Celebrity Cruises christened its newest Edge-class cruise ship – Celebrity Ascent – in a special naming ceremony at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Friday, December 1, 2023.
Her co-godmothers, Captain Sandy Yawn, star of Bravo TV’s Below Deck, and her sister Michelle Dunham, founder of the Jacksonville School for Autism, were on hand to officially name the ship with the breaking of a bottle of champagne on the hull of a ship. Joining the sisters were Celebrity Ascent’s Greek co-captains, twin brothers Captain Dimitrios and Captain Tasos Kafetzis. Celebrity Ascent is the first cruise ship in the industry to feature two godmothers, who are also sisters, and two captains, who are also brothers.
“Celebrity Ascent has been designed to feed our guests travel wanderlust and provide unique experiences they will covet and love,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, President at Celebrity Cruises. “Captain Sandy and her sister Michelle, co-Godmothering Celebrity Ascent, add another, and more personal dimension, to this already extraordinary ship. Their connection, combined with the brotherly bond of the ship’s captains, exemplifies the sense of welcome and warm hospitality we strive for on every cruise.”
While Celebrity Ascent is fourth in the cruise line’s Edge-class series, she is distinctly different from her sister ships. She boasts of more space and onboard experiences like the Retreat, an exclusive resort-within-a-resort area for suite guests. She has an expanded Rooftop Garden and Resort Deck. Guests can choose from two-story villas with plunge pools to stateroom with infinite verandas.
At her aft, she has a multi-level, multi-terraced Sunset Bar. Guests looking for entertainment will not be disappointed as they will find six live productions, interactive gaming experiences and live music everywhere they turn. Celebrity Ascent has a redesigned casino floor with brand-new games, an exclusive dining venue in Le Voyage by Chef Daniel Boulud, and so much more..
“With each new ship, our ambition is to debut the ultimate vacation experience and Celebrity Ascent achieves this by raising the bar for premium travel,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. “Her elevated design and new onboard experiences set her apart from competitors and serve as a new benchmark for the travel industry.”
Celebrity Ascent sails tomorrow, December 3, 2023, from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on her maiden voyage. She will sail a 7-night Eastern Caribbean voyage with ports of call in St. Maarten, St. Thomas and the Dominican Republic. She will remain in Ft. Lauderdale through April 2024 and sail alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings before heading to the Mediterranean where she will offer embarkations from Barcelona and Rome.