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Legend of the Seas vs Celebrity Xcel
The Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas is a fairly new ship, being built in 2026. Legend of the Seas features many of the same restaurants and attractions as its sister-ships Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas. Some changes from its sister ships are a two-story casino and The Royal Railway and Hollywoodland Supper Club dining experiences. It's 1 year newer than the Xcel, which was 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.
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 Legend of the Seas is considered an extra large ship. Coming in at 1,198 feet long and 216 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.3 football fields, as wide as 4.1 tractor-trailers, and the same height as a 18-story building. Compared to the Celebrity Xcel, the Legend of the Seas is 76% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas holds 72% more passengers than the Xcel based on double occupancy (two people per room). At full capacity, Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas holds 93% more passengers than the Xcel.
When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Legend of the Seas has less space per person compared to the Xcel.
The Legend of the Seas uses a neighborhood layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded.
| Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas | Celebrity Xcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Icon | Edge |
| Gross Tonnage | 248,663 | 141,420 |
| Length | 1,198 | 1,072 |
| Beam/Width | 216 | 128 |
| Passenger Decks | 18 | 16 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 5,610 | 3,260 |
| Passengers (maximum occupancy) | 7,600 | 3,937 |
| Crew | 2,350 | 1,416 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 3.2 | 2.8 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 33 | 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 Legend of the Seas has twenty-four different dining options like Sorrento's Pizza, Pier 7, and Chops Grille. Of those options, fifteen are complimentary, or included with your cruise fare. The other fifteen options have an additional fee.
The Xcel has four fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Le Grand Bistro, Spice, and Craft Social. Seven of these restaurants are complimentary and the other thirteen have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Legend of the Seas might be a better choice. It has 20% more dining options than the Xcel.
Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.
| Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas | Celebrity Xcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 24 | 20 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 15 | 7 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 15 | 13 |
| % of Included Options | 38% | 35% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas has 12 more bars than the Celebrity Xcel. The Legend of the Seas has 26 bars like Cantina Fresca, Casino Bar and The Lime & Coconut. On Xcel, you can grab a drink at 14 different bars such as Cafe al Bacio, Mast Bar and The Bazaar Bar.
| Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas | Celebrity Xcel |
|---|---|
| •1400 Lobby Bar • Aquadome Market Bar • Basecamp Bar • Boleros • Bubbles • Cantina Fresca • Casino Bar • Desserted Milkshake Bar • Dueling Pianos • English Pub • Giovanni's Wine Bar • Lou's Jazz 'N Blues • Music Hall • Playmakers • Rye & Bean • Schooner Bar • Spotlight Karaoke • Swim & Tonic • The Grove Bar • The Hideaway Bar • The Lemon Post • The Lime & Coconut • The Lime & Coconut: Frozen • The Overlook • Trellis Bar • Windjammer 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 Barq's Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
You can check out the recent bar menus for the Legend of the Seas 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 Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas has a total of 7 pools and 10 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 1 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 fewer pools than the Legend of the Seas and fewer hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Xcel. 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? Two of the pools and one of the hot tubs are adults only on Legend of the Seas.
| Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas | Celebrity Xcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 7 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 4 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | 1 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 10 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 8 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 1 | 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. On the Legend of the Seas, 74% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Xcel, only 69% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas | Celebrity Xcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Aquatheater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Carousel | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cooking Class | ✗ | ✓ |
| Crown's Edge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Escape Room | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ice Skating | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Laser Tag | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pickleball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rooftop Garden | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| The Attic - Adult Gaming Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| The Bazaar Entertainment Space | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Waterpark | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Royal Caribbean 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 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.
| Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas | Celebrity Xcel | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.50 | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $4.75 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.49 See drink menus | $9.99 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $77 - $118 Learn more | $55 - $99 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 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. | ||
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
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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