Celebrity Xcel cruises: where the newest Celebrity ship sails and who it suits
Celebrity Xcel is Celebrity's newest ship, the fifth Edge-class vessel, in service since November 2025 with about 3,260 guests. In winter 2026–27 it sails 7-night Caribbean and Bahamas cruises from Miami, then spends summer 2027 on 7- to 12-night Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona and Athens. Book it if you want Celebrity's latest venues.
Book it if
- You want the newest Celebrity ship on a 7-night Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean or Bahamas cruise from Miami in winter 2026–27.
- You want a 7-night Italy and French Riviera or Greek Isles cruise from Barcelona or Athens in summer 2027.
- You like a modern, adult-leaning big ship with good restaurants and bars rather than thrill rides.
Skip it if
- You want the lowest Celebrity fare; Celebrity Edge and Apex have the same design for less.
- Your children want water slides, a water park or go-karts; Xcel has none.
- You want a 3- or 4-night trip; nearly every Xcel sailing is 7 nights or longer.
Pick your dates: Celebrity Xcel cruises
The busiest months for Celebrity Xcel in the coming year, from the sailings we track. Each button opens the cheapest sailing in those months on Cruisebound.
November–December 2026
7 sailings, from $1,114 per person
See the cheapest sailingJanuary–February 2027
9 sailings, from $891 per person
See the cheapest sailingJuly–August 2027
9 sailings, from $1,149 per person
See the cheapest sailing
Prices checked October 2026; fares change daily.
Celebrity Xcel at a glance
- Line
- Celebrity Cruises
- Class
- Edge
- Entered service
- 2025
- Gross tonnage
- 141,420
- Guests
- About 3,260 (double occupancy)
- Crew
- About 1,416
- Decks
- 21
Part of the Celebrity Cruises fleet. Sister ships: Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Ascent. Home ports: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Barcelona, Piraeus (Athens).
Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, built Celebrity Xcel as the fifth Edge-class ship. It was floated out on January 18, 2025, delivered on October 23, 2025, and named at Port Everglades on November 16, 2025, by the Brazilian chef Janaína Torres. Preview sailings began a week earlier. It is about 1,071 feet long and 141,420 gross tons, with about 3,260 guests at double occupancy (3,937 at most), about 1,416 crew and 21 decks.
Xcel is the same size as Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent. It is also the first Celebrity ship with a tri-fuel-capable engine that can run on methanol.
Where do Celebrity Xcel cruises go in 2026 and 2027?
Celebrity Xcel spends winters in the Caribbean and summers in the Mediterranean. From November 2026 to April 2027 it sails 7-night cruises from Miami. In April it crosses to Barcelona, and from late April to October 2027 it sails 7- to 12-night cruises from Barcelona and Piraeus (Athens) before crossing back to Fort Lauderdale for winter 2027–28.
- November 2026 to April 2027: Caribbean from Miami. 7-night cruises rotate between Puerto Plata and St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Antigua, and the Bahamas, Mexico and Grand Cayman. There is also one 8-night Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao cruise in late November, and holiday sailings over Christmas and New Year. Our Caribbean cruise guide explains the routes.
- April 2027: transatlantic. A 15-night Spain and Portugal crossing from Miami to Barcelona.
- Late April to October 2027: the Mediterranean. 7-night Italian and French Riviera and Greek Isles cruises from Barcelona, 7- to 9-night Greece, Malta and Turkey cruises from Piraeus, and 10- to 12-night Italy or Spain, Portugal and Morocco cruises in spring and fall. A 7-night Spain and Morocco “Solar Eclipse” cruise leaves Barcelona on July 31, 2027. See our Mediterranean cruise guide and Greek islands cruise guide.
- Late October 2027: back across the Atlantic. A 16-night Spain and Bermuda crossing from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale. Our transatlantic cruise guide covers these one-way sailings.
- November 2027 to April 2028: Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale. 6- and 7-night Western and Eastern Caribbean cruises, then another summer in the Mediterranean in 2028.
| Departs | Line and ship | Nights | Itinerary | From | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2026 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Xcel | 7 | 7 Night Puerto Plata & St. Maarten (from Miami Florida) | $1,114 | Check price |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Xcel | 7 | 7 Night Bahamas, Mexico & Cayman Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $1,954 | Check price |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Xcel | 8 | 8 Night Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $1,341 | Check price |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Xcel | 7 | 7 Night St. Thomas & Antigua Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $2,005 | Check price |
| Dec 13, 2026 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Xcel | 7 | 7 Night Bahamas, Mexico & Cayman (from Miami Florida) | $1,714 | Check price |
| Dec 20, 2026 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Xcel | 7 | 7 Night St. Thomas & St. Maarten Holiday (from Miami Florida) | $1,697 | Check price |
| Dec 27, 2026 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Xcel | 7 | 7 Night St. Thomas & Antigua Holiday (from Miami Florida) | $2,153 | Check price |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Xcel | 7 | 7 Night Bahamas, Mexico & Cayman (from Miami Florida) | $891 | Check price |
| Jan 10, 2027 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Xcel | 7 | 7 Night Puerto Plata & St. Maarten (from Miami Florida) | $948 | Check price |
| Jan 17, 2027 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Xcel | 7 | 7 Night St. Thomas & Antigua Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $937 | Check price |
| Jan 24, 2027 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Xcel | 7 | 7 Night Bahamas, Mexico & Cayman Cruise (from Miami Florida) | $946 | Check price |
| Jan 31, 2027 | Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Xcel | 7 | 7 Night Puerto Plata & St. Maarten (from Miami Florida) | $958 | Check price |
Who it suits
Couples and groups of adults. Like the rest of the Edge class, Xcel is built around restaurants, bars, the spa and outdoor lounging, not rides.
