Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Xcel
- Cruises
- 54
- From
- $798
Ship comparison
Celebrity Xcel vs Norwegian Viva
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Viva
- Cruises
- 36
- From
- $369
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Celebrity Xcel is a large Celebrity Cruises ship carrying 3,260 passengers, in service since 2025. Norwegian Viva is a large Norwegian Cruise Line ship carrying 3,223 passengers, in service since 2023.
Choose Celebrity Xcel if you want a better-rated spa and gym, a more romantic trip or better-rated staterooms: it outscores Norwegian Viva 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 Viva if you want a more family-friendly ship or a lower starting fare: it outscores Celebrity Xcel for family friendly (9.0 vs 5.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $369 (vs $798).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Celebrity Xcel | Norwegian Viva | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Celebrity Cruises | Norwegian Cruise Line |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2025 (better) | 2023 |
| Gross tonnage | 140,597 | 142,500 |
| Passengers | 3,260 | 3,223 |
| Crew | 1,400 | 1,506 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.3 | 2.1 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 43.1 | 44.2 (better) |
| Decks | 16 | 20 |
| Length | 1,073 ft | 965 ft |
| Beam | 128 ft | 133 ft |
| Speed | 25 mph | 26 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 10 / 10 (better) | 7 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 54 | 36 |
| Upcoming sailings | 91 | 110 |
| Cruise lengths | 6 to 16 nights | 3 to 14 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $798 | $369 (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 7 of the ten, Norwegian Viva on 1, 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 Viva
The 3,223-passenger Norwegian Viva debuted in July 2023 and sails the Greek Isles and Mediterranean in spring to fall and Caribbean itineraries in winter.
Sailing now
36 cruises on sale, from $369.
Questions
Celebrity Xcel or Norwegian Viva?
Which is bigger, Celebrity Xcel or Norwegian Viva?
Norwegian Viva is bigger at 142,500 gross tons, against 140,597 gross tons for Celebrity Xcel. Celebrity Xcel carries 3,260 passengers and Norwegian Viva carries 3,223.
Which ship is newer, Celebrity Xcel or Norwegian Viva?
Celebrity Xcel is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2025 against 2023 for Norwegian Viva.
Which has more space per passenger?
Norwegian Viva, with 44.2 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?
Norwegian Viva, with one crew member for every 2.1 passengers against one for every 2.3 on Celebrity Xcel.
Which is better for families?
Norwegian Viva scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 9.0 out of 10, against 5.0 for Celebrity Xcel.
Still deciding?
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