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Norwegian Aqua vs Celebrity Xcite
The Norwegian Aqua is a fairly new ship, being built in 2025. The Norwegian Aqua is the 20th ship in the NCL fleet. It's 3 years older than the Xcite, which was built in 2028. The Celebrity Xcite will be largely similar to its predecessor, Xcel. It's the evolution of the Edge Class design with enhancements over the original Edge with more outdoor space, a more open central atrium, and an improved Rooftop Garden, plus 7 new spaces that debuted on the Xcel. The Xcite is still under construction and Celebrity 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 Aqua is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,056 feet long and 133 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.5 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 15-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Xcite, the Aqua is 11% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Norwegian Aqua holds about the same number of passengers as the Xcite 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 Aqua has more space per person compared to the Xcite. 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.
| Norwegian Aqua | Celebrity Xcite | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Prima Plus | Edge |
| Gross Tonnage | 156,300 | 140,600 |
| Length | 1,056 | 1,072 |
| Beam/Width | 133 | 128 |
| Passenger Decks | 15 | 16 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,571 | 3,260 |
| Crew | 1,388 | 1,416 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 44 | 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 Aqua has sixteen different dining options like Los Lobos, Surfside Grill, and The Local. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eleven options have an additional fee.
The Xcite has four more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Oceanview Cafe, Tuscan Restaurant, and Spice. 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 Xcite might be a better choice. It has 25% more dining options than the Aqua.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Xcite might be a better choice then the Aqua. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Norwegian Aqua | Celebrity Xcite | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 16 | 20 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 6 | 7 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 11 | 13 |
| % of Included Options | 31% | 35% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Norwegian Aqua has 2 more bars than the Celebrity Xcite. The Aqua has 16 bars like Belvedere Bar, Improv at Sea and Observation Lounge Bar. On Xcite, you can grab a drink at 14 different bars such as Il Secondo Bacio, Magic Carpet Bar and The Retreat Pool Bar.
| Norwegian Aqua | Celebrity Xcite |
|---|---|
| •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 | •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 |
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.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Aqua and the Xcite 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 Norwegian Aqua has a total of 4 pools and 6 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 4 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 Xcite has more pools than the Aqua and the same number of hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Xcite. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
| Norwegian Aqua | Celebrity Xcite | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 4 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 4 | 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 Aqua. Only 50% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Xcite, 69% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Norwegian Aqua | Celebrity Xcite | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (extra fee) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Lounge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cooking Class | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dart Lounge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Escape Room | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Outdoor movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pickleball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rooftop Garden | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Slidecoaster | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| The Attic - Adult Gaming Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| The Bazaar Entertainment Space | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thrill Slide | ✓ | ✗ |
| Virtual Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Norwegian 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.
| Norwegian Aqua | Celebrity Xcite | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $4.75 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $9.99 See drink menus | $9.99 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $28.50 - $32 Learn more | $55 - $99 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
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.
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.
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