Celebrity Xcel vs MSC World Asia

The Celebrity Xcel is a fairly new ship, being 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. It's 1 year older than the World Asia, which was built in 2026. The World Asia is named for the cultural theme of the ship, not where it's sailing. Guests will find unique Asian-inspired veneues on board. The ship is split into seven districts that provide unique restaurants, bars, and attractions; helping to reduce crowding. The World Asia is still under construction and MSC hasn't released all the details yet.

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

Ship Size

The Xcel is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,072 feet long and 128 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 16-story building. Compared to the MSC World Asia, the Xcel is 35% smaller in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

Celebrity Xcel holds 52% fewer passengers than the World Asia based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Xcel has more space per person compared to the World Asia. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.

The World Asia uses a district layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded.

	Celebrity Xcel	MSC World Asia
Class	Edge	World
Gross Tonnage	140,600	215,863
Length	1,072	1,092
Beam/Width	128	155
Passenger Decks	16	16
Passengers (double occupancy)	3,260	6,758
Crew	1,416	2,142
Passenger to Crew Ratio	2.3	3.2
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger)	43	32

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 Xcel has twenty different dining options like Normandie Restaurant, Tuscan Restaurant, and Le Voyage. Of those options, seven are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other thirteen options have an additional fee.

The World Asia has two fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Il Mercato, HOLA! Tacos & Cantina, and Butcher's Cut. Twelve of these restaurants are complementary and the other twelve have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Xcel might be a better choice. It has 11% more dining options than the World Asia.

Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.

	Celebrity Xcel	MSC World Asia
Total Dining Options	20	18
Complimentary Dining Options:	7	12
Additional Fee Dining Options:	13	12
% of Included Options	35%	33%
	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 Xcel and the World Asia 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 Celebrity Xcel has a total of 5 pools and 6 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.

MSC World Asia has more pools than the Xcel and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the World Asia. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.

Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Xcel.

	Celebrity Xcel	MSC World Asia
Total Pools	5	7
Pools - General Access	3	4
Pools - Adults Only	1	2
Pools - Exclusive	1	1
Total Hot Tubs	6	13
Hot Tubs - General Access	2	10
Hot Tubs - Adults Only	2
Hot Tubs - Exclusive	2	3

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. On the Xcel, 64% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the World Asia, only 55% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.

	Celebrity Xcel	MSC World Asia
Adult Only Relaxation Area	✗	✓
Adventure Trail	✗	✓
Arcade	✗	✓
Basketball	✗	✓
Beyond the Podium Talk Series	✓	✗
Bingo	✓	✗
Bumper Cars	✗	✓
Casino	✓	✓
Cliffhanger	✗	✓
Comedy Show	✗	✓
Cooking Class	✓	✗
Dueling Pianos	✗	✓
F1 Simulator	✗	✓
Fitness Center	✓	✓
Interactive XD Cinema	✗	✓
Jogging Track	✓	✗
Outdoor movies	✓	✗
Pickleball	✓	✗
Production Shows	✗	✓
Rooftop Garden	✓	✗
Shows - musical review	✓	✗
Spa	✓	✓
Splash park	✗	✓
The Attic - Adult Gaming Area	✓	✗
The Bazaar Entertainment Space	✓	✗
Thermal Suites	✓	✓
Thrill Slide	✗	✓
VR Arcade	✗	✓
Water slides	✗	✓
Zip Line	✗	✓
	Learn more	Learn more

Cruise Costs

Celebrity 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.

MSC, on the other hand, 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.

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.

	Celebrity Xcel	MSC World Asia
Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day)	$18.00	$16.00
Tip added to drinks & services	20%	18%
Soda Price	$4.75	$3.50
Domestic Beer Price	$9.99 See drink menus	$9.00 See drink menus
Drink Package Price	$55 - $99 Learn more	$46 - $85
Internet Plan	$19 to $30 per device per day	$17 - $27 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.

Want to Stay Up-To-Date on All Things Cruising?

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

About Cruise Spotlight
Founded in 2020, Cruise Spotlight's goal is to help people understand every aspect of cruising. Plenty of sites focus on the perfect Instagram pictures and marketing fluff. We focus on what really matters: onboard expenses, tips for cruise ships, detailed cruise reviews, and more. Our goal is to provide helpful, unbiased information to new and established cruisers. Over the years, we've helped millions of people get the most from their cruise vacation.
Learn more about Cruise Spotlight.