Celebrity Cruises have gone and done it again.
Celebrity Ascent emerges as a breathtaking marvel in the world of cruising, setting sail
with a blend of elegance and innovation which you can expect from any Edge-class ship.
With its captivating design and the promise of a luxurious journey, this like the other
Edge-sisters have become a sought-after dream for cruise enthusiasts. In this review,
we'll explore whether Celebrity Ascent lives up to its grand expectations or whether
she’s an improved ship to Celebrity Beyond. As passengers step aboard, they are greeted
by the grandeur of the Grand Plaza, which is the ship’s Atrium. A three-deck-high
marvel with expansive glass windows, bringing in a flood of natural light. With
its innovative design and spaciousness, sets the tone for the ship’s luxurious ambiance. The design ethos of Celebrity Ascent is a
continuation of the groundbreaking Edge-class, offering a visually and tactilely pleasing
experience. The ship feels like a floating high-end hotel, with every corner exuding
sophistication. The scent of the ship adds to its allure, varying subtly across different
areas, enhancing the sensory experience. Accommodation on Celebrity Ascent ranges
from cosy interior cabins to lavish Retreat suites. The Infinite Veranda staterooms, a
signature feature, offer a unique experience, although they come with their limitations. This
grade of accommodation measures 243 square feet, which is on the high side for a balcony cabin
on a cruise ship sitting in the premium cruise category. Although the bathroom and living
area in this stateroom feels spacious, wardrobe space is limited, and it can
be troublesome accessing the wardrobes which are a little too close to the bed
or sofa depending on the configuration. While the concept of a balcony window
is innovative, practical issues arise, where the lack of traditional balcony
space and the automatic disabling of air conditioning upon opening the window can
be inconvenient. It’s also worth knowing that these infinite verandas can be disabled
without notice from the bridge, when the ship is experiencing bad weather. A withdrawal of
freedom which won’t be appreciated by many. The Deluxe Porthole View with Veranda rooms
offer a more traditional balcony experience, albeit with a smaller outdoor space.
However, the automatic shutting off of the air conditioning when the door
is unlocked is a drawback for those seeking a balance between fresh air
and a comfortable indoor temperature. Cabins and suites are thoughtfully designed, blending style and functionality. The power
outlet box in each cabin is a clever addition, allowing for a clutter-free space. The floating
desk is a smart space-saving feature, although it does pose a minor inconvenience with the chair
placement. The beds are comfortable, though they don’t quite reach the peak luxury of some
competitors, namely Princess and Holland America. Celebrity Ascent's bathrooms
are spacious and well-equipped, a pleasant deviation from the typically
cramped cruise ship bathrooms you find with competing lines. However, the lack of
premium toiletries is a notable absence, considering the ship's upscale positioning in the
market. Holland America, Cunard and P&O all offer premium and luxury toiletries to their guests
– it would be great if Celebrity could too. The ship’s class system is subtly present, with
various accommodations offering different levels of perks and access. The Retreat class stands out
with its exclusive areas and top-tier services, although its pricing is a topic of debate,
especially when priced comparably with some of the ultra-luxury cruise lines. As a retreat guest,
you won’t only have a stunning suite, you’ll have access to the exclusive Retreat Sundeck, which
is nothing short of stunning. For breakfast and dinner, you will also be able to dine in Luminae –
an incredible main dining room with a menu crafted by Michelin-star chef Daniel Bouloud. While
Luminae is beautifully decorated and the food we experienced was superb, it doesn’t quite hit the
mark in the way that Queens Grill with Cunard does with ease. It’s undoubtable that Retreat offers
an upgraded and luxurious cruise experience, and you do get access to the exclusive Retreat
Lounge. But to us, it just seems a tad overpriced and you could find cheaper cruise deals out
there with some of the ultra-luxury cruise lines. Aqua Class is a fair compromise if Retreat
is a little out of your budget. Aqua-class is usually only a few hundred dollars more than what
you would pay for a standard Infinite Veranda, but you get a whole range of perks and
benefits which justify this premium. You’ll get unlimited access to the
adults-only Sea Spa thermal suite, with priority when it comes to spa reservations
and a range of exclusive spa treatment discounts. You’ll also receive complimentary fitness classes,
two bottles of water in your stateroom each day, bathrobes and slippers, a welcome bottle
of sparking wine, complimentary umbrella and binoculars, complimentary shoeshine
service and a pillow menu on request. When it comes to dining, you will dine in
Blu, a restaurant which places high value on healthy living and well-prepared cuisine.
