Celebrity Cruises has unveiled its completely fresh offering for onboard entertainment with the launch of Celebrity Xcel this November, featuring the largest resident performance cast in Celebrity history, cutting-edge theatre and an array of immersive experiences.
*All details correct at time of publish (20 October 2025)
Guests have also helped to shape the entertainment through the Xcel Dream Makers programme, influencing costumes, themes, and headline acts.
Main Highlights:
- Three all-new theatre productions, featuring aerialists, parkour artists, and kinetic LED technology
- Two immersive club shows: “254 West” (an 80s throwback party) and “HOTEL” (a comedic cabaret-style whodunit)
- Live music experiences, including a candlelit Classic Rock concert, country-themed Saddle Up Saloon, and Mediterranean-inspired Bora brunch ballad
- The Bazaar, a concept hosting four rotating festivals celebrating the cultures of The Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands, and the Dominican Republic
Celebrity Xcel will sail seven-night itineraries from Fort Lauderdale this winter, with Mediterranean voyages launching in Summer 2026.
When Celebrity Xcel sets sail in November, with all-new entertainment experiences, featuring the most resident performers delivering the greatest variety ever offered by the holiday brand.
With three brand-new theatre productions, two interactive club shows, music experiences, elevated high-energy dance parties, interactive activities and endless surprises in between.
Lisa Lehr, Vice President of Entertainment for Celebrity Cruises, said:
“Celebrity Xcel will further elevate Celebrity’s award-winning offering to create a world-class entertainment destination that guests are going to love.
“With over 75 resident performers, guests will find unforgettable experiences and unexpected surprises at every turn.”
At the heart of the all-new entertainment lineup are three spectacular production shows in The Theatre – custom-developed by industry-leading creative visionaries with credentials spanning theatre, film, television, and concert tours for world-renowned artists.
Featuring Celebrity’s largest cast, these shows combine world-class singers, dancers, parkour artists, and speciality aerial performers with cutting-edge technology, including kinetic lighting, laser video etching, projection mapping, pyrotechnics, and a 110-foot curved kinetic LED screen.
Mainstage is a high-energy live music concert that transports audiences to the world’s most iconic music festivals, featuring hits from top artists across the decades.
Guests will sing along as they are immersed in festivals that span electrifying dance vibes to country soul, and everything in between – Mainstage is a celebration of music and culture.
Between Takes transports guests to a 1920s Hollywood backlot straight into the mayhem that ensues between CUT and ACTION, as a crew endeavours to create the next blockbuster.
This spectacle juxtaposes the glamour of the screen with the reality of life on set using dynamic, colour-changing set design. Guests will witness jaw-dropping Hollywood scenes, incredible vocals, high-flying stunts, and mind-blowing choreography.
Chapters is a poetic and visually stunning journey through nature, transformation, and self-discovery. The journey through each chapter reflects growth, change, and connection — inviting guests to see themselves in the stories unfolding on stage.
In The Club, two new interactive shows invite guests to lose themselves in an earlier time and place:
254 West guests find themselves in the 80s on the closing night for the iconic “254 West” club. But the party isn’t over yet, as guests are invited to join in the high-energy celebration, where groovy vibes await. After closing time, guests are invited to stay for the 254 West After Party.
HOTEL brings a scandal, a spectacle, and a crime that needs solving – this comedic “whodunit” performance features cabaret flair, razor-sharp wit, and keeps audiences guessing from check-in to checkout.
Featuring bold musical numbers, eccentric characters, and twists at every turn, the only question is: will guests solve the mystery before it’s time to pack their bags?
Live music and multiple new dance parties beckon guests to the dance floor:
Piano bar entertainment will have guests singing along to their favourite hits.
Guests can throw on their boots and grab their cowboy hats for an elevated country music party – Saddle Up Saloon. Dance along as a live band plays classic country favourites and fresh hits.
A candlelit concert experience will celebrate Classic Rock’s most iconic artists. Guests will be swept up and energised by electrifying anthems, classic hits, and thunderous guitar riffs – all illuminated by the gentle glow of candlelight.
The magic of the Mediterranean awaits at Bora. By day, roaming musicians play energetic hits to keep the brunch vibes high, while at night, a backdrop of Greek ballads and Italian love songs will round out an unforgettable evening.
Plus, an even more electric Shine the Night party returns, enticing guests to end the perfect date dancing under the stars in their shiniest outfits.
At The Bazaar, authentic entertainment extends guests’ time in the destinations they visit even after the ship pulls away from port. Four unique festivals – Carnival, Aqua, Viva and Flora – celebrate the cultures of destinations the ship visits.
From the costumes to the music, guests will find regional entertainment that brings the beauty of The Bahamas, Mexico, the Cayman Islands and the Dominican Republic to life.
At The Bazaar, guests will never step into the same space twice, as performances and activities evolve between days and throughout days – from hands-on activities like salt scrub making, to roving live musicians.
For guests seeking friendly competition that’s sure to create lasting memories, new games on Celebrity Xcel offer fun for all ages:
High Stakes is a high-energy, mass participatory elimination game show driven by instinct, luck, and suspense. By choosing between “Celebrity Blue” and “Tangerine”, players will be eliminated until one winner emerges from a crowd of participants.
Brain Spin is a fast-paced game show that combines the thrill of spinning the wheel with strategic thinking, challenging guests to collect all eight sections of their “mind map.” The first contestant to complete all eight wins the game.
Guests will bring a robot to life in an escape room-style game that challenges guests to build a unique circuit board using clues and props hidden in locked boxes.
In a destination-themed mystery game, guests must assemble a world map to eliminate destinations and find hidden treasure.
Game On at The Club is back and better than ever. Offering the most games in Celebrity Cruises’ fleet, this new spin on a retro arcade experience projects crowd-favourite games onto the floor, inviting players to compete in interactive competitions using their own body as a controller.
For guests under 18, a new, interactive digital game wall will level up the gaming experience at our award-winning youth program, Camp at Sea, with more than 50 new games that span sports to education.
From November, Celebrity Xcel will sail her inaugural season from Fort Lauderdale, offering seven-night itineraries alternating between The Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands, and Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten.
In Summer 2026, Celebrity Xcel will set sail on her inaugural European season where guests can immerse themselves in the Mediterranean like never before on seven- to 11-night journeys out of Barcelona and Athens, including all-new overnight stays in Madeira, Portugal.
Agents can visit Celebrity Central for more information.
Visit the Travel Pursuit News Hub for more exciting updates.
