Celebrity Xcite

The 2028-built cruise ship Celebrity Xcite is the sixth and final in the EDGE-class series, preceded by the sisterships Celebrity Edge (2018), Celebrity Apex (2021), Celebrity Beyond (2022), Celebrity Ascent (2023), and Celebrity Xcel (2025). All EDGE-class ships were built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France.

The vessel (IMO number tba) will be Malta-flagged (MMSI tba) and registered in Valletta. During its construction, it will be France-flagged (MMSI tba).

History – Construction and Ownership

Celebrity Cruises was established in 1988 as the Greece-based Chandris Line (operational between 1974-1996). In 1997, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) merged with Celebrity Cruises Ltd to form Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL). The "X" on the ship's funnels represents the Greek letter chi, symbolizing "Chandris."

Key features of Celebrity Cruises ships include aft-facing glass-walled dining rooms, signature specialty restaurants, lounges, expansive atriums, a high percentage of balcony staterooms, large pool decks, The Retreat (an adults-only sundeck with pool, Jacuzzis, cabanas, and bar), Rooftop Terrace (open-air lounge, cinema, and restaurant), expansive spas with thermal suites, and premium boutiques.

The 3,300-passenger Celebrity Xcite is the sixth newbuild under “Project Edge.” These vessels are larger than Millennium-class and slightly smaller than Solstice-class ships. Celebrity promotes them as offering “small-ship itineraries with large-ship amenities,” destination-focused experiences, and distinctive modern design.

New Features (EDGE-Class Ship Design Changes)

Compared to the previous EDGE-class Celebrity ships, Xcel and Xcite are 20 m (66 ft) longer, one deck taller, have 179 more staterooms, and are ~12% larger in volume (140,600 GT). These ships introduced various design updates, new venues, and expanded public areas.

New venues on Celebrity Xcite include "Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud" (a 50-seat specialty restaurant), a redesigned Luminae (suite-only restaurant by designer Kelly Hoppen), an updated Pool Deck, an expanded Rooftop Garden (Deck 15, featuring two infinity pools, larger shaded seating, and a bigger Rooftop Grill Bar), a double-sized Sunset Bar (aft, Decks 15–16), and an enlarged Retreat complex (suite-only lounge forward on Deck 15).

• The Resort Deck (Deck 14) features a 23 m / 75 ft lap pool with in-pool loungers, terraced sundecks, martini glass-shaped whirlpools (two-deck-high), sunken seating areas, and a life-size elephant statue.
• Sunset Bar (Decks 15–16) is a two-deck, Casablanca, Morocco-themed outdoor venue designed by Nate Berkus and Tom Wright (WKK), with cascading terraces and pergola-covered spaces.
• The Retreat spans three decks (15–17) and includes The Retreat Lounge (Deck 15), a Lower Sundeck (Deck 16, with a glass roof over the Solarium pool), and The Retreat Sundeck (Deck 17), offering cabanas, luxury loungers, a round pool, two cantilevered plunge pools, outdoor showers, and a bar. The Edge Villas (two-deck suites) were also redesigned.
• Le Voyage Restaurant, in partnership with Daniel Boulud, is a fine dining venue featuring a curated wine list and Michelin-level service in a space designed by Jouin Manku.
• The fleet's first World Class Bar (in partnership with Diageo plc) offers premium cocktails and wines prepared by expert mixologists.

Tom Wright (WKK Architects) redesigned much of the ship's exterior, including The Retreat, Rooftop Garden, and the Resort Deck. The Resort Deck is ~40% larger than on Apex and Edge and includes a night-time prism light show and live DJ performances.

The 3-deck Grand Plaza (midship) has been enlarged, allowing the Martini Bar to be relocated to the center of the Lobby (Deck 2) as a full-circle bar. Its chandelier features a unique design with 765 blades and dynamic LED lighting.

