By
Laura Hyde |
Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship, Celebrity Xcel, has successfully completed sea trials near the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, where it has been under construction since 2023.
The ship, which was helmed by Captain ‘Kirk’ Kyriakos Matragkas, completed a series of maneuverability tests designed to test the ship’s functional and operational capabilities.
Celebrity Xcel will begin sailing its inaugural season in November 2025
The fifth Edge-series ship will be christened by godmother Brazilian chef Janaí na Torres during the official naming ceremony on 16 November. It will then begin sailing its inaugural winter season from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offering seven-night itineraries alternating between the Bahamas, Mexico and the Cayman Islands, and Puerto Plata, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. In summer 2026, Celebrity Xcel will sail its inaugural European season offering seven- to 11-night journeys out of Barcelona, Spain, and Athens, Greece.
Read more: Designing the Edge Series experience