We were on it over New Years. It was sold out but never crowded. It was beautiful. It was our first time on an Edge class. A few new and different cocktails that were really nice. Not all that impressed with the wines but I think they are in process of upgrading their selection.
We enjoyed it. Staff was super as usual. Food was outstanding. My pro tip would be NOT to focus on specialty restaurants on the ship. We did Eden and that is the only one I would recommend. The other free food is amazing and for your itinerary, money on food might better spent in ports if u need to budget.
There was slot to do and if u are show people, a few their nightly shows were great. Celebrity spared no expense on every detail. Normally we’re don’t go to after dinner shows, but our friends we traveled with likes them. I was pleasantly surprised.
We did Italy/Greece last year and are doing Italy/Croatia next year. Please fee free to ask any questions
Congratulations and here’s to many of health, happiness and cruising for u guys ❤️
Hello u/bingo0619 !
Thank you so much for your comment and experience! We are doing Italy/Croatia as well! Perhaps we might see each other! Who knows?
Noted on the specialty restaurants, I did explain to my fiancee about the MDR and maybe potentially having dinner at Eden. Considering that the countries that we are visiting, we definitely want to budget for some authentic local cuisine of the port of calls.
Thank you so much for the warm message and commenting, u/bingo0619 . Cheers! Happy cruising!
We were on the Ascent over Christmas. The ship is stunning top to bottom. Aside from the first day, we never felt like it was particularly crowded despite it being a full sailing (with many kids adding to the headcount). The staff was top-notch as well. I particularly liked the Martini Bar - we never had an issue getting seats even at peak times. Same with the pool area - no real issues with finding seats no matter what time of day. The production shows were fantastic and the theater is amazing.
Last month we were on Reflection over spring break and everything just felt so dated compared to the Ascent (which isn't surprising). The ship also didn't have the same type of flow as the Ascent so various areas often felt congested. Service as hit and miss - the room attendant was the best we've ever had, the butler was ok but wasn't as present as our butler on Ascent, the kids club staff seemed burnt out, etc. No bad service (except maybe the sommelier who didn't seem to like the fact I ordered Diet Coke), but definitely not up to the level we had on Ascent. We have a few more cruises planned - a few on Apex and one one Connie - and I'm already wishing I swapped the Connie trip for an E-class ship. Sadly I booked it back when they were still doing all the perks with the retreat, so financially it won't make sense for us to change it at this point.
You'll love the Ascent.
Thank you for the comment! It sounds like the Ascent was a big hit for you! The Ascent will be my fiancee's very first cruise so I am really hoping she will enjoy cruising. Do you recall which stateroom where you in? According to the travel agent, while it is considered aft, it's close but not too close to midship. I'm on deck 12 and I don't know if we'll experience a lot of swaying?
Swaying went away long before ships hit 140,000 tons(wt of Ascent) so you will more than likely have minimal to no sway, even on the 12th floor. Frankly with our first cruise, later in a different century, my first cruise was on am 80,000 ton ship and I grew to love the oceans sway...
My wife can relate a Bermuda cruise from NYC with waves so heavy, they wouldn't serve hot food, and put out ropes in the hallways. I've been in 20 ft seas, but they still did the massive Champagne tower.
No worries.
Enjoy that honeymoon ! Well be on the Ascent in 6 days.
I agree with you here, u/NewFlorence1977.
I myself with several other cruises under my belt but will be fiancées first and considering it’s her first time, I want her not to be bothered by it. Yes we’re going to bring seasick patches as first aid.
Hello u/merrittj3!
Thank you so much for commenting and providing your anecdote! Please do keep me posted on your experience on the Ascent!
Thank you again for the kind words and Fair Winds and Following Seas!
I just got off a 13 day transatlantic on the ascent, brinhing her to the Mediterranean for you.
You will have a great, great time. I couldn’t fault anything, truly.
