Magic carpets and more in Miami: A floating five-star experience on Celebrity Ascent

The new Celebrity Ascent cruise ship brings a hi-tech, five-star floating resort experience to the Caribbean, and it’s coming to Europe for summer itineraries

The Resort Deck on Celebrity Ascent. Photo: Michel Verdure

Conor Power

Sailing out from the Floridian coastline, sunset cast Miami in an ethereal orange glow. The 2,000 or so souls on board the brand-new cruise ship, Celebrity Ascent, were in fine partying form — dressed to the nines and buzzing after an effervescent naming ceremony.

Celebrity Ascent is the fourth ship in Celebrity’s ‘Edge’ series — essentially a hi-tech, floating five-star hotel and resort packed with high-end facilities in an impressive vessel of classy contemporary design. At 327m in length and carrying up to 3,260 passengers, consider this one just below the ‘mega’ category of cruise ships operated by the likes of Royal Caribbean and MSC. In other words, it’s very large but without the packed-in feeling.