The cruise lines are no stranger to seeking customer feedback. In fact, most cruisers will tell you they received a survey after their sailing asking about their experience and what potential improvements could be made.
However, Celebrity Cruises is making history by changing the way it collects feedback. Instead of surveying guests after their voyage, Celebrity is inviting vacationers to inform the experiences that will be offered on its upcoming new-build, Celebrity Xcel, before she even enters service at the end of 2025.
As part of the first-of-its-kind “Xcel Dream Makers” program, the global cruise community is invited to sample and vote on experiences for the fifth Edge-class ship – giving consumers the final say on the 3,260-passenger vessel’s offerings by attending in person events and responding to online polls.
With the sixth Edge-class ship officially ordered with an anticipated launch in 2028, it’s also possible that the insights learned from the “Dream Makers” program now will inform the offerings not just onboard Celebrity Xcel, but also for her newly announced sister ship.
“We want to ensure our guests love our products and experiences, so involving them in the process to perfect Celebrity Xcel was a great way to achieve this,” said Michael Scheiner, chief marketing and product officer of Celebrity Cruises.
“Celebrity Cruises is known for ground-breaking innovation in ship design and experiences unlike any other at sea, when Xcel launches guests won’t have just found their happy place, they’ll have helped us build it,” continued Scheiner.
Participants will specifically help with perfecting the ship’s design and decor, as well as the culinary and entertainment offerings onboard.
Some examples of where cruisers may be asked to weigh in include choosing their favorite interior design elements and textiles, ranking their favorite dishes and drinks, selecting table settings, and giving input on props, costumes, and playlists for performances.
Anyone is welcomed to participate in the program – and interested cruisers can sign up to receive more information on Celebrity’s website. Those that express interest will be sent official registration forms on February 8, 2025.
Next Celebrity Ship Already Making History
In addition to acting as the catalyst for the new “Dream Makers” program, Celebrity Xcel has already been designed as a trailblazer in the cruise industry.
For example, the 141,420-gross ton ship will launch with the first tri-fuel capable engine, which is a greener alternative to the standard diesel engines of the past.
This marks an important step forward in Royal Caribbean’s commitment to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 – which is the parent company of Celebrity Cruises.
While many of the new experiences onboard are yet to be announced – and may still need to be determined by the “Dream Maker” crowdsourcing program – there have already been hints that the new ship will provide an all-day “date night” experience, complete with a new brunch and dance parties.
That said, the mega-ship did just celebrate an important milestone that marks the completion of her exterior when she floated out from dry dock at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, on January 18, 2025.
Read Also: Cruise Hive Discussion Boards: Who is Looking Forward to Celebrity Xcel?
More experiences and innovations to be enjoyed onboard will likely be unveiled as the new ship’s maiden voyage approaches and her interior is finalized.
Speaking of which, Celebrity Xcel will officially enter service with a 5-night Bahamas cruise embarking from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on November 18, 2025. The inaugural itinerary features calls on Cozumel, Mexico, and Bimini Islands, Bahamas.
From there, the new addition will spend her inaugural season sailing seven-night itineraries that alternative between the Bahamas, Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Puerto Plata, St. Tomas, and St. Maarten.
Her deployments for 2026 have also already been announced – and include an inaugural summer season operating voyages in the Mediterranean before repositioning to PortMiami in Florida for the winter.
