Cruise Spotlight
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Carnival Encounter vs Celebrity Xcel
The Carnival Encounter was built in 2002. It was renovated in 2026. The Carnival Encounter is a rebranded ship, previously sailing as Star Princess with Princess Cruises and the Pacific Encounter for P&O Australia. It has been brought into the Carnival family and they added things like the HUB app and Camp Ocean, but it missing several key Carnival elements. For example, they charge for pizza outside of lunch hours and there is no complimentary soft serve ice cream or burgers. It's 23 years older than the Xcel, which was built in 2025. The Celebrity Xcel will feature many of the new additions seen on the Celebrity Beyond and Ascent including more outdoor space, a more open central atrium, and an improved Rooftop Garden. It will also feature a 7 new additions like switching Eden to The Bazaar.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
- See Our Detailed Cruise Blog
Ship Size
The Encounter is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 951 feet long and 118 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.6 football fields, as wide as 2.2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Xcel, the Encounter is 23% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Carnival Encounter holds 19% fewer passengers than the Xcel based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Encounter has less space per person compared to the Xcel.
| Carnival Encounter | Celebrity Xcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Adventure | Edge |
| Gross Tonnage | 108,865 | 140,600 |
| Length | 951 | 1,072 |
| Beam/Width | 118 | 128 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 16 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,636 | 3,260 |
| Crew | 1,100 | 1,416 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.4 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 41 | 43 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Encounter has eleven different dining options like Angelo's, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, and Dragon Lady. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other six options have an additional fee.
The Xcel has nine more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Blu, Cosmopolitan Restaurant, and Dinner on the Edge. Seven of these restaurants are complementary and the other thirteen have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Xcel might be a better choice. It has 82% more dining options than the Encounter.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Encounter might be a better choice then the Xcel. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Carnival Encounter | Celebrity Xcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 11 | 20 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 6 | 7 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 6 | 13 |
| % of Included Options | 45% | 35% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Encounter and the Xcel below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Carnival Encounter has a total of 4 pools and 8 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
Celebrity Xcel has more pools than the Encounter and fewer hot tubs.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools are adults only on Encounter.| Carnival Encounter | Celebrity Xcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 4 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 8 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 6 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 | 2 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Encounter. Only 55% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Xcel, 67% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Carnival Encounter | Celebrity Xcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cooking Class | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✓ | ✗ |
| Edge Adventure Park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Outdoor movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pickleball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Rooftop Garden | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✗ | ✓ |
| The Attic - Adult Gaming Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| The Bazaar Entertainment Space | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Carnival is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Celebrity, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Carnival Encounter | Celebrity Xcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $17.00 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.25 | $4.75 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.25 See drink menus | $9.99 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $83 - $88 Learn more | $55 - $99 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
We sailed aboard the Celebrity Xcel
Follow along on our sailing on the Celebrity Xcel. We take you through every aspect of our sailing, from getting to the port to debarking the ship. See the schedule of events, menus, what excursions we did, and what we really thought about the ship.
Star of the Seas - Cruise Blog - Day 3 - Perfect Day at CocoCay
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