Celebrity Cruises cut the steel for its fifth Edge-class ship, which will be named Celebrity Xcel, on 7 November 2023.
The cruise line’s president, Laura Hodges Bethge, said the ship will be true to its name and “excel” beyond the first four Edge-class ships with entirely new experiences yet to be revealed.
Like Celebrity Ascent, the line’s fourth Edge ship debuting on 3 December, Celebrity Xcel will have The Retreat, an exclusive resort-within-a-resort area for suite guests; an expanded Rooftop Garden and Resort Deck featuring cantilevered float pools; a Grand Plaza spanning three decks; and a Daniel Boulud fine-dining restaurant.
Celebrity Xcel will debut in November 2025 in the Caribbean, departing from Fort Lauderdale, on seven-night itineraries alternating between the Bahamas, Mexico and the islands Cayman, and Puerto Plata, St Thomas and St Martin.