Celebrity Xcel | What it’s like sailing on the new cruise ship
Celebrity Xcel is the newest ship from Celebrity Cruises; come along as we show you around its staterooms, restaurants, and amenities.
I recently had the opportunity to embark on the two-night naming sailing of Celebrity Cruises’ newest Celebrity Xcel ship. After learning about all of this ship’s new offerings for its cruisers, including The Bazaar, new shows at The Theater, and Bora restaurant, to name a few, I was eager to experience them firsthand. Read on to learn more about my experience on a two-night preview sailing of Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship.
Staterooms onboard Celebrity Xcel
One of the first things I noticed upon entering my stateroom was its spaciousness and the fact that there was a couch, which I used to sit up and get some work done during my downtime. While I sometimes can feel cramped inside the bathrooms in staterooms, I did not have that experience in this room. While the room did not contain a balcony, I still enjoyed the views outside the window. I also appreciated the fact that there was ample space to store my luggage inside the room’s closet and plentiful charging ports to charge my phone and laptop.
Celebrity Xcel dining
Similar to the experience on many other cruise ships, standard food and drinks at various table-service, buffet, cafés, and quick-service locations were included with the price of the cruise. However, there are a couple of restaurants onboard accompanied by an additional price tag, which I was lucky enough to experience during my cruise.
Raw on 5
Despite not eating raw fish, I had a stellar meal at Raw on 5 on the first evening of the Celebrity Xcel sailing. Since this restaurant is one of the extra-cost restaurants onboard, I selected a couple of items to try from the à la carte menu, including the California roll, edamame, and miso soup. In addition to the food, the service at this restaurant is phenomenal. All of the team members went above and beyond to ensure I had an enjoyable experience.
Le Voyage
When I was invited to experience a meal at this signature restaurant by Chef Daniel Boulud on the second night of my cruise, I knew I couldn’t refuse. As soon as I walked in, I was completely immersed in the elevated ambiance. I liked that the restaurant was secluded from the rest of the ship.
That said, I was most looking forward to the food. Since I don’t eat much meat, I was able to keep my meal vegetarian. I ordered the lobster risotto (without the lobster) for my main. This dish was savory and not too heavy, which I appreciated.
Oceanview Café
Oceanview Café offers an extensive buffet. I had the opportunity to experience breakfast at this included dining location on all three mornings of my cruise. I was pleasantly surprised by the wide range of options and different types of cuisine on board, from Mexican to Indian cuisine.
I knew I had to pop back after dinner one night to try the chocolate fountain from which there was a plethora of dipping items to select from, marshmallows to cake pops.
Bora
After hearing many great things about Bora, one of Celebrity Xcel’s new Mediterranean restaurants on Deck 15, I was ecstatic upon receiving an invitation to experience brunch at this location. The standout of this meal was “Our Frenchy Toast,” which tasted similar to a bread pudding made with chantilly cream, maple syrup, and caramelized pecans. This dish met the mark on its sweet flavor profile.
While the food was delicious, this restaurant can get very hot since it’s on the rooftop. I recommend requesting a table in the shade for a more enjoyable (and cooler) experience.
Entertainment
The onboard entertainment was a highlight of my experience on the Celebrity Xcel, especially within The Bazaar and The Theater.
The Bazaar
Throughout my cruise, I had the opportunity to participate in the Aqua Festival and Carnival Festival experiences at The Bazaar. From the various ambient entertainment that takes place throughout the day to the main numbers in the evening, there is no shortage of items to experience in this flex space.
Aqua Festival
This festival is exactly what you might expect, with everything blue, from the designs on the LED screens throughout The Bazaar to the lighting and the colors of the performers’ outfits. I enjoyed the slower pace of this festival, which corresponded with the time at sea.
Carnival Festival
I was most excited to experience the Carnival Festival, and it did not disappoint. I loved the colorful and festive outfits the performers wore and the upbeat performance they gave to the excited audience. Not only were the performers happy to be there, but many viewers were singing and dancing along, which was fun to see.
The only drawback I experienced was the seating in The Bazaar. You really have to be seated at one of the first center tables to experience an unobstructed view of the performers at the center (if you stay on the first level). While I think the distance of the tables works in The Bazaar for the daytime ambiance and performers, I think the guest experience could benefit from moving the tables on the performance level closer together to give more passengers a chance to watch without obstructions from the various pillars and structures supporting the upper level of the venue. If you plan on watching the festival performances, arrive early to secure a good spot. While I did not watch from the venue’s upper level, I saw other passengers viewing the shows there.
The Theater
On the last night of the cruise, I had the opportunity to watch “Chapters,” which is one of Celebrity Cruises’ newest shows. I didn’t have expectations upon entering the theater, but I left in awe. This show takes the audience through various “chapters” or performances. While I thoroughly enjoyed the singing, dancing, and pyrotechnics, the parkour artists are one of the show’s standout components. I have never seen parkour artists in a show before, nonetheless a show on a cruise ship.
Overall thoughts on a Celebrity Xcel cruise vacation with Celebrity Cruises
Considering this was my first time cruising with Celebrity Cruises, I was left with a positive impression. Since this cruise was on the shorter side, it left me wanting to go back for more to try some of the additional restaurants and experience the other two festivals at The Bazaar.
I was met with an incredible team of crew members on board who were very nice and made my days with their positivity and incredible guest service on every deck of the ship.
While I thoroughly enjoyed this cruise, the culinary offerings were a highlight. Even though I can’t speak to the table-service restaurants not accompanied by an additional price tag, the food I did try at the extra restaurants was phenomenal and some of the best I’ve had on a cruise so far.
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