Aqua-class staterooms also receive an expanded room service menu, which included the delicious
Beyond Meat Burger and fries. Aqua-class is how we like to sail with Celebrity, but what
about you? Let us know in the comments below. Dining on Celebrity Ascent is a highlight,
with a diverse array of inclusive and extra charge options. The concept of multiple
themed main dining rooms adds variety to the culinary experience, these include
Cyprus, Cosmopolitan, Normandie and Tuscan. The quality of food in these restaurants
is commendable, though some standard dishes could use more creative presentation,
notably the salmon and chicken breast. Other inclusive eateries onboard Celebrity Ascent
include Eden Café which is open for breakfast, lunch and snacks on sea days. In the adults-only
Solarium, you have the spa café which serves fresh smoothies, salads and other healthier
options for breakfast and lunch. If you’re fancying something a little bit naughty, you’ll
encounter the Mast Grill near poolside – serving seriously good burgers, hot dogs and fries
at no extra charge. And lets not forget the Oceanview Café – which is easily one of the
largest buffets we have seen on a cruise ship, and definitely ranks as one of the best
for food quality and variety. A good way of rating variety in a buffet for us is the
frequency of putting chips or fries on our plates during a cruise – and we have to say,
no fry was eaten in the Oceanview Café for the entire week we were onboard. The variety was
vast, and the quality was really quite good. We’re not a huge fan of buffet restaurants, but
on Celebrity Ascent – it gets the thumbs up. When it comes to extra charge dining
venues, you are really spoilt for choice aboard Celebrity Ascent. You can grab
light bites at several of the bars onboard, including the incredible magic carpet, the
Craft and Social Bar which serves British pub favourites including fish and chips – and
the gorgeous Sunset Bar at the aft which serves small plates such as flat bread and hummus. You
also have Café Al Bacio, where cakes and French pastries are complimentary whenever you purchase
a drink here. If you have a classic or premium drinks package whilst onboard, you can simply
add this venue to the list of inclusive eateries. The most expensive and prestigious speciality
restaurant onboard is Le Voyage – which is Daniel Boulud’s restaurant. From the moment you step
inside Le Voyage, your experience will be so much more than a meal. You’ll be captivated on entry
by the striking décor which features soft tones, sumptuous seating and subtle lighting
– creating an upscale, yet intimate atmosphere. Starters include insanely delicious
dishes like the Smoked Salmon and Caviar Cream, the peanut crusted king prawns with green thai
curry sauce – and the onion tart. For mains, you can indulge by having the best Lobster Risotto
you’re ever likely to taste, or why not try the Brazilian Moqueca. The food served here was
phenomenal, and was worth the $75 cover charge, even if service wasn’t as good as what we
experienced aboard Celebrity Beyond last year. Fine Cut steakhouse is a favourite in the
Celebrity Cruises fleet. It costs $65pp for a meal here, making it the most expensive
steakhouse we’ve eaten at on a cruise ship. It’s worth pointing out that neither us eat steak, but we always make a point of eating
at steakhouses on cruise ships so we can review them – and we settle for
the other alternatives on the menu. A crab cake is never too far away, in fact they
seem to feature on the menus in all steakhouses at sea it would seem – so it’s fair to say
we know a good crab cake when we taste one, but unfortunately it was all pretty
average here, certainly not as good as the one served in Eden which is the best ever.
