5 Star Reasons to Set Sail on the All-New Celebrity Xcel

★ Highlight One

Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud — The World's First Forbes Five-Star Restaurant at Sea

On Christmas Eve, we made a decision that turned into one of the finest meals of our lives. We reserved Le Voyage — the 50-seat signature restaurant created in partnership with multi-Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud, Celebrity's Global Culinary Ambassador. Available only on select Edge-class ships, the Xcel rendition has now officially earned the distinction of being the first restaurant at sea to receive a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating — the same standard applied to the world's greatest restaurants on land. That is not marketing language. That is a verified, independently judged achievement, announced in 2026.

We began with smoked salmon loin with caviar cream and a Vidalia Onion Tart — accompanied by what I will say without hesitation is the finest bread and butter I have ever been served anywhere, on land or at sea. The entrées were where Le Voyage announced itself fully. The signature: Daniel Boulud's Filet Mignon with Potato Mille-Feuille — a masterclass in restraint and technique, the filet arriving perfectly executed alongside a pressed, golden potato loaf that is as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. Ross had the Lobster Risotto, which he declared one of the finest things he has put in his mouth on any of our travels. As for me — I am allergic to shellfish, so the kitchen quietly created something entirely their own: a Mushroom and Vegetable Risotto made specifically for me. It was, without exaggeration, equally extraordinary. That kind of intuitive, gracious accommodation without a word of fuss is the hallmark of truly five-star service — and Le Voyage delivered it without missing a beat.

Dessert brought a chocolate creation of architectural precision, followed by mignardises — warm madeleines and house-made truffles — that arrived as the evening came to its unhurried close. We left talking about the meal. We are still talking about it now.

★ Highlight Two

The Bazaar & Mosaic — Where the Ship Becomes the Destination

Where Eden once lived on previous Edge-class ships, the Xcel introduces something altogether more ambitious: The Bazaar. A three-deck complex at the aft of the ship, it is the single most significant design evolution in the Edge Series to date. It begins with an entrance tunnel of LED-lit arches that shift their visuals, scents, and sounds to match wherever the ship is sailing — a sensory arrival that announces immediately that you are somewhere different.

Unlike Eden, which came alive primarily at night, The Bazaar buzzes from morning through last call. And unlike anything else at sea, it changes its entire identity daily — LED screens spanning walls and columns shift to evoke that day's destination, entertainment and pop-up vendors transform to match, and the specialty drinks are reimagined port by port. On sea days in the Caribbean it becomes a full festival of the region; on port days, vendors from that specific island arrive with local goods directly aboard. The programming is genuinely extraordinary. You are not watching a theme. You are inside one.

Within The Bazaar, on the lower level overlooking the ocean, sits Mosaic — Xcel's Michelin-caliber tasting restaurant and one of the most extraordinary dining experiences we had on this voyage. Mosaic changes its entire identity with every port — the meal you have in the Caribbean is fundamentally different from the meal served in the Mediterranean. Both, from everything we experienced, are exceptional.

For our Caribbean sailing, Mosaic arrived dressed in the flavors of the islands. We began with a Salonova Salad with fresh guava and burnt orange agave vinaigrette and Bacalao Croquetas with lime zest and garlic blossoms. A surprise mid-course — a special truffle pasta that stopped the table entirely. Our entrées were the revelation: the Pan Seared Prime Rib Filet with House Mole Sauce, Pearl Onions, and Parsnip Purée was as sophisticated as anything we have ordered in a five-star restaurant on land, and the Lechon — Plantain Crust Confit Pork with Sweet Potato Purée, Mojo de Ajo, and Brussels Sprouts — was the kind of dish that stops conversation. We finished with all five desserts. Two we are still thinking about: the "Midnight in Montego" Jamaican Rum Cake, and the Meyer Lemon Tart on Graham Cracker Crust with Sweet Mountain Huckleberries and Sweet Lavender Cream. Do not miss Mosaic.

