Celebrity Cruises takes delivery of Celebrity Ascent

Celebrity Cruises takes delivery of the highly anticipated Celebrity Ascent, the fourth ship in the line’s innovative Edge Series. Celebrity Ascent will make her official debut in Fort Lauderdale on December 3, with a 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing visiting such popular destinations as St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and the Dominican Republic.

Celebrity Ascent officially joined Royal Caribbean Group’s Celebrity Cruises’ fleet today as company officials took delivery of the brand’s newest ship at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France.

The fourth ship in the line’s innovative Edge Series, Celebrity Ascent, includes forward-thinking design by top architects and interior designers; culinary offerings from Michelin starred chefs; wellness woven throughout the experience; expansive onboard entertainment and more. Celebrity Ascent will make her official debut in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on December 3, 2023, with a 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing visiting such popular destinations as St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and the Dominican Republic.

When Celebrity Cruises introduces the fifth ship in its Edge Series, it will be methanol capable — equipped with a new engine model, along with storage and delivery systems, that will give it the flexibility to use three types of fuel, including methanol. The order for the engines was included in Wärtsilä’s order book in January 2023 and the full scope includes two 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 46F engines capable of operating with methanol as fuel, two 12-cylinder Wärtsilä 46F engines, and one Wärtsilä 32 engine. Wärtsilä will convert the 46F engines to run on methanol at the shipyard, prior to commissioning.

Celebrating the fourth ship

Welcoming the ship to the Celebrity Cruises family were Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty, Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge, and Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Captains Dimitrios Kafetzis and Tasos Kafetzis, the first brother captains honored with taking a new ship from the shipyard, were also on-hand for the celebration, along with 1,400 Celebrity Ascent crew members.

To mark the moment, they participated in several maritime traditions including the signing ceremony and the changing of flags onboard the ship, along with a celebratory toast in the ship’s spectacular three-story Grand Plaza. 

“Celebrity Ascent is yet another example of innovation driving our mission to provide the best vacations responsibly. The ship continues Celebrity’s ambition to redefine premium travel and take it to new heights,” said Liberty. “I want to thank and congratulate the Chantiers de l’Atlantique team, our Newbuild and Celebrity Cruises’ teams and their partners for the vision, craftsmanship and passion that went into bringing this spectacular ship to life.”

“Celebrity Ascent features all the innovative and award-winning Edge Series signature experiences that launched a new era in cruise ship design, plus a few new enhancements, and I can’t wait to welcome our guests aboard,” said Hodges-Bethge. “It is a true honor to welcome this ship to our fleet and I am so grateful to everyone involved with all that goes into launching a new ship.”

“I am convinced that Celebrity Ascent will meet the same success as the other ships in the prestigious Edge Series. Its fine exterior and interior design and its exceptional seaworthiness make it an outstanding ship. Celebrity Ascent embodies the strong bond between the Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Royal Caribbean Group and Celebrity Cruises teams,” said Chantiers de l’Atlantique General Director Laurent Castaing.”

Vacation Experience Highlights

Celebrity Ascent is a sister ship to Celebrity Beyond, which debuted to great acclaim last year. Distinctive ship features and new experiences include:

• The Retreat, an exclusive resort-within-a-resort area for suite guests, highlighted by a two-story sundeck.
• Accommodations for modern tastes from modern two-story villas with private plunge pools to staterooms with infinite verandas, blurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living.
• An expanded Rooftop Garden and stunning Resort Deck featuring unique cantilevered float pools.
• A multi-level, multi-terraced Sunset Bar at the ship’s aft.
• An expanded onboard entertainment program featuring a transformative nightlife experience on the Resort Deck, six new live productions, interactive gaming experiences, and more.
• A redesigned casino floor and brand-new games.
• A new outdoor dining terrace at Blu, the brand’s clean cuisine restaurant for Aqua Class guests, available for al fresco daytime dining.
• A newly designed Le Voyage by Chef Daniel Boulud.
• And, the return of the Magic Carpet, an engineering feat soaring cantilevered above the sea, offering guests uninterrupted vistas while sipping cocktails or having dinner.

Setting sail on Celebrity Ascent

Following Celebrity Ascent’s maiden voyage, she will offer a variety of alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations through late April, when she then heads to the Mediterranean for sailings from Barcelona and Rome.