Celebrity Cruises to Fire Up Guests' Culinary Passion at Cruise Industry's First Interactive, Open-Air Grilling Restaurant

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Jun 29, 2011, 04:23 ET

MIAMI, June 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrity Cruises' award-winning culinary program is heating up this summer with the introduction of its newest ship, the 2,886-guest Celebrity Silhouette, which will feature the industry's first interactive, open-air grilling restaurant, "The Lawn Club Grill."

"People tend to associate grilling with the relaxing, carefree mood of summer – exactly what a Celebrity vacation is all about," said Jacques Van Staden, Vice President, Culinary Operations. "What can be better than experiencing something that's popular among so many cultures around the world, while relaxing near a lawn of growing grass, surrounded by an endless view of the sea?"

By combining a premium culinary experience with the sensation of relaxing on the top deck of a ship, surrounded by live grass and cool ocean breezes, Celebrity's aim is to celebrate the passion people have for grilling, as they enjoy their precious vacation time.

The highlight of the dining experience at the 58-seat Lawn Club Grill will be the opportunity for guests to serve as their party's "Grill Master," by being paired with a Celebrity Cruises chef to assist in preparing the menu for their table over custom-built, ventilated grills. This unique, one-on-one interaction will give the Grill Master a one-of-a-kind, firsthand lesson in proper grilling techniques and other tricks of the grilling trade. All guests will have the opportunity to choose from a gourmet salad bar, a la carte "build your own" pizzas and more than 12 grilled specialties. "Grill Masters" who wish to demonstrate their grilling prowess – or learn a few tips by being paired with a chef – will receive a complimentary apron as a memento.

"Our guests consistently tell us that fresh, exciting culinary experiences are essential to their enjoyment of their vacation, and we are always looking for new ways to deliver that to them," said Van Staden. "Just as we introduced the 'uniquely unordinary' experience of using iPad-based menus to design individual culinary journeys featuring dishes presented in unexpected ways in Qsine on Celebrity Eclipse, we are introducing customized, open-air grills to the cruise vacation dining experience."

The Lawn Club Grill – now available for online, pre-cruise bookings for ticketed guests – will be open from 5-10 pm nightly and from 12-2 pm on one "sea day" during each cruise. A reservation fee of $30 per person is required.

The latest in Celebrity's award-winning Solstice class of ships, Celebrity Silhouette will offer several additional industry-first venues and experiences within The Lawn Club. These include relaxing, private, wi-fi-equipped cabanas called "The Alcoves"; "The Porch," a breezy, casual dining spot offering sandwiches, coffees and captivating views of the sea and the ship's lush lawn, and "The Art Studio," where vacationers can bring out their inner artist. The ship also will present another entirely new venue, "The Hideaway," an intimate, quiet space reminiscent of a childhood tree house.

Ticketed guests can book The Lawn Club Grill at www.celebritycruises.com.

Celebrity Cruises' iconic "X" is the mark of the world's top-rated premium cruise line, with spacious, stylish interiors; dining experiences elevated to an art form; personalized service, with a guest-to-staff ratio of nearly 2:1; unexpected, trendsetting onboard activities, all designed to provide an unmatchable experience for vacationers' precious time. Celebrity sails to Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Bermuda, California, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, and year-round in the Galapagos Islands. Celebrity also offers immersive cruisetour experiences in Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Europe and South America. One of the fastest-growing major cruise lines, Celebrity's fleet currently consists of nine ships, with two additional Solstice Class ships scheduled to join the fleet: Celebrity Silhouette in July 2011, and Celebrity Reflection in Fall 2012. For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.