CELEBRITY CRUISES TAKES DELIVERY OF CELEBRITY XCEL AND INTRODUCES CELEBRITY XCITE

Q: When did Royal Caribbean Group announce delivery of Celebrity Xcel (RCL)?

Delivery was announced on October 23, 2025 .

Q: When will Celebrity Xcel (RCL) begin sailing and from which port?

Celebrity Xcel will begin sailing in November 2025 from Fort Lauderdale .

Q: What itineraries will Celebrity Xcel (RCL) operate in its inaugural season?

Seven-night itineraries alternating between The Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands, Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten .

Q: When is Celebrity Xcel (RCL) scheduled for its European season?

Celebrity Xcel will sail its European season in Summer 2026 with seven- to 11-night journeys out of Barcelona and Athens .

Q: What is the timeline for the new Celebrity Xcite (RCL) Edge Series ship?

Steel cutting and construction commenced on Oct 23, 2025 , and Celebrity Xcite is expected to set sail in 2028 .

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Insights

Celebrity Cruises added a ship to service and started construction of its next Edge Series vessel, expanding capacity and itineraries.

Celebrity Xcel officially joined the fleet following handover at Chantiers de l'Atlantique on October 23, 2025, and will begin sailing in November with seven‑night itineraries from Fort Lauderdale and a European season in Summer 2026. The business mechanism is straightforward: fleet addition increases deployed capacity and enables new and expanded itineraries, while a steel‑cutting for Celebrity Xcite starts the capital deployment pipeline for a sistership scheduled to set sail in 2028.

Dependencies and risks are clear and limited to the facts disclosed: successful revenue contribution depends on actual entry‑into‑service dates, itinerary demand on the listed routes, and operational readiness implied by the handover and crew presence. There is no disclosure here of costs, financing, or regulatory issues, so those factors remain unknown.

Immediate items to watch are Celebrity Xcel's inaugural sailings in November and its European season in Summer 2026 for initial guest reception and occupancy signals, and the construction progress toward Celebrity Xcite's planned 2028 launch as the next milestone in capacity growth.

10/23/2025 - 10:11 AM

The vacation brand continues to redefine premium travel at sea with its Edge Series ships, celebrating two major milestones at Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard.

MIAMI, Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Celebrity Cruises took delivery and welcomed its newest ship – Celebrity Xcel – and announced the name of its sixth Edge Series ship – Celebrity Xcite – as the ship's first piece of steel was cut and construction commenced at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire. Celebrity Xcite is expected to set sail in 2028, continuing the brand's legacy of redefining premium cruising.

"Celebrity Xcel represents the next bold step in our journey to transform the way the world experiences premium travel," said Royal Caribbean Group president and CEO Jason Liberty. "Each ship in the Edge Series has reimagined what's possible at sea through elevated design and experiences that deepen the connection to the destinations being visited. With Celebrity Xcel now joining the fleet and Celebrity Xcite on the horizon, we're continuing to set new standards for excellence and innovation alongside our trusted partners at Chantiers de l'Atlantique."

"Celebrity Xcel has been designed with our guest as our north star, we even involved them in the design process through the Xcel Dream Makers program, so we know she will be the happy place of vacationers globally," continued Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. "We're thrilled to welcome guests aboard next month and are excited to further expand these offerings on Celebrity Xcite."

"Celebrity Xcel and the entire Edge Series is the result of close collaboration between our teams," shared Laurent Castaing, general manager of Chantiers de l'Atlantique. "Our continued partnership with Royal Caribbean Group on Celebrity Xcite reflects a shared commitment to excellence and innovation."

Celebrity Xcel officially joins Celebrity Cruises' fleet.

Royal Caribbean Group executives and Celebrity Cruises crew gathered to celebrate the handover of Celebrity Xcel from Chantiers de l'Atlantique.

Welcoming the newest addition to the Celebrity Cruises fleet were Liberty, Hodges Bethge, Castaing, and captain Kyriakos Matragkas, captain of Celebrity Xcel. Executives were also joined by more than 1,600 Celebrity Xcel crew members in the celebration.

The milestone was marked with time-honored maritime traditions, including a formal signing ceremony, the symbolic changing of flags aboard the vessel, and a celebratory toast in the ship's spectacular three-story Grand Plaza.

Celebrity Xcel will set sail in November with seven brand new spaces - from erasing the line between ship and shore to creating even more ways to restore and explore while on vacation.

Celebrity Xcite becomes sixth ship in Celebrity Cruises' Edge Series.

Celebrity Cruises also ushered in its next era of excellence, as it revealed the name of Celebrity Xcel's sister ship – Celebrity Xcite. The name was unveiled during a steel cutting ceremony, marking the official start of construction. Executives from Royal Caribbean Group and the shipyard were present to celebrate this milestone.

Celebrity Cruises' sixth Edge Series ship, Celebrity Xcite will continue to elevate the guest experience, furthering the innovative experiences coveted in her sister ships designed to deliver an unmatched premium vacation.

Celebrity Xcel and Celebrity Xcite will connect guests to the breathtaking world around them like never before.

From November, Celebrity Xcel will sail her inaugural season from Fort Lauderdale, offering seven-night itineraries alternating between The Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands, and Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. In Summer 2026, Celebrity Xcel will set sail on her inaugural European season where guests can immerse themselves in the Mediterranean like never before on seven- to 11-night journeys out of Barcelona and Athens, including all new overnight stays in Madeira, Portugal.

Celebrity Xcite will set sail in 2028. For more information, visit www.celebrity.com, call Celebrity Cruises on 1-800-CELEBRITY, or contact a trusted travel advisor.

About Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises delivers an elevated premium vacation experience across their fleet of ocean and river ships traveling to over 300 destinations across more than 70 countries spanning all seven continents. Uniquely offering the intimate feel and thoughtful service of small ships, with the variety and excitement of bigger ones – guests can explore the world or get away from it for a little while. With every detail elevated beyond expectations, guests will never want to vacation any other way. An industry pioneer for more than 35 years, each Celebrity vacation offers experiences you won't find anywhere else.

Celebrity Cruises is headquartered in Miami and is a part of Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL). Visit www.celebritycruises.com for more information, and connect with us on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.