Video music credit: https://www.youtube.com/@MoaviiMusic
Celebrity Xcel is the line's fifth Edge series ship, after Celebrity first launched its Edge series in late 2018. With each ship that followed, subtle changes were made as the line looked to enhance rather than overhaul its hugely popular product.
And now, Celebrity's latest hotly anticipated ship has officially launched, with seven new-to-brand spaces.
New venues include The Bazaar, which has replaced Eden onboard; Mediterranean restaurant Bora; retro games room Attic at The Club; Celebrity Pool Club, Celebrity Flagship Store; and the reconfigured Spa.
Eden remains a flagship venue on the four other Edge-series ships – Edge, Apex, Beyond, Ascent – but has been swapped out for The Bazaar onboard Xcel.
The Bazaar features Spice Café and Mosaic Restaurant, both new-to-brand spaces, but passengers will see how the area has been reimagined before entering it.
The walkway is filled with offset LED archways that have different displays depending on which daily festival is happening. There are four festivals – Carnival, Aqua, Viva and Flora.
Celebrity says The Bazaar “erases” the line between ship and shore “completely”. Here, guests can enjoy the culture, flavours, sights and sounds of the destinations they visit on Xcel’s Caribbean sailings.
Meanwhile, buzzy al fresco restaurant Bora is located next to the Rooftop Garden, and offers boozy brunches and relaxed dinners.
Celebrity Xcel introduces an all-day, all-night games room with neon lights called Attic at The Club. Activities include pool, darts, foosball and shuffleboard. Guests can also book group activities including karaoke and golf simulation games.
Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group president, told media onboard there were “no more lulls” in the daily programme onboard Celebrity Xcel – perhaps best illustrated with how Celebrity has shaken up its pool deck atmosphere with Celebrity Pool Club.
Guests can also choose to go VIP for the day, with enhanced private cabanas complete with dedicated service.
Celebrity Xcel even features the line’s first Celebrity Flagship store. The space sells branded merchandise and provides guests an insight into the line’s history.
The Spa now has Hydra Room, the newest of eight therapeutic experiences in The Thermal Suite, and Vitamin D Deck, an outdoor space where passengers can soak up the sun.
Eagled-eyed readers will note I've only listed six venues here. That's because as the TTG ship tour video reveals, there’s a seventh venue, cryptically called IYKYK, which can only be accessed through a secret entrance.
If you can find the entrance, you’ll discover a Prohibition-era themed bar. (Clue: it’s replaced the Conference Center located on the other Edge-series ships).
