Send: Superstar Xcel
- The cruise four-day flow out from Miami’s Castle Lauderdale
- Introduced November 2025
- Passengers 3276
- Team 1400
- Passenger decks 16 in general, 10 of that have passenger cabins
- Duration 327 metres
Superstar Xcel is the road’s 5th Edge-class send since Superstar Edge debuted in 2017, and all have the unique tangerine-orange Magic Carpet – mainly, a living room and bar the dimensions of a tennis court docket – cantilevered off the facet of the pool deck.
As the logo suggests, Superstar Cruises loves to bag the massive names. The road has labored with American internal designers of the ilk of Kelly Hoppen and Nate Berkus, and with Gwyneth Paltrow in 2022 on wellness. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai may be within the fold as godmother of Edge.
Xcel takes leisure subsequent point with the assistance of heavy hitters similar to British director and choreographer (together with the Rocketman film) Adam Murray and Canadian Lukas McFarlane, a previous winner of the United Kingdom’s Were given to Dance. At their disposal is what will have to be amongst (if now not the most productive) are living leisure area at sea – a two-storey auditorium with an infinite level subsidized through a 33.5-metre lengthy curved LED wall that’s six metres tall, and can be utilized as a gentle display display and a cinema.
Superstar Edge additionally sought enter from its dependable visitors in growing Xcel – greater than 140,000 “Dream Makers” (learn: previous passengers) replied a sequence of questionnaires on what they wish to see onboard. Nearly everybody at the four-day comfortable release used to be unanimous that Xcel used to be the most productive Edge-class send.
So what’s new in this send?
There are extra suites and staterooms than different Edge ships, and lots of the public outside areas were expanded – for instance, the sundeck on the exclusive-access Retreat is 40 in step with cent better.
Xcel leans extra totally into Superstar Edge’s well known partying vibe. Probably the most thrilling addition is a hidden speakeasy that’s like one thing out of a Woody Allen movie. It’s purposefully onerous to find – however so price it, because the interiors and vibe without problems dial up the Nineteen Twenties.
Owned through Royal Caribbean since 1997, Superstar Edge used to be based through the Greek Chandris Crew in 1988, and a few visitors nonetheless love to birthday party as though they’re on Mykonos.
Revellers will warmly welcome The Attic – a brand new space inside of The Membership that is going 24/7, modelled on a unfashionable gaming living room. Suppose Thunderbirds are Pass whilst taking part in Pac-Guy. In the meantime, the country-and-western “Saddle Up Saloon” events have everybody line dancing.
Boarding
Superstar Edge hosts the assembled media on the Marriott AC Resort Castle Lauderdale Seashore the evening prior to. We meet at 9.30am within the foyer for the 40-minute bus journey to the port, the place porters whisk away the huge suitcases to ship immediately to our staterooms, and we board with handiest carry-on.
My cabin key card is sitting through the door of my Sky Suite after I board, and I’ve speedy entry to the room. (Be aware that on any cruise send, it’s possible you’ll now not have entry in your room instantly. On maximum ships, complete room readiness is most often from about 1pm.) Superstar Edge has a “Get on board” FAQs tab on its site.
The design
The unique imaginative and prescient set through Superstar Edge’s lead internal clothier, Kelly Hoppen, is sustained all over Xcel. New eating place choices, particularly Mosaic and Bora, are fantastically fitted out with robust consideration to element.
Glance out for the LED-lit arches on deck 5, situated subsequent to the brand new Bazaar area – the place native producers and artisans host pop-up stalls to carry extra of every vacation spot on board.
The areas
The send can really feel large and a bit of rowdy from time to time – to not point out being time-consuming to navigate. However the get advantages is within the selection: catch the most recent large football sport on the Rooftop Lawn, or within the snug Craft Social Bar. Then transfer to Uncooked on 5 for a health-fix meal with the send’s health club fiends.
Sign up for the birthday party crowd assembling from about 5pm at Martini Bar, the guts of the send, forward of dinner and a display. Lose them – handiest to search out them once more at the Magic Carpet, or through the pool deck for the late-night Shine the Evening events, and boogie underneath the celebs.
If you select to be in mattress through 11pm (why is everybody having a look at me?), that’s positive, too.
Overdue revellers and early risers come in combination from 6am when weeding out the most productive espresso at Cafe Al Bacio on deck 3 off the Grand Plaza.
