by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 3:05 PM ET, Thu June 13, 2024
Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship, Celebrity Xcel, has reached a major construction milestone. This week, crew at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, lowered the first 739-ton steel block into place to start building the vessel.
Cruise line executives were on-site for the traditional keel laying ceremony, which included placing newly minted coins on the first piece of steel to bestow good luck on the vessel. The coin design commemorated NASA’s Saturn V rocket.
The 3,260-guest ship, slated to debut in November 2025, is the newest ship in Celebrity’s Edge Class. Celebrity Xcel will be the brand’s first ship that’s compatible of running on methanol, a key step in Royal Caribbean Group’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
“We can’t wait to debut Celebrity Xcel and her unrivaled guest experiences, living up to her name in every way with surprises that confirm ‘Nothing Comes Close’ to a Celebrity vacation,” says Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “We are grateful for the continued partnership of the Chantiers de l’Atlantique team for lending their craftsmanship to further elevate the innovative design and world-class features of our beloved Edge Series ships.”
Celebrity Xcel will spend her first season homeporting in Fort Lauderdale and offering 7-night itineraries between the Bahamas, Mexico and the Cayman Islands, Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. Sailings are open for booking.
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