The Celebrity Xcel will have its naming ceremony in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 16.
Celebrity Cruises’ Xcel, the line’s newest ship, has 32 food and beverage locations on board — but that doesn’t include one place: a secret bar.
Crew members won’t tell you where it’s located, or whether it even exists, but cruisers are welcome to search for it on their own. The company isn’t providing any information. Taking photos inside the joint are prohibited. If you find it, you may first need to pass through a secret hallway to get inside.
One cruise industry publication believes it already found the venue on a current preliminary sail, and wrote that it evokes a speakeasy theme from the Prohibition Era, and that guests will get kicked out if they stay too long. But we won’t spoil the secret, which has captivated travelers worldwide.
Now, South Florida travelers will have a head start in solving the mystery.
The secret bar is one of several novel elements on the new ship that’s home-porting at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale this month in its inaugural sailing season. It’s another sign that South Florida’s second-largest cruise hub continues to grow, and is one of the world’s biggest even amid more competition.
The Celebrity Xcel is currently off the coast of Florida on a four-day cruise. It docked at Cozumel, Mexico, the morning of Nov. 11, according to CruiseMapper. The ship, which returns to Port Everglades on Nov. 13, will have its naming ceremony in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 16. It will then depart Nov. 18 on a five-day cruise to the Caribbean. Stops include Bimini, the Bahamas, and Cozumel, Mexico. The voyage will end in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 23.
The ship from Celebrity Cruises, a Miami-based carrier owned by the Royal Caribbean Group, will mostly sail seven-night itineraries, going to the Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands, Puerto Plata, St. Thomas and St. Maarten until spring 2026, the company said.
Celebrity Xcel, which can accommodate 3,250 guests, is the cruise line’s fifth Edge-class ship. The cruise ship has seven new spaces including an improved poolside, an arcade lounge under neon lights and new spa experiences including a hydra room.
The Bazaar is a new three-level space that will offer cruisers the flavors, sounds, traditions and festivals from the destinations the ship visits. Activities include rum and chocolate pairings and local hot sauce tastings.
The vessel also boasts Celebrity’s “first-ever destination-inspired cooking school.” Guests can learn to prepare dishes from each destination they visit.
Through an initiative called Dream Makers, Celebrity Xcel allowed cruisers to provide input on the ship’s interior design and culinary and entertainment offerings.
“Celebrity Xcel has been designed with our guest as our north star,” Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises, said in a statement. “So we know she will be the happy place of vacationers globally.”
Like other ships in the Edge class, Celebrity Xcel’s design is influenced by the destinations it will be visiting.
In the summer of 2026, Celebrity Xcel will spend the summer in Europe. In late April, the ship with 1.646 staterooms will cross the Atlantic to Barcelona. It’ll home port there and in Athens, offering 7- to 11-night cruises along the Mediterranean.
Celebrity Cruises’ new vessel isn’t the only new cruise ship coming to Port Everglades.
Disney Destiny Port Everglades
Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Destiny was christened in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 10. The ship departs on its maiden voyage on Nov. 20. It’ll then make four-night and five-night trips to the Caribbean, with stops at the company’s private resorts and the Bahamas.
The new ship will have on board Disney Hercules, a new Broadway-style version of the Disney film, including a new soundtrack. It’ll have a theater inspired by Marvel Studios’ Black Panther films and a restaurant that pays homage to The Lion King.
Disney Destiny is 1,119 feet long and holds about 4,000 guests.
Princess Cruises’ Star Princess. Port Everglades
Princess Cruises’ Star Princess, is also home-porting at Port Everglades in its inaugural sailing season. With a glass-enclosed plaza, the ship started cruises Nov. 7.
More information
Celebrity: For more information, visit www.celebrity.com, call Celebrity Cruises on 1-800-CELEBRITY, or contact a trusted travel advisor. Those interested in joining Xcel ‘Dream Makers’ can register at www.celebritycruises.com/xceldreammakers.
Disney: To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can visit disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888-325-2500 or contact their travel agent.
Princess: For Princess Cruises’ Star Princess, go to the website.
This story was originally published November 11, 2025 at 1:02 PM.
