Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship, the Celebrity Ascent, recently marked its first year of service.
Built by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, the vessel was handed over to the company on Nov. 8, 2023.
After crossing the Atlantic with no guests onboard, the Ascent officially entered service in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 23, 2023.
For its first sailing, the ship offered a four-night cruise to the Western Caribbean. In addition to two days at sea, the pre-inaugural sailing included a visit to Cozumel in Mexico.
Following a naming ceremony that included Captain Sandy Yawn and her sister Michelle Dunham serving as the co-godmothers, the Celebrity Ascent set sail on its maiden cruise on Dec. 4, 2023 from Port Everglades.
Cruising to the Eastern Caribbean, the sailing featured visits to ports of call in St. Maarten, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic.
The ship continued to sail from Fort Lauderdale during its inaugural season, cruising to additional destinations in the region, including George Town in the Cayman Islands, San Juan in Puerto Rico and Basseterre in St. Kitts.
This April, the 140,600-ton vessel crosses the Atlantic for the second time ahead of its first-ever summer program in Europe.
Sailing in the Mediterranean, the ship offers a series of seven- to 11-night cruises departing from Barcelona (Spain), Civitavecchia (Italy) and Piraeus (Greece).
As the fourth ship in Celebrity’s Edge Class, the Celebrity Ascent offers many of the company’s signature experiences and spaces, including Eden, the Rooftop Garden and the Sunset Bar.
The 3,260-guest vessel also introduced new features, such as a redesigned version of Celebrity’s newest specialty restaurant, Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud.
After the Ascent, Celebrity Cruises is set to receive the fifth and final ship in the Edge series in 2025, as the Celebrity Xcel enters service in the Caribbean.