Celebrity Cruises’ newest cruise ship is making its debut in Europe this summer with a series of Mediterranean sailings.
Celebrity Xcel launched in November 2025 with Caribbean sailings, but will homeport in the Med this summer.
Guests can choose from seven or eight night cruises from Barcelona and can time sailings with events, including the start of the Tour de France, Festival de Marseille, and the Vedema wine harvest in Santorini.
An early June sailing from Barcelona will feature the ship’s first overnight stay in Madeira on 5 June.
A seven-night Italy, Spain and French Riviera sailing departing from Barcelona on 27 June 2026 returns to Barcelona for the Tour de France Grand Depart on 4 July.
Additionally, a seven-night Spain and France sailing, departing on 4 July, will visit Provence in time for the Festival de Marseille.
Later in the season, sailings visiting Santorini in September coincide with the start of the Greek island’s Vedema wine harvest.
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Guests can also immerse themselves in the Med destinations without even leaving the cruise ship by visiting The Bazaar, where local performers and artisan shops are brought onboard. Expect destination-themed festivals, complete with locally-inspired food and drink.
The Bazaar’s themes will include a Greek-inspired Opa Festival with plenty of moussaka and baklava, or you can get your fix of flamenco and sangria during an onboard Salud Spanish festival.
Other features include Mediterranean restaurant Bora, an adult-only games room, and an expansive pool deck with a giant steel monkey sculpture and private cabanas.
The ship is hosting three exclusive shows in The Theatre. These include Mainstage, a live music concert that transports audiences to the world’s top music festivals, featuring hits from artists across the decades.
Guests can also travel back to 1920s Hollywood for Between Takes, or take in a performance of Chapters, described as “a poetic and visually stunning journey through nature, transformation, and self-discovery”.
Prices start from £519 per person.
If you want a cruise closer to home, Celebrity Apex is departing from Southampton for Med sailings during the summer for the third year in a row.
Read more: I went behind the scenes to see the new Celebrity River Cruises ships