Nothing we ate was dissatisfying or inedible, we were just expecting more. Fine Cut is almost
double the price of some other steakhouses found on ships operated by competing cruise
lines – and with that consideration, we’d expect the meal to blow our
socks off and it just didn’t. Fear not, Celebrity Ascent has the best French
restaurant onboard that we’ve tried at sea. Le Grand Bistro is inspired by a classic Parisian
bistro, and you can try mouth-watering crepes, croissants and a whole range of French
pastries and iconic sweet treats. Le Grand Bistro has a cover charge of $35pp, and is
certainly a nice treat for lunch on a sea day. Of an evening, Le Bistro transforms
into one of the most unusual, and entertaining restaurants at sea – Le
Petit Chef. The world-renown artists of Skullmapping have created a totally new
dining experience, which is beautifully choreographed with an elegant menu created by
Petit Chef. You’ll get to watch and listen as he makes your meal right in front of you. The
meal costs $65pp and it’s worth every bit of that. This meal is an experience, and it’s
you must try if you haven’t done so already. Raw on 5 is the Sushi restaurant onboard,
open for lunch and dinner each day. This speciality restaurant operates by Al A
Carte Pricing – and it is certainly one of the more expensive sushi restaurants we
have eaten at, costing $84 for us as couple, and we didn’t even have dessert.
Everything we ate here was exceptional, and despite being one of the most expensive
sushi restaurants we’ve been to at sea, it didn’t stop us from dining here
3 times during our 7 night cruise. Eden restaurant is one of the most sort
after restaurants on the entire ship, and it’s one you really must consider.
It costs $65pp – and you can savour some of the very best dishes onboard. This venue
sits all the way aft of the ship on Deck 5, providing some of the best views on Celebrity
Ascent- thanks to the colossal panoramic windows which run port to starboard. The Crab Cake, the
sheeps milk gnocci, the salmon, the chicken breast and the crème brulee were all divine in equal
measure. This is the best restaurant in the Celebrity fleet in our opinion, and you should
make a point of booking as early as possible. Specialty dining on Celebrity Ascent offers a
plethora of choices, each with its unique ambiance and menu. However, some restaurants, like the
Rooftop Garden Grill, may not fully justify their additional cost in terms of food quality. Because
of disappointing experiences at this venue aboard Celebrity Beyond and Apex, we never ate here
during our cruise. A pity, because every other extra charge venue has proved to be phenomenal
on every other Celebrity ship we have been on. Daytime activities on Celebrity Ascent are
more subdued compared to other cruise lines, focusing on relaxation and low-key entertainment. On sea days, you can expect quizzes, bingo,
movie showings up at the rooftop garden or in the theatre, music entertainment and live
entertainment up at the pool. Celebrity Ascent has 4 pools in total – you have the Solarium Pool
located forward of Deck 14, and is enclosed making it the perfect option if the weather is a little
unsettled. Sun loungers are nice and comfy, and the Spa Café and Mast Grill is a stone’s through
allowing you to stay fed and watered all day long. The Solarium is an adults-only space, where
you must be 16 years of age to enjoy this area. The Resort pool is the main pool area onboard,
and is certainly the largest pool we’ve seen at sea – measuring a massive 75 feet in length.
This pool is overlooked by the two martini hot tubs both ends of the resort deck on the port
side, and really is the most beautiful pool deck we’ve seen at sea. Poolside entertainment
takes place in the form of fitness classes, dance classes, live music entertainment and
the occasional belly flop contest. If you are looking for a more chilled and relaxed
environment – try the stunning cantilevered infinity plunge pools on Deck 15 aft, one of
the key differences to Celebrity Edge and Apex. They are surrounded by plenty of comfortable
seating, and the Sunset Bar is just round the corner with bar service running all day long.
Celebrity Ascent certainly has a more relaxed vibe during the day compared to the likes of Royal
Caribbean, MSC and Carnival etc – and long may that continue. We’re big fans of Royal Caribbean,
but when we choose Celebrity its because we’re seeking a more relaxed, and more premium
experience. Admittedly, it was a bit rowdier than we’re use to on this cruise, but we’ll put
that down to it being a New Years Eve cruise. Celebrity Ascent also has a rather beautiful
spa onboard, where you can treat yourself to a pass for $69pp or $219pp for a week.
