Celebrity Ascent cruises: where the ship sails and who it suits
Celebrity Ascent is the 2023 Edge-class ship, with about 3,260 guests and 32 restaurants, bars and lounges. It spends winters on 10- and 11-night Southern Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale and summers on 10- and 11-night Italy, Greece, Croatia and Turkey cruises from Civitavecchia (Rome). Book it for a new, adult-leaning ship on longer itineraries.
Book it if
- You want 10 or 11 nights in the Southern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, any month from November to April.
- You want a 10- or 11-night Mediterranean cruise from Rome between May and October 2027 or 2028.
- You'd pay more for The Retreat, an AquaClass room or an Infinite Veranda.
Skip it if
- Your kids want water slides or a water park; Ascent has neither.
- You want 7 nights or fewer; nearly all its sailings are 10 nights or longer.
- You want a traditional balcony with a separate door; most verandas here are Infinite Verandas.
Pick your dates: Celebrity Ascent cruises
The busiest months for Celebrity Ascent in the coming year, from the sailings we track. Each button opens the cheapest sailing in those months on Cruisebound.
January–February 2027
6 sailings, from $1,789 per person
See the cheapest sailingMay–June 2027
6 sailings, from $2,199 per person
See the cheapest sailingJuly–August 2027
6 sailings, from $1,899 per person
See the cheapest sailing
Prices checked October 2026; fares change daily.
Celebrity Ascent at a glance
- Line
- Celebrity Cruises
- Class
- Edge
- Entered service
- 2023
- Gross tonnage
- 141,420
- Guests
- About 3,260 (double occupancy)
- Crew
- About 1,416
Part of the Celebrity Cruises fleet. Sister ships: Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Xcel. Home ports: Fort Lauderdale, Civitavecchia (Rome).
Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, started building Celebrity Ascent in November 2021 and delivered it on November 8, 2023. It was christened at Port Everglades on December 1, 2023, by co-godmothers Captain Sandy Yawn of Bravo’s Below Deck and her sister Michelle Dunham, and its first cruise left Fort Lauderdale on December 3, 2023, for St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Puerto Plata.
The ship is about 1,073 feet long and 141,420 gross tons, with about 3,260 guests at double occupancy (3,937 at most) and about 1,416 crew. It is the fourth Edge-class ship and about 20 meters longer than the original Celebrity Edge, with more outdoor deck space.
Where do Celebrity Ascent cruises go in 2026–2027?
Celebrity Ascent spends winter in the Southern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale and summer in the Mediterranean from Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, crossing the Atlantic each spring and fall. Almost every sailing is 10 or 11 nights, so it suits travelers who want more ports than a one-week cruise allows.
- Fall 2026: the crossing. A 14-night Italy and Bermuda transatlantic leaves Civitavecchia on October 30, 2026. Our transatlantic cruise guide explains these one-way trips.
- November 2026 to April 2027: Southern Caribbean. 10-night Ultimate Southern Caribbean and 11-night Best of Southern Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, including an 11-night holiday cruise over Christmas. See our Caribbean cruise guide.
- April 2027: back to Europe on a 14-night Spain and Bermuda transatlantic.
- May to October 2027: the Mediterranean from Rome. 10-night Italy, Greece and Croatia cruises alternate with 11-night Greece, Italy and Malta and Greece, Turkey and Italy cruises. A late-July 11-night Italy and Spain sailing is sold as a solar eclipse cruise. Our Mediterranean cruise guide and Greek Isles guide compare the routes.
- Late October 2027 onward: a 14-night Italy and Portugal crossing takes it back to Fort Lauderdale for winter 2027–28, and it returns to Civitavecchia for summer 2028 on the same 10- and 11-night pattern.
| Departs | Line and ship | Nights | Itinerary | From | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 2026 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent | 14 | 14 Night Italy & Bermuda Transatlantic (from Civitavecchia (Rome) Italy) | $1,220 | Check price |
| Nov 13, 2026 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent | 10 | 10 Night Ultimate Southern Caribbean (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida) | $2,354 | Check price |
| Dec 4, 2026 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent | 10 | 10 Night Ultimate Southern Caribbean (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida) | $8,270 | Check price |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent | 10 | 10 Night Ultimate Southern Caribbean (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida) | $8,217 | Check price |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent | 11 | 11 Night Southern Caribbean Holiday (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida) | $2,373 | Check price |
| Jan 4, 2027 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent | 11 | 11 Night Best Of Southern Caribbean (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida) | $1,789 | Check price |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent | 10 | 10 Night Ultimate Southern Caribbean (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida) | $3,616 | Check price |
| Jan 25, 2027 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent | 11 | 11 Night Best Of Southern Caribbean (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida) | $3,358 | Check price |
| Feb 5, 2027 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent | 10 | 10 Night Ultimate Southern Caribbean (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida) | $7,950 | Check price |
| Feb 15, 2027 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent | 11 | 11 Night Best Of Southern Caribbean (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida) | $2,258 | Check price |
| Feb 26, 2027 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent | 10 | 10 Night Ultimate Southern Caribbean (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida) | $2,236 | Check price |
| Mar 19, 2027 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Ascent | 10 | 10 Night Ultimate Southern Caribbean (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida) | $1,472 | Check price |
Is a Celebrity Ascent Mediterranean cruise worth it?
