{"id":2168625,"date":"2025-11-20T15:41:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T15:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2168625"},"modified":"2025-11-20T15:41:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T15:41:13","slug":"entertainment-and-dining-stand-out-as-highlights-on-new-celebrity-xcel-cruise-ship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/entertainment-and-dining-stand-out-as-highlights-on-new-celebrity-xcel-cruise-ship\/","title":{"rendered":"Entertainment and Dining Stand Out as Highlights on New Celebrity Xcel Cruise Ship"},"content":{"rendered":"

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What do haloumi, bath crystals, darts, and parkour have in common? You\u2019ll find them all on Celebrity Cruises\u2019 newest ship, Celebrity Xcel, which was officially named<\/a> in Fort Lauderdale earlier this week.<\/p>\n

The ship is the fifth in the line\u2019s Edge Class of vessels, offering a similar layout to its four sister ships but with some updated tweaks. TMR<\/em> caught up with Celebrity executives and a couple of agency owners for their take on what makes Celebrity Xcel so special.<\/p>\n

Although there are lots of fun new elements to enjoy, two that consistently top the list are the onboard entertainment and the food \u2013 especially at the recently added extra-fee restaurants.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they [Celebrity] did an amazing job of marrying style and amenities together,\u201d said Danny Genung, CEO of Harr Travel.\u00a0\u201cThe ship feels very comfortable, inviting and the flow is perfect. I think they get entertainment and dining very right, which is critical to the success of a ship like Xcel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s more of what the big-wigs and your fellow advisors had to say, along with what you and your clients can expect from the latest iteration of what has been one of Celebrity\u2019s most successful ship classes.<\/p>\n

254 West in The Club. Photo: Ashley Kosciolek<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Excellent Entertainment<\/h2>\n

Celebrity has long been an innovator in cruise industry entertainment. While some lines are still producing the same song-and-dance revues that were popular 20 years ago, Celebrity is calling in Broadway-caliber talent, along with acrobats and aerialists. Until recently, when adults-only Virgin Voyages splashed onto the scene, it was the leader in cutting-edge performances.<\/p>\n

During a travel advisor question-and-answer session onboard Celebrity Xcel, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty said he views Celebrity\u2019s competition as Taylor Swift concerts and trips to Disney, rather than other cruise lines. However, Celebrity seems to have taken a page from Virgin\u2019s book and kicked its nightlife up a notch, putting the two lines firmly neck-and-neck in this category.<\/p>\n

On Celebrity Xcel, passengers will find three new production shows: Chapters, Between Takes, and Mainstage. Feeling like a jaw-dropping pop-and-lock routine or five? You\u2019ll find it in the ship\u2019s theater. Want a bit of parkour action? You\u2019ll find that there, too, along with a high-tech digital backdrop, stunning costumes, some fake snow, and a giant panther-shaped disco ball ridden by one of the lead vocalists.<\/p>\n

In The Club, passengers can expect 254 West, which has a Studio 54-meets-contemporary-music vibe, and Saddle Up Saloon, an ode to country music.<\/p>\n

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The Attic. Photo: Ashley Kosciolek<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the upper deck of the two-level The Club, Celebrity Xcel offers The Attic, a new space with vending machines for snacks and drinks, as well as a handful of arcade games, darts, pool tables, and foosball \u2013 all free for cruisers to play.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the pool deck, which Celebrity dubs the Resort Deck, offers up the pool party Shine the Night.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things we have heard from Celebrity guests is that they want more to do, more excitement and later into the evening,\u201d Genung said. \u201cThis ship delivers on that in so many ways.\u00a0We loved the updates to The Club, the increased entertainment and turning the pool deck into a late-night party.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt [Celebrity Xcel\u2019s entertainment] was some of the best entertainment and talent that I have seen on cruise ships \u2026 offering something for everyone,\u201d added Adam Martindale, a Cruise Planners franchise owner.<\/p>\n

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A cultural show in The Bazaar. Photo: Ashley Kosciolek<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For travelers looking for some local flair, The Bazaar \u2013 which takes up residence where Eden is on other Edge Class ships \u2013 hosts a market that sells products made by actual artists and artisans from the places where Celebrity Xcel sails. Clients will find wares that might include clothing, bath crystals, and jewelry. The performance space is punctuated by a series of four shows called Carnival, Aqua, Viva, and Flora, which rotate throughout each voyage and focus on Caribbean cultural song and dance. (The shows will change when Xcel repositions to Europe.)<\/p>\n