Surprisingly, there isn’t a hydropool in the spa aboard Ascent – something which you probably
would expect on a ship with so much wow factor and grandeur. As good as the thermal offerings
are, we prefer the layout of the spas on Edge, Apex and Beyond. Celebrity have reduced the
amount of floating chairs to make way for an increased amount of Swedish orthopaedic
beds. This will undoubtedly please some, but we personally prefer the spa’s layout
and features on the other Edge-class sisters. Children – how would they fair on Celebrity
Ascent? It depends if they’ve dipped their toes in the likes of Royal Caribbean or one
of the other family-focused cruise lines. There is a children’s club, but having seen
what facilities exist on other cruise ships with different cruise lines – it’s tiny, and
children may be a bit underwhelmed. Celebrity Cruises is very-much an adult focused cruise
line – which we love. But it wouldn’t be our number one choice if we were going away as
a family. We know that if we were children, we wouldn’t be bored on here – but if you
have children that expect the water slides, the surf simulators, and the bumper
cars; there could be tears and tantrums. Celebrity Ascent really comes to life at night,
and that is when you appreciate her as a ship. She has some of the best bars at sea – particularly
the famous Martini Bar in the Grand Plaza. The cocktails are sensational, and every cocktail
comes with viewing pleasure and entertainment. The live music performed here is also sensational,
and gives the Grand Plaza an exuberant atmosphere. It's worth point out that Edge-class cruise
ships, including Celebrity Ascent, represent a significant shift in cruise ship design,
particularly in terms of entertainment venues and spaces. Unlike many traditional cruise ships
that feature numerous large bars and lounges, the Edge-class emphasizes a more selective
approach. These ships primarily offer three major entertainment venues: the Theatre, Eden,
and The Club. This contrasts with the expansive bar spaces like the Sky Observation Lounge found
on Solstice-class ships. Instead, the Edge-class focuses on creating a variety of smaller, more
intimate settings such as the Craft & Social Bar, where guests can relax and unwind. Additionally,
there's a noticeable increase in larger dining venues and shops. A defining characteristic of the
Edge-class ships is their outward-facing design, which allows for entertainment to be predominantly
hosted outdoors, making the most of good weather conditions, and the warmer climates these ships
tend to visit. This architectural and design philosophy caters to a specific type of cruiser
who appreciates open-air experiences and a more intimate, boutique atmosphere, though it may
not align with the preferences of every guest seeking the traditional, large-scale
cruise ship entertainment environment. This is the third Edge-class
ship we have sailed on, and the Theatre entertainment has never let
us down. With a perfect view from any seat, The Theatre plays host to three production
shows which are exclusive to Ascent – Awaken, Bridges and Residency, all of which
were extraordinary and have once again, set a very high bench mark for cruise ship theatre
entertainment. The Theatre features a 20-foot-tall wrap around 4K LED screen comprised on 17
million pixels, and integrates seamlessly with floor projection technology. The shows performed
here are incredible – and must not be missed. When it comes to service aboard Celebrity
Ascent, it met the standard we have come to expect from Celebrity Cruises. Bar
service inside the ship was phenomenal, and highly personable which we value.
Bar service at poolside bars and other bars outdoors was a little less friendly,
but adequately fast enough and on average was offered a drink every 20-30 minutes or so.
