Celebrity Xcel 2026 Review: Is Celebrity's New Ship Worth It?

A 2026 review of Celebrity Xcel.  This week on Cruise Radio, Joe reviews a seven-night Celebrity Xcel Mediterranean cruise from Athens to Barcelona. We cover his Sky Suite in The Retreat, Luminae dining, entertainment, the new Bazaar, crowds, sea days, and Celebrity Xcel's secret speakeasy. Joe also shares his experiences in Santorini, Mykonos, Kusadasi, and Valletta, including a visit to Ephesus, exploring the ancient ruins of Delos, and what first-time Mediterranean cruisers should know about summer heat and crowds. Plus, Joe shares whether Celebrity's Retreat was worth the upgrade and his final thoughts on sailing Celebrity Xcel and the Edge-class experience. Share your thoughts: [email protected]  Sponsor Cruise line protection is designed to help if you can't take your cruise. Third-party travel insurance helps protect you during the trip. Including medical care, delays, and unexpected issues. Compare plans and save up to 30% at TripInsurance.com. About Cruise Radio: Cruise Radio has been delivering cruise news, ship reviews, and money-saving tips weekly since 2009.

A review of Carnival Luminosa. Terrell reviews a 10-night Carnival Luminosa cruise from San Francisco to Alaska. We cover his Cloud 9 Spa stateroom, dining, entertainment, sea days, and what it's like sailing Carnival Luminosa to Alaska. Terrell also shares his experiences in Juneau, Skagway, Endicott Arm, and Ketchikan, including whale watching, getting close to the glacier, and a Deadliest Catch excursion. Plus, cruise news on a bomb threat investigation, a cruise booking dispute that went viral, a power outage aboard Adventure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's Hero of the Seas, Margaritaville at Sea Beachcomber heading to Galveston, and a correction on Carnival's new loyalty program. Share your thoughts: [email protected]  Sponsor Cruise line protection is designed to help if you can't take your cruise. Third-party travel insurance helps protect you during the trip. Including medical care, delays, and unexpected issues. Compare plans and save up to 30% at TripInsurance.com. About Cruise Radio: Cruise Radio has been delivering cruise news, ship reviews, and money-saving tips weekly since 2009.

A seven-night MSC Meraviglia cruise from Brooklyn, New York, with a focus on the MSC Yacht Club experience. We cover priority embarkation, his upgraded Yacht Club balcony stateroom, butler service, the private Top Sail Lounge and pool deck, dining, drinks, thermal spa access, and whether the premium experience is worth the price. Jason also compares MSC Yacht Club with Norwegian's Haven and Royal Caribbean's suite experience. The cruise included stops at Port Canaveral, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, and Nassau, including a visit to the private Yacht Club area at Ocean Cay. Plus, cruise news on Carnival's new loyalty program, Caribbean cruise deals, the canceled Serenade of the Seas Alaska sailing, Norwegian Prima Legionnaires' disease cases, and Royal Caribbean's new bidding program for onboard experiences. Share your thoughts: [email protected]  Sponsor Cruise line protection is designed to help if you can't take your cruise. Third-party travel insurance helps protect you during the trip. Including medical care, delays, and unexpected issues. Compare plans and save up to 30% at TripInsurance.com. About Cruise Radio: Cruise Radio has been delivering cruise news, ship reviews, and money-saving tips weekly since 2009.

A seven-night Norwegian Jewel cruise review from Philadelphia to Bermuda and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Jacob shares what it was like sailing from Philadelphia's developing cruise terminal, including the unusual hotel check-in and shuttle process, as well as his first impressions of the 21-year-old Norwegian Jewel. We cover his interior cabin, a frustrating plumbing issue, the main dining room and buffet food, and specialty dining at Cagney's, Le Bistro, Moderno, and La Cucina. Jacob also discusses Norwegian's Freestyle Dining concept, entertainment, crowds, and whether the older ship still delivers good value. In Bermuda, he visits Horseshoe Bay, takes a sunset rum cruise, and goes clear kayaking before Norwegian Jewel heads north for a short stop in Halifax. Plus, we cover the week's cruise news, including changes to Norwegian Cruise Line's Free at Sea specialty dining benefit, Carnival's White Hot Night, Margaritaville at Sea's plans for Galveston, and Disney Cruise Line's return to New York. Share your thoughts: [email protected]  Sponsor Cruise line protection is designed to help if you can't take your cruise. Third-party travel insurance helps protect you during the trip. Including medical care, delays, and unexpected issues. Compare plans and save up to 30% at TripInsurance.com. About Cruise Radio: Cruise Radio has been delivering cruise news, ship reviews, and money-saving tips weekly since 2009.

A review of the Margaritaville at Sea Islander.  This week we get a full review of Margaritaville at Sea Islander following a four-night cruise from Tampa to Cozumel. Sue joins us after her 42nd cruise to share why Islander exceeded her expectations and how the former Costa ship has been transformed into Margaritaville at Sea's newest Tampa-based cruise ship. Staff writer Richard Simms has cruise news on: Carnival Valor making a hard turn on the Mississippi River to avoid a cargo vessel, two passengers arrested following an alleged altercation aboard a cruise ship in Port Canaveral, a lawsuit involving a Norwegian Cruise Line passenger who says he was bitten by a pig during an excursion, Carnival's new shoe recycling program, and the latest CDC cruise ship sanitation inspection scores. Share your thoughts: [email protected]  Sponsor Cruise line protection is designed to help if you can't take your cruise. Third-party travel insurance helps protect you during the trip. Including medical care, delays, and unexpected issues. Compare plans and save up to 30% at TripInsurance.com. About Cruise Radio: Cruise Radio has been delivering cruise news, ship reviews, and money-saving tips weekly since 2009.