New to Celebrity Xcite are the AquaClass SkySuites, offering floor-to-ceiling views, spacious terraces, premium bedding, and wellness amenities. The ship also introduces a partnership with Gwyneth Paltrow, Celebrity Cruises' "Well-Being Advisor." Since 2022, AquaClass guests (excluding Galapagos ships) have received complimentary wellness kits from goop and access to "Women in Wellness" programming.

Decks and Cabins

Most Celebrity Xcite staterooms are Balcony cabins. Of the 1,646 staterooms, 918 are Edge Staterooms (with Infinite Verandas) and 176 are Suites. All staterooms feature keyless entry (digital keys via smartphones), RFID bands, and standard keycards.

The boat has 16 decks, 15 of which are accessible to passengers, with cabins available on 10 of them.

Shipboard Dining Options - Food and Drinks

Celebrity Xcite offers 32 food and beverage venues, including 4 main dining rooms (MDRs) and 6 specialty restaurants new to Celebrity Cruises. In total, the ship has 15 restaurants, 5 cafes, and 12 bars and lounges.

The MDRs are named Cosmopolitan (contemporary American), Cyprus (Mediterranean), Normandie (French), and Tuscan (Italian). Collectively, the MDRs offer 84 different menu items.

Guests in AquaClass staterooms or Suites dine at Blu Restaurant, known for its lighter, spa-inspired cuisine. The Luminae Restaurant, branded as "Luminae at The Retreat," is part of the exclusive Suite Class complex "The Retreat" and is available to suite passengers. They may also dine in any of the four MDRs (Normandie, Tuscan, Cosmopolitan, Cyprus). These complimentary venues feature menus inspired by the current itinerary and destinations, regional wines, themed cocktails, locally sourced ingredients, and a rotating selection of Signature and Classic dinner dishes. Each table is served by dedicated wait staff, including a sommelier, assistant waiter, and head waiter. Guests are assigned to one MDR but may request to dine in the others.

Celebrity Xcite offers the "Celebrity Select Dining Plus" (your-time dining), allowing passengers to either make dinner reservations in any MDR or dine at their leisure.

In addition to the MDRs, the ship offers several complimentary dining options, including Oceanview Cafe (live cooking stations, bakery), Mast Grill (poolside), Spa Cafe & Juice Bar (healthy options), and Grand Plaza Cafe (breakfast and lunch items). Two alfresco dining areas are also available.

There are 11 bars and lounges onboard, including Grand Plaza Cafe, Cafe al Bacio, The Club, Sunset Bar, Theatre Bar, Casino Bar, Martini Bar (Grand Plaza), Pool Bar, Il Secondo Bacio, The Retreat Bar, and The Retreat Lounge.

Specialty dining venues (with per-person surcharges) include Qsine (USD 45), Tuscan Grill (Italian steakhouse, USD 45), Murano (French, USD 45), Lawn Club Grill (DIY steaks, USD 40), Bistro on 5 (creperie, USD 10), and The Porch (panini restaurant open for breakfast and lunch, USD 5). At Qsine, guests order via iPads and receive dishes in their chosen order.

The Chef's Table is a private dining room available for rent, seating up to 6 guests and offering a multi-course dinner with premium wine pairings.

Craft Social Bar (introduced on Celebrity Apex) serves premium wines by the glass, craft cocktails, and over 50 craft beers, including rare international selections. It is staffed by certified beer sommeliers.

Unlike other EDGE-class ships, Xcel and Xcite feature redesigned restaurants and expanded food and beverage menus.

The exclusive Blu Restaurant includes an outdoor terrace for alfresco breakfast and dinner.

Mosaic Restaurant is a destination-focused, open-kitchen restaurant located within The Bazaar. It serves reimagined, elevated dishes inspired by the regions the ship is sailing, connecting guests' onshore experiences with their onboard dining. Key features include a unique Chef's Table experience featuring global culinary leaders' childhood dishes and a destination-inspired Chef's Studio cooking school. The restaurant also offers a casual-dining counterpart called Spice and transforms its themes (Caribbean and Mediterranean) to align with seasonal itineraries depending on the ship's deployment.

