Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Xcel
- Cruises
- 54
- From
- $798
Ship comparison
Celebrity Xcel vs Ruby Princess
Princess Cruises
Ruby Princess
- Cruises
- 53
- From
- $769
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Celebrity Xcel is a large Celebrity Cruises ship carrying 3,260 passengers, in service since 2025. Ruby Princess is a large Princess Cruises ship carrying 3,082 passengers, in service since 2008.
Choose Celebrity Xcel if you want a newer ship, a more active cruise or more adventure and nature: it outscores Ruby Princess for active (8.0 vs 6.0) and adventure & nature (6.0 vs 4.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its maiden voyage was in 2025 (vs 2008).
Choose Ruby Princess if you want a more family-friendly ship, better-rated staterooms or more culture: it outscores Celebrity Xcel for family friendly (7.8 vs 5.0), staterooms (10.0 vs 9.0) and cultural (7.0 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Celebrity Xcel | Ruby Princess | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Celebrity Cruises | Princess Cruises |
| Ship size | Large | Large |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2025 (better) | 2008 |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | — | 2018 |
| Gross tonnage | 140,597 | 113,561 |
| Passengers | 3,260 | 3,082 |
| Crew | 1,400 | 1,210 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.3 (better) | 2.5 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 43.1 (better) | 36.8 |
| Decks | 16 | 19 |
| Length | 1,073 ft | 950 ft |
| Beam | 128 ft | 118 ft |
| Speed | 25 mph | 26 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 10 / 10 (better) | 8 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 54 | 53 |
| Upcoming sailings | 91 | 76 |
| Cruise lengths | 6 to 16 nights | 5 to 16 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $798 | $769 (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 5 of the ten, Ruby Princess on 3, 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.
Princess Cruises
Ruby Princess
When I first walked on board Ruby Princess, I knew I was going to like this romantic gem of the Princess Cruises mega-ship fleet. Although she weighs in at 113,561 gross tons and houses 1,542 cabins, the floating hotel-like Ruby Princess has a warm, almost cozy feel and an old world meets modern day design.
Highlights
- Movies Under the Stars, a Princess tradition, is also offered on Ruby Princess.
- Head to the Piazza for live entertainment and a bustling main street feel.
- The Sanctuary offers a spa-like atmosphere to get away from the stresses of the day.
Sailing now
53 cruises on sale, from $769.
Questions
Celebrity Xcel or Ruby Princess?
Which is bigger, Celebrity Xcel or Ruby Princess?
Celebrity Xcel is bigger at 140,597 gross tons, against 113,561 gross tons for Ruby Princess. Celebrity Xcel carries 3,260 passengers and Ruby Princess carries 3,082.
Which ship is newer, Celebrity Xcel or Ruby Princess?
Celebrity Xcel is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2025 against 2008 for Ruby Princess.
Which has more space per passenger?
Celebrity Xcel, with 43.1 gross tons per passenger against 36.8 on Ruby Princess. 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 2.5 on Ruby Princess.
Which is better for families?
Ruby Princess scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 7.8 out of 10, against 5.0 for Celebrity Xcel.
Still deciding?
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