celebrity xcel — A rendering of the new Celebrity Xcel ship.

News

Celebrity’s New Caribbean Cruise Ship Just Launched Construction

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - June 17, 2024 - 2:17 pm

It’s called Xcel, and it’s setting sail in fall 2025 in the Caribbean.

And the newest cruise ship pegged for Celebrity Cruises’ fleet has officially launched construction.

The ship held its official “keel laying” at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France.

Xcel will be the newest ship in a series that includes the popular Beyond and Edge cruise ships, with a new “tri-fuel” capable engine that can run on three different types of fuel.

The ship’s first season in the Caribbean will kick off in November 2025, with stops in destinations including The Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, St Thomas and St Maarten, among others.

Are you planning a Celebrity vacation? See more at Celebrity Cruises.

This Trinidad Beach Has Golden Sand, Green Hills, and the Country’s Most Famous Sandwich

Golden sand. Beach shacks and cold beer. Perfect street food. Maracas Beach isn’t just the best beach on the island of Trinidad. It’s the best place on the whole island. The sand is perfect, a coastline edged by Trinidad’s verdant green […]

One of the Best Beaches in The Bahamas Comes With a World-Famous Blue Hole

the beach at dean's blue hole in the bahamas

It doesn’t look real at first. You step out from the pines and palms onto a curve of soft, white sand, and there it is—this perfect, impossible circle in the sea. A portal. The blue gets darker the longer you […]

American Airlines Is Adding a New Nonstop Flight to Curacao, a Caribbean Island That Is Buzzing Right Now

caribbean island curacao american airlines

The colors of Willemstad. The waves of Cas Abao. The rosé at Saint Tropez. The live music at the Avila. Curacao is a rich mosaic of culture, food, art and vibes. And the Caribbean island is as buzzy as it’s […]

Curaçao Is Expanding Its Tourism Workforce as Tourism Numbers Keep Climbing

Curaçao is ramping up efforts to strengthen its tourism sector with a renewed focus on hospitality training. A total of 57 participants recently received certificates after completing the Hospitality Industry Training Program, an intensive course designed to prepare workers for […]

One of the Best Beaches in The Bahamas Comes With a World-Famous Blue Hole

Anguilla’s New Tourism Campaign Is About “Less Screen Time, More Island Time”

Anguilla has been making a push as a year-round tourism destination (in large part thanks to hotels like Aurora Anguilla), something that’s been starting tp pay off. Now, the island is looking to position itself as an escape — and […]