As Celebrity Cruises is planning to launch a new billion-dollar ship called Celebrity Xcel, the cruise line is asking travellers for their insight on subjects such as entertainment options and interior design. In what is “an industry first”, according to the company, travellers from all over the world are invited to join Xcel Dream Makers to test, try and vote on new experiences, which will then be implemented on its newest vessel, Celebrity Xcel.
“We want to ensure our guests love our products and experiences, so involving them in the process to perfect Celebrity Xcel was a great way to achieve this”, shares Michael Scheiner, chief marketing and product officer of Celebrity Cruises. “Celebrity Cruises is known for ground-breaking innovation in ship design and experiences unlike any other at sea, when Xcel launches guests won’t have just found their happy place, they’ll have helped us build it.”
In order to join the program, travellers need to be residents of the US, Canada (except Quebec), UK, Australian or New Zealand, and aged 21 and up. Registrations open on 8 February. The public will have a say in the ship’s design, culinary and entertainment offerings through online polls and one-of-a-kind experiential in-person events. More precisely, travellers will be able to:
- Choose textiles, manage interior design elements and curate service offerings.
- Pick their favourite dishes and beverages, choose table settings and shape dining concepts.
- Provide input on headline shows, curate props and costumes, select playlists and partake in selections to appoint pivotal entertainment positions onboard.
Celebrity Xcel is set to launch in November 2025 and will be the fifth ship in the cruise line’s award-winning Edge Series. On 18 January, the ship was able to float out of dry dock at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in the French city of Saint-Nazaire, thereby celebrating the completion of the exterior. It will be equipped with a tri-fuel capable engine, a step towards completing Royal Caribbean Group’s Destination Net Zero plan, and its vision for net-zero emissions by 2050.
Once completed both inside and out, Celebrity Xcel will be sailing its inaugural season from Fort Lauderdale, from where travellers will be offered seven-night itineraries alternating between the Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands, Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. During the summer of 2026, Celebrity Xcel will celebrate its inaugural European season, with 7- to 11-night journeys out of Barcelona and Athens, including all new overnight stays in Madeira, Portugal.
