Celebrity Ascent to Feature New and Returning Experiences

Celebrity Cruises’ new Celebrity Ascent, the fourth ship in the line’s Edge class, is scheduled to launch in November as a sister ship to the slightly larger Celebrity Beyond. Onboard will be venues and experiences that are returning favorites among clients, as well as several new enhancements.

“I am so excited to introduce the world to Celebrity Ascent and continue the legacy of Celebrity’s Edge Series,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “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 seasoned and new cruisers alike.”

Editor's Note: This story was updated on Oct. 25, 2023, with newly released ship details. 

New Dining Venues

Initially introduced on Beyond, Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud will be reprised onboard Ascent, but as a redesigned restaurant. The celebrity chef’s second dining venue at sea will be reimagined by KTGY Simeone Deary Design Group to “offer an intimate fine-dining experience inspired by the chef’s travels,” according to the line.

The fantastical Eden Restaurant will offer a new plant-based tasting menu showcasing seasonal ingredients, and the Le Petit Chef animated dinner experience at Le Grand Bistro will feature both a playful new video and menu. Main dining onboard Ascent encompasses four options including the Cosmopolitan restaurant, which will be redesigned with inspiration from “the culture of Champagne.” Meanwhile, Blu, an AquaClass-exclusive restaurant, will include a 24-person outdoor terrace for alfresco brunches and lunches.

For drinks, Craft Social will expand on its brews with bourbon whiskey tastings, and the Martini Bar will add low-sugar options to the menu, such as lychee and passion fruit concoctions.

New Art and Entertainment Options

Also redesigned on Ascent will be the casino — set to feature deep red and gold tones and an updated gaming floor layout for the latest slot machines — as well as the shipboard art gallery, which is ideal for auctions and other events. The Sunset Collection by Nate Berkus will be available for exclusive travel and home accessories (Berkus is an Edge-series travel ambassador).

In The Theatre, creatives will craft three new production shows (the high-tech “Awaken,” the high-energy “Residency” and the international span-inspired “Bridges"), in addition to interactive digital experiences and performances in The Club (the old Hollywood-style “Smoke & Ivories”) and immersive dance, vocals, music and other artistry at the Eden Bar and Restaurant (the acrobatic “Allure,” 1970s-inspired “Shimmerbox” and fantastic “Dreams"). The resort deck, which will still meander among martini-glass-shaped whirlpools, will also be the nighttime home for a DJ, live performances and an iconic deck party. Rounding out the onboard entertainment will be a 1980s-style multiplayer game show, a “Guilty Pleasures” karaoke party, a tabletop escape room challenge and even sketch art classes, not to mention jazz, funk and disco tunes, as well as pickle ball, silent disco, classic bingo, pub games, the returning chandelier light show at the Grand Plaza and more.

Returning Favorites

Of course, Edge-class signatures will be along for the ride, including Infinite Veranda staterooms and suites, the Magic Carpet convertible cantilevered deck, the Grand Plaza central atrium, the terraced Sunset Bar designed by Berkus, the outdoor Rooftop Garden, the spa with its Sea Thermal Suite and more.

Ascent will first sail from Florida to the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands, and then navigate toward Europe for a summer Mediterranean season.