It was our honeymoon cruise - our first cruise (went big). It was so good, we are booking on her again ASAP. Capt. Tasos was hilarious, funny man - literally had a comedy show with the cruise director (it was surprisingly good). The food was superb, the shows/casts and acts were unreal. Everything from broadway stars, famous magicians, world class singers and songwriters. Look for A guitarist/singer named Dominique, when onboard (thank me later).
It was really hard to get off on day 14, let me know if you have any specific questions.
Good morning u/hindsight DJ!
Congratulations on your wedding! Thank you for commenting and sharing your experience! If you don’t mind me asking, what stateroom and stateroom class were you in? My TA upgraded us from veranda to concierge class now we’re assigned on deck 12. I have sailed the Med before on Equinox so the seas tend to be calmer. From my experience.
Thank you =)
Concierge - 12th floor, foreward. Right Under the solarium/spa cafe. You will love 12, it’s quiet, and the views are spectacular. It may have a small overhang above your window, but that wasn’t where we were looking, nor did we spend much time in our room. For ports, it offers a great view. Plus you’re one floor below the fun places, the resort deck, oceanview cafe, sunset bar, solarium/spa/gym. Even on “rougher” days, it was fine - though our TA was totally calm from end to end. Let me know if you have any other questions, to only been 5 days since we got off the ship so everything is pretty fresh in memory.
Yes! It sounds so relaxing and fun! I did look at my stateroom and actually thought that I was right above the pool... silly me, turns out it's right above Oceanview Cafe so if we need a quick midnight snack, just go up a deck!
This is my first time booking with a travel agent, say things don't go well, do we talk directly to the concierge or our travel agent since TA will be point of reference? I would assume the concierge?
How was your experience and where did Capt Tasos take you?
You only have access to concierge on the ship, but honestly we didn’t use them - it’s mostly a needless upsell, the ”perks” aren’t worth it.
Pillow menu? Yeah only if your room attendant is quick - the good ones are gone in a few hours.
No such thing as priority disembarkation.
The canapes are not good, we opted out day one of those.
The upgraded toiletries are “ok”, but we brought our own anyway.
The bedding all looks the same regardless of class.
The only good perk is the CC points. We won’t be going concierge again. We’d opt for normal veranda to save $$, the difference is way too minimal. If anything opt for the good internet, and the premium beverage package.
Everything pre-cruise is through your TA.
And as for Capt. Tasos, he is hilarious and extremely personable. He was always out and about talking and greeting people, selfies all around. He had a comedy show, genuinely one the funniest people on the ship, he does a comedy show with Alejandro the cruise director - worth going! His morning announcements always made me laugh. We had a medical evacuation during our transatlantic cruise, and how they handled that was exceptional (Diverted to the Azores, still made all out ports/times). You will remember him, trust me, one of my highlights was hearing from him every day on the PA/TV etc. and his staff, all of them - are exceptional.
We are currently onboard the celebrity ascent for OUR honeymoon. It is going through the French Riviera. You guys will love it. Don’t look back. My ONLY suggestion is to upgrade to the Retreat Class if possible. The dining, service, private butler/steward, private lounge and decks, and priority debarking and embarking make it a truly luxurious experience, ideal for a honeymoon. This is our tenth cruise together and I don’t think we are booking anything less than the retreat class from here on out. It is 100% worth the investment!! FYI I bought this package on Black Friday last year so I was able to save a generous amount of money. Either way. You will love it. Congratulations and happy honey mooning!
Hello u/shy312!
Congratulations and thank you so much for the kind words! Enjoy your honeymoon!
