Entertainment and Dining Stand Out as Highlights on New Celebrity Xcel Cruise Ship

What do haloumi, bath crystals, darts, and parkour have in common? You’ll find them all on Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship, Celebrity Xcel, which was officially named in Fort Lauderdale earlier this week.

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

Although there are lots of fun new elements to enjoy, two that consistently top the list are the onboard entertainment and the food – especially at the recently added extra-fee restaurants.

“I think they [Celebrity] did an amazing job of marrying style and amenities together,” said Danny Genung, CEO of Harr Travel. “The 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.”

Here’s 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’s most successful ship classes.

Excellent Entertainment

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.

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

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’ll find it in the ship’s theater. Want a bit of parkour action? You’ll 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.

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.

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 – all free for cruisers to play.

Meanwhile, the pool deck, which Celebrity dubs the Resort Deck, offers up the pool party Shine the Night.

“One of the things we have heard from Celebrity guests is that they want more to do, more excitement and later into the evening,” Genung said. “This ship delivers on that in so many ways. We loved the updates to The Club, the increased entertainment and turning the pool deck into a late-night party.”

“It [Celebrity Xcel’s entertainment] was some of the best entertainment and talent that I have seen on cruise ships … offering something for everyone,” added Adam Martindale, a Cruise Planners franchise owner.

For travelers looking for some local flair, The Bazaar – which takes up residence where Eden is on other Edge Class ships – 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.)

The shows’ 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.)

Drool-Worthy Dining

Bora is Celebrity Xcel’s 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’re dining in Greece, complete with live music and a cocktail cart – bloody marys during brunch and spritzes at dinner.

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

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

What Else Is New

Honorable mentions for new amenities include a pickleball court, which was awkwardly added to the Rooftop Garden. The sounds of people playing weren’t exactly conducive to the laidback, relaxing, and high-end atmosphere that this lounge area provides on other vessels. To us, it’s akin to slapping a basketball court in the middle of the Solarium.

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.

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’ll wind up with more than just a cute strip of free snapshots.

What’s Next and Where Advisors and Clients Can Find Value

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’s new offerings and the service provided by the crew.

“I say it all the time … but this is a team sport, and we can’t do it without our partners, so thank you for all of the wonderful clients that you introduce Celebrity Cruises to,” Bethge said.

Liberty spoke at a higher level, calling out the loyalty reciprocity between the group’s 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.

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

“All Included is an absolutely incredible value to provide the beverage and the Wi-Fi,” she said. “Separate to that, I talked to a lot of partners recently about the value of what we’re doing and what we have in Europe. If you take a look at the land component … the value translation into a European cruise is, by far, the best thing to talk through.”

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

“A lot of advisors have had success … with the second wallet upgrading their customers,” she said. “They 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’s really a great value for them and, truthfully, additional commission for you.”

“You are such an important part of our story and all that we do to help deliver this [experience] each and every day,” said Liberty. “So, to our travel partners, thank you so much.”