Celebrity Xcel to Sail President’s Cruise in 2026
As excitement builds for the debut of the Celebrity Xcel in November 2025, Celebrity Cruises is adding more energy to the frenzy by announcing its next President’s Cruise will take place on the new Edge Class ship.
The annual specialty cruise will sail the Mediterranean from September 13 to 21, 2026, aboard the 141,420-gross-ton, 3,260-passenger Celebrity Xcel.
Its 8-night itinerary, sailing from Athens, Greece, to Barcelona, Spain, will call in Mykonos, Rhodes, and Santorini, Greece, as well as Ephesus, Turkey, and Malta.
The President’s cruise is a highlight event for members of Celebrity Cruises’ Captain’s Club loyalty program.
“Our annual President’s Cruise is my favorite sailing of the year as we dedicate a full itinerary to celebrating and spending time with our Captain’s Club members,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises.
“The entire Celebrity team love hearing guests’ stories and experiences, and the feedback we receive while onboard is instrumental in shaping the future of Celebrity Cruises’ guest experience,” she added.
The cruise line promises to offer an array of curated shore excursions and onboard events unique to the 2026 sailing, much like its recent 2025 President’s Cruise that recently wrapped up on Celebrity Apex.
That cruise from Southampton, England, May 17 to 25, 2025, sailed to the Norwegian Fjords and visited destinations such as Bruges, Belgium, and Flåm and Valldal, Norway.
The voyage began with a first-ever pre-cruise City Stay in London, where attendees toured Kensington Palace and attended a gala dinner at the Natural History Museum. Entertainment included a performance by West End actor Cedric Neal.
On board, passengers were welcomed with an English garden-themed sail away party and live Beatles tribute band performance.
Activities throughout the week included an onboard cooking competition, a fireside chat with Michelin-starred Chef Daniel Boulud, and a Chocolate Wonderland pop-up in the Grand Plaza.
Boulud, who serves as Celebrity’s global culinary ambassador, also prepared a lunch for Zenith-level loyalty members – the highest status in the Captain’s Club – and signed books after his talk.
A preview tasting of Bora, a new brunch venue set to debut on Celebrity Xcel, gave guests an early look at the brand’s evolving dining options.
The 2026 President’s Cruise aboard Celebrity Xcel is expected to feature similar-themed experiences and leadership access. Details on special events and excursions will be released closer to the sailing date.
Almost Ready for Her Debut
The new celebrity Xcel is currently under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, and is the fifth vessel in the cruise line’s Edge Series.
The ship was scheduled to sail its maiden voyage from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on November 18, 2025, on a 5-night roundtrip voyage with stops in Bimini, Bahamas, and Cozumel, Mexico.
However, construction is ahead of schedule and the ship will offer an even earlier preview cruise for guests.
Following the maiden voyage, Celebrity Xcel will spend her inaugural season in the Caribbean, operating a series of 7-night roundtrip cruises from Port Everglades. Guests will have a choice of visiting the Bahamas, Mexico, and the Cayman Islands or the Dominican Republic, US Virgin Islands, and St. Maarten.
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The vessel will reposition to Europe in April 2026, where she will offer 7- to 11-night cruises in the Mediterranean. After the President’s Cruise, Celebrity Xcel will return to the Caribbean for winter 2026-27.
The President’s Cruise is exclusive to members of the free Captain’s Club. Entry-level Preview members join after their first cruise and can then move up to Classic, Select, Elite, Elite Plus, and Zenith membership based on points earned on cruises.