Celebrity Ascent, the fourth ship in the Celebrity Cruises Edge series, has officially touched water for the first time.

The float out ceremony took place at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, marking the completion of the ship’s hull and exterior structure. The vessel will now progress to the next phase of construction.

Launching in December 2023, Celebrity Ascent will be a sister ship to Celebrity Beyond.

Celebrity Ascent is now mooring in its new location at the shipyard, where interior work on the ship will begin and continue over the next several months.

Celebrity Cruises offering ‘relaxed luxury’

Celebrity Cruises president and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo said: “So much more than a ship, Celebrity Ascent will be the embodiment of a relaxed luxury resort at sea.

“I can’t imagine a more exciting way to start the new year than by celebrating this important construction milestone.

“The collaboration between the shipyard and Celebrity teams continues to be extraordinary and I am grateful to all involved for their passion and expertise.

“Momentum and anticipation is quickly building for this ship and we’ll continue to share her progress and all that awaits our guests on board this next installation in our groundbreaking, next-generation Edge series.”

Celebrity Cruises recently launched a new virtual experience called the Wonderverse.

The concept will allow guests to explore a “hyper-realistic, digital recreation” of Celebrity Beyond. It will feature numerous on board areas, such as the Magic Carpet, Grand Plaza and Resort Deck.