Celebrity Cruises Announces Name of Fifth Edge-Class Ship at Steel Cutting Ceremony

Celebrity Cruises has announced that the fifth ship in its award-winning Edge Series will be named Celebrity Xcel, continuing the innovative experiences coveted in her sister ships and then going even further for an unmatched premium vacation experience. 

The reveal was made at Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, as executives from both Royal Caribbean Group, the world’s leading family of cruise vacation brands that includes Celebrity Cruises, and the shipyard cut the first piece of steel for the new ship. 

Featured image: Celebrity Cruises

“The Edge Series has shattered preconceived notions of cruising, and I am thrilled to announce our next bold step as a brand with Celebrity Xcel,” said Celebrity Cruises’ President Laura Hodges Bethge. “True to her name, this next ship will ‘Xcel’ beyond her sister ships with entirely new experiences, yet to be revealed, but that will change the game all over again.” 

Celebrity Xcel will make her debut in November 2025 in the Caribbean, sailing her inaugural winter season from Fort Lauderdale, on seven-night itineraries alternating between the Bahamas, Mexico and the Cayman Islands, and Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. The sailings are now open for sale

Like her highly anticipated sister ship Celebrity Ascent, debuting later this month, Celebrity Xcel will connect guests to the breath-taking world around them like never before. The onboard experiences on these ships stand them apart as a class of ships without comparison with such distinctive features and spaces as:  

• The Retreat®, an exclusive resort-within-a-resort area for suite guests, highlighted by a two-story sundeck;
• Accommodations for today’s modern tastes from modern two-story villas with private plunge pools to staterooms with infinite verandas, blurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living;
• An expanded Rooftop Garden and stunning Resort Deck featuring unique cantilevered float pools;
• A multi-level, multi-terraced Sunset Bar redefining the ship’s aft;
• A Daniel Boulud fine-dining restaurant at sea;
• Live entertainment and activities creating the best date nights and days at sea;
• A boldly redesigned Grand Plaza spanning three decks, creating an airy and open indoor space;
• And, the return of the Magic Carpet®, an engineering feat soaring cantilevered above the sea, offering guests uninterrupted vistas while sipping cocktails or having dinner.