Let's face it—cruise ships don't always have the best reputation for their food. Though dining is one of the most important aspects of a cruise vacation, many dishes—especially those served in the massive main dining rooms and buffets—fall short. However, after sailing onboard Celebrity Cruises' newest cruise ship, it's clear that some lines have upped their culinary game.
I've spent 14 nights onboard Celebrity Ascent within the past seven months. From the cruise line's most expensive restaurant, Le Voyage, to the casual Rooftop Garden Grill, I've had plenty of memorable meals onboard the upscale vessel. Even the main dining rooms have served high-quality dishes that haven't left much to be desired.
Though I didn't make my way through every restaurant onboard, there are six dishes I still drool over—even months later.
Of note, I'm not a food critic and am not classically trained in anything cuisine-related. Others may come to their own conclusions, as everyone has different taste buds and preferences.
Read more: I spent $4,600 for a seven-night cruise on Celebrity Ascent
Celebrity Ascent features 21 dining options, ranging from the included Oceanview Café to Eden Restaurant, which arguably has the best views of any eatery onboard
Of course, not all 21 are included. Some, such as Luminae and Blu, are only available to guests in certain cabin categories, while others can be enjoyed by all passengers onboard—for an extra charge.
Complimentary restaurants on Celebrity Ascent:
- Normandie
- Cyprus
- Tuscan
- Cosmopolitan
- Café al Bacio
- Mast Grill
- Oceanview Café
- Eden Café
- The Spa Café
- Room service (continental breakfast only)
Specialty restaurants on Celebrity Ascent:
- Le Voyage
- Fine Cut Steakhouse
- Rooftop Garden Grill
- Raw on 5
- Chef's Table
- Eden Restaurant
- Le Grand Bistro (lunch only)
- Le Petit Chef (dinner only)
- Magic Carpet
Cabin-exclusive restaurants on Celebrity Ascent:
- Blu (Aqua Class)
- Luminae (The Retreat)
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Out of the 21 dining venues, I've had the pleasure of trying 15, including all four main dining rooms, four specialty restaurants, and the Aqua Class-exclusive Blu
Having spent two weeks on Celebrity Ascent, I've tried my fair share of restaurants onboard. However, I haven't visited them all.
From pastries at Café al Bacio to an elegant multi-course meal at Le Voyage, the food (on both voyages) was easily the best I've had on any cruise, and I've been on over 20! In fact, the food was so good that my finacée and I booked another Celebrity cruise for next summer, rather than return to Royal Caribbean.
Though not all dishes were a home run, more left a memorable impression than not, and I find myself reflecting on the inventive flavors and experiences from my time on Celebrity Ascent.
Le Voyage's Lobster Risotto
Truthfully, picking just one dish that stood out at Le Voyage is impossible. While pricey, the meal was worth every penny and was easily the best I've ever had on any cruise ship! The $150 experience began with a glass of Veuve Clicquot champagne, a small scallop bite, and bread.
Each course that followed was a testament to the skill of the chef, who came out to personally greet everyone before the meal concluded. Though the Prime Black Angus Filet Mignon was perfectly juicy and flavorful with a black truffle sauce, nothing compared to the richness of the Lobster Risotto, which featured massive chunks of flaky lobster.
Since it's a heavy dish, I recommend ordering one to split with the table. That way, you can sample the risotto while enjoying another main course.
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Rooftop Garden Grill's Mac & Cheese
Rooftop Garden Grill is one of the more affordable specialty restaurants onboard, with a three-course meal costing around $40 per person (if purchased in advance through the Cruise Planner). While my partner and I enjoyed our chicken wings, barbeque chicken, and burger, we debated returning to the restaurant solely for the macaroni and cheese.
Looking back, I should have skipped the fries that accompanied my burger and requested two orders of mac and cheese. It was creamy, rich, and contained the perfect amount of cheesy goodness. Plus, the noodles weren't over or undercooked. It was the best mac and cheese I'd had in a while, and I'm a frequent mac and cheese connoisseur!