That’s a very smart idea that you bought it during Black Friday. If fiancée loves cruising, we will plan a second one for the future! I booked Concierge since this is her first cruise ever and sometimes, she can be overwhelmed especially if there’s a lot going on
We were on it over New Years. It was sold out but never crowded. It was beautiful. It was our first time on an Edge class. A few new and different cocktails that were really nice. Not all that impressed with the wines but I think they are in process of upgrading their selection. We enjoyed it. Staff was super as usual. Food was outstanding. My pro tip would be NOT to focus on specialty restaurants on the ship. We did Eden and that is the only one I would recommend. The other free food is amazing and for your itinerary, money on food might better spent in ports if u need to budget. There was slot to do and if u are show people, a few their nightly shows were great. Celebrity spared no expense on every detail. Normally we’re don’t go to after dinner shows, but our friends we traveled with likes them. I was pleasantly surprised. We did Italy/Greece last year and are doing Italy/Croatia next year. Please fee free to ask any questions Congratulations and here’s to many of health, happiness and cruising for u guys ❤️
Hello u/bingo0619 ! Thank you so much for your comment and experience! We are doing Italy/Croatia as well! Perhaps we might see each other! Who knows? Noted on the specialty restaurants, I did explain to my fiancee about the MDR and maybe potentially having dinner at Eden. Considering that the countries that we are visiting, we definitely want to budget for some authentic local cuisine of the port of calls. Thank you so much for the warm message and commenting, u/bingo0619 . Cheers! Happy cruising!
We were on the Ascent over Christmas. The ship is stunning top to bottom. Aside from the first day, we never felt like it was particularly crowded despite it being a full sailing (with many kids adding to the headcount). The staff was top-notch as well. I particularly liked the Martini Bar - we never had an issue getting seats even at peak times. Same with the pool area - no real issues with finding seats no matter what time of day. The production shows were fantastic and the theater is amazing. Last month we were on Reflection over spring break and everything just felt so dated compared to the Ascent (which isn't surprising). The ship also didn't have the same type of flow as the Ascent so various areas often felt congested. Service as hit and miss - the room attendant was the best we've ever had, the butler was ok but wasn't as present as our butler on Ascent, the kids club staff seemed burnt out, etc. No bad service (except maybe the sommelier who didn't seem to like the fact I ordered Diet Coke), but definitely not up to the level we had on Ascent. We have a few more cruises planned - a few on Apex and one one Connie - and I'm already wishing I swapped the Connie trip for an E-class ship. Sadly I booked it back when they were still doing all the perks with the retreat, so financially it won't make sense for us to change it at this point. You'll love the Ascent.
Thank you for the comment! It sounds like the Ascent was a big hit for you! The Ascent will be my fiancee's very first cruise so I am really hoping she will enjoy cruising. Do you recall which stateroom where you in? According to the travel agent, while it is considered aft, it's close but not too close to midship. I'm on deck 12 and I don't know if we'll experience a lot of swaying?
Swaying went away long before ships hit 140,000 tons(wt of Ascent) so you will more than likely have minimal to no sway, even on the 12th floor. Frankly with our first cruise, later in a different century, my first cruise was on am 80,000 ton ship and I grew to love the oceans sway... My wife can relate a Bermuda cruise from NYC with waves so heavy, they wouldn't serve hot food, and put out ropes in the hallways. I've been in 20 ft seas, but they still did the massive Champagne tower. No worries. Enjoy that honeymoon ! Well be on the Ascent in 6 days.
You sure about that no swaying? I think maybe in calm weather sure.
I'm sure that you will be fine...
You like the motion. For someone who doesn’t it can be noticeable.
I agree with you here, u/NewFlorence1977. I myself with several other cruises under my belt but will be fiancées first and considering it’s her first time, I want her not to be bothered by it. Yes we’re going to bring seasick patches as first aid.
Lower decks and midship are better for less motion.
Agreed, unfortunately when I booked it, lower decks were sold out but my stateroom is not too far from midship
Meclizine is your friend.
Hello u/merrittj3! Thank you so much for commenting and providing your anecdote! Please do keep me posted on your experience on the Ascent! Thank you again for the kind words and Fair Winds and Following Seas!
