Celebrity Cruises Unveils The Bazaar on Its New Xcel Ship

Celebrity Cruises is introducing a new cultural venue called The Bazaar on its newest ship, Celebrity Xcel, aiming to bring port-inspired food, shopping, music, and hands-on activities onboard during Caribbean itineraries. The three-deck space was shown during a two-night preview sailing from Fort Lauderdale ahead of the ship’s official launch in November.

A cultural venue designed to bring port experiences onboard

Celebrity is positioning The Bazaar as a major onboard feature rather than a small pop-up, dedicating prominent space to programming that changes throughout a sailing. Jeannette Coto Dou, Celebrity Cruises’ vice president of product development, said the concept was shaped by guest feedback, with an emphasis on “bringing port experiences on board even as the ship sets sail.”

According to Coto Dou, the goal is to immerse travelers in food, music, dance, and crafts reflective of destinations, turning sea days into cultural programming tied to the itinerary.

Where The Bazaar sits on Celebrity Xcel and how it looks

On Celebrity Xcel, The Bazaar is a three-deck, aft-facing venue occupying the location used for the Eden dining and entertainment venue on the ship’s Edge-class sister ships. Celebrity designed the area to shift visually and operationally, combining a marketplace, food venues, rotating displays, and scheduled entertainment.

Entry is set up as a transitional corridor with arched elements and digital screens that match the day’s theme, including underwater imagery for the Aqua festival. Celebrity has also incorporated scent as part of the experience, with fragrances shifting to match each festival, and the cruise line said those fragrances may eventually be offered for purchase.

Beyond the marketplace area, a larger room with high ceilings faces the ocean through a wall of glass and is outfitted with screens, graphic elements, themed props, and display cases used for artwork and artifacts that rotate with the current festival.

Festival themes, schedules, and what happens throughout the day

The Bazaar’s programming is built around destination-themed “festivals” that blend performances, décor, cuisine, and retail. Celebrity said the lineup includes four festival themes, with plans for three of the four to be presented on each seven-night itinerary.

• Carnival, inspired by celebrations in St. Maarten and the Cayman Islands, is designed to bring a parade-like atmosphere into the venue during set times.
• Aqua focuses on the Caribbean Sea and St. Thomas, including theming that extends from digital visuals to food and beverage touches.
• Flora highlights the Dominican Republic, pairing décor and programming with destination-linked culinary and retail items.
• Viva is inspired by Cozumel, tying onboard activities and flavors to the port experience.

Celebrity has structured the venue around frequent, short-format programming blocks, with a target of an activation about every 30 minutes between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. At larger set times, the space is also designed to shift into a full festival atmosphere twice daily, with scheduled shows at 4:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

During the preview sailing, Carnival-themed programming included live percussion and steel-pan music alongside dancers in elaborate costumes and appearances by stilt walkers. Celebrity has also described a mix of entertainment that can include Bob Marley-inspired music, craft-making sessions, and culinary pop-ups.

• Regional food pop-ups were part of the preview sailing, including Dominican tostones (fried green plantain slices) served as quick, festival-style tastings.
• Hands-on crafts included paint-your-own mini maracas priced at $10, reflecting the venue’s mix of free and paid activities.
• A featured drink of the day, a rum-based “Calypso,” was priced at $22 during the preview.

Dining: Spice, Mosaic, and a destination-inspired cooking class

Food is integrated into The Bazaar’s destination theming through two concepts. A casual venue called Spice serves regional dishes buffet-style; items highlighted during the preview included black bean soup and dulce de leche cake.

A second restaurant, Mosaic, is positioned as an upcharge experience priced at $95 per person. Celebrity described Mosaic’s menu as spanning multiple cuisines, and the preview included Haitian joumou (pumpkin) soup.

Mosaic also hosts what Celebrity calls its first destination-inspired cooking school. During the preview cruise, one class centered on making empanadas.

