This cruise giant will convert you to the joys of big ships

The ship: Celebrity Ascent

• Built 2023
• The cruise Rome to Barcelona, 10 days
• Passengers 3260
• Crew 1400
• Decks 17, 1646 staterooms
• Length 327 metres

Celebrity Ascent with the signature Celebrity Edge Magic Carpet.Credit:

Celebrity Cruise’s Edge-class ships have been game changers since the first vessel, Celebrity Edge, took to the seas in 2018. Celebrity Ascent is the newest ship in the fleet and largely duplicates the design of previous models, with a few small tweaks. The brief for the Edge class was to do something dramatically different, with a team of designers chosen for their expertise in hotels rather than cruise ships. The result is a ship that is remarkably stylish, but its single most distinctive design feature is the way so many spaces are oriented outwards, letting you drink in the sea views – yes, even in the gym.

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Boarding

Rome is one of those ports that is quite a schlep from the city, but Celebrity organises transfers from both Fiumicino airport and from the city centre of Rome. I check in several days in advance using the Celebrity app and am asked to nominate a boarding time, so I choose the latest slot. When I arrive at the port there are no queues – I’m on board almost before I realise what’s happened, a remarkable change from some of my past boarding experiences. Since I also viewed the obligatory safety video online a day or two beforehand, within minutes of stepping onto the ship I am free to start exploring. It’s impressive to find that such a large ship can make boarding such a seamless experience.

The design

The Sunset Bar – design is more hotel than cruise ship in its nature.Credit:

The design talents behind Celebrity Ascent include big names such as Kelly Hoppen, who was put in charge of the staterooms, and Patricia Urquiola who, with Scott Butler, created the spectacular oasis-like Eden. Design fans will find plenty of details to admire – from leather chairs with delicate stitching on their fan backs to underlit staircases – but a great deal of attention has also been paid to how it feels to move through the space. That is particularly noticeable in the corridors. Unlike most ship corridors, which are cramped with low ceilings, these corridors have generous proportions. Even the stateroom doors have been set back so they don’t impede your passage.

The spaces

The ship’s Grand Plaza space.Credit:

A ship this size needs a showstopping centrepiece and that is the Grand Plaza, a triple-tiered space where a striking chandelier-come-art-installation hangs high above the Martini Bar. However, there are plenty of other eye-catching areas to discover. On the Resort Deck you will find the main pool – where the loungers face out to sea, rather than looking across the pool – along with the adults-only Solarium and the fabulous Rooftop Garden, where you can relax on a couch surrounded by verdant bushes or enjoy a cinema session under the stars.

Other notable spaces include the three-level Eden, which has 650 square metres of windows on one side and a living wall on the other, and houses a bar, a restaurant, a cafe and more, and the Magic Carpet, a cantilevered platform that slides up and down the side of the ship, where you can enjoy dinner or drinks suspended in mid-air. My favourite haunts include Cafe al Bacio, which serves the best coffee on the ship, and the Sunset Bar, particularly for late-afternoon cocktails – I prefer it to the popular Martini Bar, where a 20-strong martini menu always draws plenty of punters.

The stateroom

The ship’s Penthouse Suite.

My room is an Infinite Veranda Stateroom, which takes its name from another clever design feature. The floor-to-ceiling window slides down to create a balcony effect, allowing you to let in the ocean air or stay climate-controlled depending on your mood – a smart use of space. The neutral colour palette is calming and there is plenty of space to stretch out with a sitting area and a king-size bed. Even the shower is surprisingly roomy. For those with the budget for something more exclusive, the ship’s suites are located in a chic area called The Retreat, which feels like a mini-resort and has its own restaurant, an exclusive pool and separate staff.

Eden Restaurant and a dish of roasted and glazed celeriac steak.Credit:

The food

If you like to mix it up when it comes to dining, Celebrity Ascent is your kind of ship. It has 32 different drinking and dining spots including four complimentary dining rooms (Cyprus, Normandie, Tuscan and Cosmopolitan) as well as the buffet restaurant, the Oceanview Cafe.

Specialty restaurants include the seafood-focused Raw on 5, the plant-based Eden Restaurant, and Le Petit Chef, a whimsical experience where the meal is choreographed to match the table animation. Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud is a sophisticated space with an equally sophisticated menu that is perfect for a romantic evening.

I find myself paying repeated visits to the buffet at the Oceanview Cafe – more of a food court than a buffet – which serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’m not usually the biggest fan of buffets, but I am impressed by the quality of the food and the endless variety. It takes some guests a few days to discover the all-day pizza kitchen tucked away at the back of the ship, but no one fails to clock the ice-cream bar that is an instant hit with children and adults alike.

Wellness

Spiral staircases, a cascading chandelier, a selection of steam and sauna rooms and more than 120 treatments: this is a ship that takes wellness seriously. No wonder the spa is so popular – book yourself in early if you want to try one of their outstanding massages, have an acupuncture treatment or enjoy a session in the infrared sauna. The gym is an amazing space, with the machines facing outwards so you have a sea view with your workout, and yoga, Pilates and stretch classes are among the offering.

Entertainment

If you belong to the category of cruisers who loves theatre shows, Celebrity Ascent is your kind of vessel. Its state-of-the-art theatre hosts sophisticated productions where not just the performances but also the choreography and the effects are dazzling. There is a small casino and the space known as The Club which hosts a range of game-like activities. The nightly “flair bartending” performance at the Martini Bar is also popular.

The crew

On a smaller ship, you tend to get on first-name terms with one or two of the crew members. With 1400 crew on board that is less likely to happen, although a couple of the baristas soon know my coffee order off by heart. The crew is uniformly friendly and helpful and the service standards are high.

The verdict

For anyone who shies away from larger ships, Celebrity Ascent is the ship that will convert you, thanks to its outstanding design and its rich choice of dining and entertainment options.

The details

Celebrity Ascent will sail the Mediterranean from May to October 2025, and also sails through the Caribbean. A 10-day Barcelona-to-Rome trip in 2025 costs from $6627 a person. See celebritycruises.com

Our rating out of five

★★★★★

Swell
The Celebrity app makes everything from check-in to choosing shore excursions easy.

Not so swell
This ship is practically queue-free – except when you need something from Guest Relations.

The writer was a guest of Celebrity Cruises.