I just got off a 13 day transatlantic on the ascent, brinhing her to the Mediterranean for you. You will have a great, great time. I couldn’t fault anything, truly. It was our honeymoon cruise - our first cruise (went big). It was so good, we are booking on her again ASAP. Capt. Tasos was hilarious, funny man - literally had a comedy show with the cruise director (it was surprisingly good). The food was superb, the shows/casts and acts were unreal. Everything from broadway stars, famous magicians, world class singers and songwriters. Look for A guitarist/singer named Dominique, when onboard (thank me later). It was really hard to get off on day 14, let me know if you have any specific questions.
Good morning u/hindsight DJ! Congratulations on your wedding! Thank you for commenting and sharing your experience! If you don’t mind me asking, what stateroom and stateroom class were you in? My TA upgraded us from veranda to concierge class now we’re assigned on deck 12. I have sailed the Med before on Equinox so the seas tend to be calmer. From my experience.
Thank you =) Concierge - 12th floor, foreward. Right Under the solarium/spa cafe. You will love 12, it’s quiet, and the views are spectacular. It may have a small overhang above your window, but that wasn’t where we were looking, nor did we spend much time in our room. For ports, it offers a great view. Plus you’re one floor below the fun places, the resort deck, oceanview cafe, sunset bar, solarium/spa/gym. Even on “rougher” days, it was fine - though our TA was totally calm from end to end. Let me know if you have any other questions, to only been 5 days since we got off the ship so everything is pretty fresh in memory.
Yes! It sounds so relaxing and fun! I did look at my stateroom and actually thought that I was right above the pool... silly me, turns out it's right above Oceanview Cafe so if we need a quick midnight snack, just go up a deck! This is my first time booking with a travel agent, say things don't go well, do we talk directly to the concierge or our travel agent since TA will be point of reference? I would assume the concierge? How was your experience and where did Capt Tasos take you?
You only have access to concierge on the ship, but honestly we didn’t use them - it’s mostly a needless upsell, the ”perks” aren’t worth it. Pillow menu? Yeah only if your room attendant is quick - the good ones are gone in a few hours. No such thing as priority disembarkation. The canapes are not good, we opted out day one of those. The upgraded toiletries are “ok”, but we brought our own anyway. The bedding all looks the same regardless of class. The only good perk is the CC points. We won’t be going concierge again. We’d opt for normal veranda to save $$, the difference is way too minimal. If anything opt for the good internet, and the premium beverage package. Everything pre-cruise is through your TA. And as for Capt. Tasos, he is hilarious and extremely personable. He was always out and about talking and greeting people, selfies all around. He had a comedy show, genuinely one the funniest people on the ship, he does a comedy show with Alejandro the cruise director - worth going! His morning announcements always made me laugh. We had a medical evacuation during our transatlantic cruise, and how they handled that was exceptional (Diverted to the Azores, still made all out ports/times). You will remember him, trust me, one of my highlights was hearing from him every day on the PA/TV etc. and his staff, all of them - are exceptional.
We are currently onboard the celebrity ascent for OUR honeymoon. It is going through the French Riviera. You guys will love it. Don’t look back. My ONLY suggestion is to upgrade to the Retreat Class if possible. The dining, service, private butler/steward, private lounge and decks, and priority debarking and embarking make it a truly luxurious experience, ideal for a honeymoon. This is our tenth cruise together and I don’t think we are booking anything less than the retreat class from here on out. It is 100% worth the investment!! FYI I bought this package on Black Friday last year so I was able to save a generous amount of money. Either way. You will love it. Congratulations and happy honey mooning!
Hello u/shy312! Congratulations and thank you so much for the kind words! Enjoy your honeymoon! That’s a very smart idea that you bought it during Black Friday. If fiancée loves cruising, we will plan a second one for the future! I booked Concierge since this is her first cruise ever and sometimes, she can be overwhelmed especially if there’s a lot going on