With the arrival of Celebrity Cruises’ new ship Celebrity Excel, Port Everglades is packed with new hardware for the winter sailing season.
The ship joins Disney Cruise Line’s new ship Disney Destiny and Princess Cruises’ new Star Princess as they set sail from the Port of Fort Lauderdale.
The arrivals mark a significant increase for the state’s third-busiest cruise port after Ports of Miami and Port Canaveral, with passenger movements already approaching 5 million last year.
The port has renovated its parking lot and added a renovated terminal in recent years, including becoming Disney’s second home in Florida, and its newest ship landed this year.
The port will also soon open the Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel adjacent to the Broward County Convention Center, and a new road has already opened that will take people directly from U.S. 1 to the convention center’s parking lot, bypassing traffic on Southeast 17th Street and the port’s security checkpoints.
“Cruises are more popular than ever, and cruise lines exceed guest expectations with every new ship that comes to market,” Port Everglades CEO and Port Director Joseph Morris said in a news release. “The new ships coming to Port Everglades will have more entertainment and dining options, and offer some of the latest technology with greener fuel and greater connectivity.”
Celebrity Excel is Celebrity Cruises’ fifth Edge class ship. She is scheduled to debut from Port Everglades in November 2025 and sail from the Port of Fort Lauderdale until spring 2026. (Provided by Celebrity Cruises)
Deck 14, the Vitamin D Deck, is a feature of Celebrity Xcel. (Michel Verdure/Celebrity Cruise)
Celebrity Excel is Celebrity Cruises’ fifth Edge class ship. She is scheduled to debut from Port Everglades in November 2025 and sail from the Port of Fort Lauderdale until spring 2026. (Provided by Celebrity Cruises)
Attic at The Club is a new feature on Celebrity Xcel. (Evan Zimmerman/Celebrity Cruise)
The Spice Restaurant on Deck 5 is a new feature at Celebrity Xcel. (Michel Verdure/Celebrity Cruise)
The Celebrity Flagship on Deck 5 is a new retail store that doubles as a museum at Celebrity Excel. (Michel Verdure/Celebrity Cruise)
Mosaic Restaurant on Deck 4 of Celebrity Excel. (Michel Verdure/Celebrity Cruise)
The Celebrity Flagship on Deck 5 is a new retail store that doubles as a museum at Celebrity Excel. (Michel Verdure/Celebrity Cruise)
Three new stage shows are coming to The Theater at Celebrity Xcel. (Evan Zimmerman/Celebrity Cruise)
Three new stage shows are coming to The Theater at Celebrity Xcel. (Evan Zimmerman/Celebrity Cruise)
Bazaar is a new feature in Celebrity Xcel. (Evan Zimmerman/Celebrity Cruise)
Three new stage shows are coming to The Theater at Celebrity Xcel. (Evan Zimmerman/Celebrity Cruise)
The Hydra Pool on Deck 14 is a new feature at Celebrity Excel’s spa. (Michel Verdure/Celebrity Cruise)
The Celebrity Pool Club on Deck 14 is a new feature at Celebrity Excel. (Michel Verdure/Celebrity Cruise)
Mosaic Restaurant on Deck 4 of Celebrity Excel. (Michel Verdure/Celebrity Cruise)
The new outdoor venue Bora is located on the top deck of Celebrity Excel. (Courtesy/Celeb Cruise)
The Bloody Mary Bar is part of Bora, a new outdoor venue located on the top deck of Celebrity Excel. (Courtesy/Celeb Cruise)
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Celebrity Excel is Celebrity Cruises’ fifth Edge class ship. She is scheduled to debut from Port Everglades in November 2025 and sail from the Port of Fort Lauderdale until spring 2026. (Provided by Celebrity Cruises)
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For Celebrity, Excel’s arrival marks the fifth time the airline has used Port Everglades as the initial homeport for its Edge class vessels. The naming ceremony was held on Sunday.
Like her sister ships Celebrity Edge, Apex, Beyond and Ascent, this ship has the same design, including a magic carpet. The Magic Carpet is an external elevator platform that primarily serves as an innovative way for passengers to disembark and reboard when bidding at ports of call, but it also serves as an entertainment and dining venue.
“With each new ship, we raise the bar for the ultimate vacation experience, and Celebrity Excel is in a class of its own,” said Jason Liberty, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity Cruises’ parent company. “With innovative design, sophisticated style and signature hospitality, the arrival of Celebrity Excel joins a collection of experiences that set new standards in the industry and transform once-in-a-lifetime vacations into the getaways of a lifetime.”
The cabin once again features the popular Infinite Veranda stateroom, where the balcony is part of the cabin.
One of the unique aspects of this new ship is its ability to use methanol as a fuel source, a first for a Royal Caribbean Group cruise line group ship, and its efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
However, unlike her sister ships, Excel has done away with the ship’s avant-garde Eden section in favor of an expanded venue called The Bazaar.
The bazaar will offer authentic cuisine and entertainment based on the destinations the ship will visit. Cruisers can look forward to inspiring destinations from the Bahamas to the Caribbean to Mexico for the debut sailing season, with each voyage scheduled to change four times during the week-long voyage.
New entertainment includes two interactive shows at The Club and three new stage shows at The Theatre.
Another unique restaurant debuting is Bora, an outdoor rooftop Mediterranean restaurant with a Bloody Mary bar and chef-driven tableside dining in the evenings.
Other new features include a new pool attendant service at Celebrity Pool Club, the water-focused Hydra Room in the spa, a 24/7 adult game room, Attic at the Club, and the first-ever Celebrity Flagship retail venue, which combines museum and interactive experience.
This new feature was created in conjunction with a group of cruisers called Xcel Dream Makers.
“Celebrity Excel was thoughtfully designed with our guests in mind, to be a happy place for vacationers from around the world,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “Celebrity Excel lives up to its name in every way, from the seven new spaces guests will experience to the innovative Excel Dream Makers program, where guests have a direct role in shaping the character of the ship.”
The ship will sail a seven-night Caribbean itinerary through spring, before moving to Europe in summer 2026.
