First Impressions From Inaugural Sailing Out of Port Everglades

I am currently cruising on a media inaugural sailing for Celebrity Xcel, the newest ship in the Celebrity Cruises fleet.  Even after less than 24 hours on the ship, it’s already my favorite Edge-class vessel. This article will highlight some of my first impressions with more to come in the future.

Having sailed on Edge-class ships before, I was already familiar with the layout of Xcel, but with seven new spaces and places on this 5^th Edge vessel, some areas have a totally different vibe.

I’m an invited guest on this inaugural sailing, and as it’s just a 2-day trip, I’m getting a very condensed experience.  Still, I’ve been running around the ship to get as many pictures and videos as possible for all of our Cruise Fever fans to check out. 

If you haven’t already done so, be sure to check out our photo tour of the ship in the Facebook post below:

The Bazaar

I’ll start with the more transformative part of the ship that was completely redefined.  The Bazaar experience begins before you ever walk into the reimagined space. 

The entrance to the Bazaar really sets the tone for one of four festivals: Carnival, Aqua, Viva, and Flora. The walkway is filled with offset LED archways that display the festival for the day as the light bounces off the reflective walls. 

But besides the optical immersion that almost forces you to meander through the entrance, it was the actual smell that grabbed my attention the most. Celebrity Cruises crafted a unique scent for each festival, and it fills the air as you walk through the colorful arches.

I found the smells so amazing I’m tempted to ask if I can purchase them in a bottle to bring back home (which I’m sure is not even a thing by the way).

After walking through a deep and vibrant red area with a more neutral scent, affectionally known as the pallet cleanse, the colors of the Bazaar begin to emerge.

Huge LED screen archways, walls, and curved structures reflect the festival and illuminate the entire area. There is plenty of comfortable seating, and I’m actually sitting at the top part of the Bazaar right now, overlooking the gigantic, multi-deck, triangular windows that provide that iconic aft view.

The all-new Spice Café, on the port side of the ship in the Bazaar, has been a huge hit for me already. Amazing selections of culinary treats, coffees, and specialty drinks are available. But my favorite part is the enclosed seating area. It’s like a little solarium where you can sit and enjoy some good eats. On other Edge-class ships this area was outside and not as easily accessible.

This whole area has always been a favorite spot of mine. I love the design of the sloped walkway along the glass, the multi-level platforms and the comfy seating areas. “Pop-up” entertainment takes places in the Bazaar all throughout the day, so you never know what will happen next if you just want to hang out and enjoy the ocean views for a while.

Market at the Bazaar is a really cool concept as well. Celebrity has partnered with local artisans to sell their products and goods, helping local communities based on the theme for the festival and the destination of the ship. You will see these products on the way to the Bazaar (outside of Blu), and Celebrity even stated allowing local artisans onto the ship to sell their crafted goods when the ship is in port.

The Club

Another area I really enjoyed, the Club is kind of a multi-purpose space that always has something going on. Whether it’s virtual projection games on the main floor of the two-deck lounge, some escape room type activities, or even some complementary throwback arcade games, it’s just a fun space.

Playing darts was really cool too. Cameras around the dart board can see where your darts hit and add the points automatically. There are several types of games you can play, and you can add several players for a game. There are even memes that pop up depending on how good or terrible your dart throw went.

Other games included NBA Jam, Golden Tee, Shuffleboard, Pac-man, and some game stations that had multiple arcade games on them. This space is open 24/7 and dedicated to adults with no extra charge for any of the games.

The Annex is now accessible from the top level of the Club (instead of the entrance being near the back stairwell), and this allows cruisers to rent the space for golf simulation, and a ton of other simulation games on the big screen. Parties can even reserve the space to watch a big game and have all the food they want brought right to them.

The Club is always very busy at night with live music, shows, and all kinds of other activities, so cruisers will want to watch the daily schedule for events.

The Food

Food is so subjective on a cruise ship I always hesitate to even bring it up. But I’ve always been impressed with the quality and variety Celebrity offers. 

As I already mentioned, the treats at Spice Café were delicious, but it’s Oceanview Café that blows me away. This isn’t your normal cruise ship buffet. 

Whether it’s freshly baked bread (that you can see being made), specialty coffee that is ready almost as fast as you order it, or just a huge variety of not-your-run-of-the-mill foods, Oceanview Café is always a great option. And those floor to ceiling views on the starboard side are a feast for the eyes as your body enjoys another kind of feast.

I ate at the all-new BORA restaurant last night as well and really enjoyed the Mediterranean cuisine. The al fresco restaurant is adjacent to Rooftop Garden and has always been one of my favorite areas on Edge class. By the way, the flatbread that comes before the meal at BORA… wow!

BORA has a boozy brunch as well that sounds so perfect too. We’re talking French toast with ice cream and all kinds of other options.

I will be eating at Le Petit Chef tonight, so I’m really excited to see how that little animated chef will prepare my meal right in front of me.

The Cabin

My cabin is on deck 12, which I find to be the perfect deck for me. It’s one deck below the Resort Deck where you will find both the pool and Oceanview Café.

This cabin has an infinite veranda that just makes the room feel much more spacious. I love how it feels like a personal solarium when the window is closed and how private it feels compared to a standard balcony. Every cruiser has had that moment when a neighbor’s private conversation was not so private. The design of an infinite veranda insulates sound a lot better.

The blinds shut out the light very well, but if you want to peek out to see if the sun is up or not it’s not as easy as peeling back a curtain. Still, I prefer this style of balcony, knowing not every cruiser has this taste.

The shower area is nice and spacious as well, and the water pressure has been fantastic.  The nice solid glass shower door is much appreciated, and the Celebrity shower gel and shampoo is wonderful in my opinion.

Only one side of the bed has some power outlets, and I do wish both sides had this, but it’s not a huge deal.

Overall, the cabin has been a welcome place to call home for 2 days, and my cabin steward has been attentive and friendly.

The Spa

Edge-class ships have some of the best spas and thermal suites in the cruise industry. Celebrity Xcel has made a few improvements on an already great space.

More comfortable seating has been added to that forward outside space at the spa (Vitamin D Deck), and an all-new Hydro Soak room has been added for some lounging in relaxing hot water.

Celebrity cruisers love the heated tile loungers that face the forward windows and soak in sunlight, and this ship has not disappointed. There are also several saunas with different aromas and therapies, a salt room, a dry sauna that has a great forward view, and an incredible rainfall water therapy room, where you can walk through the different scents.

Overall

Even after just one day it’s impossible to squeeze in every perspective I have on this ship.  But the premium feel of this vessel is palpable. Celebrity has taken the input from guests on other Edge-class ships and adapted Xcel to meet these desires. It’s all about attention to detail, and this ship seems to have hit the sweet spot for cruisers who want a more elevated experience.

There’s a lot more I can say, but I only have the rest of today to enjoy this ship.  So, if you excuse me, I think I will grab a pistachio cannoli and enjoy some ocean views.