What’s on the Celebrity Xcel? A Complete Guide to the Ship’s Best Dining, Bars, Shops, and Entertainment

Pulling up to a cruise port generally looks the same. There is traffic, officers directing people, and tons of guests. But the difference with Celebrity Xcel is the port seems more intimate, there are not rows and rows of chairs. There are chic benches just in case you do have to wait a few minutes. Boarding is the same process of scanning your boarding pass and having your ID checked. It is time to make your way up the gangway and are greeted by a handful of crew showing you the way. But what happens next is the magic.

Exploring the ship is one of the most exciting parts of a cruise vacation. Around almost every turn on the Celebrity Xcel there are art pieces, restaurants, and even shops! Let’s chat a little about each of the spaces that you can see on the brand new ship!

One of my favorite places to have a seat, enjoy live music or a DJ, and sip on a spectacular beverage is the Martini Bar. The main bar is located on deck 3, with some seating along the wall and around the bar along with a dance floor. A few steps lead to a raised area with more velvety seats and chairs around the opposite side of the seating directly on deck 3. The bartenders and servers are always very friendly, and the menu is phenomenal! The chandelier is really the centerpiece of the room, and even has its own event on the Celebrity Cruise Line app.

The next location that I want to mention is the Markets at the Bazaar and The Bazaar. The Markets at the Bazaar offers a different local artisan shop around each bend of the wall. Necklaces, soaps, hot sauces, chocolates, and even hand crafted bags are available for purchase. During one pass through there was an artist painting a canvas during the sailing.

Continuing through the Markets at the Bazaar you come to the entrance of The Bazaar there is a whimsical entrance with LED screens. The Bazaar has different themed days, and we were able to experience the Carnival theme and the Aqua theme. Carnival was designed with bright colors, tropical and florals, and caribbean style music. Aqua was of course beautiful blues with an under the sea type theme. The LED wall inside of the Bazaar featured a “moving ocean” where the waves crashed. Each day the drink menus featured exclusive drinks for that day. There are multiple areas of The Bazaar to lounge and enjoy the atmosphere, including seating that overlooks the entire area. It is also home to Spice, a quick grab and go food location and Mosaic, a specialty dining experience. On the main level there are also a few areas where guests can create their own crafts for a small fee! We were able to make a trinket tray, sugar scrub, destination sign, and an adorable maraca!

The Craft Social, located on Deck 4, is the sports bar onboard. There is a small bites type menu available to order food while enjoying the sports on the televisions. While onboard we tried just about every food option there, and it was all amazing!

Also on Deck 4 guests will find the Celebrity Shops. This is where boutique style shopping can be found. Everything from sunglasses, perfumes, pool wear, to jewelry and even those small items that you may need or have forgotten (pain medicine, lotion, etc.) can be found. The other shop on the ship is the Celebrity Flagship. This is where guests will find all of their Celebrity Cruise Line themed merchandise. The store offers things like Spirit Jerseys, sweatshirts, hats, sweatsuits, cups, decor, and even a gorgeous blue robe and slippers!

Let’s chat about some main dining options. There are four main dining options that are included in the price of your Celebrity Cruise Vacation. The main menu in each of the restaurants are the same, but each location has a portion of the menu where the items are exclusive to that place. Cosmopolitan Restaurant is an American themed restaurant with a hint of global influence. This menu includes items like Cauliflower Flan, Oxtail Royale, and Pan-Seared Cod found on the menu.  Cyprus Restaurant is a Mediterranean style restaurant where items like Lamb Shank, Greek Mezze Board, and Grilled Octopus are on the menu. Both of these restaurants are located on Deck 4.

Just below on Deck 3, guests will find the other two main dining locations of Normandie Restaurant and Tuscan Restaurant. The Normandie Restaurant is considered a French cuisine with a contemporary flare. Items on this menu would be Turkey Terrine and Radish Carpaccio, Beef Sirloin en Croute, and Pan-Seared Duck Breast. The Tuscan Restaurant is of course an Italian style location with menu items like Creamy Tuscan Shrimp Soup, Strozzapreti Carbonara, and Slow-Roasted Herbed Tuscan Pork Chop.

Another dining included in your Celebrity Xcel cruise is the Oceanview Cafe! This marketplace style dining location offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even late night snacks! The dinner menu is rotational with international menus. There is also a full bar inside the cafe!

Switching gears, there are kids clubs onboard the Celebrity Xcel! Camp at Sea offers programs for children ages 3-12! Ages 3-5 are in one location, ages 6-9 are kept together in another, and ages 10-12 are in a different area. There are games, TV’s, and of course staff there interacting with the children.There are complimentary activity times each day along with additional services like early morning hours, lunch hours, dinner hours, and late hours for a fee. The Basement is also a club for kids ages 13-17. There are complimentary hours of activities during both port days and sea days.

Continuing with the entertainment aspect of the ship, there are two venues where a ton of fun happens. The Theatre is located on Deck 4 and Deck 5. Here live performances of some of the most amazing musical shows I have seen are on stage. Just down the way from The Theatre, guests will find The Club (Deck 4) and The Attic at The Club (Deck 5). The lower level is used for games shows, line dancing, musical performances, and so much more! In the back corner there is a working photobooth, which helps create even more fun memories! The upper level (The Attic) features a golf simulator, darts, and arcade games!

Looking for a way to relax while at sea? The Spa is the perfect place for you! On the Celebrity Xcel, the spa is the largest on any of the Celebrity Cruise Line ships. It is over 30,000 square feet which is home to over 30 treatment rooms. The Xcel also is the first ship to feature a new space called Vitamin D Deck, which is outdoors and has loungers, day beds, and sofas to enjoy while soaking up some vitamin D and vitamin sea. There is also the Thermal Suite which includes rooms like the Salt Room, Aroma Steam, Turkish Bath, Water Therapy (with 5 different showers), Hydra Room, and the Infrared Sauna. The Thermal Suites are included in guests staying Aqua Class or Premium Suites, but guests outside of those categories can purchase a day pass or cruise length pass to enjoy the Thermal Suites.

While these are just some of the amazing spaces on the brand new Celebrity Cruise Line Celebrity Xcel, there is so much more of this ship to explore. The different cabin types, specialty restaurants, and all of the bars and lounges, there is so much to explore during your next Celebrity Xcel. Be sure to utilize the planning services of All In Vacay to book your next vacation.