Celebrity Xcel, the fleet’s newest launch, takes cruise dining beyond familiar territory, with chefs actively leading the experience and menus built around where the ship is headed. Guests cook alongside chefs, sample regional lineups and watch venues flip their personalities as the days pass by slowly. For seasoned food lovers, cruising on Xcel turns meals into a main event on board.
Photo credit: Celebrity Cruises.
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Instead of leaning on the usual standard dining rooms, Celebrity Xcel designs its food and beverage program to shine. With restaurants spanning multiple cuisines, an emphasis on fresh and authentic cooking and dining moments found only on board, Celebrity continues to stand out at sea. Cruise fans and food lovers plan their days around the lineup, hopping from one must-book table to the next as each stop raises the bar.
Dining that moves with routes
Inside The Bazaar, Celebrity Xcel moves away from fixed formats and gives diners a lineup that keeps changing. Mosaic leads the space with a chef’s table that adjusts with each sailing, building menus around the regions on the route rather than locking into a preset tasting. It offers a guided food experience rather than a traditional specialty restaurant, which keeps repeat guests curious.
Spice is also in the Bazaar but takes a more casual approach to sampling and variety. Menus rotate by itinerary, pop-ups tie into ports of call and guests can grab quick bites or build bowls from a broad range of quality ingredients. Together, the two venues make The Bazaar a working food hub where diners can sample on their own terms instead of following a set schedule.
Hands-on culinary experiences
Celebrity Xcel invites visitors beyond the dining room through interactive classes and tastings built into the sailing. In the Chef’s Studio, small-group sessions place guests at the counter with ship chefs, who walk them through techniques used in onboard kitchens. Participants handle the tools themselves and prepare complete dishes, with menus often tied to foods linked to upcoming ports.
Tasting events extend that learning to both the glass and the plate. Held in The Bazaar and the Grand Plaza, these guided sessions shift with each itinerary so the flavors match the route. Wine-focused events let guests compare pours from several countries in one sitting, while other tastings explain why certain pairings work together.
Bora’s day-to-night transformation
Bora changes its personality as the day passes. During daylight hours, it runs as a Mediterranean-inspired boozy brunch spot, bringing coastal flavors to the table. An extensive bloody mary bar anchors the experience, paired with shareable daytime dishes that suit a relaxed pace.
Each meal starts with a welcome celebration in the Rooftop Garden before the main service continues with live Mediterranean music. Bottomless cocktails and curated regional wines keep guests seated through multiple courses. At night, the venue pivots into an al fresco dinner with tableside elements, giving Bora a second identity that feels clearly separate from brunch.
A standout raw bar experience
Celebrity Xcel’s Raw on 5 delivers a polished raw bar built around Japanese technique and careful sourcing. The venue draws on the work of sushi chef Yoshikazu Okada, whose dishes focus on quality fish, precise cuts and a restrained presentation that lets each ingredient speak for itself.
The selection moves easily between detailed rolls and clean single bites. Diners can choose composed options featuring tuna, albacore, shrimp or eel, or keep it simple with slices of yellowtail, salmon or octopus served without distraction. Imported sake and beer selections round out the menu, with pairings that match its crisp approach.
Hailed as some of the best sushi on the seas, Raw on 5 is a hot-ticket dining experience onboard Xcel. Be sure to book a meal here as soon as you can.
World-inspired dining at Oceanview
Oceanview Café adds range to Celebrity Xcel’s culinary lineup with rotating evening menus inspired by different sailing regions. The focus changes nightly, giving returning guests a reason to take another look at what’s being served.
Beyond the themed stations, the cafe keeps variety front and center with a broad cold bar, a well-stocked salad area and a bakery that stays busy throughout the day. Mornings feature a global spread alongside familiar English breakfast favorites, making the space easy to return to more than once.
Dining with storytelling tech
Celebrity Xcel delivers one of its most memorable restaurant concepts through Le Petit Chef, where the tabletop becomes part of the presentation. Animated projections introduce each course at the exact moment it arrives, creating a sense of timing and intention.
The meal follows a clear sequence that keeps attention on the food. Visual cues guide the pace, dishes arrive with purpose, and the menu leans on French cuisine with a focus on flavor. The technology supports the service instead of competing with it, resulting in a polished experience that feels distinctive even to well-traveled diners.
4 distinct dining venues
The ship centers its food program around four main restaurants, each built with a clear point of view. Cyprus Restaurant draws from the brand’s Greek roots with seafood-forward plates and restrained Mediterranean cooking that keeps flavors clean and focused. Tuscan Restaurant takes a different turn, featuring Southern Italian traditions with hand-rolled pasta and hearty dishes that feel grounded and familiar.
Cosmopolitan Restaurant brings a broader lens, serving modern American fare shaped by global influences and framed by a walk-through wine display that sets the tone before the first course arrives. Normandie Restaurant completes the lineup with contemporary French cooking presented in a refined setting that remains polished without being formal.
Onboard dining as a main event
Celebrity Xcel treats dining as a reason to plan the day rather than a fallback between activities. Thoughtful details across its restaurants turn meals into moments guests anticipate, not choices made out of convenience or limited onboard options. With depth, range and clear intent behind each venue, Xcel positions its food program as a true point of distinction rather than a necessity of cruising.
Jennifer Allen is a retired chef turned traveler, cookbook author and nationally syndicated journalist; she’s also a co-founder of Food Drink Life, where she shares expert travel tips, cruise insights and luxury destination guides. A recognized cruise expert with a deep passion for high-end experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations, Jennifer explores the world with curiosity, depth and a storyteller’s perspective. Her articles are regularly featured on the Associated Press Wire, The Washington Post, Seattle Times, MSN and more.
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