A traditional coin ceremony has been held to mark the official beginning of Celebrity Ascent’s construction.

Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group president, and Laurent Castaing, general manager of Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipbuilding yard, helped weld a ceremonial coin to a steel docking block within the ship’s keel.

The tradition of laying the coin in the Celebrity Cruises’ latest Edge-series vessel is “is thought to bless and bring good fortune to the ship”, Celebrity Cruises said.

Speaking at the shipyard in St Nazaire, France, Liberty said: “Today, we celebrate the incredible Celebrity Ascent, a ship name that fittingly represents the climb, the rise and, ultimately, the upward trajectory of both Celebrity Cruises and the Royal Caribbean Group.

“It’s exciting to have our entire fleet back in the water, again, and moments like this reaffirm our bright future.

“We are grateful to all who have and will continue to lend their creativity and craftsmanship to this ship, as we work together to reach new heights in our industry.”

Ascent will be 20 metres longer than the maiden Edge-series vessel Celebrity Edge and will debut in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on December 3, 2023.

It will offer seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries during its debut season.