One cruise ship just made history after earning the first-ever Five-Star rating from the Forbes Travel Guide for one of its fine dining restaurants at sea.
Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud aboard Celebrity Xcel, the cruise line's newest Edge Series ship, earned the prestigious honor and joined an elite group of restaurants that hold Five-Star accolades across the globe.
The upscale restaurant, which was created in partnership with Celebrity Cruises’ global culinary ambassador and Michelin-starred Chef Daniel Boulud, first debuted in Celebrity Beyond. It's more than just a fine dining experience, too. Each meal is a cultural journey that invites guests to experience flavors from around the world, all inspired by Chef Daniel Boulud's travels.
Le Voyage offers diners a choice between expertly prepared à la carte dishes and a carefully crafted five-course tasting menu. The meal isn't cheap, costing over $100 per person. However, the recently-awarded Forbes Five-Star distinction reinforces that this isn't just another specialty steakhouse on a cruise ship. It's one of the best culinary experiences in the world — that just so happens to be at sea.
"We are extremely proud and honored to earn Forbes Travel Guide's first Five-Star rating for a restaurant at sea. This industry-leading recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to culinary excellence," said Laura Hodges Bethge, President of Celebrity Cruises.
Chef Daniel Boulud added, "I have the honor of being Celebrity Cruises’ global culinary ambassador, supporting their delivery of elevated culinary experiences. Throughout the years of partnership, I recognized Celebrity’s drive for culinary innovation and dedication to quality service. We began expanding our collaboration, first featuring my menus for their Suite guests, then trusting Celebrity to launch my first-ever restaurant at sea.
"Le Voyage is the culmination of our years-long partnership, and we are thrilled to be recognized with Forbes Travel Guide's Five Stars. Together, we look forward to continuing to redefine the possibilities of dining at sea."
Forbes Travel Guide is widely regarded as the gold standard for excellence in hospitality. It remains the only independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, spas, restaurants, and ocean cruises. In fact, every Forbes Travel Guide Star Rating comes from anonymous evaluations that are measured against hundreds of objective standards that prioritize exceptional service.
Le Voyage's award isn't the first time that Celebrity Cruises has made history with the travel guide, either. In 2023, the premium cruise line was the first to earn a prestigious Forbes Travel Guide Star Award.
Read more: 9 things I wish I knew before setting foot on a Celebrity ship
Three other restaurants earned Four-Star ratings
"At Celebrity Cruises, elevated hospitality is in our DNA. Guided by our guests, we dream up and deliver experiences that create memories and stories they cannot experience anywhere else," explained Hodges Bethge.
As such, it should not come as a surprise to learn that not one, not two, but three other Celebrity restaurants walked away with Four-Star ratings from Forbes Travel Guide: Le Voyage on Celebrity Ascent, Fine Cut Steakhouse on Celebrity Ascent, and Fine Cut Steakhouse on Celebrity Apex.
Additionally, four Celebrity Cruises ships earned an overall rating in 2026, including Celebrity Xcel (recommended), Celebrity Ascent (Four-Stars), Celebrity Apex (recommended), and Celebrity Flora (recommended).
These eight awards are a testament to Celebrity's promise that "Nothing Else Comes Close." From world-class dining to elevated service and transformational accommodations, the cruise line continues to set new standards for what travelers can expect at sea.
The outlook for the line remains strong, with the first river ships expected to debut in 2027. These first-of-its-kind vessels are taking a lot of inspiration from the Edge Series — three of which walked away with Forbes overall ratings in 2026.
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