Norwegian Viva vs Celebrity Ascent

The Norwegian Viva is a fairly new ship, being built in 2023. The Celebrity Ascent was built in 2023. The Celebrity Ascent features many of the new additions seen on the Celebrity Beyond including more outdoor space, a more grand central atrium, and an improved Rooftop Garden.

Comparison Overview

• Ship Size
• Number of Passengers
• Food and Restaurants
• Bars and Drinks
• Pools and Hot Tubs
• Ship Features and Activities
• Cruise Costs
• Onboard Costs
• See Our Detailed Cruise Blog

Ship Size

The Viva is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 965 feet long and 133 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2.5 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. It's about the same size as the Celebrity Ascent.

Number of Passengers

Norwegian Viva holds about the same number of passengers as the Ascent based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Viva has more space per person compared to the Ascent. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.

Food and Restaurants

Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.

The Viva has sixteen different dining options like The Local, Surfside Cafe, and Cagney's Steakhouse. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eleven options have an additional fee.

The Ascent has three more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Oceanview Cafe, Le Petit Chef and Family, and Luminae. eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other eleven have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Ascent might be a better choice. It has 19% more dining options than the Viva.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Ascent might be a better choice then the Viva. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

Bars and Drinks

The Norwegian Viva has 1 more bar than the Celebrity Ascent. The Viva has 14 bars like Soleil Bar, Starbucks and Syd Norman's Pourhouse. On Viva, you can grab a drink at 13 different bars such as Cafe al Bacio, Magic Carpet Bar and Sunset bar.

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Viva and the Ascent below.

Pools and Hot Tubs

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Norwegian Viva has a total of 4 pools and 6 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 4 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.

Celebrity Ascent has more pools than the Viva and the same number of hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Ascent. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.

Ship Features and Activities

Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Viva. Only 53% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Ascent, 67% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

Cruise Costs

Norwegian is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.

Celebrity, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.

Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.

Onboard Costs

Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.

Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.

The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a More at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the More at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.

Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.

We sailed aboard the Norwegian Viva

Follow along on our sailing on the Norwegian Viva. We take you through every aspect of our sailing, from getting to the port to debarking the ship. See the schedule of events, menus, what excursions we did, and what we really thought about the ship.

Norwegian Viva – Cruise Blog - Pre-cruise – Athens

Norwegian Viva – Cruise Blog - Day 1 – Athens

Norwegian Viva – Cruise Blog - Day 2 – Santorini

Norwegian Viva – Cruise Blog - Day 3 – Kusadasi

Norwegian Viva – Cruise Blog - Day 4 – Istanbul

Norwegian Viva – Cruise Blog - Day 5 – Mykonos

Norwegian Viva – Cruise Blog - Day 6 – Sea Day

Norwegian Viva – Cruise Blog - Day 7 – Messina

Norwegian Viva – Cruise Blog - Day 8 – Naples

Norwegian Viva – Cruise Blog - Day 9 – Florence

Norwegian Viva – Cruise Blog - Day 10 – Nice

Norwegian Viva – Cruise Blog - Day 11 – Rome

5 Hits and Misses on Norwegian Viva

Want to Stay Up-To-Date on All Things Cruising?

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Articles Related the These Ships

Are the Venues on Norwegian Prima and Viva Really That Small?

Zooming Around A Race Track on a Norwegian Cruise Ship

Norwegian Evolves Onboard Activities for Aqua and Luna

How Norwegian Cruise Line’s Drink Packages Work

Norwegian Cruise Line To Sail Year-Round from Galveston

Norwegian Luna – Twin Sister-Ship to the Aqua

About Cruise Spotlight
Founded in 2020, Cruise Spotlight's goal is to help people understand every aspect of cruising. Plenty of sites focus on the perfect Instagram pictures and marketing fluff. We focus on what really matters: onboard expenses, tips for cruise ships, detailed cruise reviews, and more. Our goal is to provide helpful, unbiased information to new and established cruisers. Over the years, we've helped millions of people get the most from their cruise vacation.
Learn more about Cruise Spotlight.