Experience the Mediterranean like never before in Summer 2026, as Celebrity Xcel erases the line between ship and shore with The Bazaar. This is a first-of-its-kind destination immersion experience.
SYDNEY (16 January 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. These festivals bring the sights, sounds, flavours and traditions of the Mediterranean along for the ride.
“Since the concept launched on Celebrity Xcel in November, The Bazaar has revolutionised 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.
Therefore, 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 and brings each destination to life through a curated mix of destination-inspired festivals.
There are also 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. This offers 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 flavours, timeless traditions, and unforgettable moments.
These festivals will bring the best of the Mediterranean to life in a myriad of ways.
This includes local food and beverage offerings, crafting experiences, retail enrichment activations, destination-inspired cooking and dance classes, pop-up entertainment and performances from local musicians.
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. These dishes are inspired by the flavours 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.
Guests can also enjoy 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. Additionally, guests can 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. This allows 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 journey also features 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.
Guests will enjoy seven- to 11-night journeys out of Barcelona and Athens, including all-new overnight stays in Madeira, Portugal.
For more information and to book a sailing with Celebrity Cruises, please visit www.celebritycruises.com/au, call Celebrity Cruises at 1800-003-002, or contact a trusted travel advisor.
Written By:
Account Executive
