Forbes Travel Guide has ventured into unchartered waters with its 2025 Star Awards, becoming the world’s first rating system to celebrate cruise ship restaurants. This landmark expansion recognizes the increasingly vital role of dining in the cruise experience and establishes a new benchmark for culinary excellence at sea.
For FTG’s 67th annual list of the most outstanding hotels, restaurants, spas and ocean cruises now includes onboard restaurants like Candles on Windstar Star Pride; the Dining Room on SeaDream II; Fine Cut Steakhouse on Celebrity Apex and Ascent; The Grill on Silversea’s Silver Origin; and S.E.A. on The Ritz-Carlton’s Evrima.
“The cruise industry has raised the bar significantly when it comes to dining with big investments from the style and design to the food and wine program all helping to elevate the epicurean experiences at sea,” said Amanda Frasier, Forbes Travel Guide’s president of Standards & Ratings. “Of note, we are seeing cruise lines partnering with celebrated chefs and sourcing of the finest ingredients to equal the very best restaurants on land. We’re proud to acknowledge this progress and highlight the best of the best through our Star Ratings.”
Ascent’s Fine Cut Steakhouse and the Dining Room achieved Four-Star ratings. Three restaurants received a Forbes Travel Guide Recommended award: Candles, Apex’s Fine Cut Steakhouse and The Grill.
Whether for a cruise restaurant or a land-based establishment, every rating is earned through FTG’s in-person, incognito inspections, which are based on hundreds of objective, exacting standards that emphasize service. For these awards, inspectors boarded each cruise ship and dined at the restaurants. No one can buy a rating, and no fees, commissions or business relationships are required.
The Star-Rated establishments encompass specialty restaurants, such as S.E.A. and Fine Cut Steakhouse, for which passengers elect to pay an additional fee to dine, and all-inclusive venues such as the Dining Room, The Grill and Candles, which require no extra cost. The award-winning spots also span the spectrum of dining, from S.E.A. and the Dining Room’s yacht-level elegance to the more laid-back, alfresco teak-deck ambiance of The Grill.
Cruise ships have elevated the dining experience at sea through various means. Some, like S.E.A. on The Ritz-Carlton’s Evrima, have brought in respected figures from the culinary community. Chef Sven Elverfeld of The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg’s acclaimed Aqua re-creates European-style tasting menus for the ship. The Grill on Silversea’s dedicated Galapagos vessel, Silver Origin, focuses on experiential elements and celebrates regional Ecuadorian cuisine. Other venues, like Candles and Fine Cut Steakhouse, stand the test of time with classic favorites, becoming essential components of the cruise for repeat passengers.
These newly rated establishments also distinguish themselves with impressive menus. Fine Cut Steakhouse, for example, serves one of the finest New York strips you can find in the middle of the Mediterranean. Over at The Grill, locally sourced lobster is cooked atop a fiery lava stone.
If you are looking for dessert, Elverfeld’s Ruinart rosé champagne crème sorbet is the stuff of high-sea legend — and it’s a menu mainstay. No dinner at Candles is complete without a slice of the lemon tart. And passengers eagerly scan the Dining Room’s rotating menu for the caramel gelato.
Forbes Travel Guide began awarding Star Awards to ocean cruise ships in 2023 in response to the rapidly growing luxury cruise market, which has continued to expand. This year, 14 liners are featured in the collection of Star-Rated cruises, including four newly rated vessels. As luxury cruising evolves, FTG’s inspectors have enhanced their evaluations to reflect the advancements in culinary offerings at sea. These restaurants stood out for providing memorable meals and excellent service, both of which are essential criteria for a Star Rating.
This week, we revealed our 2025 Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards. Click here to see the list of winners.