Travelers who want the newest ship. Xcel has several venues the other Edge ships don’t, and its cabins are the newest in the fleet.
First-time Celebrity cruisers on a week off. The 7-night Caribbean sailings from Miami and the 7-night Mediterranean sailings from Barcelona are the simplest way to try the line.
Who should look elsewhere: families who want water slides and big attractions (Royal Caribbean suits them better; see Celebrity vs Royal Caribbean), and anyone on a tight budget. Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex offer the same design and often cost less.
What is new on Celebrity Xcel?
Several of Xcel’s public rooms are reworked versions of spaces on the earlier Edge ships:
- The Bazaar: the multi-deck space that is called Eden on the other Edge ships, reworked to explore the destinations the ship visits.
- Bora: the restaurant that replaces the Rooftop Garden.
- IYKYK: a speakeasy-style bar.
- Attic at The Club: a new space within The Club, the ship’s evening entertainment venue.
- Celebrity Pool Club: a reworked pool deck, with a “Shine the Night” pool party.
The Edge-class staples carry over: the Magic Carpet, the Grand Plaza and its bar, the Sunset Bar at the stern, the theater, the casino, The Spa, The Retreat for suite guests and the main dining rooms.
What does the Celebrity Xcel cruise ship look like from the outside?
From the outside, Xcel looks like its Edge-class sisters, with a few clear differences. The “X” logo returns to the funnel in a new orange color scheme, and the ship’s name on the hull is larger. A new exhaust funnel sits next to the main funnel, part of the methanol-capable engine design. On the side of the hull is the Magic Carpet, the platform that moves up and down the ship and works as a bar or restaurant on different decks.
Celebrity Xcel cabins: which to pick and which to avoid
About four in five Xcel rooms have a balcony. Most are Infinite Verandas: the glass wall at the end of the room slides open at the touch of a button, so the balcony is part of the cabin rather than a separate deck. The most unusual suites are the Edge Villas, forward on Decks 15 and 16, and the two Iconic Suites, forward on Deck 12 above the bridge. AquaClass rooms are on Decks 9 and 10, and Concierge Class rooms are on Decks 9 to 12.
Pick:
- A midship Infinite Veranda for the best mix of space, stability and value.
- AquaClass if you plan to use the spa and want dinner at Blu, the AquaClass restaurant.
- A suite if you want access to The Retreat, the suite-only area.
Avoid or think twice:
- Infinite Verandas if you want a separate outdoor balcony. The “balcony” is the end of the room with the window open, so there’s no deck outside the glass.
- Cabins right under the pool deck or near The Club, where furniture moves early and the music runs late.
- Forward cabins if you’re prone to seasickness.
Dining and activities
The main dining rooms, the Oceanview Café buffet and casual spots are included; some specialty restaurants carry a charge. Drinks, Wi-Fi and crew tips are extra unless you book an All Included fare. Our Celebrity line guide explains the fares, and our Celebrity review covers the food.
Days at sea center on the pool club, the spa and the Magic Carpet; evenings on the theater, The Club and the bars.
Sister ships
Xcel is the fifth Edge-class ship. Celebrity Edge (2018) and Celebrity Apex (2021) are the smaller originals. Celebrity Beyond (2022) and Celebrity Ascent (2023) share Xcel’s longer design. A sixth ship, Celebrity Xcite, is due in 2028.
Celebrity Xcel FAQ
Where does Celebrity Xcel sail from?
From Miami in winter 2026–27, from Barcelona and Piraeus (Athens) in summer 2027, and from Fort Lauderdale in winter 2027–28.
Is Celebrity Xcel the newest Celebrity ship?
Yes. It entered service in November 2025 and is the newest ship in the fleet until Celebrity Xcite arrives in 2028.
How big is Celebrity Xcel?
About 141,420 gross tons and 1,071 feet long, with about 3,260 guests at double occupancy and 1,416 crew. It ties with Celebrity Beyond and Ascent as the largest ships in the fleet.
Where does Celebrity Xcel go in 2027?
The Caribbean from Miami until April 2027, then a transatlantic crossing and the Mediterranean from Barcelona and Athens from late April to October, and a crossing back to Fort Lauderdale for winter 2027–28.
How do I find cheap Celebrity Xcel cruises?
In our October 2026 snapshot, the lowest Xcel fares were on 7-night Caribbean cruises from Miami in January to March 2027, and on the 6-night Fort Lauderdale sailings in November 2027. An inside cabin cuts the fare further. Prices are a dated snapshot, so check the current fare before you book.
Sources
- Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Xcel ship page (The Bazaar, Bora, Attic at The Club, Celebrity Pool Club, IYKYK, Magic Carpet, The Retreat)
- Wikipedia: Celebrity Xcel (builder, launch, delivery, naming, tonnage, guests, crew, decks, methanol-capable engine, venues)
- Cruise Industry News: Celebrity Xcel to complete maiden season in the Caribbean (April 2026)
- CruiseMapper: Celebrity Xcel cabins and suites (Infinite Verandas, suite and class locations by deck)
- CruiseBound: Celebrity Xcel sailings (listings checked October 2026)