Sharon joins us to review an eight-night Southern Caribbean cruise aboard Celebrity Silhouette from Port Everglades to Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. We discuss embarkation in Fort Lauderdale, her solo inside stateroom, dining around the ship, and what Celebrity Silhouette is like during busy sea days. Sharon shares her experience at the Oceanview Cafe, Murano, and Tuscan Grille, along with some of her favorite bars and lounges around the ship. Staff writer Richard Simms has cruise news.  Share your thoughts: [email protected]  Sponsor Cruise line protection is designed to help if you can't take your cruise. Third-party travel insurance helps protect you during the trip. Including medical care, delays, and unexpected issues. Compare plans and save up to 30% at TripInsurance.com. About Cruise Radio: Cruise Radio has been delivering cruise news, ship reviews, and money-saving tips weekly since 2009.

We discuss the latest cruise news, including passengers arrested after a prank aboard MSC Divina, Princess Cruises tightening its booking policies, Celebrity's gratuity increase, Norwegian canceling Norwegian Sky's farewell sailing, Carnival's new menu item, and Zac Brown Band's massive Margaritaville at Sea giveaway. Kevin shares his detailed review of a four-night Carnival Freedom sailing from Port Canaveral, covering embarkation, suite accommodations (and perks attached to the stateroom), dining, entertainment, and port visits to Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key, offering practical tips for prospective cruisers. Share your thoughts: [email protected]  Sponsor Cruise line protection is designed to help if you can't take your cruise. Third-party travel insurance helps protect you during the trip. Including medical care, delays, and unexpected issues. Compare plans and save up to 30% at TripInsurance.com. About Cruise Radio: Cruise Radio has been delivering cruise news, ship reviews, and money-saving tips weekly since 2009.

A review of Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas in 2026. Earlier this year, Matt took a seven-night Caribbean cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas from Port Miami. Matt shares his experience navigating flight cancellations due to a Georgia storm and the Miami Marathon's impact on transportation. He praises the ship's cleanliness, exceptional dining in both the main dining room and specialty restaurants, and highlights Perfect Day at CocoCay, Puerto Rico, and Saint Thomas as memorable ports. Despite limited grab-and-go food options and slightly longer disembarkation, Matt considers the cruise excellent value, recommending it for families and couples alike.Hear his complete thoughts in this week's inerview.  Share your thoughts: [email protected]  Sponsor Cruise line protection is designed to help if you can't take your cruise. Third-party travel insurance helps protect you during the trip. Including medical care, delays, and unexpected issues. Compare plans and save up to 30% at TripInsurance.com. About Cruise Radio: Cruise Radio has been delivering cruise news, ship reviews, and money-saving tips weekly since 2009.

A review of MSC Seashore from Port Canaveral, Florida. Staff writer Richard Simms cover key cruise news, including arrests at Port Canaveral, a serious shore excursion injury highlighting travel insurance importance, a norovirus outbreak on the National Geographic Seabird, and Carnival's humorous response to a viral dining etiquette video. Holland America and Princess Cruises' charitable penny donation initiative is also featured.  Then, Anne shares her review of MSC Seashore's Yacht Club experience on a four-night Bahamas cruise from Port Canaveral, covering Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, dining, entertainment, the private Yacht Club, embarkation, and whether the premium experience is worth the cost. Share your thoughts: [email protected]  Sponsor Cruise line protection is designed to help if you can't take your cruise. Third-party travel insurance helps protect you during the trip. Including medical care, delays, and unexpected issues. Compare plans and save up to 30% at TripInsurance.com. About Cruise Radio: Cruise Radio has been delivering cruise news, ship reviews, and money-saving tips weekly since 2009.  

Brilliance of the Seas transatlantic cruise review. Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas takes center stage this week as John shares his 23-night back-to-back cruise from Barcelona to Boston. The cruise combined an eight-night Western Europe sailing with a 15-night transatlantic cruise featuring Iceland, Greenland, Scotland, Portugal, Spain, and Atlantic Canadian maritimes. He discusses the ship's classic Radiance-class design, oceanview cabin, dining, entertainment, rough seas, and why Brilliance remains a favorite despite being more than 20 years old. Plus, hear what it's like to visit the Blue Lagoon, chase the Northern Lights, explore Greenland's remote villages, and whether a transatlantic cruise is worth adding to your bucket list. Share your thoughts: [email protected]  Sponsor Cruise line protection is designed to help if you can't take your cruise. Third-party travel insurance helps protect you during the trip. Including medical care, delays, and unexpected issues. Compare plans and save up to 30% at TripInsurance.com. About Cruise Radio: Cruise Radio has been delivering cruise news, ship reviews, and money-saving tips weekly since 2009.