Celebrity Ascent

The Celebrity Ascent entered service in November 2023. On paper, it is the fourth ship in Celebrity Cruises' Edge series — after the Edge, the Apex and the Beyond. In practice, it is a ship that benefited from three generations of learning to arrive refined, coherent, and surprisingly generous in discoveries for those who know where to look.

It does not try to impress with size — even if 327 metres and 3,260 passengers are not nothing. It aims to seduce through the quality of every detail, the ease of daily life on board, and an atmosphere closer to a chic urban resort than to a classic holiday liner. Travellers who have sailed on it multiple times — some for as many as three successive cruises — say it is one of the rare ships where they have never felt they were missing something.

A ship with taste — worn lightly

The first thing that strikes you on the Ascent is not the size. It is the calm in which all that volume is organised. The Grand Plaza, the central multi-level atrium, holds the Martini Bar beneath a spectacular LED chandelier. This is the ship's heart — the place where evenings converge, where music gathers, where laughter carries. But where other ships would have oversaturated the space, the Ascent holds a clear editorial line: neutral tones, natural textures, art everywhere.

Everywhere in the fullest sense. From botanical installations to monumental sculptures — each Edge Series ship carries its own signature artwork — down to the photographs lining the corridors and cabins, the ship functions as a floating gallery you inhabit rather than visit. This is the work of designers like Nate Berkus and Kelly Hoppen, and it shows without announcing itself.

The Magic Carpet platform, visible from the dock before you have even boarded, deserves its own chapter — and it will have one.

The cabin: the great Infinite Veranda debate

The main cabin category on the Ascent, as across the entire Edge Series, is the stateroom with an Infinite Veranda. There is no balcony in the traditional sense — no sliding door, no space to stand outside. Instead: a floor-to-ceiling window (2.3 m by 2 m) that lowers electronically, like a car window, to open the cabin to the sea air. This concept has divided passengers since the first Edge — and continues to do so on the Ascent.

Those who love it speak of an enlarged interior space, exceptional light, and the ability to sleep with the ocean as a backdrop. Those who are wary of it miss the absence of a real outdoor exit. Both camps are right. This is not a question of quality — it is a question of cruising habit. If fresh air from a physical balcony is part of your routine, check before you book.

In AquaClass, the cabin adds a full wellness dimension: yoga mat, daily water included, healthy room service menu, improved air filtration, and access to Blu — an exclusive restaurant where the staff learn your preferences within a few days (your morning tea, your preferred wine). But the main advantage of AquaClass is not in the cabin itself. It lies elsewhere.

The spa: where the Ascent truly pulls ahead

The Ascent's SEA Thermal Suite is one of the most complete thermal wellness offerings at sea. For AquaClass passengers, this is precisely where the category's main advantage truly comes into its own.

The spa also offers a full barber suite, ELEMIS treatments, laser procedures and IV drips — including anti-seasickness and anti-hangover infusions, for anyone who needs to recover after an evening at the Martini Bar.

Dining: the Ascent feeds you well — genuinely well

Four main dining rooms, all included, all different — this is one of the things that sets the Edge Series apart from the competition. The Cosmopolitan explores contemporary American flavours with a global touch. Cyprus is rooted in the Mediterranean. Normandie pays homage to French cuisine with modern refinement. Tuscan serves the Italian classics without apology.

The four rooms share a common base of dishes — the Celebrity Classics, including the escargot and crème brûlée that regulars order night after night — with a few exclusives unique to each. And if your assigned restaurant does not inspire you that evening, the other three are accessible on request.

The Oceanview Café — the deck 14 buffet — resets expectations for cruise buffets. Made-to-order stations (pasta, stir-fry, curries, grills), an omelette station, themed sections that rotate daily. For breakfast, it is the best place on the ship, according to multiple consistent accounts.

Among the speciality restaurants, Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud (deck 4, 50 covers, globally inspired French cuisine) consistently stands out in testimonials. Raw on 5 brings together sushi enthusiasts around a kitchen supervised by a Japan-trained chef. Fine Cut Steakhouse rounds out the must-visit trio.

"The restaurants will make you stay on board when everyone else goes ashore."

Recurring testimonial, Ascent passengers

A practical note for the Fine Cut Steakhouse: ask specifically for a table near the windows, away from the tables open to the Grand Plaza. Deck 3 carries the live bar music throughout the evening — lively, but not always what you want with a steak.

The Magic Carpet: understanding what it actually does

The orange platform running along the Ascent's starboard side is the most photographed element on the ship, and probably the most misunderstood. It is not a lift — passengers cannot use it to move between decks. It is a 90-tonne platform, the size of a tennis court. What the Magic Carpet actually does — most passengers only discover it by stumbling onto it by chance.

Eden: a space with two faces

At the stern of the ship, Eden is hard to categorise — and that is exactly its charm. A botanical garden with high ceilings and wide bay windows looking out to the horizon, it welcomes daytime travellers seeking calm, a coffee, something to nibble. At night, the same space transforms: the ship's second cast performs shows here in a scenography of greenery and light.

For evening shows, arrive at Eden before the performance begins to secure a good position. The upper level — which overlooks the performance area — offers an alternative if the floor fills up.

Service: what genuinely makes the difference

In every account gathered, one point comes up without exception: the quality of service. Not service as performance — service as attitude. The housekeeping team greets guests in the corridors even when no one is watching. A disappointing dish is replaced immediately, without comment. One traveller's cabin issue was resolved with a cruise credit towards their next sailing.

There is no felt sales pressure. Upgrades do not impose themselves. What the Ascent sells at its standard level is solid enough not to need convincing guests to take more.