Celebrity Cruises Lauded by Forbes Travel Guide for Restaurant Offerings

Celebrity Cruises, the first ocean cruise line to earn a prestigious Forbes Travel Guide Star Award in 2023, has further raised the bar with another first.

The premium cruise line has been recognised in Forbes Travel Guide’s inaugural ratings for restaurants on cruise ships.

The Fine Cut Steakhouse on Celebrity Ascent and Celebrity Apex were among only six restaurants by Star-Rated cruise lines that met the criteria for service excellence and culinary distinction. Celebrity Cruises was the only cruise line to have two restaurants awarded.  

“We strive to continually elevate the premium travel category by delivering a vacation experience that ‘Nothing Comes Close’ to, with intimate small ship service on ships big enough to provide an exciting variety of experiences,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “Our guests are our North Star, and we prioritize going above and beyond for them every day to exceed their expectations – it’s The Celebrity Way.” 

“We seek to provide authentic, globally inspired food and beverage options that guests can only find onboard Celebrity ships to help guests create memories that will last a lifetime,” continued Jan Sorensen, vice president of food and beverage. “We push the boundaries of what dining at sea can be. From our award-winning wine collection, to partnering with world-renowned chefs such as Chef Daniel Boulud who is our global culinary ambassador, Celebrity Cruises offers an elevated, premium dining experience.” 

Forbes Travel Guide is the world-renowned authority on excellence in hospitality, and is the only independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, and ocean cruises. This year, the awards have recognised Celebrity Cruises’ innovative culinary offerings:  

Fine Cut Steakhouse on Celebrity Ascent (Four Star) and Celebrity Apex (Recommended) – Fine Cut Steakhouse delivers an upscale dining experience for dinner with service that’s elevated to an art form. The venue offers views overlooking the Grand Plaza, the three-story open design space that is the “heartbeat” of the ship, and, stunning al fresco seaside dining on a hedge-lined terrace that looks out over the sea. Inside, the space is warm and inviting with a glamorous palette of rich ruby, amber, and gold design elements. With a wide selection of premium meats and fresh seafood, there’s something for everyone here, including a complete non-steak section. Celebrity holds the most awarded wine programme at sea, and guests can pair their meal with more than 500 wine selections representing the world’s most sought-after regions and most acclaimed labels. 

Four Celebrity Cruises ships earned an overall rating in 2025. Illustrating the importance of Celebrity’s unique hospitality-first approach to cruises – The Celebrity Way.  

Celebrity Ascent (Four Star) – Celebrity Cruises’ newest award-winning ship, Celebrity Ascent is the fourth and most innovative ship in Celebrity’s highly awarded Edge® Series, with 32 distinctive restaurants, bars, and lounges, inviting spaces with breathtaking views, world-class accommodations including the revolutionary Infinite Veranda staterooms that take you to the water’s edge, and The Retreat®, featuring a private restaurant, lounge and sundeck for suite guests.   

Celebrity Millennium®(Four Star) – With just over 1,000 staterooms for a more intimate cruising experience, Celebrity Millennium was part of Celebrity Cruises’ biggest fleet-wide modernization in 2019, which elevated and revolutionised the ships offerings.  

Celebrity Apex (Recommended) – Celebrity Apex is the second ship in Celebrity’s revolutionary Edge Series, with an innovative outward-facing design and visionary spaces that stand apart from anything else at sea. Celebrity Apex offers transformational accommodations that blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living and an unrivaled collection of 29 restaurants, bars, and lounges. 

Celebrity Flora®(Recommended) – Anexclusive, 100-passenger mega-yacht designed specifically and purposefully for expeditions in the Galapagos, Celebrity Flora immerses travellers in the destination with itineraries are led by certified naturalists from the Galapagos Natural Park. Celebrity Flora is built with all-natural materials. The ship introduced solar panels and state-of-the-art positioning system, allowing it to remain stationary without dropping anchors to further protect the seabed, making it one of the most eco-friendly ships sailing anywhere.  

Every Forbes Travel Guide Star Rating is earned through in-person, incognito inspections based on hundreds of objective standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service, to help discerning travellers select the world’s best experiences.