Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Xcel
- Cruises
- 54
- From
- $798
Ship comparison
Celebrity Xcel vs Norwegian Prima
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Prima
- Cruises
- 51
- From
- $349
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Celebrity Xcel is a large Celebrity Cruises ship carrying 3,260 passengers, in service since 2025. Norwegian Prima is a large Norwegian Cruise Line ship carrying 3,215 passengers, in service since 2022.
Choose Celebrity Xcel if you want a better-rated spa and gym, a more romantic trip or better-rated staterooms: it outscores Norwegian Prima for spa & fitness (9.0 vs 7.0), romantic (9.0 vs 7.0) and staterooms (9.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Norwegian Prima if you want a more family-friendly ship, a lower starting fare or more culture: it outscores Celebrity Xcel for family friendly (8.0 vs 5.0) and cultural (7.0 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $349 (vs $798).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Celebrity Xcel | Norwegian Prima | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Celebrity Cruises | Norwegian Cruise Line |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2025 (better) | 2022 |
| Gross tonnage | 140,597 | 142,500 |
| Passengers | 3,260 | 3,215 |
| Crew | 1,400 | 1,388 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 43.1 | 44.3 (better) |
| Cabins | — | 1,646 |
| Decks | 16 | 20 |
| Length | 1,073 ft | 965 ft |
| Beam | 128 ft | 133 ft |
| Speed | 25 mph | — |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 10 / 10 (better) | 9 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 54 | 51 |
| Upcoming sailings | 91 | 92 |
| Cruise lengths | 6 to 16 nights | 3 to 17 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $798 | $349 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Celebrity Xcel leads on 6 of the ten, Norwegian Prima on 2, with 2 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
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.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Prima
First in a new class of smartships from Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Prima sailed its maiden voyage in August 2022. The next-generation ship was Norwegian's first major redesign in nearly 10 years.
Sailing now
51 cruises on sale, from $349.
Questions
Celebrity Xcel or Norwegian Prima?
Which is bigger, Celebrity Xcel or Norwegian Prima?
Norwegian Prima is bigger at 142,500 gross tons, against 140,597 gross tons for Celebrity Xcel. Celebrity Xcel carries 3,260 passengers and Norwegian Prima carries 3,215.
Which ship is newer, Celebrity Xcel or Norwegian Prima?
Celebrity Xcel is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2025 against 2022 for Norwegian Prima.
Which has more space per passenger?
Norwegian Prima, with 44.3 gross tons per passenger against 43.1 on Celebrity Xcel. 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?
Norwegian Prima scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 8.0 out of 10, against 5.0 for Celebrity Xcel.
Still deciding?
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