Live from Celebrity Ascent March 3rd-10th Caribbean sailing

[catsmit]

Will be moving over from the HAL Nieuw Statendam to board the Celebrity Ascent on Sunday, March 3rd. A side to side is always an adventure and this one shouldn't be too much different since they generally dock nose to tail at Port Everglades (hope I didn't just jinx myself.)

 

Haven't sailed on Celebrity in several years (Summit and Equinox) and never on an Edge class ship; lots to learn. Booked a Prime Oceanview cabin on deck 3 and will have to visit the Tuscany Restaurant for our dinner reservations throughout this 7-day cruise. Have read that each dining restaurant offers the same nightly menu with a couple of items specific to their restaurant but can order any item from any of the complimentary restaurants. 

 

Will post as many pictures as I can (hoping the internet is up to the task.) If you have any questions or need any info, I'll try to answer or secure the answer from staff onboard.

 

D+ (400pts) with Royal Caribbean so we'll walk on as Elite on Celebrity and will be looking for the amenities and differences that will be included for DH and I. Looking forward to this new experience without the amusement water parks.

[janabelle61]

I'm on Ascent now and hope you love it! If you visit the coffee bar (El Bacio on Deck 4), looked for Arsana or Novy. They will take great care of you. Tell the "Mrs Janet" says hello 😊.

[Beachlover1989]

Have fun! Can't wait to follow along! Would also love to hear a comparison with HAL!

[drakes2]

4 minutes ago, Beachlover1989 said:

Have fun! Can't wait to follow along! Would also love to hear a comparison with HAL!

Will be on Ascent April 14th 13 night TA. 

[catsmit]

8 minutes ago, janabelle61 said:

I'm on Ascent now and hope you love it! If you visit the coffee bar (El Bacio on Deck 4), looked for Arsana or Novy. They will take great care of you. Tell the "Mrs Janet" says hello 😊.

Was looking online to purchase a coffee card like the one offered on Royal Caribbean but couldn’t find one offered for purchase by Celebrity. Don’t need to purchase a drink package but would definitely do coffee! Any insights?

[Galaxy2004]

No such creature on Celebrity. Your only option would be the free coffee at the buffet or the zero proof/non alcoholic package that gives you specialty coffees, etc. 

[Galaxy2004]

[drakes2]

Just now, Galaxy2004 said:

No such creature on Celebrity. Your only option would be the free coffee at the buffet or the zero proof/non alcoholic package that gives you specialty coffees, etc. 

If you are Elite plus specialty coffees teas are included or if not just pay as you go. 

[catsmit]

29 minutes ago, Beachlover1989 said:

Have fun! Can't wait to follow along! Would also love to hear a comparison with HAL!

We thoroughly enjoy HAL’s pinnacle class ships and everything offered. The cost of the Have It All packages beat Royal’s prices hands down. Not sure about comparing it to Celebrity but HAL’s includes drinks, WiFi, some $ toward excursions & specialty dining (the length of the cruise dictating $ and # of dining & sometimes, the promotion includes gratuities. Roughly speaking, HAL comes to $60/day/person for everything.

 

The music selections on HAL are more to our liking - 60s, 70s & 80s all day long. Live rock & roll band playing 3 sets nightly. 
 

Will be interesting to see how Celebrity compares. 

Edited March 1 by catsmit

[Stem to Stern]

1 hour ago, catsmit said:

We thoroughly enjoy HAL’s pinnacle class ships and everything offered.

I have been looking into HAL as an alternative to Celebrity.

A pleasant discovery was the wider variety of longer, port-intensive itineraries.

Have you been on any of HAL's smaller, older ships?

Looking forward to your comparison.

Bon voyage!

[catsmit]

25 minutes ago, Stem to Stern said:

I have been looking into HAL as an alternative to Celebrity.

A pleasant discovery was the wider variety of longer, port-intensive itineraries.

Have you been on any of HAL's smaller, older ships?

Looking forward to your comparison.

Bon voyage!

We sailed in 2005 on the Zuiderdam (Vista class) on a 7-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary in a Signature Suite (must have been on sale when we booked 😳 )  I don’t remember much other than the oversized cabin.

 

We are booked next year on the Oosterdam (another Vista class ship.) I understand that HAL has been adding their very popular Music Hall which includes BB King Club, Billboard Onboard & Rolling Stone Lounge to their older ships. 

[Texed]

We board Ascent for a B2B on April 7th.  We are looking forward to your comments.

