Celebrity Cruises is taking destination immersion to the next level on its newest ship
Tired of the disconnect between life on board a cruise ship and the destination your ship is visiting? Celebrity Cruises aims to bridge that gap with a reimagined space on its newest cruise ship, the 3,248-passenger Celebrity Xcel.
The cruise line will take the back area of the ship on decks 4 through 6 — which was previously dedicated to the Eden bar, restaurant, lounge and performance space on the other Edge Class ships — and convert it into The Bazaar. Here, shopping, dining, activity and entertainment options will take on the vibe of the ports the ship visits, changing daily to bring each destination's unique cultural elements onto the ship.
The Bazaar will transform according to the day's festival — Celebrity's term for the destination-inspired theme that will infuse every meal and activity taking place in the space. For Celebrity Xcel's inaugural Caribbean itineraries, the area will rotate through four festivals paying homage to the cultures of the Bahamas, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean at large.
When the ship repositions to the Mediterranean in the summer of 2026, the line will create new festivals to feature the European countries the ship will visit on those cruises.
Guests will access The Bazaar through a tunnel that acts as a bridge from the rest of the ship into the themed space.
Their first stop will be the Market at The Bazaar. The shop will sell crafts and souvenirs, such as Caribbean masks or traditional Mexican hats, made by local artisans across the destinations the ship visits. These craftspeople will even come aboard to lead activities, such as basket weaving demos, hot sauce tastings, and rum and chocolate pairings.
The main space will be abuzz with the day's festivals, which might feature Junkanoo dancers or steel drum musicians.
Two eateries within The Bazaar will serve menus to match each festival. Spice will be a fast-casual venue with a rotating selection of destination-inspired dishes. Mosaic will be the open-kitchen, table-service restaurant with a changing menu inspired by that day's port of call. Celebrity Xcel will also offer an intimate Chef's Table experience at Mosaic, with a multicourse tasting menu featuring elevated dishes and childhood favorites from the different home countries of the line's culinary team members.
Passengers who want to get hands-on in the kitchen can sign up for Celebrity's first destination-inspired cooking school, Chef's Studio at Mosaic. Classes will mirror the day's festival themes, and guests can learn to make regional specialties.
Want to help Celebrity finalize the details of The Bazaar? As part of Celebrity's Dream Makers initiative, the public can be involved in creating Xcel's onboard spaces, including selecting activity options and menu items to be featured in The Bazaar. If you'd like to have a say, you can sign up on Celebrity's Dream Makers website.
The Bazaar is the first of seven reimagined spaces debuting on Celebrity Xcel when it launches in November 2025. Stay tuned for more Xcel news throughout the year.
Bookings are already open for Celebrity Xcel, which will debut in Fort Lauderdale with alternating seven-night cruises to the Bahamas, Mexico and the Cayman Islands or the Dominican Republic, St. Thomas and St. Maarten.
The ship will reposition to Europe in the summer of 2026, where it will offer seven- to 11-night sailings from Barcelona and Piraeus, Greece (the port for Athens), featuring overnight stays in Madeira, Portugal.
Celebrity also recently announced it will build a second Xcel ship to debut in 2028.
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