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Fine Cut Steakhouse's Bleu Cheese Crusted Filet Mignon
My favorite steak cut is filet mignon. If I'm at a steakhouse, there's a strong chance that's my dish of choice, even if other options sound intriguing. On Celebrity Ascent, I wanted to try Fine Cut Steakhouse, as I had an exceptional experience at Celebrity Reflection's Tuscan Grille, the ship's upscale Italian restaurant.
Comparing the two, the latter was my favorite; however, I still loved Fine Cut on Ascent. I appreciated how I could order Bearnaise Sauce and the Maytag Bleu Cheese Crust. Both complimented the medium filet, adding layers of flavor and richness that would have been missing without the premium toppings.
My finacée had the Lemon Poached Lobster Tail, as she cannot eat red meat. While the ravioli wasn't cooked to her liking, she said the lobster filling was perfect and a great dish to kickstart our 7-night European cruise.
Eden Restaurant's Truffle Risotto
If there's one thing Celebrity Ascent excels at, it's risotto. Our waiter at Eden recommended the Truffle Risotto; however, neither of us opted to order it.
Instead, I chose the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, while my partner went with the Pan Roasted Carabinero Shrimp (sans chorizo). Though neither dish was bad, we were grateful he decided to bring us the risotto, despite going against his recommendation.
The risotto was creamy, with the truffle adding a complex flavor profile that made each bite irresistible. In fact, it was one of my partner's favorite dishes of the entire cruise, in addition to the barbeque chicken at the Rooftop Garden Grill.
Eden Restaurant's Meyer Lemon Tart
As someone who isn't a fan of rich chocolatey desserts, I wish I could have a stash of Eden's lemon tarts available at home! Though lemon was the primary flavor, it wasn't sour.
To further help balance the lemon's natural tartness, there were small lumps of lavender sweet cream, making the dessert light and fluffy and complimenting the bed of graham cracker crumbs the dollops were resting atop of.
Our meal at Eden was one of our selections for our 3-night dining package and was well worth it! The sunset wake views as we sailed through the Messina Strait provided the perfect backdrop for our dining experience on our last sea day before a long day ashore in Naples, Italy.
Cyprus Restaurant's Cypriot Short Ribs
While it's no surprise that Celebrity Ascent's specialty restaurants executed top-tier dining experiences, the food in the main dining rooms was far superior to other cruise ships I've sailed on. Each of Ascent's dining rooms serves the same menu each evening; however, they each have exclusive classics. Cyrpus, for example, is home to the Cypriot Short Ribs.
Like filet mignon, I love and appreciate a good short rib, and the Cyrpus-exclusive dish didn't disappoint. The meat was perfectly tender both times I ordered it, and the accompanying olive oil potatoes complimented the short ribs very well.
One thing to note is that you can order exclusive dishes from other restaurants. While dining in Cyprus, our waiter happily brought my partner the Yellow Corn Soup from Cosmopolitan, which she had a few nights prior and thoroughly enjoyed.
Cosmopolitan Restaurant's Yellow Corn Soup
If you order the Cosmopolitan-exclusive Yellow Corn Soup, don't expect a chunky soup filled with corn kernels. Instead, it's a rich broth bursting with the flavor of corn, offering a smooth texture that's light and deeply satisfying. Better yet, pair it with a crunchy baguette for dipping.
I loved the soup so much on my first Ascent sailing that it was one of my must-haves on my recent cruise! Remember, even if you're dining in one of the three other main dining rooms, you can order dishes exclusive to others—all you have to do is ask your server!
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Honorable mention: Oceanview Café Buffet Extravaganza
Guests sailing on Celebrity ships cannot miss the buffet's extravaganza lunch. Typically on the last sea day, you'll find everything from unlimited shrimp to strip steak, ceviche, decadent cakes, a chocolate fountain, and so much more.
Even if you're saving your appetite for dinner or had a large breakfast, it's worth visiting the buffet to see the over-the-top offerings.
Another favorite of mine in Ascent's buffet was the made-to-order stir fry station. Though not authentic by any means, you can add whatever vegetables sound appealing and pair them with noodles or rice! Plus, the chef will adjust the spice level to your liking.
After having it numerous times on my first sailing, I had been looking forward to the stir fry for my embarkation lunch on our weeklong European cruise for months!
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Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