The Mosaic Restaurant offers a plant-based, 7-course tasting menu with ingredients sourced from their native regions. Dishes include Golden Beet-Tomato Ceviche, Ajoblanco Panna Cotta (Spanish Almond Soup), Celeriac Steak, and Rose Masala Chai. The menu is available a-la-carte or for a fixed fee. It also serves organic and vegan cuisine with wine pairings.

The new Bora Restaurant is an alfresco venue on the rooftop, offering Mediterranean brunch and seafood dinners. Brunch options include shakshuka, croissant eggs Benedict with salmon gravlax, French toast, customizable cocktails (including Bloody Marys), and live music. In the evening, Bora transforms into a seafood restaurant with dishes like pan-seared branzino, fideos negros tostadas con calamares, and lamb tagine, accompanied by live Greek and Italian music.

Shipboard Entertainment Options - Fun and Sport

The Lawn Deck features real grass and offers a relaxing environment with more deck chairs than other ships. The Celebrity iLounge provides Apple computer tutorials and sells Mac products at duty-free prices. AquaSpa Cafe is a convenient option for a quick post-spa lunch.

Sky Observation Lounge hosts live sunset music, while The Casino offers gaming entertainment around the clock.

The Virtual Concierge app enables guests to book dinner and spa appointments, order drinks and room service, and access other services. Smartphone sensors are used to track guest locations to enhance personalized service.

EDGE-Class ships feature the most technologically advanced theater in the Celebrity fleet, spanning three decks and hosting the largest number of production shows and performing crew.

The Theatre Lounge includes seven stage areas - three large and four small. The main stage extends into the audience and features two rotating platforms that elevate over 2 meters (7 feet). The venue includes two rotating spiral staircases, ten synchronized projection screens, sixteen laser projectors for video mapping, and rigging for aerial acts. It hosts seven new shows such as "A Hot Summer Night's Dream" (Shakespeare with acrobatics), "The Jewelry Box" (technology-driven), "Kaleidoscope" (dance/music), "Arte" (acrobatics), "Elements" (themed on air, water, earth, fire, ether), "Stage Door" (recorded at London Palladium), and two "Headline Residency" shows - "Get Up" (pop concert by Black Skull Creative) and "The Purpose" (celebrating inner self).

"The Club" is a dual-purpose venue with a dance floor, performance stage, LED screen, and two bars. By day, it offers activities like laser mazes, drone hunting, trivia, and dance classes. At night, it hosts "The Jazz Joint at The Club" and transforms into the Prohibition-era-themed nightclub "Undercover at The Club" with 1920s cocktails and aerial saxophone acts. The Andromeda body scanner allows guests to assume a new identity, and the Hypno Cam Experience features a roaming camera capturing party moments on a big screen.

"The Annex" is a reservable space for private get-togethers where guests can bond over a round of virtual golf, soccer, baseball, watch a movie, or host a karaoke night.

The Kids Club offers over 500 complimentary activities under the "Camp at Sea" program, including two new teen and kids areas called "The Basement."

Celebrity's signature Rooftop Garden has expanded facilities and live shows like the Rooftop Concert Series, Garden Cinema Series, and Taste of Film experience, with five new live music performances.

In 2023, Celebrity introduced fleetwide pickleball courts with complimentary equipment and scheduled sessions for adults and families (children over 6). On EDGE ships, pickleball is played at the Rooftop Garden.

Group gaming activities include "Game On: Augmented Multiplayer Experience," "Guilty Pleasures" (singalong), "Sands of Time" (escape room-style challenge), and "Sketch Art Classes."

