Celebrity Xcel visits Miami before Maiden Voyage
Celebrity Xcel Makes Historic First Visit to Miami Before Maiden Voyage
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Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship just reached another milestone. The Celebrity Xcel stopped by PortMiami for the first time this month. This special visit happened while the ship prepared for its first cruise with paying passengers.
A Special Welcome Ceremony
The ship’s visit to Miami on November 7 wasn’t just a regular port call. PortMiami hosted a special plaque exchange ceremony right on the ship. This tradition welcomes new vessels to the port for the first time.
Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge attended the ceremony. Captain Kyriakos Matragkas, who leads the Celebrity Xcel, was also there. PortMiami Deputy Director Fred Wong presented a commemorative plaque to the 140,600-ton ship.
The Celebrity Xcel had just been delivered to Celebrity Cruises in October. It sailed from Fort Lauderdale during a pre-inaugural cruise before making this historic Miami stop.
Ready for Its First Passengers
The Celebrity Xcel will start its official maiden voyage on November 18. This five-night cruise will sail from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. Passengers will visit exciting ports in Mexico and the Bahamas, including Bimini and Cozumel.
After the maiden voyage, the ship will begin regular weekly cruises. The 3,260-guest vessel will offer seven-night trips to both the Western and Eastern Caribbean. These cruises will visit popular destinations like George Town in the Cayman Islands and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
From Caribbean to Mediterranean
The Celebrity Xcel will spend its first season cruising the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale. Guests can choose from itineraries that visit places like Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. After the Caribbean season ends, the ship will move to Europe for Mediterranean cruises.
The Celebrity Xcel is the fifth ship in Celebrity Cruises‘ popular Edge series. The ship was built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France. Celebrity took delivery of the vessel on October 23, and it sailed across the Atlantic to reach Florida.
Getting Ready with Preview Cruises
Before welcoming regular passengers, the Celebrity Xcel is offering some special preview trips. The ship completed its pre-inaugural sailing that included the Miami visit. It also offered a three-night preview cruise to Cozumel, Mexico, which departed from Port Everglades on November 9.
These preview cruises help the crew get ready for regular operations. They also give the ship a chance to test all its systems before the official maiden voyage begins.
