When and why did you become involved with Crystal?
My relationship with Crystal started more than 30 years ago. Crystal is very high-end and a lot of my regular customers come here.
They’re looking for quality food and service. Even me, the first time I came onboard a ship, I saw it was very luxurious, very comfortable, and the team and staff were very friendly. I brought my family, including my daughters.
Do you still regularly sail?
Yes, I usually come back once a year. Since the start of the pandemic, it’s been more difficult, but finally in 2025, I’m back. There are still a lot of people I recognise; it’s like a family. I bring my friends and I bring my grandkids.
Where does your love of food come from?
Without passion, you never make an impact on other people, especially with food, especially sushi. To make it, it’s only 10 fingers, a sharp knife, and of course, the fish.
It’s the detail of how the fish is sliced, how many grams, how much wasabi, how much rice, the pressure you use, what temperature it’s at. It has to be from the heart. That’s what makes you feel good. That’s my philosophy: always cook from the heart.
Nobu Matsuhisa talks to TTG's Claire Dodd
Is this experience of dining onboard the same as your land-based restaurants?
I travel all over the world, and of course, people on a cruise will be seeing different cultures, different foods, different people, but guests come to us because they’re looking for the Nobu food they are familiar with.
The menu in Umi Uma is the same as all the Nobu menus. At first it was very difficult to get the right product, but year after year it’s better than ever.
The chefs here come to train in Tokyo or LA, then bring what they’ve learned here. Always, my menu concept is exactly the same. I like to make guests happy; I like them smiling back to us. My first signature dish, the Black Cod, I’ve tasted it here and it’s exactly the same. I’m so proud of my chefs.
Does dining at sea add something special to experiencing your food?
Yes it does – it’s about the space, the view. Seeing the ocean right there, that’s a very unique view. In other Nobu restaurants, there’s loud music with a beat. But here, it’s very relaxed. I’ve learned in this atmosphere, people want quiet. In the big city, after work, they’ll come to the restaurant and want high-tempo music, but people come here to be relaxed.
What do you like to do onboard?
I like to go to the gym. I like to see the morning sun and hear the sound of the ocean. It’s a very different, peaceful feeling being at sea.
