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This week's poll on Celebrity Dream Makers is focused on cultural immersion in The Bazaar. The poll asks "At the Bazaar, you can soak up your destination's culture by learning new skills from a local expert. Which one do you want to become a pro at?"  Would you choose cigar rolling or dancing like a local? Needless-to-say, I chose dancing like a local. :) But I'm curious, would you actually participate in the dance lesson or just enjoy watching others learn? Check out last week's Dream Makers Poll here
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The Bazaar is one of the ways Celebrity Xcel will be different, an exciting reveal about Celebrity's new ship for 2025 that has just been announced.  The Bazaar on Xcel - Photo Celebrity Cruises What is the Bazaar on Celebrity Xcel?Celebrity Cruises aims to 'erase the line between ship and shore' with their new and dynamic Bazaar concept spanning over 3 stories. The Bazaar will combine entertainment, shopping, and dining along with culturally immersive experiences like cooking classes and dance lessons on a cruise all inspired by the destinations you will be traveling to. Is The Bazaar Replacing Eden?Yes, it does appear that The Bazaar will be replacing Eden. Personally, I really enjoyed Eden on Celebrity Ascent, and apparently a lot of other people did as well, but let's face it .. variety is the spice of life! Keeping every ship totally identical could be boring, so it's nice to see a new concept introduced on Celebrity's new ship in 2025. Maybe you'll love it, maybe you'll hate it, but you never know until you try right?! ;) If you want an opportunity to influence the development of The Bazaar on Xcel, sign up for Celebrity Dream Makers! You may even win a free sailing! 8) Which deck is the Bazaar on Celebrity Xcel?The Bazaar spans 3 decks on Celebrity Xcel - Decks 6, 5, and 4. Pop-up entertainment, performances from local musicians, and destination-inspired festivals will be enjoyed all around. When you are ready to shop for some unique gifts and souvenirs, The Market at The Bazaar is located on Deck 5 along with the casual dining venue Spice. On deck 4 you will find Mosaic Restaurant.  Celebrity Xcel Deck Maps - The Bazaar The Bazaar is located at the Aft (rear) of Celebrity Xcel. Is Mosaic Restaurant Free or Paid on Xcel?Mosaic is a stunning open kitchen concept with culinary delights that reflect the ports of call, rather than having a set menu for the duration of the cruise.  Mosaic Restaurant on Xcel - Photo Celebrity Cruises Mosaic will surely be a paid, specialty restaurant on Xcel. Also hosted at Mosaic will be the Chef's Table at Mosaic experience where you will enjoy a multi-course tasting menu of dishes from all continents developed from childhood favorites of the native cuisine of Celebrity's global culinary leadership team, along with wine pairings. For the foodies, Chef's Studio at Mosaic is a not-to-be-missed activity throughout the voyage. This cooking school on a cruise ship will allow guests to learn to cook regional delicacies and local favorites from each destination they visit. When they return home, they can use these newly developed skills and recipes to make a meal Inspired By Travel for those who couldn't cruise with them (this time). ;) Is Spice Free or Paid on Xcel?Spice on Xcel should be replacing Eden Cafe which was a complimentary dining venue on previous Edge Class Ships. The seating area will provide spectacular sea and port views with its floor-to-ceiling windows. While enjoying the views, guests will nosh on rotating bites including... you guessed it... items inspired by the ports visited on the itinerary. I think you're getting the theme here...  Spice on Xcel - Photo Celebrity Cruises The Market at The Bazaar on xcelThe Market on Xcel should add some really unique shopping options on the ship for those who aren't looking for a luxury watch or a magnet that says "St. Thomas".  The Market on Xcel - Photo Celebrity Cruises In fact, local artisans will come onboard to showcase their crafts, skills, and traditions. Demonstrations and tastings will happen in this area - think basket weaving demos and local hot sauce tastings, for example. There's also word of rum and chocolate pairings which sounds like a great time! With its content changing multiple times throughout the cruise, the Market will be a spot to revist throughout your sailing! The Bazaar Concept Review on xcelThe Bazaar concept is really promising! If well executed, it will provide engaging and enriching experiences for cruisers on Xcel - both paid and unpaid. Not all passengers have the budget for a lot of extras, so the ship itself should have plenty to enjoy. For those with extra pocket change or who have sailed several times, it's nice to come back to a familiar ship and have varied experiences. Every itinerary you sail on will have different entertainment and cuisine, which is very cool! Presumably from the photos, the use of screens will enable the entrance to The Bazaar, called the Xcel Tunnel, and the main areas to transform with culturally on-theme designs for the festival being showcased that day. I might be totally wrong about that and would be happy to be wrong, but it seems likely and practical. Personally, I am not a fan of having screens everywhere (I'm kind of over screens, aren't you?), but I can see how they enable creating a new immersive environment with ease multiple times during each itinerary and could be done tastefully. What do you think? One last thing. Some people are saying things like "If I want to see an artisan, I'm going to get off the ship and see them in destination." That is totally valid. I agree, I think the ultimate experience is had on location, however that doesn't mean I wouldn't also enjoy it on the ship! For sure some passengers won't have ability to do an excursion and sometimes can't even get off the ship for one reason or another. With that in mind, I think it's fabulous they can get some cultural enrichment without leaving the ship - whether that's in port or on a sea day. And besides, unless you know someone local or are exploring completely DIY, there's a pretty good chance you're getting at least a semi-manufactured experience in port anyway. lol That's not necessarily a bad thing as it allows you to get the most out of a short time in port! Just keeping it real over here :) When is Xcel coming to EURope?Xcel debuts with Caribbean itineraries in November 2025 followed by the 2026 European Cruise season. While cruising Europe, The Bazaar on Xcel will have all new festivals, markets, and culinary experiences inspired by Mediterranean destinations. So cool! When is Xcel's Transatlantic Sailing?If you'd like to enjoy all the amenities of Xcel on a transatlantic sailing, April 26, 2026 is the day. A 15-night transatlantic cruise will take you from Ft Lauderdale Florida's Port Everglades to Barcelona, Spain with stops in Bermuda, Azores, Lisbon Portugal, Cartagena, and Mallorca.
Fancy a cruise from Barcelona to Florida? Sail on October 23, 2026 for 16 nights stopping in Cartagena, Malaga, Gibraltar, Seville, Madeira, and Bermuda before disembarking in Miami. |
Oh, Hey!We're Justin and Marissa
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