Celebrity Ascent officially joined Celebrity Cruises’ fleet of ships as company officials took delivery of its 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 will make her official debut in Fort Lauderdale on 3 December with a 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing visiting such popular destinations as St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and the Dominican Republic.
Jason Liberty, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group; Laura Hodges Bethge, President of Celebrity Cruises and Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique attended the ceremony alongside Captains Dimitrios Kafetzis and Tasos Kafetzis, the first brother captains honoured with taking a new ship from the shipyard, were also on-hand for the celebration, along with 1,400 Celebrity Ascent crew members.
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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.
“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 honour to welcome this ship to our fleet and I am so grateful to everyone involved with all that goes into launching a new ship.”
Laurent Castaing, General Director of Chantiers de l’Atlantique said “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.”
Celebrity Ascent joins sister ship to Celebrity Beyond which debuted 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-storey 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 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.
View the itineraries at celebritycruises.com/cruise-ships/celebrity-ascent.
Lead image: Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique officials join the 1,400 person crew of Celebrity Ascent on the ship’s rooftop.