2023 stands to be an exciting year for Celebrity Cruises. Coming off the heels of success of their recent ship launch, the Celebrity Beyond, the cruise line is now standing to introduce another ground breaking vessel to its fleet - the Celebrity Ascent.
The Celebrity Ascent stands to introduce even more innovation and luxury to Celebrity’s Edge Class of ships. Come along with us as we explore the soon-to-be newest ship in Celebrity Cruises’ fleet!
Launch Date and First Itineraries
The Celebrity Ascent is currently scheduled to launch at the end of this year, winter 2023. The ship will set sail on its maiden voyage on December 3rd, 2023.
The maiden voyage of Celebrity Ascent will be a 7-night Caribbean itinerary that will visit the following ports of call: departing from Fort Lauderdale, sailing to St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Puerto Plata, and three sea days. The maiden voyage is a roundtrip sailing, and will return to Fort Lauderdale, Florida once the cruise is over.
“We’re so excited to debut the spectacular Celebrity Ascent in the serene setting of the Caribbean where she and all of her guests will have their moment in the sun,” said the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of Celebrity Cruises, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. “She will be joined by her seven sisters all offering different experiences both onboard and ashore.”
Currently, there is still availability on Celebrity Ascent’s maiden voyage. Prospective passengers can sail onboard in an Inside Stateroom, with two people, for $3,332, including taxes and fees.
The Celebrity Ascent will continue to sail within the Caribbean for the remainder of 2023 once it launches. In April 2024, the ship will embark on a Transatlantic sailing that will visit Portugal and Spain.
After the Ascent makes its way over to Europe, it will take guests on Mediterranean sailings that will visit regions such as the Italian Riviera and France. In May 2024, the ship will visit destinations such as Greece and Turkey.
Then in November of 2024, the Celebrity Ascent will journey on a Transatlantic sailing back across the Atlantic Ocean, where it will ultimately end in the Caribbean to begin its winter cruise season of 2024.
Ship Specs
The Celebrity Ascent will consist of 17 decks for passengers to explore and peruse. In total, the ship will weigh in at 140,600 gross tons, and measure in at 1,073 feet in overall length.
Readers can check out one of our recent articles that updates the progress on Celebrity Ascent’s construction here. This update means that the ship is one step closer to realizing its full potential as the newest ship in Celebrity’s fleet. The Celebrity Ascent is currently on track to make its debut on time.
At full capacity, Celebrity’s newest vessel will be capable of accommodating up to 3,260 passengers, and will run at a cruising speed of 22 knots.
Celebrity Ascent is being constructed at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. This shipyard is also where the Celebrity Beyond was built, Celebrity’s ship that was released this past year in 2022.
In addition, this week Celebrity Cruises announced details on who the Celebrity Ascent’s captains will be. “In an industry first, Celebrity Cruises announced today that Greek brothers Dimitrios and Tasos Kafetzis have been named co-captains of Celebrity Ascent, the company’s fourth ship in its industry-transforming Edge Series, debuting winter 2023.”
Upon the announcement regarding the appointment of the two captains the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Celebrity Cruises, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo stated, “our star-powered siblings, a maritime dream team.”
Edge Class Ships
Celebrity Cruises stated, “the fourth ship in our revolutionary Edge Series, Celebrity Ascent takes our innovative outward-facing design further than ever, creating an even closer connection between you, the sea, and every exciting place on the horizon. Soak up the sun, salt breezes, and stunning scenery in newly expanded open-air spaces.”
With the addition of Celebrity Ascent, there will now be four ships in Celebrity Cruises’ innovative Edge Class of ships. The other three ships in this category are the Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, and Celebrity Beyond.
All four of the Edge Class ships, including the Celebrity Ascent, will feature about the same design elements and amenities. While each ship will have some differences, making them truly unique.
More information on Celebrity Ascent’s unique features will be released as the ship gets closer to completing its construction.
Details
“Welcome to a place where you can escape and experience all the things you’ve been missing for so long. Only now those things are even better than you’ve imagined. This is a place where the everyday gives way to the extraordinary. A place with more space to lose yourself in and more luxury to love. Where the possibilities are as endless as the views. Where you can disconnect entirely while you reconnect with each other - and the world. This place is Celebrity Ascent,” states Celebrity Cruises on their website, regarding the newest addition to their fleet.
Celebrity Edge Class ships are designed to be transportive to its guests. The cruise line seeks to provide guests with a unique, memorable stay onboard, while sailing passengers to great destinations all over the world.
Celebrity Cruises delivers an upscale experience, while at the same time providing plenty of fun and entertainment to its guests. Celebrity Cruises describes their ships as, “relaxed luxury resorts at sea.”
