By
Alex Smith |
Celebrity Cruises will introduce a new culinary and beverage programme onboard its upcoming new ship, Celebrity Ascent, when it makes its debut in November.
The fourth Edge-series vessel will offer 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, president of Celebrity Cruises. “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 traveller desiring more plant-based, healthy options.”
Le Voyage, the fine dining venue created by chef Daniel Boulud for Celebrity Beyond, will return onboard Celebrity Ascent with a reimagined design. The restaurant will feature a new chandelier and banquet seating, with gold and neutral tones throughout the interior design. Guests will be able to experience a menu created by Chef Boulud based on his personal travels and favourite places around the world.
The Eden Restaurant will also return on Celebrity Beyond, now featuring a new seven-course, plant-based tasting menu. Each dish features ingredients that have been sourced from their original place of origin, with options including the Golden Beet-Tomato Ceviche, Ajoblanco Panna Cotta and Dry Rose Petals Masala Curry. Guests can order from the menu a la carte or as a tasting menu, with organic and vegan wine pairings also available.
Guests eating at the four main dining restaurants will be able to choose from an expanded range of 84 different dishes. One of the restaurants, Cosmopolitan, will also feature a new design inspires by the culture of champagne, including a new layout and seating throughout.
Immersive dinner experience Le Petit Chef will feature an all-new four-course dining show onboard Celebrity Ascent. Each dinner features a multi-course menu, which is accompanied by animations of a tiny chef who tells the story behind each dish. The new show will be told in the style of a fairy-tale as the tiny chef comes across a mysterious magical cookbook with recipes full of surprises.
The Fine Cut Steakhouse will now offer a new dish – the Lemon Poached Lobster Tail with melted leeks, shiitake mushrooms, lobster ravioli and a house made beurre blanc sauce. Guests in Aqua Class accommodation will be able to dine al fresco for breakfast or dinner in Blu’s new outdoor terrace space.
Celebrity Ascent will also offer an expanded spirits tasting programme as a result of a partnership between Celebrity Cruises and WhistlePig Whiskey. The ship will have two barrels made exclusively for Celebrity Cruises in collaboration with chief blender Meghan Ireland. Special Bespoke Barrel Aged 12 Years and Special Single Barrel Aged 10 Years will both be available at the Craft Social bar, 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.
The Martini Bar, located in the central Grand Plaza, will also feature an expanded new menu on Ascent. Mixologists will prepare a range of classic martinis, fruit-infused creations, and dessert martinis.
Celebrity Ascent will begin sailing in November from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades for its inaugural Caribbean season.