The first piece of steel was cut and construction has begun on Celebrity Cruises sixth Edge Series ship. The new Celebrity Xcite is expected to set sail in 2028.

Celebrity Cruises has also taken delivery of Celebrity Xcel. The ship will sail her inaugural season from Fort Lauderdale, offering seven-night itineraries alternating between The Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands and Puerto Plata, St. Thomas and St. Maarten.

“Celebrity Xcel has been designed with our guests as our north star. We even involved them in the design process through the Xcel Dream Makers program, so we know she will be the happy place of vacationers globally,” Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises, said in a press release.

“We’re thrilled to welcome guests aboard next month and are excited to further expand these offerings on Celebrity Xcite,” Bethge said.

“Celebrity Xcel represents the next bold step in our journey to transform the way the world experiences premium travel,” Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group president and CEO, said in a press release.

“Each ship in the Edge Series has reimagined what’s possible at sea through elevated design and experiences that deepen the connection to the destinations being visited,” Liberty said.

“With Celebrity Xcel now joining the fleet and Celebrity Xcite on the horizon, we’re continuing to set new standards for excellence and innovation alongside our trusted partners at Chantiers de l’Atlantique,” Liberty said.

Celebrity Xcite is being constructed at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire.

“Celebrity Xcel and the entire Edge Series is the result of close collaboration between our teams,” Laurent Castaing, general manager of Chantiers de l’Atlantique, said in a press release. “Our continued partnership with Royal Caribbean Group on Celebrity Xcite reflects a shared commitment to excellence and innovation.”

Royal Caribbean Group executives and Celebrity Cruises crew gathered to celebrate the handover of Celebrity Xcel from Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Welcoming the newest addition to the Celebrity Cruises fleet were Liberty, Hodges Bethge, Castaing and Celebrity Xcel Captain Kyriakos Matragkas.

Executives were also joined by more than 1,600 Celebrity Xcel crew members in the celebration.

The milestone was marked with time-honored maritime traditions, including a formal signing ceremony, the symbolic changing of flags aboard the vessel and a celebratory toast in the ship’s spectacular three-story Grand Plaza.

Photos courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

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