The room
I’m in a Sky Suite, deck 10, midship, close to the steps and elevators – at hand for shifting round. Maximum Sky Suites measure about 29.6 sq. meters within, with beneficiant balconies past the sliding glass door. The decor is “gray meets beige” calming tones – with daring works of art, purple cushions and a patterned carpet for visible pops. The spacious lounging and table spaces, and the king mattress with a cashmere bed, upload a luxurious really feel, as do the fluffy towels and bathrobes.
However the true wow is within the huge marble rest room with sliding panels above the double wash basin – so you’ll open up and glance out. No want to leave out the perspectives whilst brushing your enamel, nor whilst having a shower, which doubles as a small tub with jets.
Sky Suite visitors have entry to The Retreat, for suite visitors handiest – a VIP-style space unfold throughout decks 15, 16 and 17. It features a 24-hour living room, plus a sundeck, splash pool, heated whirlpools and unique Luminae, the highest-rated eating place within the fleet.
Which room kind is very best for me?
From the entry-level Internal Staterooms (no home windows), via to the lavish Iconic and Penthouse Suites, and the two-storey Edge Villas, Superstar Edge gives various selection.
Xcel has 1640 staterooms, of which 228 are suites. There are about 9 suite classes and 6 stateroom classes and categories from which to make a choice. Purchasing into Concierge Elegance bolsters the stateroom revel in through providing perks like precedence check-in and eating reservations.
Previous palms vote the Sky Suite because the candy spot for the discerning, price-sensitive traveller. The room is longer and wider than an Endless Veranda Stateroom, and features a true veranda. Plus you get entry to The Retreat.
Greater, one-bedroom suites get started with the 16 Superstar Suites onboard, shifting as much as the significantly spectacular Royal Suites. When you hit Royal and above, all speciality eating venues are integrated – price bearing in mind for longer itineraries.
The meals
In a nutshell, there are 32 eating places, bars and lounges, from informal choices to extra-charge speciality positive eating similar to Le Petit Chef, and Le Voyage through Daniel Boulud, who operates a number of Michelin-starred eating places.
Bora is probably the most noteworthy new meals providing on Xcel – an excellent alfresco rooftop eating place with Mediterranean bites on deck 15, simply prior to the Sundown Bar. An over-the-top assemble-your-own Bloody Mary cart provides an additional a laugh vibe. Bora is absolute best for both date evening, or a rowdy meal with new shipboard pals.
Additionally price writing house about is Mosaic, which replaces what used to be Eden eating place behind different Edge-class ships. Adjoining to the multi-level Mosaic is an enthralling new “Spice Cafe”, with wholesome poke bowls.
The various forte eating places like Le Voyage include an additional payment, and will also be tough to safe bookings because of reputation. However the send’s all-access Primary Eating place, Oceanview Cafe and a handful of others integrated in elementary pricing will stay you well-fed. A beverages package deal is price exploring given handiest non-alcoholic drinks have a tendency to be integrated, and a tight glass of wine begins from about $US10 ($15.30).
Wellness
Superstar’s SEA Thermal Suite in The Spa is the stuff of maritime legend. Informal passes are expensive – e book an AquaClass stateroom for limitless entry to the SEA Thermal Suite and complimentary health categories, or acquire a separate SEA Thermal Suite move. Xcel’s spa has a brand new Hydra Room, and an outside “Nutrition D” lounger space to catch a protected quantity of solar, along with your SPF slathered on.
Leisure
The theatre auditorium is state of the art, and large identify administrators and manufacturers are being enlisted to create presentations you must be expecting to look on Broadway. Gentle lasers, aerial artists and casts of as much as 75 singers, dancers and musicians create memorable evenings.
The staff
A category act. This staff is going above and past. Such a lot of – from the performers to the cooks and cocktail mixers – are masters in their box.
The decision
An implausible choice for design fans and foodies – and for the more youthful cruiser, in conjunction with the younger at center. Deliver dancing footwear.
Our score out of 5
★★★★½
Swell
The quick and normally dependable Starlink Wi-Fi.
Now not so swell
There aren’t any self-service laundromats on board. All laundry will have to be paid for except it’s integrated in a package deal.
The main points
Departing Might 22, 2026: 10-night Italy, Spain, & French Riviera, roundtrip to Barcelona. Veranda Stateroom from $4182 in step with particular person.
The author travelled as a visitor of Superstar Cruises.
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Fiona Carruthers is the previous editor of the Australian Monetary Evaluate’s Subtle Traveller.Attach by way of e-mail.