Celebrity Cruises reveals culinary program for Celebrity Ascent

Celebrity Cruises has new unveiled new details of the culinary and beverage program planned for its ship, Celebrity Ascent. 

The fourth vessel in the line’s Edge Series, Ascent promises redesigned restaurants, a new immersive dinner experience, expanded food and cocktail menus, a new whiskey tasting experience, and a plant-based multi-course dinner.

“The memories we make with family and friends while sharing food and drink has long-been one of the most memorable parts of travel, and with Celebrity Ascent we sought every opportunity to make these experiences richer and even more exciting for our guests,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, Celebrity Cruises’ president. 

“Onboard Ascent there is something to delight every guest, whether it is the fine dining connoisseur with a palate for the world’s best wines, the couple looking for an intimate and romantic night out, the family that desires to bond with their kids over a fun and high-energy experience, or the wellness-minded traveler desiring more plant-based, healthy options.”

Chef Daniel Boulud’s exclusive restaurants at sea

World renowned chef, Daniel Boulud, Celebrity’s Global Culinary Ambassador, will bring his acclaimed restaurant concept at sea to Ascent. 

The second installment of the highly rated fine dining venue, Le Voyage will feature a global menu crafted by chef Boulud that offers dishes from his personal travels and favourite places around the world. 

For the ultimate culinary experience, groups can reserve the Chef’s Table – a private, 6-seat dining room that treats diners to a multi-course tasting dinner complete with exceptional wine pairings. 

Plant-Based flavours

The Edge Series’s multi-use venue Eden, features three levels of sensory experiences completely wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows. 

Guests can expect a casual lunch café, a cocktail bar, an entertainment space, an outdoor terrace and a signature restaurant – all of which come alive at night with a fusion of music, libations, and performances. 

One of the highlights of Eden is its signature restaurant, offering a culinary journey rooted in untouched, fresh and seasonal ingredients. 

With the arrival of Ascent, travellers will have the opportunity to experience global cuisine through a new seven-course plant-based tasting menu. 

Each dish features ingredients that have been sourced from their original place of origin and presented in the most natural state. 

Enjoyed as a tasting menu, or a la carte, diners can also opt for organic and vegan wine pairings.

New offerings at main dining rooms 

With the Edge Series ships, Celebrity presented a new dining room concept, expanding offerings from one main dining room to four main dining restaurants –each offering a different style of cuisine and signature dishes. 

Onboard Ascent, travellers will continue to enjoy the option for New American cuisine at Cosmopolitan restaurant; Mediterranean at Cyprus; French contemporary at Normandie; and Italian at Tuscan. 

Combined, the four main dining restaurants offer travelers more than 84 different dishes to choose from. 

Immersive dining

Celebrity continues to be the only cruise line to feature the immersive and high-tech Le Petit Chef dinner experience. 

Each dinner features a multi-course menu that is brought to life by colourful animations of a tiny chef who tells the story behind each dish. 

Each course’s animation ends with a digital version of the dish, followed by the real-life dish placed in front of the diner for a wow-worthy experience. 

Exclusively available on Ascent, guests will experience an all-new four-course dining show told in the style of a fairytale as the tiny chef comes across a mysterious magical cookbook with whimsical recipes full of surprises.

Meanwhile, guests of the wellness-minded Aqua Class will enjoy the opportunity to dine al fresco for breakfast or dinner in Blu’s new outdoor terrace space.

New drink offerings

Celebrity Cruises is known for its extensive spirits tasting program, which currently includes partnerships with Jack Daniel's and Macallan. 

For Ascent the brand will be going even further to delight the most experienced beverage connoisseur through a new exclusive partnership with WhistlePig Whiskey. 

Brought to life in collaboration with Chief Blender, Meghan Ireland, Ascent will feature two hand-selected barrels made exclusively for Celebrity Cruises. 

Available at Craft Social, guests can enjoy a Special Bespoke Barrel Aged 12 Years and Special Single Barrel Aged 10 Years, either as a la carte options or as part of a tasting flight that also features WhistlePig PiggyBack 100 Proof Bourbon (Aged 6 Years), WhistlePig 10, and WhistlePig 12.

Three of Celebrity Ascent’s venues were recognized at the 2023 Wine Spectator Awards, with Le Voyage and Tuscan being recipients of the “Best Of” Award of Excellence, and Fine Cut becoming an Award of Excellence winner. 

Wine aficionados will enjoy each of the venue’s extensive wine lists, as well as Ascent’s expert certified sommeliers, and signature wine tasting seminars and world tour experiences.

At the heart of each Edge Series ship is The Grand Plaza with the signature wrap-around Martini Bar as the main focal point. 

Here, expert mixologists put on a high-energy show where they create a tower of martinis while dancing to choreography and showcasing their skills. 

The Martini Bar on Ascent will feature an expanded new menu, offering classic martinis, fruit-infused creations, and dessert martinis.

Setting sail this fall

Celebrity Ascent will make its grand debut this November, as it sets sail from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades for its inaugural Caribbean season. 

Travellers can be one of the first to experience the new ship during the Taste of Luxury preview sailings, including a 4-Night Western Caribbean voyage on November 22, 2023, or a 3-Night Bahamas getaway on November 26, 2023, or by joining the 7-Night Eastern Caribbean Maiden Voyage on December 3, 2023.

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