Cruise Spotlight
Helping you find cruise ships you'll love
Celebrity Xcel vs Norwegian Aura
The Celebrity Xcel is a fairly new ship, being built in 2025. The Celebrity Xcel features 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 also features 7 new additions like switching Eden to The Bazaar. It's 2 years older than the Aura, which was built in 2027. The Norwegian Aura is the 21th ship in the NCL fleet and their largest ship yet. It's an evolution of the Prima Class design with 20% more space than the Prima and all new attractions.
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 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 Norwegian Aura, the Xcel is 18% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Celebrity Xcel holds 15% fewer passengers than the Aura based on double occupancy (two people per room). At full capacity, Celebrity Xcel holds 16% fewer passengers than the Aura.
When you look at the "Space Ratio," or tons of ship compared to number of passengers, the Xcel has the same amount of space per person as the Aura.
| Celebrity Xcel | Norwegian Aura | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Edge | Prima Plus |
| Gross Tonnage | 141,420 | 172,000 |
| Length | 1,072 | 1,130 |
| Beam/Width | 128 | 133 |
| Passenger Decks | 16 | 15 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,260 | 3,840 |
| Passengers (maximum occupancy) | 3,937 | 4,714 |
| Crew | 1,416 | 1,388 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.8 | 3.4 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 36 | 36 |
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 Raw on 5, Fine Cut Steakhouse, and Blu. Of those options, seven are complimentary, or included with your cruise fare. The other thirteen options have an additional fee.
The Aura has four fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Hudsons, Surfside Cafe, and Le Bistro French. Six of these restaurants are complimentary and the other eleven have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Xcel might be a better choice. It has 25% more dining options than the Aura.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Xcel might be a better choice than the Aura. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Celebrity Xcel | Norwegian Aura | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 20 | 16 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 7 | 6 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 13 | 11 |
| % of Included Options | 35% | 31% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Celebrity Xcel has 2 fewer bars than the Norwegian Aura. The Xcel has 14 bars like Casino Bar, Il Secondo Bacio and Magic Carpet Bar. On Aura, you can grab a drink at 16 different bars such as Belvedere Bar, Improv at Sea and Proof Whiskey Bar.
| Celebrity Xcel | Norwegian Aura |
|---|---|
| •Cafe al Bacio • Casino Bar • Craft Social • Il Secondo Bacio • Magic Carpet Bar • Martini Bar • Mast Bar • Oceanview Bar • Pool Bar • Sunset bar • The Bazaar Bar • The Club • The Retreat Pool Bar • World Class Bar | •Belvedere Bar • Improv at Sea • Luna Bar • Metropolitan Bar • Observation Lounge Bar • Penrose Bar • Proof Whiskey Bar • Soleil Bar • Starbucks • Swirl Wine Bar • Syd Norman's Pourhouse • The Haven Bar • The Local Bar • The Bull's Eye Bar • Vibe Beach Club Bar • Waves Pool Bar |
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 Barq's Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
You can check out the recent bar menus for the Xcel and the Aura 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.
Norwegian Aura has fewer pools than the Xcel and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Aura. 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 | Norwegian Aura | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 5 | 4 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 9 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 | 4 |
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, 69% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Aura, only 61% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Celebrity Xcel | Norwegian Aura | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (extra fee) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bingo | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Lounge | ✗ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✗ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cooking Class | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Horizon Park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Kid's Play Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Midway | ✗ | ✓ |
| Outdoor movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pickleball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Rooftop Garden | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ropes course | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| The Attic - Adult Gaming Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| The Bazaar Entertainment Space | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thrill Slide | ✗ | ✓ |
| Virtual Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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.
Norwegian, 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 may 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 | Norwegian Aura | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.00 | $20.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $4.75 | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $9.99 See drink menus | $9.99 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $55 - $99 Learn more | $28.50 - $32 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device |
| *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.
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a Free at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the Free at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.
Want to Stay Up-To-Date on All Things Cruising?
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
Articles Related to These Ships
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.