The shows\u2019 performers and other crew who staff the venue hail from the region where the ship is currently sailing. (On our voyage, they called the Caribbean home, and all dances were also choreographed by a Caribbean local.)<\/p>\n

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Bora. Photo: Ashley Kosciolek<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Drool-Worthy Dining<\/h2>\n

Bora is Celebrity Xcel\u2019s most notable new restaurant option. Found in Rooftop Garden, the for-fee outdoor eatery offers sharing-style plates with a seafood-forward Mediterranean focus for both brunch and dinner. We found the food to be absolutely superb (try the sea bass and haloumi at dinner), and on days when the weather cooperates, the atmosphere will make clients feel like they\u2019re dining in Greece, complete with live music and a cocktail cart \u2013 bloody marys during brunch and spritzes at dinner.<\/p>\n

Mosaic, which is found on the bottom deck of The Bazaar, offers a menu that changes with the ship\u2019s location. This added-fee specialty restaurant is upscale and best suited to cruisers looking for a romantic dinner or celebrating a special occasion.<\/p>\n

Spice Cafe is Mosaic\u2019s complimentary counterpart, located on The Bazaar\u2019s main level. Also serving cuisine that changes with the ship\u2019s location and each day\u2019s performance, this excellent casual counter-served option includes build-your-own bowls, made-to-order sandwiches, and rotating items like quesadillas and tostones.<\/p>\n

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The Photo Booth in The Club leads somewhere else entirely. Photo: Ashley Kosciolek<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What Else Is New<\/h2>\n

Honorable mentions for new amenities include a pickleball court, which was awkwardly added to the Rooftop Garden. The sounds of people playing weren\u2019t exactly conducive to the laidback, relaxing, and high-end atmosphere that this lounge area provides on other vessels. To us, it\u2019s akin to slapping a basketball court in the middle of the Solarium.<\/p>\n

Bookish travelers, shopaholics, and Celebrity stalwarts are likely to enjoy Celebrity Flagship, a combination of retail space selling logowear and other branded items with a mini-museum that tells the history of the cruise line.<\/p>\n

And, finally, clients craving exclusive experiences will surely want to visit the unassuming photo booth in The Club, just to the right of the bar. We assure you, they\u2019ll wind up with more than just a cute strip of free snapshots. <\/p>\n

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The Retreat sundeck. Photo: Ashley Kosciolek<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What\u2019s Next and Where Advisors and Clients Can Find Value<\/h2>\n

When asked during the travel advisor Q&A what they would select as selling points for Celebrity Xcel, Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge cited the ship\u2019s new offerings and the service provided by the crew.<\/p>\n

\u201cI say it all the time \u2026 but this is a team sport, and we can\u2019t do it without our partners, so thank you for all of the wonderful clients that you introduce Celebrity Cruises to,\u201d Bethge said.<\/p>\n

Liberty spoke at a higher level, calling out the loyalty reciprocity between the group\u2019s three brands and upcoming foray into the river cruise space. (More itinerary information is coming in January, and pre- and post-cruise tour details will be released sometime in Q1.) He also noted that the parent company will be investing in private destinations, increasing the number from two to eight. They will include a newly announced one in Greece, as well as the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, opening next month.<\/p>\n

When clients are looking for value, Katina Athanasiou, Celebrity\u2019s senior vice president of sales, said one of the top selling points is the line\u2019s All Included program. She also called out Europe voyages as one of the best ways to offer savings.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll Included is an absolutely incredible value to provide the beverage and the Wi-Fi,\u201d she said. \u201cSeparate to that, I talked to a lot of partners recently about the value of what we\u2019re doing and what we have in Europe. If you take a look at the land component \u2026 the value translation into a European cruise is, by far, the best thing to talk through.\u201d<\/p>\n

Athanasiou also said future cruise sales are a great way to generate more bookings, and upgrades translate into a great experience for everyone involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of advisors have had success \u2026 with the second wallet upgrading their customers,\u201d she said. \u201cThey may have started with a veranda, and then you talk to them about the benefits of Aqua Class or the benefits of the Retreat and continue to get them to think through those phases of planning, through the destination. It\u2019s really a great value for them and, truthfully, additional commission for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are such an important part of our story and all that we do to help deliver this [experience] each and every day,\u201d said Liberty. \u201cSo, to our travel partners, thank you so much.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n