Welcoming Diversity – Captain Sandy Yawn and Michelle Dunham Christen Celebrity Ascent

Celebrity’s winning formula continues with their newest award-winning resort at sea, Celebrity Ascent – the fourth and most innovative ship in their highly awarded Edge® Series. Celebrity Ascent features 32 distinctive restaurants, bars, and lounges, including the newly designed Le Voyage by Chef Daniel Boulud. Ascent does not disappoint, with all the best features of Celebrity’s Edge Series – from the huge atrium Martini Bar, the inviting multi-deck Sunset Bar designed by Nate Berkus, to the open-air Rooftop Garden where two cantilevered floating pools offer breathtaking views over the ship’s edge.

Celebrity once again made cruise ship history by naming two brothers as co-captains of Ascent – the extremely accomplished, handsome, and affable Captains Dimitris Kafetzis and Tasos Kafetzis. And just when you think the “firsts” have all been had, Celebrity named two sisters as co-godmothers of Ascent. They found the perfect pair there as well, in Captain Sandy Yawn, star of Bravo’s Below Deck, and her sister, Michelle Dunham. Captain Sandy is a tireless advocate for women in the maritime industry, children’s education, children with disabilities, and the environment. Michelle is the successful founder and executive director of a nonprofit school for children with autism.

Says Celebrity Cruises President, Laura Hodges Bethge, “These two women are on a mission to make a positive life impact on others, in their pursuit to educate, engage and inspire.”

“We name this ship Celebrity Ascent. May God bless her, and all who sail on her,” Sandy and Michelle said as they christened the ship during the naming ceremony onboard the vessel in waters off Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. 

Everything about this ship says relaxed luxury. From the ship design, which is improved even from the Beyond, which launched in 2022. Soft color palettes, curved walkways, museum quality artwork … every attention to detail looked after. The staff are, as expected, stellar. Genuine, attentive, and not overbearing. They all work very long hours, but all have a smile and the goal of a positive guest experience. 

The Infinite Veranda cabins, the largest cabin type onboard, are designed to blend indoors and outdoors, and add a good amount of square footage to the size of the cabin by using bi-fold doors. Of course, if you are opting for a luxury suite, Ascent has options, from the 5000-square-foot Iconic Suite with two bedrooms and 700-square-foot balcony, to the two-story Edge Villa with private plunge pool. Book a suite and you’ll gain access to The Retreat, a resort-within-a-resort, offering private pool, bars, lounge areas, and more. 

One of the magical highlights of the new Celebrity Ascent, is the Edge series signature orange “Magic Carpet” which is another cruise industry first – an open-air cantilevered platform that moves and up and down the side of the ship – positioning itself as a Bar/Lounge, tender platform, or restaurant, at various decks. This engineering feat makes for great Instagrammable moments.

Another highlight is the newly designed Le Voyage Restaurant by Chef Daniel Boulud. Chef Boulud is widely celebrated as one of America’s leading culinary authorities, with restaurants across the U.S., as well as Toronto, Montreal, Dubai, Singapore, and The Bahamas. In Ascent’s Le Voyage, Boulud’s signature remains the contemporary appeal he brings to soulful dishes rooted in the French tradition. His inspired global flavors resonate in the menu and take you on a culinary journey. On our recent voyage, we were lucky enough to have Chef Boulud himself in the kitchen. Dinner begins with a complimentary glass of champagne and an amuse-bouche. My main course of lobster risotto was melt-in-your mouth perfection. And, as an admitted chocoholic, I couldn’t resist the Café Cardamom, a chocolate encrusted dessert, in which ice cream is revealed when the waiter pours warm chocolate sauce on top. Heavenly! Chef Boulud has also designed contemporary dishes for Luminae, Celebrity’s private dining experience included for all guests of The Retreat, offering another glimpse of the master chef.

For fans of anytime dining, Celebrity has not one dining room, but four complimentary main restaurants for you to discover, each with a distinctive design and signature dishes inspired by specific regions of the world – the Mediterranean dishes of Cyprus Restaurant, the French cuisine of Normandy Restaurant, the Italian flare of Tuscan Restaurant, and the worldly flavors of the Cosmopolitan Restaurant. So, whether you enjoy specialty dining options or not, you will always have menu and ambiance choices for your culinary experiences on board.

Entertainment is another key aspect of any good vacation, and the Ascent again raises the bar with “The Theater” of mesmerizing visuals on the wrap-around LED screens, staging which juts into the audience, moving stage parts and lighting elements, and true surround sound … this is theatre innovation at its best. And to accompany the physical stage are unbelievable theatre productions and performances by world-class artists and musicians. There is certainly nothing average about these performers or productions.

Now you might be thinking, this ship sounds wonderful, but will I feel comfortable on a sailing that is not exclusively LGBTQ? The answer is a resounding YES. Celebrity was the first cruise line to host a legal same-sex marriage at sea back in 2018. And they continue LGBTQ passenger support across their fleet with LGBTQ meet-ups and cocktail hours, where you can connect with other community members and allies and talk about your travels. Celebrity Cruises strives to make every single one of their guests feel welcome, and we know how much they value the importance of diversity among all their guests and crew.

When asked about diversity and equity, Jason Liberty, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, said, “We want to make sure that we are a company that leads in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we don’t do that by just saying words. We are making sure culturally that we are waking up every day and doing that.”

So, what are you waiting for? Start planning your next adventure at sea by visiting celebritycruises.com.

PHOTO CREDITS:

All Ascent Photos: ©Metrosource