New Celebrity Xcel Entertainment Revealed

Celebrity Cruises revealed new details about the entertainment lineup aboard Celebrity Xcel, the line’s next Edge-series ship set to launch in November 2025. The 140,600-ton ship will sail from Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, and feature more than 75 ‘resident performers,’ which the line says is the largest number of onboard performers in the brand’s history.

Starboard-side view of the new Celebrity Xcel. Image courtesy of Celebrity Cruises. — Starboard-side view of the new *Celebrity Xcel*. Image courtesy of Celebrity Cruises.

Celebrity Xcel will debut three original productions created specifically for the ship: Mainstage, Between Takes, and Chapters. Mainstage is described as a celebration of live performance that combines music and choreography. Between Takes takes place on a film set and mixes comedy, music, and movement. Chapters is presented as a story about travel and connection told through dance and vocal performance.

The shows will use new onboard technology that includes a 110-foot curved kinetic LED screen, projection mapping, laser video etching, kinetic lighting, and pyrotechnic effects. Celebrity says the advanced technology will deliver an elevated sensory experience that brings each production to life.

A New Stage for Celebrity Entertainment

Today’s announcement also newly positions The Bazaar as part of Xcel’s overall entertainment network — rather than a standalone venue. Celebrity says the space will feature four rotating ‘festivals’ titled Carnival, Aqua, Viva, and Flora. Each will include live music, performances, and interactive elements inspired by destinations around the world and will change daily to keep the atmosphere fresh. Earlier this year, the cruise line introduced The Bazaar, a new multi-level venue that replaces the Eden space found on earlier Edge-class ships.

Xcel’s The Club venue will offer two new interactive experiences. The first, called 254 West, recreates a 1980s nightclub atmosphere with live musicians and dancing. The second, HOTEL, is described as a comedic cabaret featuring a mystery storyline that invites audience participation. Celebrity says both shows are “interactive experiences designed to engage the audience in new and unexpected ways.”

In addition to its new stage shows, Celebrity Xcel will introduce fresh themed parties, live music events, and interactive games. Highlights include Candlelit Classic Rock, Saddle Up Saloon, and Bora, along with new activities such as High Stakes, Brain Spin, and a motion-sensing arcade.

Celebrity Xcel is the fifth ship in the Edge class, following Celebrity Edge, Apex, Beyond, and Ascent. The vessel is being completed at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France. She will carry approximately 3,260 passengers and about 1,400 crew members, and is 1,073 feet long and 128 feet wide.

Xcel’s maiden Caribbean voyage is scheduled to depart November 18, 2025, from Fort Lauderdale. The ship will operate alternating seven-night itineraries to the Bahamas, Mexico, and the Eastern Caribbean through the winter season. In summer 2026, she will reposition to Europe for sailings from Barcelona and Athens.