Celebrity Cruises Shares New Details on Upcoming Ship Celebrity Ascent

Celebrity Cruises has unveiled highlights coming to upcoming new ship Celebrity Ascent. The fourth vessel in the cruise line’s Edge Series is slated to make its official debut this November sailing from South Florida.  

Celebrity Ascent will feature a number of the cruise line’s signature Edge Series experiences, including the industry-first outward-facing ship design. 

“I am so excited to introduce the world to Celebrity Ascent and continue the legacy of Celebrity’s Edge Series,” says Celebrity Cruises’ President, Laura Hodges Bethge. “First launched in 2018, the Edge Series transformed what cruising could be and its ships like Edge, Apex, and Beyond quickly became consumer favorites. Continuously striving to offer travelers a better way to enjoy travel and reach the world around them, we are so proud of what we have built and look forward to welcoming both seasoned and new cruisers alike.”

Following is a look at the newly-announced ship highlights coming to Celebrity Ascent. 

New Food and Beverage Options 

Celebrity Ascent will offer 30-plus casual and fine dining venues. A number of these will be new food and beverage experiences including: 

Redesigned Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud – This restaurant was first featured on Celebrity Beyond, and will be the second restaurant at sea for Boulud. The reimagined space will offer a fine dining experience inspired by the Chef’s travels.

Plant-based Tasting Menu at Eden - This menu will offer a plant-focused culinary journey highlighting fresh and seasonal ingredients.

New Le Petit Chef - A guest favorite, Celebrity Ascent’s Le Petit Chef will feature an all-new animation and menu. 

Upgraded Main Dining Experience - Celebrity Ascent will feature four complimentary main dining options, each with a signature menu and rotating dishes. The ship will feature a redesigned Cosmopolitan restaurant, inspired by the ‘culture of champagne’. 

Outdoor Terrace at Blu - Blu, the restaurant exclusive to AquaClass guests, will feature its first-ever outdoor terrace with 24-person seating open for daytime dining.

New Beverage Programs - Celebrity will expand on whiskey-tasting offerings, with Craft Social having new high-end bourbon selections and tasting seminars. Additionally, the Martini Bar will offer low-sugar cocktails with fresh ingredients, as well as brand-new drink creations on the menu. 

New Entertainment, Art, and Retail

On board Celebrity Ascent, travelers will enjoy new enhanced entertainment, art, and retail offerings including:

New Production Shows - Celebrity has partnered with industry-leading creatives for three new production shows in The Theatre, new interactive digital shows in The Club, and immersive shows in Eden Bar and Restaurant. 

Updated Look for the Casino - Celebrity Ascent will have an all-new gaming floor complete with a new layout, slot machines, and design featuring deep reds and gold colors. 

New Nightly Entertainment - The Resort Deck is to be the center of the nightlife experience, hosting open-air performances, live music, and DJs. 

Redesigned Art Gallery - The Art Gallery has been reimagined, offering a better viewing experience for guests.

The Sunset Collection by Nate Berkus - The retail space will sell this collection of travel and home accessories, available exclusively onboard Celebrity Ascent.

Returning Edge Series Guest Favorites 

Celebrity Ascent will bring back a number of guest-favorite Edge Series signature experiences. These include: 

• The Theatre - This entertainment space will feature state-of-the-art technology for experiential, imaginative performances.
• The Rooftop Garden - The outdoor space will be home to music, movies, infinity float pools, and al fresco dining.
• The Spa - The Spa will have 120 destination-inspired treatments, and the SEA Thermal Suite featuring eight therapeutic experiences. 
• The Resort Deck - This area will include the main pool which features cabanas, two-story martini-glass-shaped hot tubs, and The Solarium.
• Inventive Culinary Options – This includes the return of the three-story Eden Bar and Restaurant and Le Petit Chef dinner.
• Return of Guest Favorite Bars & Lounges - These include The Sunset Bar designed by Nate Berkus, The Grand Plaza and Martini Bar, and The Magic Carpet.
• Modern Accommodation Options – Like fellow Edge Series ships, Celebrity Ascent will offer a number of stateroom varieties, such as Infinite Veranda and AquaClass staterooms. 

Late 2023 Debut

Celebrity Ascent will be based in Port Everglades for its inaugural season. The vessel will offer two Preview sailings in late November, with 7-night Caribbean cruises beginning in mid-December and running to early April 2024. Itinerary highlights include ports in the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands. 

Come summer of 2024, the ship will reposition to Europe for Mediterranean cruises to Greece, Italy, Turkey, Spain, and France.

In an industry first, Celebrity has named brothers Dimitrios and Tasos Kafetzis as Co-captains of Celebrity Ascent. Both captains have a deep, multi-decade history of working with the cruise line. 

Captain Dimitrios has been with Celebrity Cruises for over three decades. He started as an Apprentice Officer onboard Celebrity’s first vessel Celebrity Horizon in 1990, of which he was named take-out captain. He has sailed aboard every different class of ships in the Celebrity fleet and has been part of the start-up teams of Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Silhouette, and Celebrity Apex. Captain Tasos (younger brother to Captain Dimitrios) has worked with Celebrity Cruises for over 20 years. He joined the cruise line in 1998 and has been a part of the opening of Celebrity Summit, Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Equinox, and Celebrity Reflection, and most recently as Captain of Celebrity Edge. 

Enjoy a sneak peek from Celebrity Cruises at the build of Celebrity Ascent featuring Captain Dimitrios and Captain Tasos: 

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