A First Look at Celebrity Xcel, the Cruise Line’s Most Inspired Ship Yet

The fifth ship in Celebrity Cruises' award-winning Edge Series, Celebrity Xcel, officially sets sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this week. Last night, the ship was christened by godmother Janaína Torres, named Best Female Chef in the World by The World's 50 Best Restaurants. The celebrated Brazilian chef was a fitting choice—her global influence and passion for local flavor mirror the ship's focus on cultural connection, especially through its first-of-its-kind Bazaar concept.

"With each new ship, we raise the bar for the ultimate vacation experience—and Celebrity Xcel stands in a class of her own," said Jason Liberty, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group."With innovative design, elevated style and signature hospitality, Xcel's arrival sets a new standard for the industry."

While previous Edge-Class ships introduced industry firsts like the Magic Carpet, the world's only cantilevered moving platform at sea, Xcel pushes the concept further. Developed in part through the Xcel Dream Makers program, thousands of travelers worldwide contributed ideas on everything from dining and design to entertainment—making this the first Celebrity ship shaped directly by its guests.

"From the seven new spaces guests will experience to the innovative Dream Makers program, where our guests played a direct role in shaping the ship's features, Celebrity Xcel lives up to her name in every way," added Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises.

I got an early preview of Xcel ahead of its maiden voyage—and it's easily Celebrity's most immersive and thoughtfully designed ship yet. Here's what to expect onboard.

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Seven All-New Experiences at Sea

1. The Bazaar

Cruises have always offered a taste of the destinations they visit—but often, there's never quite enough time to take it all in. Celebrity is changing that with its new Bazaar concept, a two-story immersive hub that brings the flavors, culture and energy of each port onboard long before guests step ashore. Located at the fifth floor of the ship, The Bazaar blurs the line between ship and shore with pop-up artisan markets, live entertainment and two new destination-inspired dining concepts: Mosaic and Spice Café. Each voyage also features four rotating cultural festivals, transforming the space daily with new food, music and experiences drawn from the ship's itinerary. Eighty percent of the items on sale are locally sourced, says Hodges Bethge. It's a sight to behold and I'm excited to experience it more.

Spice Café's rotating menu featured a Mexican-inspired bowl bar, arepas and carving station with chimichuri the first day on the preview. "It's like the best Chipotle you've ever had," said one of Celebrity's leaders on the panel discussion.

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2. Bora

Everyone's been talking about Bora, the Mediterranean-inspired rooftop restaurant with wraparound ocean views—and with good reason. The buzz (and maybe the Bloody Marys) is real. Its customizable Bloody Mary Bar is already a hit—I loaded mine with candied bacon and an unreasonable amount of pickles. Designed as an all-day brunch spot, Bora feels relaxed and social, the kind of place you'd find in your favorite coastal neighborhood.

By night, the space shifts gears. Candlelit, chef-led dinners unfold to a soundtrack of Italian love songs and Greek ballads, turning brunch's lively energy into an easy, elegant evening. The idea was to create an all-day date night—and it completely delivers. "It's the best Mediterranean restaurant on sea," the Celebrity team told us. "It's the spot everyone's returning to again and again."

3. The Celebrity Pool Club

As part of its new expanded adults-only pool, the Pool Club raises the bar on lounging at sea with pool valets, private cabanas and sunset service. Here, you'll find chilled towels, curated games, sunscreen delivered to your chair and plenty of shaded spaces designed for lingering all day—plus a playful monkey sculpture that helps set the fun tone. This seems to be one of the differentiators—a 5-star-resort-level of service, now available to all passengers. Apparently, everyone loves "the Poolest Day Ever" pool party at the end of the cruise, and after seeing Celebrity's pool scene—I am excited to experience it.

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4. The Attic at The Club

This was such a fun surprise—most ships cater to kids with game rooms, but Celebrity is catering to the kid in all of us with its retro-inspired, adults-only games lounge. Open 24/7, it's packed with '80s arcade favorites like Pac-Man and Golden Tee, plus billiards, darts and shuffleboard, creating a playful, social vibe that carries late into the night. I can easily see gamers and solo cruisers having a blast here and meeting new friends along the way. And I don't want to give it totally away, but there's one more fun surprise at the The Club—just try to find the photobooth after dinner and take three photos, and then a whole new unique cocktail experience awaits.

5. The Celebrity Flagship

By the end of most trips, I'm usually tossing a cheap souvenir into my bag—something small to remember the moment or bring home for someone I love. But Celebrity even thought about that part of the experience, making it more intentional with keepsakes you'll actually want to use and collect.

Part museum, part boutique, the Celebrity Flagshipis an interactive retail space that celebrates the brand's history with digital displays, vintage artifacts and customizable items—from engraved cocktail kits to embroidered robes. Superfans will love the exclusive merchandise available only aboard Xcel along with a little bit of memorabilia about its past.

6. The Spa on Celebrity Xcel

I may book a future cruise on Xcel just to revisit this spa. Celebrity's most expansive wellness space to date spans more than 120 different treatments and therapies, along with the brand's first-ever Hydra Room—a water-focused thermal experience unlike anything else at sea—Hammam, steam room, salt room—this place has it all. Outside, the new Vitamin D Deck offers ultra-comfortable loungers and front-of-ship ocean views, perfect for soaking up the sun between treatments.

7. Next-Level Entertainment

Celebrity's known for raising the bar on entertainment, but Xcel takes it up another level. With three new theatre productions, two interactive shows at The Club, and expanded live music and dance experiences, this is easily Celebrity's most dynamic lineup yet.

The new theatre productions are custom-designed for Xcel, featuring large casts, cutting-edge technology and immersive, multi-sensory storytelling. Over in The Club, the vibe shifts from classic theatre to all-out party. Guests can step into "254 West," an '80s-inspired dance night, or join the all-day disco experience, complete with throwback beats, dazzling lights, and spontaneous performances that happen well into the night.

Where Xcel Will Sail

Celebrity Xcel begins her inaugural Caribbean season from Fort Lauderdale, with seven-night itineraries rotating between The Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands, Puerto Plata, St. Thomasand St. Maarten.

In Summer 2026, the ship will debut in Europe, sailing seven- to eleven-night itineraries from Barcelona and Athens, including new overnight stays in Madeira, Portugal.

Overall, Celebrity Xcel represents more than a new ship—from its emphasis on being the most immersive ship at sea to guest collaboration in every detail, it represents a new era of what cruising is becoming—luxury, unique experiences and performances you really can't find anywhere else—and one guests are already responding to.

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This story was originally reported by Parade on Nov 17, 2025, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.