Luxury, stars, and the Mediterranean: how the 2026 Celebrity Cruises Presidential Cruise unfolded.

Celebrity Wraps Up the 2026 President's Cruise on Celebrity Xcel

Celebrity Cruises has announced that on Monday, September 21, 2026, it successfully wrapped up its annual 2026 President's Cruise (2026 President's Cruise). This time, the large-scale event took place on the company's newest Edge-class ship — Celebrity Xcel.



The journey lasted eight nights (from September 13 to 21) along a scenic Mediterranean itinerary departing from Athens (Greece) and concluding in Barcelona (Spain). The ship welcomed the most loyal members of the Captain's Club loyalty program, bringing them together on a luxurious voyage through Greece, Turkey, and Malta. Specifically, during the cruise, the ship made stops on popular Greek islands including Mykonos, Rhodes, and Santorini, as well as in Turkey and Malta.

As noted in the company's official statement, this annual cruise offers an array of exclusive shore excursions, special events, and unique experiences available exclusively during the President's Cruise. The journey became a wonderful opportunity for returning guests of Celebrity Cruises to spend time with company President Laura Hodges Bethge and her executive team, as well as mingle with fellow Captain's Club members.

   
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Key Highlights and Events of the 2026 President's Cruise:

Pre-Cruise Program in Athens (City Stay): Festivities and events began even before setting sail. Guests enjoyed a special program featuring a private tour of the prestigious Benaki Museum (Benaki Museum) and a welcome President's Cruise Gala Dinner at the Divani Palace Acropolis (Divani Palace Acropolis).

Vibrant Sail Away: The week kicked off with a Sail Away celebration (Sail Away) at the Celebrity Pool Club (Celebrity Pool Club), accompanied by lively entertainment from the Opa! Festival and The Bazaar show (Opa! / The Bazaar).

Star-Studded Onboard Performances: Throughout the week, guests enjoyed exceptional onboard performances, including concerts by recording artist Will Martin (Will Martin), a performance by Triple Threat featuring The Voice finalist Omar Jose Cardona (Omar Jose Cardona), a passionate flamenco dance by Los Vivancos (Los Vivancos), a concert by Tree Gees, a Bee Gees tribute band (Tree Gees / Bee Gees), and an energetic rock performance by Captain Kyriakos “Kirk” Matragkas (Kyriakos “Kirk” Matragkas).

Fleet Preview Presentations: During interactive sessions in the Conversations with Celebrity format, guests learned more about Celebrity's upcoming launches and fleet updates.

Culinary Competitions: Guests teamed up with leading Celebrity Cruises chefs to create original dishes. The winning dish of the culinary duel was crowned by a panel of judges consisting of President Laura Hodges Bethge, Senior Vice President of Marine Operations Manolis Alevropoulos (Manolis Alevropoulos), and Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations Michael Goldner (Michael Goldner).

Exclusive Shore Excursions: Excursions led directly by Celebrity Cruises executives included a private exploration of a newly discovered archaeological site in Ephesus, an exclusive cooking class with a local chef in Mykonos, and a private wine tasting at a small farm in Malta.

Exclusive Ship Tour: President Laura Hodges Bethge personally led participants on a private tour of seven new spaces aboard the flagship vessel Celebrity Xcel.

Santorini Evening and Drone Show: The stop in Santorini was highlighted by a unique private event at the renowned Santo Winery (Santo Winery), where guests savored a meal as the sun set over the caldera. Upon returning onboard, guests enjoyed a breathtaking nighttime drone show at sea.

Looking Ahead: The company has already opened bookings for participants for the next 2027 President's Cruise, which will take place from May 10–14, 2027, allowing loyal guests to be among the first to experience 13 brand-new spaces on the renewed Celebrity Reflection.

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