and wine cruises offered by both large and small ship lines.

The ships on which you sail, will have all the same amenities as a standard cruise, including gyms where you can work off the extra calories, spas for pampering yourself, and a variety of entertainment. They'll also have a choice of itineraries, depending on how intense an experience you want.

Food and wine cruises can be as simple as a trip down the Danube or Rhine, with onboard seminars and introductions to the wines and histories of the region. Or, it may include samplings of wines on the ship, and at the vineyards you'll visit during various ports of call.

Because food and wine are such an integral pairing, you'll enjoy the finest cuisine prepared by chefs from around the world. Many food and wine cruises also offer more in-depth, or hands-on contact with gourmet dining, ranging from food preparation, to the prefect way to prepare the dish of the day, all conducted by chefs from some of the finest restaurants on any continent.

People tend to think that this type of vacation is a European venue, but there are several lines which offer cruises down U.S. rivers, as well as up and down both coasts. American food and wine cruises may focus on regional dishes, regional wines and vineyards, or may simply offer you an introduction to the world of fine dining while you enjoy the scenery, and visits to the ports of call.