★ Highlight Three

Bora — The Best Brunch at Sea, and a Pleasant Evening Retreat

If brunch is your thing — and on a sailing of this caliber, it absolutely should be — Bora is where you will spend your mornings. Sitting within the Xcel's completely rethought Rooftop Garden, Bora is Celebrity's brand-new Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and one of the most genuinely distinctive additions on the ship. The brunch alone represents what we would call a giant leap forward — the kind of experience that makes you understand why people sail the same ship twice. Arrive at least 15 minutes before your reservation. Why? Because Bora begins every brunch with a complimentary Bloody Mary bar — a full-production craft cocktail station where you select from premium spirits, house-made mixes, and an array of garnishes ranging from sweet to deeply savory. It is, as an opener, nearly unfair to everything that follows.

What follows, however, is extraordinary. The menu operates on what Bora calls "The Bora Way" — familiar dishes elevated into something memorable. The rose petal pancakes with Chantilly cream arrived as beautiful as they sound. The Chicken & Waffles with orange blossom honey demanded respect. The French toast — thick-cut, golden, delicately crisp at the edges — strikes a careful balance between richness and refinement. Order the espresso martini. Sit with it. Look at the ocean. Repeat.

Bora also serves dinner, and on a warm evening at sea there is something genuinely lovely about sitting outside under open sky. The Mediterranean dinner menu is solid — the butter-poached lobster, the steak finished tableside, the za'atar lavash with labneh — all well-executed and pleasant. But honest is honest: Bora dinner does not compete with Le Voyage, Mosaic, or even Blu, and on several evenings we found ourselves preferring our assigned dining room. Bora's dinner is a nice option. Its brunch is a reason to book the ship.

★ Highlight Four

IYKYK — The Secret Speakeasy That Stopped Us Cold

In forty-five years of travel across sixty-plus countries and more ships than I can easily count, I have never encountered anything quite like this. And I say that with full awareness of how high a bar that represents.

Inside The Club — Xcel's main nightclub — there is a photo booth in the corner. Unassuming. Easy to walk past. But if you step inside and take your three photos, something extraordinary happens: a secret door slides open at the back of the booth. It leads you down a darkened hallway and delivers you, without warning, into another world entirely. Welcome to IYKYK — "If You Know, You Know" — Celebrity Xcel's hidden Prohibition-era speakeasy, and the most singular venue I have encountered anywhere on the high seas.

The room is a masterpiece of theatrical design: dark wood, amber light, jazz floating through the air, bartenders who move with the quiet confidence of people who know they are serving something special. The cocktails are crafted, not poured. The atmosphere is conspiratorial in the best possible way. Do not miss it. If you know, you know. Now you know.

★ Highlight Five

The Experience Beyond the Table — A Ship That Delivers at Every Level

The Xcel raises the bar across every dimension of the onboard experience. The Celebrity Pool Club has been reimagined as a genuine resort-style retreat — the chrome sculpture at its center became our landmark, our meeting point, our compass for the week. On Caribbean sailings the signature "Poolest Day Ever" brings live music, DJ sets, specialty cocktails, and games from sunrise to sunset.

The Rooftop Garden on Deck 15 is one of the most genuinely beautiful spaces at sea — lush landscaping, infinity pools, expanded shaded areas, and a Rooftop Grill Bar. At dusk, with the horizon going orange and the ship moving quietly through warm water, it is one of those places that makes you understand why people fall in love with ocean travel.

The Grand Plaza is the social heart of the ship — a multi-deck atrium anchored by the iconic Martini Bar, which dressed itself magnificently in Christmas for our sailing. Most evenings, this became our ground zero: the pre-dinner ritual, the after-dinner tradition. The lychee martinis are non-negotiable. The Cosmopolitans are classic. Watch for the moment when the bartenders pour twenty cocktails simultaneously from twenty jiggers stacked perfectly on top of one another. It never gets old.