We’ve just come home from seven nights aboard Celebrity’s newest ship, the Xcel, sailing from Barcelona to Athens — and there’s a lot to tell. This trip took us through four countries: Spain, Malta, Turkey, and Greece, including the Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini, with ancient ruins, blue-domed churches, and more good seafood than we probably needed.
This page is where we’re collecting every trip report from the sailing, in order — Barcelona before we even boarded, each port along the way, our first time booking the Retreat’s Sky Suite outright instead of bidding for it, and everything in between. New posts are going up weekly as we get them written, so bookmark this page or sign up below to get them as they land.
Celebrity Xcel Mediterranean Cruise – Itinerary
Trip Reports
Embarkation Day on the Celebrity Xcel — First Impressions
Coming soon
Sky Suite Cabin Review
Coming soon
Sea Days – Bazaar entertainment, the Captain Kirk show & more
Coming soon
Malta – An honest, mixed review
Coming soon
Kusadasi/Ephesus — ancient ruins, a trip highlight
Coming soon
Mykonos — Windmills, gyros, stray cats and a medieval bakery
Coming soon
Santorini — Oia, Fira, amazing views & another gyro
Coming soon
Disembarkation & Acropolis — Closing out our trip in Athens
Coming soon
Dining Roundup — Luminae & the specialty dining package
Coming soon
Sky Suite vs. Move Up – Comparing booking strategies
Coming soon
What’s next
Check out these two recent posts, and don’t forget to subscribe to be notified when new trip reports go live!
Celebrity Move Up Program: 7 Proven Things You Must Know Before You Bid