CELEBRITY CRUISES TAKES DELIVERY OF CELEBRITY XCEL AND INTRODUCES CELEBRITY XCITE
Rhea-AI Summary
Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) announced that Celebrity Cruises took delivery of its newest Edge Series ship, Celebrity Xcel, on October 23, 2025, and began construction of the sixth Edge Series ship, Celebrity Xcite, with a steel cutting ceremony. Celebrity Xcel will begin sailing in November 2025 from Fort Lauderdale on seven-night itineraries and will begin a European season in Summer 2026 with seven- to 11-night sailings from Barcelona and Athens. Celebrity Xcite is expected to set sail in 2028.
Positive
- Delivery of Celebrity Xcel completed on Oct 23, 2025
- Celebrity Xcel inaugural sailings from Fort Lauderdale starting November 2025
- European inaugural season for Celebrity Xcel scheduled for Summer 2026
- Steel cutting began for Celebrity Xcite; expected to sail in 2028
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction 1 Alert
On the day this news was published, RCL declined 0.35%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
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.
"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
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
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SOURCE Celebrity Cruises
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