We Explored Celebrity Xcel’s 7 New Spaces—Here’s How They Elevate Your Cruise

If you're curious about what makes Celebrity Xcel, the newest ship in Celebrity Cruises' fleet, feel fresh, immersive, and experience-forward, we’ve had firsthand access to it…and it's fantastic! It truly elevates the Edge-class ships you know and love without taking away the beloved classics you'd miss if they weren't there.

Below, we break down the seven brand-new spaces that debuted exclusively on Xcel, including how each one can take your next vacation to new levels.

Disclosure: This page has affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you click the link and proceed with a purchase at no cost to you. Thank you to Celebrity Cruises for hosting us on Xcel. We recommend cruises, experiences, products, and services we personally use. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Overview of the newest features of Xcel

Celebrity Xcel adds seven new venues, blending destination immersion, new dining concepts, wellness, nostalgia, and a hidden speakeasy.

1. The Bazaar is the most significant transformation from Edge-class ships with “Eden.” This space is now an all-day hub that blurs ship and shore lines with festivals, markets, and new dining.
2. Bora, the new rooftop restaurant, shifts from boozy brunch to tableside chef-driven dinners.
3. The Celebrity Pool Club elevates relaxation with thoughtful design, shade, and new wellness rooms.
4. The Attic delivers grown-up fun with retro arcade games and bar-style social play.
5. A first-ever Celebrity Flagship store and museum brings brand history to life. (It was a personal favorite!)
6. Expanded Spa with first-ever Hydra Room, and outdoor Vitamin D Deck, offering more ways to rest and restore.
7. A secret speakeasy hides behind a photo booth—one of Xcel’s most playful additions that truly wowed us.

Inside Celebrity Xcel’s Seven All-New Experiences

1. The Bazaar: The Heart of Xcel’s New Identity

The Bazaar is Celebrity Xcel’s most ambitious new space. It's in the former “Eden” space on other Edge ships, including Apex, Edge, and Beyond. The new area is a hybrid of a food hall, a cultural market, a live-entertainment zone, and an itinerary-based festival hub.

Guests enter the area through a destination-inspired tunnel that sets the tone for what’s inside. It's comprised of archways made from high-tech screens, and the crew has the ability to change the graphics on them. We saw it change from marine-inspired on an Aqua day to a colorful and lush tropical scene the next day, when the Caribbean-inspired Viva! day debuted. This is what was formerly the space that connected the high-end shopping areas to Eden, and usually had impressive sculptures in it.

In addition to the immersive screens tunnel that leads guests into The Bazaar, its three main areas are:

• Mosaic: Sit-down restaurant open for dinner that requires specialty dining reservations. It has a destination-led focus.
• Spice Café: Globally inspired, quick-serve dishes served over the counter. Here, you'll find rice bowls made to order, destination-inspired sandwiches, a cafe with destination-inspired desserts, and an all-new glass-enclosed dining area. We love that it allows you to steer clear of the wind on outside decks while soaking up the sun and views.
• The Market: Artisan local products are now sold onboard within four itinerary-specific festivals. (We expect the itinerary-specific festivals to expand over time.) It’s the standout option for travelers who want cultural immersion without ever leaving the ship. While we were walking through The Market, we wondered if Celebrity would add this aspect of cruising to its river ships when they debut.

Four overlays are currently scheduled to rotate on Caribbean itineraries: Carnival, Aqua, VIVA!, and Flora.

2. Bora: A Day-to-Night Rooftop Restaurant

The Rooftop Garden leads into a restaurant, as it does on other Edge-class ships. But on Xcel, it is a transformed Mediterranean-inspired destination. Named Bora, the restaurant experience transitions from lively, boozy brunches in the daytime to intimate, chef-driven dinners at night with tableside preparations and shareable global dishes—ideal for food lovers, brunch enthusiasts, and couples who enjoy open-air dining.

We really enjoyed both experiences there, starting with Bloody Marys in the afternoon for brunch, ending with wine that had been aged in sea barrels in the Adriatic sea at night, complete with Greek salad and seafood dishes to finish our day.

3. The Celebrity Pool Club: A New Standard in Poolside Relaxation

Xcel’s pool deck, available to all guests, now features thoughtful additions, including a pool valet offering chilled towels, sunscreen, card games, and personal-item storage (lockers, right next to the pool).

Whereas the modern, shaded cabanas face outward towards the ocean (towards the Magic Carpet) on previous iterations of Edge-class ships, on Xcel, they face inwards, toward the pool. Now, the space feels closer to a resort pool than a typical cruise ship pool deck.

However, don't forget that if you're in The Retreat, you get access to the suite class's private pool deck and sun deck.