In summary, the service overall with Celebrity its definitely elevated from that of mainstream
cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, but its not quite at the level you receive
on Holland America and the luxury lines. Whenever we order a drink on a Celebrity Ship, we
always take a deep breath when reading the menu as the prices are exorbitant. I’ve been called
a “Tight Brit” many times in the comments, but the reality is that us Brit’s just
aren’t used to paying these sort of prices. There are several packages
available to help you save money, but you might have to remortgage
your house to pay for them. The cheapest package on offer is the Zero Proof
package, which is basically a premium soft drinks package with other cruise lines. This package
gives you access to premium bottled water such as Evian and San Pellegrino, speciality coffees,
organic teas, energy drinks, frozen smoothies, zero proof cocktails, sodas by pump and can,
and freshly squeezed fruit juices. As premium soft drink packages go, it’s very generous
with what’s on offer – but it does cost $30pp per day plus the 18% gratuities on top. You
would need to be drinking between 6-10 soft drinks a day to get your money’s worth, when you
consider a can of coke costs $3 and fruit juice and mocktails cost around $5. Something
to be mindful of, is the fact that none of the drink packages offered by Celebrity
include beverages in your cabin mini bar. The Classic Package is the standard alcohol
package on offer, and costs around $89pp per day + gratuities. It includes everything under
the previous packages, and all drinks up to the value of $10 – but that’s a pretty low ceiling
when you consider that there are more alcoholic beverages over $10 that aren’t. Even though
there is still plenty of drinks on offer, you do find yourself having to pick your way
through bar menus to see what is available – which does withdraw that element of freedom which
usually comes with having a drink package. If you want to watch those talented bar tenders make
you a fancy cocktail while chucking ice cubes up in the air, just deduct $10 from the menu price
and that is what you’ll pay. Those on the Classic Package also get 15% off of bottles of wine,
and be mindful of the exclusions which apply. The Premium Package is the most versatile
package onboard, and does give you huge freedom when it comes to beverages to order – but
it comes at an eyewatering cost of $109pp per day plus gratuities – which will add on around
$1800 onto a standard cruise fare based on a couple sharing a cabin, on a 7 night cruise.
With this package, you have access to all drinks with the exception of mini bar charged at $17 or
less. Which is a bit cheeky, seeing as there’s a fair few cocktails in bar menus which are still
charged over that. There is no chance that would drink over $200 worth of drink in a day, but
could you? Let us know in the comments below. Staying connected whilst away on Ascent is
easy, and a breeze. For cruise ship standards, connectivity was very good indeed
– but like everything else onboard, the two available options come with a hefty
price tag. The Basic Package costs $20pp per day and is suitable for web browsing,
texting, WIFI messaging such as WhatsApp and emails. The Premium WIFI Package is
$35pp per day, and gives you freedom to do pretty much anything online. If you aren’t
bothered about using the internet whilst away, you’ll still be able to access the Celebrity
Cruise app – allowing you to book restaurants, reserve shore excursions, check your cabin
statement and find out what’s happening all around the ship. The app is the same system used
by Royal Caribbean, and works as seamlessly as all the other forms of technology onboard.
Boarding Celebrity Ascent, we had high expectations, not just because of its steep
price tag, but also due to the reputation we have come to expect from Celebrity, and the
Edge-class from past personal experience. As the newest addition to the Celebrity Cruises fleet,
Celebrity Ascent mirrors Beyond in many aspects, offering a stunning and luxurious cruising
experience. While it boasts subtle enhancements like sunshades over the martini hot tubs, these
minor tweaks don't significantly elevate it above Beyond. In fact, in a direct comparison, Beyond
may just have the edge over her newer sister. Celebrity Ascent exemplifies the
groundbreaking vision of the Edge-class, maintaining the high standards set by
its predecessor. It shines particularly in areas like theatre entertainment, the
diversity and quality of dining options, both in the main and specialty restaurants,
and the extensive selection of beverages, despite costs which could lead to the
requirement of therapy for an average Brit. Celebrity Ascent stands as a testament to
Celebrity Cruises' ongoing commitment to innovation and premium cruising. While it
closely follows the template set by Beyond, it continues to impress and provide a top-tier
cruise experience. Much like its sister ship, a voyage on Celebrity Ascent is not a mere casual
getaway; it's a premium adventure, steep in cost but rich in value, offering an experience
that justifies every penny of its price.
