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We sailed around Greece, Malta and Turkey with Celebrity Cruises aboard the magnificent Celebrity Ascent, and found it to be the most relaxing week of our lives
We took a seven-night trip around the Med on the luxurious 17-deck ship Celebrity Ascent, one of Celebrity Cruises’ newest ships – and now we’re total cruise converts. While exploring new places and waking up in different destinations was surreal – opening our blinds to see the beautiful walled city of Valletta one morning was unforgettable – days at sea were just as enjoyable, with so much to eat, drink and do, including 32 restaurants, bars and lounges, incredible entertainment, spa, fitness centre and pools.
Room with a view
We stayed in an Edge Stateroom with Infinite Veranda, which, like all of the accommodation on the ship, has been curated by Kelly Hoppen, the interior design queen who’s a regular on TV shows such as This Morning. The veranda has a fully retractable door so you can take a seat, open the window and have your own private sanctuary to fully take the view in. Space is utilised well, with plenty of storage and a generous-sized bathroom, and we slept soundly thanks to the gentle lull of the waves. Holiday mode felt truly activated after discovering we could control the room lights, air conditioning temperature and window blinds via the ship’s app on our phone – we didn’t even have to get out of bed in order to see our new destination in the mornings!
Spoilt for choice
Our Celebrity Anytime Dining package allowed us to eat at any of the four main restaurants, while the Premium Beverage Package meant a refreshing cocktail or a crisp glass of Whispering Angel rosé was just a swipe of our SeaPass away. Highlights of our culinary journey around the ship were escargots à la bourguignonne in French restaurant Normandie, and the filet mignon at stylish speciality restaurant Fine Cut Steakhouse (which costs extra).
The openair Rooftop Garden Grill offers dinner with a spectacular view, while Oceanview Café, which is included in all cruise packages, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and has a different themed buffet each night. There are huge floor-to-ceiling windows, and impressive gluten-free and vegan areas. There’s also a dedicated pizza room on board – which we visited more times than we’d like to admit – serving up slices straight from the oven until late.
Top tip: the Oceanview Bar is tucked away beside the pizza station. A bit of a hidden gem, grab a drink there and avoid the queues at The Sunset Bar when the cocktails start flowing at golden hour.
World-class entertainment
Dinner, drinks and a theatre show is our idea of a perfect night out, and we got to do this daily on the cruise. We enjoyed three production shows from the talented cast in the theatre, while Lorraine Crosby, who duetted with Meat Loaf on I’d Do Anything For Love, wowed us with her vocals. While the silent disco in The Grand Plaza was a ship favourite, we hit The Club, the aptly named nightclub, until late for an Abba singalong party. There’s also a Vegas-style casino, mixology classes, open-air movies, karaoke, quizzes, games, talks and tours (we visited the navigational bridge), while “evening chic” night was a fun opportunity to glam up.
Sunset viewing
Our favourite spot on board was tucked away at the back of nature-themed bar Eden. We spent one glorious evening here swaying in colourful hammocks, watching the sun go down with an Aperol Spritz in hand, while a violinist played in the background. For Instagram-worthy snaps, head to The Magic Carpet, which floats at the edge of the ship and moves between decks, transforming from tender platform to dining area.
Get moving
With so many amazing food options – along with a lack of self-control at the buffet – exercise was a must for us on days at sea. The size of the ship meant that our step count was achievable, but we also made sure to hit the jogging track in the morning for some exercise with a view, which has different speed lanes and encouraging signs along the way. The fitness centre is also state-of-the-art.
Relax and recharge
Days at sea can be as busy or relaxing as you like, with plenty of quiet spots on board. While you can catch rays by the main pool on the resort deck, there’s also a tranquil adults only solarium with a pool and two hot tubs, next to the spa café and juice bar where you can refuel with a healthy smoothie. We spent one blissful morning lying on the heated tile loungers in the spa’s thermal suite, gazing out at the ocean. The suite has eight experiences including a crystalarium, salt room and hammam, and there’s an impressive range of treatments available if you feel like pampering yourself.
Ports of call
When the ship docked in our beautiful destinations, we had the option of exploring independently or booking one of the many excursions available. We enjoyed insightful tours of the island of Santorini, Mykonos, the amazing UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ephesus in Turkey and the stunning city of Valetta in Malta. Our cruise departed from Athens and finished in Barcelona, meaning our itinerary also included time in those two exciting cities.
How to book
Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Ascent ship has an 11-night Greece, Turkey & Italy sailing on 25 May 2026 starting from £1,508pp (cruise only) for an inside stateroom. This visits Rome, Chania, Ephesus, Istanbul, Santorini, Mykonos, Naples and back to Rome. To book and for more information, go to celebritycruises.com.
For other Mediterranean cruises, check out MSC Cruises and TUI.
