Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Equinox
- Cruises
- 41
- From
- $876
Ship comparison
Celebrity Equinox vs Celebrity Xcel
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Xcel
- Cruises
- 54
- From
- $798
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Celebrity Equinox is a large Celebrity Cruises ship carrying 2,852 passengers, in service since 2009. Celebrity Xcel is a large Celebrity Cruises ship carrying 3,260 passengers, in service since 2025.
Choose Celebrity Equinox if you want a more family-friendly ship, better-rated dining or more culture: it outscores Celebrity Xcel for family friendly (7.0 vs 5.0), dining (10.0 vs 8.0) and cultural (8.0 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Celebrity Xcel if you want more of a party, a newer ship or a more active cruise: it outscores Celebrity Equinox for party (7.0 vs 4.0) and active (8.0 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its maiden voyage was in 2025 (vs 2009).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Celebrity Equinox | Celebrity Xcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Celebrity Cruises | Celebrity Cruises |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2009 | 2025 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2019 | — |
| Gross tonnage | 122,000 | 140,597 |
| Passengers | 2,852 | 3,260 |
| Crew | 1,250 | 1,400 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 42.8 | 43.1 (better) |
| Decks | 14 | 16 |
| Length | 1,041 ft | 1,073 ft |
| Beam | 121 ft | 128 ft |
| Speed | 28 mph | 25 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 9 / 10 | 10 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 41 | 54 |
| Upcoming sailings | 78 | 91 |
| Cruise lengths | 7 to 17 nights | 6 to 16 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $876 | $798 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Celebrity Equinox leads on 3 of the ten, Celebrity Xcel on 2, with 5 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Equinox
The 2,852-guest Celebrity Equinox takes premium cruising to new heights with a mix of classic Celebrity Cruises amenities and flourishes tailor-made for this equisite ship. Our recent sailing on Equinox shows that there's no compromise when it comes to onboard experiences as cruising begins to emerge full-throttle from the pandemic.
Highlights
- Lawn Club
- Martini Bar
- Sky Observation Lounge
- Equinox Theater
Sailing now
41 cruises on sale, from $876.
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Xcel
Celebrity Xcel, the latest Edge Series ship from Celebrity Cruises, debuted in the Caribbean in November 2025.
Sailing now
54 cruises on sale, from $798.
Questions
Celebrity Equinox or Celebrity Xcel?
Which is bigger, Celebrity Equinox or Celebrity Xcel?
Celebrity Xcel is bigger at 140,597 gross tons, against 122,000 gross tons for Celebrity Equinox. Celebrity Equinox carries 2,852 passengers and Celebrity Xcel carries 3,260.
Which ship is newer, Celebrity Equinox or Celebrity Xcel?
Celebrity Xcel is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2025 against 2009 for Celebrity Equinox.
Which has more space per passenger?
Celebrity Xcel, with 43.1 gross tons per passenger against 42.8 on Celebrity Equinox. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
They are level, with one crew member for every 2.3 passengers.
Which is better for families?
Celebrity Equinox scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 7.0 out of 10, against 5.0 for Celebrity Xcel.
Still deciding?
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