Celebrity Cruises has taken delivery of the highly anticipated Celebrity Ascent from shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
The cruise line’s crew members and Royal Caribbean Group executives were on hand to celebrate the handover of the fourth ship in Celebrity’s Edge series.
Ascent arrives after Celebrity yesterday revealed the name of its fifth and final vessel in the class, Celebrity Xcel, which is set to launch in summer 2025-26.
The ship will make her official debut from Fort Lauderdale on 03 December, with a seven-night Eastern Caribbean sailing visiting popular destinations such as St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and the Dominican Republic.
Welcoming the ship to the Celebrity family was President Laura Hodges Bethge, as well as RCG President & Chief Executive Officer Jason Liberty, and Chantiers de l’Atlantique General Manager Laurent Castaing.
Captains Dimitrios Kafetzis and Tasos Kafetzis, the first brothers honoured with taking a new ship from the shipyard as captains, were also on-hand for the celebration, along with 1,400 Ascent crew members.
Several maritime traditions took place on the day, including the signing ceremony and the changing of flags on board Ascent, along with a celebratory toast in the ship’s spectacular three-storey Grand Plaza.
“Ascent is yet another example of innovation driving our mission to provide the best vacations responsibly,” Liberty said.
“The ship continues Celebrity’s ambition to redefine premium travel and take it to new heights.
“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.”
Hodges Bethge said Ascent features all the innovative Edge series features, plus a number of enhancements.
“I can’t wait to welcome our guests aboard,” she enthused.
“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.”
Distinctive ship features and new experiences aboard Ascent include an expanded Rooftop Garden, and a resort deck, which features unique cantilevered float pools; and an expanded onboard entertainment program on the Resort Deck featuring six new live productions, interactive gaming experiences, and more.
There is also a redesigned casino floor with brand-new games, a newly designed Le Voyage by Chef Daniel Boulud, and a new outdoor dining terrace at Blu, Celebrity’s new restaurant for Aqua Class guests.
