Tag Archives: Celebrity Xcel

Liberty: Pricing Higher in Caribbean Despite Capacity Increase

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Liberty: Pricing Higher in Caribbean Despite Capacity Increase

Jason Liberty, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, said that the company’s pricing for Caribbean voyages was up despite the industry’s significant capacity increase in the region.

He said this was for all three company brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea.

“We’re seeing high demand wanting to go to the Caribbean. We’re not only seeing good volume, but our pricing is higher in the Caribbean than it was last year,” Liberty said.

Speaking on the company’s year-end and fourth quarter earnings call, Liberty made sure to mention the cruise line expected positive yield growth for key products, including the Caribbean, as its investments continued to differentiate it from its peers and strengthen its leadership position, despite elevated capacity in the Caribbean.

“And I know that may not feed into what maybe some groups want to hear, but that is a reality that we continue to see strong demand for the Caribbean, and we continue to see strong demand for our broader organization,” he added.

Liberty said company capacity was up 6.7 percent year-over-year, driven by the new Legend of the Seas launching this summer plus full-year service from the Star of the Seas and Celebrity Xcel.

Celebrity Xcel to Enter Service Early

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Celebrity APEX photo credit Spacejunkie2 flickr

Celebrity Cruises’ next Edge-class ship, the Celebrity Xcel, will enter service earlier than initially planned.

According to a statement issued by the company, the 3,260-guest vessel will offer a short preview cruise ahead of its maiden voyage in November.

“We have an important update on the arrival of the Celebrity Xcel into Fort Lauderdale,” Celebrity said in a message to booked guests.

“Our teams have been working diligently on building our new ship, and the completion is now earlier than we had originally anticipated,” the company added.

As a result, the Xcel will sail from Port Everglades for a new four-night cruise to Cozumel, Mexico, on Nov. 9, 2025.

According to the company, the ship is entering service earlier. Inaugural festivities are still set to take place during the ship’s Nov. 18, 2025, sailing.

Passengers who booked the inaugural cruise are being offered a chance to change their reservations to the new preview sailing.

“We understand that for some guests, it’s important to be the first onboard, and for others, being part of the inaugural celebrations is what matters most,” Celebrity explained.

“With this added sailing, we wanted to give you an exclusive opportunity to be the first to join us for our new sailing, or have the option of switching, if that’s what you prefer,” the company continued.

Passengers who opt to change their reservation to the new preview cruise will sail in the same exact suite or like-for-like staterooms currently booked.

While suite guests will have the same booked suites held for them as a courtesy, the offers are on a first-come, first-served basis, Celebrity noted.

The cruise fare rate will be adjusted to the current prevailing rate, and guests will be refunded for the difference if there’s an overpayment.

Currently under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France, the Celebrity Xcel is the fifth in Celebrity’s Edge-class series.

After its inaugural cruise, the 140,600-ton ship launches a series of seven-night cruises to the Caribbean departing from Fort Lauderdale.

Celebrity Xcel Named As Next Ship For Celebrity Cruises

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Celebrity Cruises announced today that the fifth ship in its Edge Series will be named Celebrity Xcel, and will debut in 2025. The company previously announced the ship would be methanol ready.

The reveal was made at Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, as executives from both Royal Caribbean Group and the yard celebrated the steel cutting.

“The Edge Series has shattered preconceived notions of cruising, and I am thrilled to announce our next bold step as a brand with Celebrity Xcel,” said Celebrity Cruises’ President Laura Hodges Bethge. “True to her name, this next ship will ‘Xcel’ beyond her sister ships with entirely new experiences, yet to be revealed, but that will change the game all over again.”

The Celebrity Xcel will make her debut in November 2025 in the Caribbean, sailing her inaugural winter season from Fort Lauderdale, on 7-night itineraries alternating between the Bahamas, Mexico and the Cayman Islands, and Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. The sailings are now open for sale.