4. Attic at The Club — A Retro Games Lounge for Adults

This 24/7 adults-only lounge leans heavily into nostalgic fun with Pac-Man, NBA Showtime, Golden Tee, shuffleboard, darts, foosball, and pool. It’s one of the most distinctive “grown-up play areas” at sea and a great social spot for friend groups and couples. Because Dan absolutely loves Golden Tee (a golf game) he was in heaven! If we were ever nearby, even if just for a quick swing of the golf club (which is activated by rolling a ball on the control board), Dan couldn't resist a stop inside the Attic.

5. The First-Ever Celebrity Flagship: Part Museum, Part Retail

This new concept blends the history of the Celebrity Cruises brand with modern interactive elements. As Dan and I both enjoy history when we travel, this really adds an element that we didn't even know was missing from the ships, growing our affinity for the brand.

Inside the space, you'll find historical artifacts, vintage collectibles, and interactive screens with trivia and insider stories. There are uniforms from the 90s when Celebrity Cruises was first part of the Chandris Group, ashtrays, menus, and more. There is also an elevated retail section with exclusive merchandise for the ship next door. It’s a must-see area for new and long-time Celebrity fans.

6. An Expanded Spa: The First Hydra Room and Vitamin D Deck

The spa expands on Xcel from previous Edge-class ships. Here, it includes the first Hydra Room in the fleet, which is an indoor water-therapy concept designed for muscle relaxation and circulation. There is a soothing waterfall in the room and a few stationary lounge chairs in the water.

Additionally, there is an outdoor Vitamin D Deck offering peaceful, sunlit relaxation with cushioned lounge chairs and umbrellas to shield from too much sun. It’s an excellent addition for wellness-focused travelers, and one that AquaClass guests will especially love is now included in the spa.

Lastly, and worth mentioning, is an expanded manicure and hair section of the spa, perfect for haircuts and wedding parties to celebrate onboard nuptials.

7. The Club's Photo Booth: Leads to a Secret Speakeasy

The seventh space was all very “hush hush” when we were on board the ship. However, we are confident that sharing limited details about the photo booth that leads to a hidden area will not hinder your experience and will also ensure you don't miss it.

One of the most playful new spaces onboard is a photo booth, which is accessible via Deck 4's entrance to The Club. The photo booth is a bunch of fun in itself—we used to use an app that allowed us to create photo strips everywhere we traveled, but that app no longer exists. So we were thrilled when we were invited to take photos in said photo booth.

Well, imagine our delight when we were directed to a hidden speakeasy filled with jazz performers, exclusive cocktails and mocktails, and a moody, intimate atmosphere after the three pictures in the booth were complete! What's more? The photo strips are our only memory because no photos or videos are allowed inside. Which, if you ask us, is nice. It allows you to be present, enjoy the entertainment, and focus on who you're with.

The cocktails average $22 each. If you're on the drinks package, drinks up to $19 each are included, so you only have to pay the $3 difference. You also get some elevated bar snacks inside; we won't tell you what they are so as not to spoil the details!

The speakeasy adds a touch of onboard mystery to the ship!

How Xcel's New Spaces Change the Edge-Class Experience

Celebrity Xcel maintains the best aspects of the Edge-class design (like the Magic Carpet, The Retreat, World Class Bar, Martini Bar, and restaurants like Raw on 5 and Le Petit Chef) but expands the cruise experience with deeper cultural immersion, new dining concepts, more varied entertainment, enhanced outdoor comfort, and upgraded wellness options. It feels familiar to Celebrity fans yet significantly refreshed.

And we didn't even talk about the new shows onboard, which really wowed us, including Club 254 in The Club, showcasing the best of the disco era, and Between Takes, the show on the big stage that incorporates onboard lasers, lighting, and set design elements as never before seen.

Should You Use a Travel Planner or Travel Advisor for Celebrity Xcel?

With so many new experiences on board, planning a Celebrity Xcel cruise can get overwhelming. Reach out to use a travel planner (like us), which is ideal if you want a custom schedule, help choosing itineraries or staterooms, and strategic guidance on dining and activities while still booking everything yourself. Our recommended travel advisor team is best if you want someone to handle all bookings for you, access to potential perks or promos, expert coordination of air and hotel, and support if anything unexpected occurs.

Final Thoughts: Is Celebrity Xcel Worth Booking?

Absolutely. With seven new immersive venues, expanded wellness areas, new culinary concepts, upgraded pool experiences, and a secret speakeasy, Celebrity Xcel stands out as the most culture-rich and experience-forward ship Celebrity has launched to date. Do not think that if you've been on previous Edge ships, you're going to experience the same thing on Xcel, because you absolutely will not!

Cruising on Xcel is an outstanding choice for existing Celebrity Cruises' Captain Club loyalty program members and new-to-Celebrity travelers who want a cruise that blends relaxation, discovery, and elevated design.