Celebrity Xcel Erases Line Between Ship and Shore With 4 Mediterranean-Inspired Festivals at The Bazaar
Celebrity Xcel wrote a new chapter of destination immersion last fall with the debut of The Bazaar – Celebrity’s three-story immersive venue with massive LED screens and open kitchens. This summer she’ll continue to rewrite the story, transforming The Bazaar into four rotating Mediterranean festivals that bring European culture onboard long after the ship leaves port.
Onboard cultural and culinary festivals will rotate throughout each sailing, pairing hands-on activities with authentic food, local artisan markets and nighttime entertainment.
Celebrity Xcel’s 4 New Festivals at The Bazaar:
Opa Festival (Greece) – Craft evil eye jewelry while sampling baklava and moussaka, then dance to live musicians as napkins twirl and the party erupts
La Dolce Vita Festival (Italy) – Master pasta-making and tiramisu with limoncello in hand before the venue transforms into Venetian elegance after dark
Salud Festival (Spain) – Sip sangria while crafting Spanish fans, then watch flamenco dancers and matadors ignite the night
Silk & Spice Festival (Morocco/Turkey) – Savor fragrant teas and Turkish delight as whirling dancers captivate with mesmerizing performances
The venue also features Chef’s Studio at Mosaic – Celebrity’s first destination-inspired cooking school where regional dishes change with each festival theme.
Celebrity Xcel’s inaugural European season launches May 2026 with seven- to 11-night Mediterranean sailings from Barcelona and Athens, including new overnight stays in Madeira.
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CELEBRITY CRUISES REVEALS FOUR NEW EUROPEAN-INSPIRED FESTIVALS ON CELEBRITY XCEL
Experience the Mediterranean like never before in Summer 2026, as Celebrity Xcel erases the line between ship and shore with The Bazaar, a first-of-its-kind destination immersion experience.
COURTESY CELEBRITY CRUISES: MIAMI (January 15, 2026) – Celebrity Xcel offers guests the chance to continue exploring the destinations they travel to long after the ship has left port at the transformative venue, The Bazaar. As Celebrity Xcel sails to Europe this summer, guests will immerse themselves in four new festivals that bring the sights, sounds, flavors and traditions of the Mediterranean along for the ride.
“Since the concept launched on Celebrity Xcel in November, The Bazaar has revolutionized destination immersion, keeping guests enveloped in the culture of destinations well beyond their time in port. Sea days have been transformed with spatial design extending the authentic food, beverage and entertainment delivered into a cohesive singular experience,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “From morning to night, and from day to day, the one-of-a-kind experience has captivated guests, and we’re excited to transform the experience yet again to bring the heartbeat of the Mediterranean on board throughout every Europe sailing.”
Designed to seamlessly blend onboard and in-port experiences, The Bazaar is an elevated, authentic, and ever-changing celebration of culture. The space erases the line between ship and shore bringing each destination to life through a curated mix of destination-inspired festivals, markets offering items from local artisans, hands-on activities, regionally influenced culinary offerings, and unforgettable entertainment. At this first-of-its-kind concept, no two days are the same. With dynamic programming and immersive, three-story LED screens, the space evolves throughout each sailing, offering guests fresh and immersive ways to connect with the Mediterranean destinations they visit – from Florence to Santorini.
At the heart of The Bazaar experience are four Mediterranean-inspired festivals that celebrate the region’s vibrant flavors, timeless traditions, and unforgettable moments. These festivals will bring the best of the Mediterranean to life in a myriad of ways, including local food and beverage offerings, crafting experiences, retail enrichment activations, destination-inspired cooking and dance classes, pop-up entertainment and performances from local musicians.
Opa Festival immerses guests in the traditions and contagious energy of Greece. By day, this vibrant celebration of Greek culture will fuse iconic cuisine like baklava and moussaka with hands-on activities like “Mati” evil eye jewelry crafts. As the sun sets, the energy rises: live musicians will invite guests to join the party as they twirl napkins, dance, laugh and shout Opa! to the rhythm of beloved hits.
Centered around the flavors, beauty, and romance of Italy, guests will indulge in the sweet life with La Dolce Vita Festival. By day, guests will indulge in limoncello and other authentic delights while enjoying hands-on experiences like the art of making pastas and tiramisu. As night falls, guests will find themselves surrounded by Venetian magic, as they step into an evening of elegance and enchantment.
A lively fusion of Spain’s color, rhythm, and flair, Salud Festival is bold, passionate, and unforgettable. By day, guests will sip sangria and sample local dishes as they create their own Spanish flair with activities like building custom flamenco roses and Spanish fans. The energy erupts at the end of the day, as flamenco dancers and matadors create a celebration of passion and Spanish soul.
Silk & Spice Festival invites guests on a sensory journey through the spices, dances, and mesmerizing music inspired by the vibrant cultures of Morocco and Turkey. During the day, guests can sip fragrant teas, enjoy sweet bites of Turkish delight and find hands-on activities. At night, energetic music and whirling dancers will captivate guests in a celebration of rhythm and culture.
For those happiest when connecting to new cultures through food, destination-inspired dining will delight guests’ palates with local cuisines. The open kitchen concept, Mosaic, will serve reimagined and elevated dishes, inspired by the flavors of cities like Naples, Mykonos and Lisbon. The Bazaar’s casual dining concept, Spice, will offer a daytime selection of rotating bites with special items inspired by the ports visited on each itinerary, along with spectacular views from the floor-to-ceiling windows on the water’s edge.
On sea days, Market at The Bazaar invites guests to take the iconic cities they visit across Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Portugal and Morocco with them. Guests can immerse themselves in captivating experiences and find regional delights from local artisans, such as olive oil, Italian scarves, or handmade painted tiles.
Foodies can learn to cook regional delicacies at Chef’s Studio at Mosaic, Celebrity’s first-ever destination-inspired cooking school. Chef’s Studio invites guests to discover their inner chef as they learn to prepare new dishes from each destination they visit. Throughout the sailing, the cooking school repertoire will change to reflect the destination-inspired festival themes, allowing guests to master local favorites and add to their recipe books alongside creating new memories.
On land, an unforgettable European adventure continues, as Celebrity Xcel brings guests to the romance of places like Florence and Palma de Mallorca, the breathtaking scenery of Santorini and Mykonos, and offers overnight stays to linger longer in Madeira.
Starting in May 2026, Celebrity Xcel will set sail on her inaugural European season where guests can immerse themselves in the Mediterranean like never before on seven- to 11-night journeys out of Barcelona and Athens, including all-new overnight stays in Madeira, Portugal.
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About Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises delivers an elevated premium vacation experience across their fleet of ocean and river ships traveling to over 300 destinations across more than 70 countries spanning all seven continents. Uniquely offering the intimate feel and thoughtful service of small ships, with the variety and excitement of bigger ones – guests can explore the world or get away from it for a little while. With every detail elevated beyond expectations, guests will never want to vacation any other way. An industry pioneer for more than 35 years, each Celebrity vacation offers experiences you won’t find anywhere else.
Celebrity Cruises is headquartered in Miami and is a part of Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL).
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Explore and book anytime: www.cruises-n-more.com
Call us: 800-733-2048 (Toll-Free USA/Canada)
Cover photo: Celebrity Xcel Malta credit Celebrity
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