Celebrity Cruises has officially named its fourth Edge series vessel Celebrity Ascent during a naming ceremony in Miami.

Leading the ceremony were the vessel’s co-godmothers Sandy Yawn and her sister Michelle Dunham who named the ship by breaking a champagne bottle on the vessel’s hull.

They were joined by Greek brothers Dimitrios Kafetzis and Tasos Kafetzis, who will take the helm of the new ship after being named co-captains of Ascent, a first for the brand and the industry.

Kicking off its inaugural Caribbean season, Ascent will sail from Fort Lauderdale on 3 December and travel on a seven-night Eastern Caribbean sailing, visiting destinations such as St. Maarten, St. Thomas and the Dominican Republic.

“With each new ship, our ambition is to debut the ultimate vacation experience and Celebrity Ascent achieves this by raising the bar for premium travel,” said president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group Jason Liberty.

“Her elevated design and new onboard experiences set her apart from competitors and serve as a new benchmark for the travel industry.”

Celebrity Ascent to ‘feed guests travel wanderlust’

“Celebrity Ascent has been designed to feed our guests travel wanderlust and provide unique experiences they will covet and love,” added Celebrity Cruises president Laura Hodges Bethge.

“Captain Sandy and her sister Michelle, co-Godmothering Celebrity Ascent, add another, and more personal dimension, to this already extraordinary ship. Their connection, combined with the brotherly bond of the ship’s captains, exemplifies the sense of welcome and warm hospitality we strive for on every cruise.”