Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Celebrity Solstice Launches 10 Restaurants


You can really only do this in the cruise industry. Celebrity Cruise Lines just announced that it is opening 10 new restaurants. All on one ship.

What they've done is hire Adam Tihany, a restaurant and hotel designer, to work out a plan for the Celebrity Solstice, one of the line's largest vessels. Tihany designed Le Cirque in New York City, Seagblue in Las Vegas, and the Mandarin Bar in London, among many others. This was the first time Tihany had worked within the "confines" of a sea-going city. He created a two-story dining room, a two-story wine tower, and some smaller venues.

The Grand Epernay is the main dining room which has a two-story glass wine tower as part of the decor. Think Old Hollywood glamor.

The Tuscan Grille is a more intimate space that blends Italian countryside and Napa Valley.

Silk Harvest would be where I would head. It's a contemporary Asian restuarant with Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese cuisines, including sushi, sakes, and that super-hot Thai food some of us adore.

Other eateries are Blu (spa food, reservations only, plus you have to book in a certain class to be eligible to get reservations), Murano (Continental), Bistro on Five (crepes), Care al Bacio and Gelateria (hey, I know that much Italian--this is ice cream!) and AquaSpa Cafe where you eat in the solarium, which, incidentally is where Colonel Mustard killed his victim with a candlestick.

Eating by the pool is still allowed at the Mast Grill & Bar (chicken wings) and the Oceanview Cafe is sort of the chameleon restaurant in that it was designed to reflect the destinations to which the ship is traveling. It's got long hours and outdoor seating.

And, yes, burgers are still served!

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