A marketplace built around local vendors from itinerary ports

Retail is another core element, with shelves stocked by a rotating selection of goods sourced from local vendors in ports tied to Celebrity Xcel’s Caribbean itineraries, including the Dominican Republic, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, and Cozumel, Mexico. Celebrity has described the Market as a space for local artisan products, with items ranging from jewelry and pottery to regional rum and coffee.

One participating vendor, Dominican Republic-based chocolate producer Jennifer Tejada, sells cocoa products and beauty items from her woman-owned business, Del Oro, based in Puerto Plata. Tejada said she keeps the proceeds from her onboard sales and described the opportunity as “a good boost for business.”

Celebrity also said vendors will join during port calls to sell goods onboard.

• Bahamas pottery in blue colorways was among the items shown during the preview sailing as an example of destination-linked artisan goods.
• Cayman Islands coffee and rum were included in the assortment, reflecting the venue’s mix of consumables and gift items.
• Hand-painted boxes from the Dominican Republic appeared in display areas tied to the festival theming and marketplace rotation.
• Jewelry, apparel, and beauty products were part of the onboard selection, with inventory intended to change as the itinerary shifts.

Crew staffing and cultural ambassador roles

Celebrity has staffed The Bazaar with crew members from across the Caribbean and Mexico, drawing from both existing shipboard departments and new hires. The cruise line said the approach is intended to support frequent programming throughout the day and to bring destination knowledge directly into guest interactions.

During a Dominican Republic-themed Flora activation, crew member Lady Gonzales, who is from the Dominican Republic, described her role as a cultural ambassador during the ship’s six-month Caribbean period. “I am looking forward to sharing my culture,” Gonzales said, adding that she planned to speak with guests about Dominican music and food and may demonstrate merengue and bachata dance steps.

Shipbuilding details and behind-the-scenes logistics

Celebrity Xcel is a 3,248-passenger ship built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique. In the lead-up to the ship’s debut, Celebrity and its partners have also highlighted behind-the-scenes planning tied to onboard food and operations.

Earlier in October 2025, ALMACO delivered provision stores for the ship as part of an ongoing partnership between ALMACO Group, Celebrity Cruises, and Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Samuel Teyssier, project manager at ALMACO, said the company is proud of its role in the vessel’s success, pointing to its “strong partnership” with Celebrity Cruises and the shipyard.

Celebrity has said the provision stores support onboard culinary operations, with designs intended to optimize space and workflow while ensuring compliance with food safety regulations.

How the concept will shift with Celebrity Xcel’s seasons

Celebrity said The Bazaar will remain oriented toward Caribbean themes during the ship’s winter season, aligning programming with eastern and western Caribbean routes and scheduling festivals across seven-night cruises. In spring, after Celebrity Xcel crosses the Atlantic, Celebrity plans to re-theme the venue to reflect the Mediterranean, continuing the concept of rotating, itinerary-linked programming.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many festival themes does The Bazaar include on Celebrity Xcel?

The Bazaar includes four festival themes: Carnival, Aqua, Flora, and Viva. Celebrity plans for three of the four festivals to take place on each seven-night cruise.

Where is The Bazaar located on Celebrity Xcel?

The Bazaar is a three-deck, aft-facing venue. On Celebrity Xcel, it occupies the aft location that is used for the Eden dining and entertainment venue on the ship’s Edge-class sister ships.

Do local vendors keep the money from onboard sales at The Bazaar?

At least some participating vendors do. Jennifer Tejada, owner of the Del Oro chocolate business in the Dominican Republic, said she takes home all profits from her sales onboard Celebrity Xcel.

Is there an extra charge for dining in The Bazaar?

Yes, for some options. Mosaic is a sit-down restaurant in The Bazaar area with an additional charge of $95 per person, while Spice is presented as a casual buffet venue.

Celebrity is expected to formally launch Celebrity Xcel in November, with The Bazaar positioned as a central onboard feature. The cruise line’s next key test will come as the ship moves from winter Caribbean sailings into a spring transatlantic repositioning, when The Bazaar is scheduled to be re-themed for the Mediterranean.