Yes, if you want a new ship and 10 or 11 nights from one easy base. Rome round trips mean you fly in and out of the same airport, and the routes take in Greece, Croatia, Malta or Turkey alongside Italy. The trade-off is price: fares usually run higher than on Celebrity’s older ships sailing similar routes.
If you’d rather start in Spain or Northern Europe, look at Celebrity Apex or the older Celebrity Eclipse. Our Italy cruise guide covers the ports.
Who it suits
Couples and friends. Like the other Edge-class ships, Ascent is built around restaurants, bars and outdoor space rather than rides. Celebrity counts 32 restaurants, bars and lounges on board.
Travelers who want longer trips. Its 10- and 11-night itineraries in both seasons reach more ports than a 7-night cruise.
Suite and spa travelers. The Retreat gives suite guests a private restaurant, lounge and sundeck. AquaClass rooms come with Blu, which on Ascent has outdoor seating. Celebrity says Ascent has the widest range of staterooms and suites in its fleet.
Who should look elsewhere: families with young children who want slides and big attractions, and anyone who wants a short cruise. See our couples cruise guide for other adult-leaning ships.
What is inside Celebrity Ascent?
- The Rooftop Garden: redesigned on Ascent to feel more open, with two cantilevered pools that reach out over the side of the ship.
- Le Voyage: a restaurant with a design and menu by chef Daniel Boulud.
- The Sunset Bar: a multi-deck bar designed by Nate Berkus.
- The Magic Carpet: the Edge-class platform on the side of the ship that moves between decks, a bar or dining space at sea and a tender platform in port.
- Infinite Verandas: the balcony is part of the room, and the top half of the window lowers.
- The Retreat: the suite area, with its own restaurant, lounge and sundeck.
Celebrity Ascent cabins: which to pick and which to avoid
Most rooms are Infinite Veranda staterooms, alongside AquaClass rooms, oceanviews, insides, single staterooms and suites in The Retreat.
Pick:
- Midship cabins with cabins above and below if you’re a light sleeper or get seasick.
- AquaClass only if you’ll use the spa: it includes the SEA Thermal Suite, and Cruise Mummy puts it at roughly 25% more than a standard veranda.
- An Edge Single Stateroom if you’re cruising solo and want a veranda.
Avoid or think twice:
- Deck 3 cabins, under the theater, nightclub, casino and restaurants on Deck 4, if you go to bed early.
- Cabins directly under the pool deck, where loungers are moved early in the morning.
- “Veranda (Partial View)” cabins, mostly midship on Deck 6, where the Magic Carpet structure can block part of the view.
- Cabins between the aft restaurants and the midship elevators, which get steady evening foot traffic.
- One half of a connecting pair, since the connecting door lets noise through.
Dining and activities
The main dining is included, along with the buffet and casual spots; some specialty restaurants carry a charge. Drinks, Wi-Fi and crew tips are extra unless you book an All Included fare. Our Celebrity line guide explains the fares.
Evenings center on the theater, the bars and the Sunset Bar; sea days on the Rooftop Garden, the pool deck and the spa. For how Celebrity compares with its rivals, see Celebrity vs Royal Caribbean.
Sister ships
Ascent is the fourth of five Edge-class ships in service. Celebrity Edge (2018) and Celebrity Apex (2021) are the smaller originals at 130,818 tons. Celebrity Beyond (2022) and Celebrity Xcel (2025) are built to the same longer, 141,420-ton design as Ascent, and a sixth ship, Celebrity Xcite, is due in 2028.
Celebrity Ascent FAQ
Where does Celebrity Ascent sail from?
From Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) in winter and from Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, in summer. It crosses the Atlantic between them each April and late October.
How big is the Celebrity Ascent cruise ship?
About 141,420 gross tons and 1,073 feet long, with about 3,260 guests at double occupancy (3,937 at most) and about 1,416 crew. It is the same size as Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Xcel.
Who are the godmothers of Celebrity Ascent?
Captain Sandy Yawn of Below Deck and her sister Michelle Dunham, who christened the ship at Port Everglades on December 1, 2023.
When did Celebrity Ascent enter service?
It was delivered on November 8, 2023, and its first cruise left Fort Lauderdale on December 3, 2023, a 7-night Eastern Caribbean trip.
Is Celebrity Ascent good for families?
It works for families with older kids who like food and ports, but there are no water slides or water park, and most sailings are 10 nights or longer. Families with younger children usually do better on Royal Caribbean.
Sources
- Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Ascent ship page (guests, tonnage, length, co-godmothers, 32 venues, Le Voyage, Sunset Bar, Rooftop Garden)
- Wikipedia: Celebrity Ascent (builder, christening, maximum guests, crew, decks)
- Wikipedia: Edge-class cruise ship (sister ships, Celebrity Xcite in 2028)
- CruiseHive: Celebrity Cruises christens newest Edge-class ship (December 2023)
- Cruise Mummy: Celebrity Cruises cabins to avoid (Edge-class advice)
- CruiseBound: Celebrity Ascent sailings (listings checked October 2026)