[Minorhawk]

We will be with you on this sailing! Just noticed that the first few days of entertainment are posted on the app. We will be in a SV Veranda. My wife has sailed Celebrity (with Captain Kate), I have not though... The excitement is starting to mount!

[catsmit]

4 minutes ago, Minorhawk said:

We will be with you on this sailing! Just noticed that the first few days of entertainment are posted on the app. We will be in a SV Veranda. My wife has sailed Celebrity (with Captain Kate), I have not though... The excitement is starting to mount!

We sailed with Captain Kate on the Summit on a Canada/NE itinerary many sailings ago. 
 

We have a bid still pending on a SV but we are not holding our breaths. 🤣  I’ll have to check the app on the scheduled entertainment. 

[catsmit]

@Stem to Stern I forgot to mention, it is quite unusual for us to be cruising in the Caribbean. We found the same thing.
 

We generally go for longer cruises, i.e., Transatlantic sailings, Mediterranean sailings, etc. We now give very strong consideration to itinerary & price. If you check my signature, you’ll see what’s up next for us. 

[Minorhawk]

1 hour ago, catsmit said:

We sailed with Captain Kate on the Summit on a Canada/NE itinerary many sailings ago. 
 

We have a bid still pending on a SV but we are not holding our breaths. 🤣  I’ll have to check the app on the scheduled entertainment. 

 

You never know...We bid on a SV suite.  If we get that,  you might get our room!!

[catsmit]

1 hour ago, Minorhawk said:

 

You never know...We bid on a SV suite.  If we get that,  you might get our room!!

I just got my “bid unsuccessful” e-mail. I’m shocked, I tell you! 🤣 

 

Good luck on yours!

[drakes2]

1 hour ago, catsmit said:

I just got my “bid unsuccessful” e-mail. I’m shocked, I tell you! 🤣 

 

Good luck on yours!

I didn't realize they let you know if you don't win your bid. I've also bid on a SV but haven't received notification 

[catsmit]

13 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

I didn't realize they let you know if you don't win your bid. I've also bid on a SV but haven't received notification 

Good luck! Your bid must have been higher than mine. 

Edited March 1 by catsmit

[Minorhawk]

1 hour ago, catsmit said:

I just got my “bid unsuccessful” e-mail. I’m shocked, I tell you! 🤣 

 

Good luck on yours!

Maybe it's a good sign that I haven't received notification yet...or maybe they're still laughing at my offer!!

[drakes2]

29 minutes ago, Minorhawk said:

Maybe it's a good sign that I haven't received notification yet...or maybe they're still laughing at my offer!!

Well if they're laughing at you then they are at me as well as I put in the minimum just haven't heard yet. 

[mac_tlc]

8 hours ago, catsmit said:

We thoroughly enjoy HAL’s pinnacle class ships and everything offered. The cost of the Have It All packages beat Royal’s prices hands down. Not sure about comparing it to Celebrity but HAL’s includes drinks, WiFi, some $ toward excursions & specialty dining (the length of the cruise dictating $ and # of dining & sometimes, the promotion includes gratuities. Roughly speaking, HAL comes to $60/day/person for everything.

 

The music selections on HAL are more to our liking - 60s, 70s & 80s all day long. Live rock & roll band playing 3 sets nightly. 
 

Will be interesting to see how Celebrity compares. 

We sailed Ascent last month and just got off Beyond today. We have our first HAL cruise in January 2025 on the Koningsdam, 18 day R/T Hawaii from San Diego. Looking forward to a new line. Any comparative info would be appreciated.

 

mac_tlc

Edited March 1 by mac_tlc

[ev98]

Wow, popular sailing! My wife and I will also be on this one, leaving for FLL early tomorrow. Also interested in comparisons to HAL, which seems to have fairly reasonable pricing for their all-inclusive package.
 

We also got a rejection notice earlier today for our single minimum bid (standard IV to AquaClass IV) - best of luck to anyone still waiting. 

[TommyD3]

1 hour ago, mac_tlc said:

We sailed Ascent last month and just got off Beyond today. We have our first HAL cruise in January 2025 on the Koningsdam, 18 day R/T Hawaii from San Diego. Looking forward to a new line. Any comparative info would be appreciated.

 

mac_tlc

I wish Celebrity still did R/T Hawaii from CA !!! Would sign up immediately. Asked the new President about this and R/T Panama Canal in the request for questions.

[txtechmk]

Looking forward to your posts as we are on Ascent in May.