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Celebrity Cruises Into The New Millennium.
Olympic Restaurant
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By Arie Boris
Cruising in the twenty-first century offers more modern amenities and services than ever before in the history of passenger ships. Today's cruise ships are floating resorts with Internet café's, satellite communications and access to individual VCRs or DVD players. The Millennium, Celebrity Cruise Lines first in a series of newly designed "Millennium Class" ships, is the epitome of the modern cruise liner. Yet, ironically, the most memorable feature of this sleek new ship is linked to a famous passenger liner built almost 100 years ago!
Can you imagine for a moment what might have been the most popular dessert in the First Class restaurant on the Titanic? Called Waldorf Pudding, it was a creamy vanilla pudding flavored with a hint of nutmeg, diced apples and sultana grapes. It was also on the First Class menu of Titanic sister ship, the Olympic. The White Star line launched the Olympic one-year before the fateful maiden voyage of the Titanic.
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| Olympic Restaurant |
After the loss of her sister, the Olympic was retrofitted with plenty of lifeboats and her First Class dining room was expanded to include sweeping views of the sea, which was a unique innovation for its time. It was decorated with opulent walnut wood paneling accentuated by exquisite gold leaf detail. She led a long and successful trans-Atlantic career and was one of the last four stack ocean liners when she was finally scrapped prior to the Second World War.
The valuable walnut wood paneling was salvaged, sold to the owner of an English estate and used to adorn the main living and dining areas. Years later, the estate was sold and Celebrity purchased the original paneling with one purpose... to recreate the Edwardian ambiance of the original First Class dining room onboard the Olympic.
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| Lobster Veloute with a Smile |
The Olympic Restaurant, in a word, is spectacular! The overall dining experience onboard the Millennium is excellent, but dining in this exceptional alternative restaurant is a special event. White gloved waiters in white tie and tails recreate a style and level of service one can only image was a part of that last night onboard the Titanic, before the tragedy occurred. Live music, a violinist of course, adds to the elegant atmosphere. The entire experience is intended to transport guests to a different era and way of life at sea, until now, only imagined or recreated in film. And happily, one does not have to worry about an iceberg ruining the evening!
The Olympic menu, specially created by Celebrity Master Chef, Michel Roux, offers four courses, beginning with a soup, salad or appetizer followed by a choice of main entree, a cheese course and dessert selection (including the original recipe Waldorf pudding). Each dish is prepared in a demonstration galley, open to view, or at the dining table with waiters often adding the finishing touches. Along with each course, a suggested wine may be ordered by the glass, presenting a unique opportunity for a private wine tasting during dinner. There is also a private wine list with selections unavailable elsewhere on the ship.
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| Classical Violin |
A creamy lobster broth or a delicate goat cheese soufflé with tomato coulis were my two favorite starters. I thoroughly enjoyed the Flambéed Scampi, consisting of pancetta wrapped prawns, flamed in Armagnac served on a bed of rocket leaves. The Rack of Lamb, coated with a mushroom duxelle, was encased in a delicate puff pastry that was truly special. The Waldorf pudding was very rich, creamy and quite different from most modern desserts. The Chocolate Souffle was, well, to die for!The Millennium offers a variety of culinary experiences that make this ship very special. The Cova Café of Milano recreates its rich Expresso, Cappuccino and Italian pastries. The AquaSpa offers delicious light breakfasts and lunches that satisfy and are so healthy. The main art deco dining room, The Metropolitan offers service, quality and variety as good as any ship on the high seas! Yet one dinner in the Olympic restaurant makes spending a week on this beautiful ship well worth it!
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| Waldorf Pudding |
Click here for a wonderful look at the history of the Olympic Restaurant. The brief video is hosted by Ocean liner historian, John Maxtone-Graham and is quite informative.
Log onto www.Celebritycruises.com for information on the Millennium.
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