Fleet-first venues and amenities

With the Xcel and Xcite ships, Celebrity Cruises introduced several fleet-first venues and amenities - Celebrity Pool Club (an upgraded poolside retreat), the Attic at The Club (a neon-lit retro games lounge/arcade games room), a redesigned wellness complex with expanded spa offerings (Hydra Room), the Celebrity Flagship (store), The Bazaar (a 3-deck venue hosting 3 itinerary/destination-based festivals per 7-day voyage), and Bora (an alfresco restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine).

THE BAZAAR is a multi-level/3-deck complex (aft on decks 4-5-6), replacing the EDEN found on previous EDGE-class ships.

Market At The Bazaar (aft on deck 5, within the 3-deck Bazaar complex) is a dynamic retail and experiential shopping space designed to bring the cultural shopping experiences of the visited cruise destinations.

The poolside sanctuary Celebrity Pool Club provides a valet service for amenities like chilled towels, deck games, shaded seating and secure personal storage. The redesigned rooftop retreat features additional shade, and private VIP cabanas (complete with dedicated service). On the final sea day of each Caribbean itinerary, the Celebrity Pool Club transforms into "Poolest Day Ever", boasting organized pool games, Caribbean-inspired live music, DJ parties, and pop‑up encounters. The experience also includes specialty cocktails (served in mini Patron bottles) and culminates with the "Shine the Night" poolside evening party with elevated refreshments.

The Attic at The Club is an entertainment lounge suffused with neon light. Tailored for adults, the gaming room invites guests to enjoy classic arcades (Pac‑Man, NBA Showtime, Golden Tee) and traditional bar games (pool, darts, foosball, shuffleboard). Private-event bookings are also available for activities including karaoke and golf‑simulator sessions.

The redesigned wellness complex now includes the Hydra Room. Part of the Thermal Suite's 8 therapeutic offerings, the new hydrotherapy room features a warm bubbling pool with massaging jets and heated loungers. Adjacent to the Hydra Room is the Vitamin D Deck (an outdoor sundeck providing unobstructed ocean views, and complimentary non‑alcoholic beverages for Thermal Suite guests). Overall, the spa offers 120+ treatments. The complex also consists of an expanded Beauty Salon (with a bubbles bar), an interactive Shopping Salon (for testing and purchasing of wellness products), and a Skin Lab (where licensed specialists provide personalized skincare analysis and recommendations).

The new Celebrity Flagship is the fleet's first hybrid retail-exhibit shop tracing Celebrity Cruises' history through interactive screens and curated artifacts. The store offers for purchase logoed merchandise, including keepsakes (water bottles, cocktail kits, keychains, caps, robes) and exclusive products sold only on Celebrity Xcite.

Grand Plaza

The Grand Plaza is the ship's central gathering space, spanning three decks midship. Its open design blends modernity with the nostalgic charm of Transatlantic ocean liners and was created by Jouin Manku Studio.

A key highlight is The Chandelier, an LED-lit art installation composed of 765 blades across five levels, stretching three decks high above the Grand Plaza Martini Bar and weighing 7 tons.

The Grand Plaza features several specialty restaurants, including Fine Cut Steakhouse and Raw on 5 (Deck 5), Le Grand Bistro and Cafe al Bacio (Deck 4), and Grand Plaza Cafe (Deck 3), along with Italian piazza-style spaces. Deck 3 midship houses the Martini Bar, known for its flair bartender shows. Surrounding the plaza are over 13,500 handcrafted mesh screen art pieces made of leather, fabric, and metal.

The Grand Plaza cafes are ideal for coffee, tea, or pre-dinner drinks, with live entertainment in the evenings, transforming the space into a vibrant social hub.

By day, Le Grand Bistro (Atrium Deck 4) functions as a French patisserie and cafe. In the evenings, it becomes "Le Petit Chef," an immersive dining experience in partnership with TableMation Studios and Skullmapping. The 3D visual dining show features animated characters projected onto tables and plates, telling a fairytale-style story through a 4-course meal. Le Grand Bistro has a surcharge of USD 25 pp, while Le Petit Chef is USD 55 pp.

