Celebrity Cruises Sizzles in the Caribbean

Jason · November 22, 2006

CELEBRITY CRUISES SIZZLES IN THE CARIBBEAN

Celebrity's Millennium to host line's fourth annual "Savor the Caribbean" Series

Miami - (November 20, 2006 ) - Celebrity Cruises is serving up another sizzling "Savor the Caribbean" series featuring some of the nation's hottest chefs. Celebrity's fourth annual series will take place on Millennium's seven-night Eastern Caribbean sailings from January 7 through March 4, 2007, with a host of celebrated chefs and restaurateurs.

Allen Susser, renowned creator of "Palm Tree Cuisine," will be the featured chef on Millennium's January 7 itinerary. Susser's namesake restaurant, "Chef Allen's," was named "Best Restaurant South of New York City" by Travel + Leisure magazine.

Heating up the January 14 cruise will be Cindy Hutson, owner of "Ortanique," which has received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, Five Star Diamond Award, Mobil Four Stars and "Best New Restaurant" honors from Esquire magazine. Hutson is best known for her "Cuisine of the Sun," combining South American, Asian, Caribbean and American fusion influences.

Starring on Millennium's January 21 itinerary will be the "Caribbean Cowboy," Chef Johnny Vinczencz. Known in Florida for his Caribbean-influenced cuisine, Vinczencz is adding a second "Johnny V" restaurant on South Beach, in addition to his Ft. Lauderdale location which has garnered praise by the Miami Herald and Wine Spectator.

Robert Trevino will be sizzling on Millennium's cruise setting sail on February 18. Mixing his Mexican heritage, classic training and passion for Puerto Rican cooking, Trevino has helped shape "Nuevo Latino" cuisine. He has appeared on shows including Rachel Ray's $40 A Day, and even challenged Mario Batali on Food Network's Iron Chef America.

Edgar Leal, who will be steaming up Millennium's February 25 cruise, developed his culinary style in his native Venezuela, where he learned to combine the classic and modern culinary influences of Latin America to create his signature Pan-American culinary style. His restaurant, "Cacao," was recently named one of the best new restaurants in Miami by the Miami Herald.

Those sailing on March 4th will enjoy the company of two star chefs, Carmen Gonzalez and Norman Van Aken.

Gonzalez, chef and owner of "Carmen the Restaurant," is inspired by seafood and the traditional fare of her native Puerto Rico. Gonzalez infuses traditional Pan-Latino ingredients with modern elegance and imagination, using bold flavors with a deft hand. Her restaurant has been named "One of the Best New Restaurants in America" by Esquire magazine.

World-renowned chef and culinary innovator, Norman Van Aken, is the owner of three award-winning restaurants. Van Aken is one of the only chefs in America to have won the coveted James Beard Award and Food Arts' Silver Spoon award for lifetime achievement.

Onboard Extras

Guests onboard Millennium will have the rare opportunity to participate in a hands-on cooking class with the featured chef on each "Savor the Caribbean" cruise. Two classes will be offered per cruise with a class size limited to eight. The cooking class, two hours long, will have an extra charge of $59 per person. Guests also may participate in a Bacardi-sponsored class that teaches them to make perfect mojitos, complete with souvenir muddler and glass.

Extending guests culinary education on land, Celebrity will feature a host of culinary-inspired shore excursions. For example, in San Juan, guests can enjoy a private cooking demonstration with Chef Robert Trevino at his "Parrot Club," hailed by Bon Appetit for serving "the best meal in the Caribbean." The luncheon menu includes a taste of traditional Puerto Rican fare including The Parrot Club's famous "parrot passions" rum drink.

In St. Thomas, guests can be a part of an intimate cooking demonstration hosted by three-time "Best Chef on St. Thomas" winner Brian Katz at his new restaurant, "Wikked." Chef Katz will demonstrate and serve recipes such as his three-rum-flamed shrimp with fried cassava, malt-marinated chicken with plantain mofongo and Grand Marnier-macerated mangoes with white chocolate cake and caramelized cashews.

Shore excursions and cooking classes can be purchased online up to 10 days prior to sailing, as well as onboard, if space remains available.

Departing Fort Lauderdale on Saturdays, Millennium will call on Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.