Celebrity Cruises Seeks to Excite the Senses

Foodies will delight in a comprehensive sensory experience on board Celebrity Cruise Lines’ “Excite the Senses” cruises, with in-depth cooking demonstrations, robust and enriching tastings, food and beverage pairing dinners and behind-the-scenes culinary experiences.

These Excite the Senses cruises are meant to expand Celebrity’s emphasis on the enjoyment and exploration of fine food and drink into a full-on immersion.

Whether it’s learning about the hottest food trends, cooking techniques, or how foods balance with each other and with wine or beer, guests on board are bound to come away from these cruises with a heightened appreciation for the artistry of cooking, entertaining, and eating.

Celebrity Cruises will offer four Excite the Senses departures in 2013. The first is March 9th, and is a 7-night Eastern Caribbean voyage on the brand-new, 3,030-guest Celebrity Reflection, sailing roundtrip out of Miami. Celebrity’s James Beard-featured director of culinary operations, Chef John Suley, will lead participating guests through a savory lineup of activities onboard.

For the first time, one-of-a-kind dinners replicating Celebrity’s 2012 James Beard menu and 2013 New York pop-up restaurant menu will be presented in a degustation format. Corporate executive chef and South Africa native, Steve Van Der Merwe, will host a traditional “braai” at the Lawn Club Grill on the ship’s top deck. Corporate executive chef Rufino Rengifo will create a special menu for dinner in Tuscan Grille and host culinary demonstrations.

The cruise will also include interactive classes in the art and architecture of modern pastry and confection, led by corporate executive pastry chef Thierry Houlbert; interactive entertaining workshops by corporate restaurant operations manager Lorenzo Davidoiu; and cheese education and tasting classes by corporate maître d’ Dominique Gamba.

James Beard-featured mixologist Junior Merino, also known as The Liquid Chef, who created Celebrity’s wildly popular “Molecular Bar” concept, will be onboard to share his expertise in using fresh, unexpected ingredients and techniques. He also will offer guests visiting the Molecular Bar the rare opportunity to interact with him at the bar throughout the space. Also participating will be advanced sommelier and certified wine educator Luis Reyneri of Jackson Family Wines; Reyneri will host numerous tastings and workshops onboard.

Additional sailings will take place in July, August and October. Learn more about our Celebrity cruise offers.