THE BAZAAR

THE BAZAAR is the replacement of the EDEN complex on previous EDGE-class ships. It is designed as an immersive, ever-transforming area that aims to erase the line between ship and shore by bringing destination experiences shipboard. The concept revolves around hosting different destination-inspired festivals throughout the cruise, each reflecting the culture, flavors, sights, and sounds of the ports visited.

The Bazaar is a three-deck venue (aft on decks 4-5-6) combining a bar lounge (The Bazzar)), two dining venues (Mosaic Restaurant, Spice Cafe), and a retail shopping complex (Market at The Bazaar). Its outward-facing design offers a signature dining experience (light lunches, 5-course dinners, wine tastings), daily lectures, and live performances.

The 3-deck Bazaar complex includes the following venues:

Market at The Bazaar is a retail shopping venue where local artisans showcase crafts and offer demonstrations and food tastings. The Market is not a traditional shopping arcade, but it functions as a rotating pop-up marketplace featuring local artisans who board the ship to showcase and sell their crafts. Beyond shopping, it is highly experiential, offering guests opportunities to participate in activities like live basket-weaving demonstrations, rum and chocolate pairings, and local hot sauce tastings led by the artisans themselves. A key feature is that its offerings are itinerary-dependent and change multiple times throughout a sailing to align with the four different destination-inspired festivals (e.g., Viva, Aqua, Carnival) celebrated in The Bazaar. This ensures that even on sea days, guests can continue to immerse themselves in the culture and flavors of the ports they are visiting.

The Mosaic Restaurant is an open-kitchen venue serving regionally-inspired dishes and offers a Chef's Table (VIP dining room) experience.

The Spice Cafe is for casual dining (rotating bites).

The Chef's Studio provides destination-inspired cooking classes.

The Bazaar's programming, including its retail and activity offerings, changes multiple times per cruise to align with the festival themes. This venue is a central part of Celebrity Xcite's identity and features different festivals when the ship sails in the Caribbean versus the Mediterranean. Ultimately, The Bazaar represents Celebrity Cruises' significant investment in destination immersion and is one of seven new experiences introduced on the ships Xcel and Xcite.

A 90-meter (295 ft) ramp winds through The Bazaar, providing panoramic views from wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling windows. The unique furniture and interiors are by Patricia Urquiola (Spain), who also designed the "Library of Plants" and hanging plant pillars. The venue was designed by Scott Butler (Wilson Butler Architects, Boston MA), and evening shows are curated by Variety Worldwide (New York).

Magic Carpet ("Outdoor Elevator Lounge")

Celebrity EDGE-class ships feature the unique "Magic Carpet" - a cantilevered, glass-roofed platform the size of a tennis court that moves vertically across 14 decks like a giant elevator.

Mounted on the starboard side, this open-air venue offers ocean views, comfortable seating, a full bar, and a live music stage. Its function and design vary based on its deck position (Decks 2 to 16).

Guests cannot ride the Magic Carpet while it's moving. Once secured on a deck, passengers may board. Some furniture is fixed to ensure safety.

Its functions include:

• Deck 16: "Dinner on the Edge" alfresco dining experience under the stars.
• Deck 14: Pool deck extension with live music performances.
• Deck 5: Alfresco dining extension of the main restaurant.
• Deck 2: Tender platform for "Destination Gateway," facilitating seamless embarkation/disembarkation via "Edge Launches" (luxury tender boats). This space includes LCD screens, 130 seats, and air conditioning.

"Destination Getaway" refers to the embarkation point when the Magic Carpet is docked at Deck 2.

The Magic Carpet's schedule is published daily.

Itineraries

Details on Celebrity Xcel's inaugural cruise program (2028) are yet to be announced.

Most probably, the maiden season (winter 2028) would be in the Caribbean, and based on Florida USA homeporting (Fort Lauderdale/Port Everglades). In the summer, the ship could be repositioned to Europe and deployed in the Mediterranean.