Amenities
One of the most interesting additions to the Edge Class ships series, and also onboard the Celebrity Ascent, is The Magic Carpet. The Magic Carpet is a “cantilevered, floating platform that reaches heights of 13 stories above sea level.” This innovative contraption allows guests to experience unparalleled ocean and scenic views, while simultaneously enjoying comfortable seating, a full bar, and live music performances.
There will be multiple pool and sun deck areas onboard, including the Resort Deck and the Solarium. The Resort Deck will feature the main pool area, while the Solarium is an adults-only region of the ship designed with escape and relaxation in mind for guests 18+ years.
Very similar to the Celebrity Beyond, the Celebrity Ascent will feature the beautiful Rooftop Garden. This area of the ship is an outdoor space featuring many plants, relaxing decor, seating, and stunning float pools. This unique to Celebrity space, also extends right over the water’s edge, adding even more appeal to this venue and allowing guests to experience something new and unique.
There is still more information yet to be released regarding what amenities and activities will be onboard the Celebrity Ascent. Stay tuned, and check back with Cruise Blog to keep updated on all of the latest news regarding Celebrity’s newest ship!
Dining
“What you eat on vacation is almost as important as where you go, and on every Celebrity vacation, we bring both those things together perfectly. The captivating scents and flavors of your dining experience will transport you to new places - without even leaving your table. On Celebrity Ascent, you’ll embark on a culinary journey like no other,” states Celebrity Cruises about the dining experience on Celebrity Ascent.
The Celebrity Ascent will feature 14 cafes, bars and lounges, 8 specialty dining restaurants, 4 main dining venues, 4 casual dining venues, and 2 exclusive dining locations.
The main dining venues onboard include: Cyprus Restaurant, Tuscan Restaurant, Normandie Restaurant, and the Cosmopolitan Restaurant.
The specialty dining restaurants onboard the Ascent will include: Fine Cut Steakhouse, Le Grand Bistro, Raw on 5, The Magic Carpet, Rooftop Garden Grill, and Eden Restaurant.
A unique specialty dining experience onboard is the venue by the name Le Petit Chef. This is a fun and interactive restaurant described as, “the world-renowned artists of Skullmapping have reached a true pinnacle of their custom 3D animation art form. This dining experience is beautifully choreographed with an elegant menu created by our Michelin Star Chef,” says Celebrity Cruises.
Celebrity Cruises provides excellent service and innovative menus organized by Michelin Star Chef Cornelius Gallagher. Chef Gallagher is “inspired by the amazing regions we visit around the world,” states Celebrity.
Staterooms
The Celebrity Ascent will feature eight different types of stateroom cabins onboard. With all of the different categories, there is something sure to fit nearly every cruise travelers’ preference and budget.
The eight different types of stateroom categories include: The Retreat, AquaClass, Concierge Class, Edge Stateroom with Infinite Veranda, Edge Single Stateroom with Infinite Veranda, Veranda on Edge, Ocean View Stateroom, and Inside Staterooms.
Unique to Celebrity Cruises is The Retreat. These rooms are often very large, luxurious, and come complete with exclusive amenities such as private plunge pools and more.
Design
The Celebrity Ascent will seek to bring elements of both fun, relaxation, and luxury to its newest ship. Additionally, the Ascent will strive to bring guests closer to the ocean and nature with spaces onboard such as the Rooftop Garden, The Magic Carpet, The Solarium, and Eden.
The design of the Edge Class ships features a color palette that is simultaneously bright and fun while being calming and relaxing.
Celebrity Ascent will transport guests on high seas adventures, while allowing them to relax and unwind as they sail the oceans. This ship is poised to be the jewel in design of the Celebrity Cruises’ fleet.
“The brand’s newest relaxed luxury resort at sea, which has been brought to life by a team of modern lifestyle icons including multi-award-winning British designer Kelly Hoppen CBE; celebrated American designer Nate Berkus and Michelin starred chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud,” states Celebrity Cruises about the team that went into designing their newest ship.
Conclusion
Described by Celebrity Cruises as, “More space. More Luxury. More connected,” this ship is sure to make waves in the cruise line industry once it launches.
Prospective guests interested in booking a sailing with Celebrity Ascent this December are in luck, as there is currently still availability on the ship’s maiden voyage, as well as subsequent sailings in December 2023 and January 2024.
We at Cruise Blog are eagerly anticipating the debut and launch of Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship and we will be sure to update our readers when updates and news premiers regarding the Celebrity Ascent! This winter is sure to be exciting with this new ship setting sail, and we are anticipating many happy sailings indeed!
Hayley Phillips
Hayley Phillips is a military spouse currently living in Florida and loves all things travel and travel planning.
