Across its two main brands, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean Group has increasingly made specialty dining a major focus.
Since it costs extra to eat in these restaurants and passengers certainly have the option not to pay and instead to dine in the main dining room, the company has been steadily rolling out new and more impressive dining experiences.
On Royal Caribbean's namesake brand, this has included recent introductions like Mason Jar, a southern-themed venue with a top-tier bar and a brunch-all-day menu, and innovative offerings like the whimsical Wonderland, a true dining experience
Celebrity, the cruise line's higher-end brand, has Murano and Eden, two restaurants that mix innovation and upscale dining as well as the Petite Chef, a fairly spectacular show that guides you through your meal.
Many cruise diners, especially those who mix free and added-fee dining, tend to judge cruise lines by their steakhouse offerings.
Every Royal Caribbean ship offers Chops, the cruise line's take on a Morton's/Ruth's Chris-style steakhouse. That's not a bad option — I usually eat there twice on a seven-night cruise — but the experience is akin to that of two mid-tier takes on a high-end steakhouse, not a truly spectacular experience.
Many Celebrity ships don't offer a true steakhouse. That's something the company has corrected with its Edge-class ships, adding Fine Cut, a steakhouse experience that just got a whole lot better thanks to the company's newest kitchen innovation.
Image source: Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises ups its steak game
Usually, when you compliment a meal on a cruise ship, the cruise line's president does not explain why it was so good. But on Celebrity's newest ship, Ascent, I was eating dinner with some media members and a couple of company executives, and Celebrity President Laura Hodges Bethge came by the table to say hello.
She overheard my kind words about the meal, which were delivered to one of the company's media relations executives.
"That was the best steak I've ever had on a cruise ship," I said. "Had you asked me before this meal what the best steak at sea was, I would have said Central Park 150" — a restaurant on Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class ships — "hands down, but this was just spectacular."
Bethge then jumped in and explained that this wasn't an accident. Celebrity had actually been working for years on a new steak broiler designed to be hotter than previous options available on cruise ships, she told the group of us.
Celebrity Ascent is the first ship to add the new broiler, but plans are underway to change that.
Celebrity Cruises has a new steak broiler
"A steak broiler that reaches 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit can cook steaks in ways that were previously not possible due to the extreme heat it generates," Celebrity Cruises shared with TheStreet. "The high temperature allows for a quick sear on the outside of the steak, locking in the juices and creating a flavorful crust."
That's not the only benefit of cooking steaks at a higher temperature.
"The intense heat also cooks the steak more evenly, resulting in a tender and juicy interior," a spokesperson for the cruise line said in an email to TheStreet. "This method of cooking is ideal for achieving the perfect sear on a thick cut of steak while still maintaining a desired level of doneness. Additionally, the high heat can enhance the natural flavors of the meat, resulting in a unique and delicious dining experience,"
Currently, Royal Caribbean Group plans to retrofit all Celebrity ships with the new oven.
"Depending on the success of it, conversations are ongoing for the Royal brand, but at this time no concrete plans on the Royal side," the company said.
