Virgin Voyages
Brilliant Lady
- Cruises
- 36
- From
- $357
Ship comparison
Brilliant Lady vs Celebrity Xcel
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Xcel
- Cruises
- 55
- From
- $775
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Brilliant Lady is a large Virgin Voyages ship carrying 2,770 passengers, in service since 2025. Celebrity Xcel is a large Celebrity Cruises ship carrying 3,260 passengers, in service since 2025.
Choose Brilliant Lady if you want a lower starting fare, more of a party or more culture: it outscores Celebrity Xcel for party (9.0 vs 7.0) and cultural (7.0 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $357 (vs $775).
Choose Celebrity Xcel if you want a more family-friendly ship, a better-rated spa and gym or better-rated staterooms: it outscores Brilliant Lady for family friendly (5.0 vs 1.0), spa & fitness (9.0 vs 8.0) and staterooms (9.0 vs 8.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Brilliant Lady | Celebrity Xcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Virgin Voyages | Celebrity Cruises |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2025 | 2025 |
| Gross tonnage | 110,000 | 140,597 |
| Passengers | 2,770 | 3,260 |
| Crew | 1,150 | 1,400 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.4 | 2.3 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 39.7 | 43.1 (better) |
| Decks | 15 | 16 |
| Length | 912 ft | 1,073 ft |
| Beam | 135 ft | 128 ft |
| Speed | 23 mph | 25 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 9 / 10 | 10 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 36 | 55 |
| Upcoming sailings | 71 | 95 |
| Cruise lengths | 3–17 nights | 6–16 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $357 (better) | $775 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Brilliant Lady leads on 2 of the ten, Celebrity Xcel on 3, with 5 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Virgin Voyages
Brilliant Lady
Brilliant Lady is Virgin Voyages’ fourth “Lady Ship” — an adults‑only (age 18+) cruise ship built for travelers who want the energy of a boutique hotel, the food-and-nightlife density of a great city weekend, and the convenience of a ship where you never need to dress up unless you feel like it.
Sailing now
36 cruises on sale, from $357.
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Xcel
Celebrity Xcel, the latest Edge Series ship from Celebrity Cruises, debuted in the Caribbean in November 2025.
Sailing now
55 cruises on sale, from $775.
Questions
Brilliant Lady or Celebrity Xcel?
Which is bigger, Brilliant Lady or Celebrity Xcel?
Celebrity Xcel is bigger at 140,597 gross tons, against 110,000 gross tons for Brilliant Lady. Brilliant Lady carries 2,770 passengers and Celebrity Xcel carries 3,260.
Which ship is newer, Brilliant Lady or Celebrity Xcel?
Both made their maiden voyage in 2025.
Which has more space per passenger?
Celebrity Xcel, with 43.1 gross tons per passenger against 39.7 on Brilliant Lady. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Celebrity Xcel, with one crew member for every 2.3 passengers against one for every 2.4 on Brilliant Lady.
Which is better for families?
Celebrity Xcel scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 5.0 out of 10, against 1.0 for Brilliant Lady.
Still deciding?
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