Celebrity Cruises’ newest vessel, Celebrity Xcel, has concluded its initial sea trials, marking a significant milestone in the ship’s readiness for entry into service.
The trials took place on Saturday, September 13th, in waters near the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard at Saint-Nazaire, France, where the vessel has been under construction. Conducted under the command of Captain Kyriakos Matragkas, the program involved a sequence of maneuverability and performance assessments intended to verify the vessel’s functional and operational capabilities. The tests were reported as successfully completed, confirming that the ship remains on schedule for its November debut.
Celebrity Xcel is the fifth vessel in the line’s Edge Series, characterized by innovations in design, modern accommodations, and new passenger spaces. The ship incorporates seven newly developed areas alongside established features of its sister ships.
Following completion of outfitting at Saint-Nazaire, the vessel is expected to reposition to Fort Lauderdale. From there, it will commence 7-night itineraries through the Caribbean, with alternating routes that include calls at The Bahamas, Mexico, Grand Cayman, Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten.
Looking ahead, the ship’s deployment schedule includes a European program in the summer of 2026. During that season, Celebrity Xcel will operate Mediterranean voyages from Barcelona and Athens, ranging from 7 to 11 nights, with itineraries featuring new overnight calls at Madeira, Portugal.