Celebrity Cruises Announces 2026 President’s Cruise Itinerary

Image: Celebrity Apex. (Photo via Celebrity Cruises)

by Laurie Baratti
Last updated: 5:15 PM ET, Sun May 18, 2025

Celebrity Cruises’ special 2025 President’s Cruise voyage is currently underway, sailing aboard Celebrity Apex round-trip from Southampton through the Norwegian fjords. In a sneak preview Sunday night, Celebrity’s President, Laura Hodges Bethge, revealed the dates and a rough itinerary for next year’s President’s Cruise.

The 2026 President’s Cruise will be an eight-night itinerary that commences September 13, 2026, and will set sail from Athens and end in Barcelona, stopping in Santorini, Kusadasi, Mykonos, Rhodes and Malta along the way. Another exciting element of this announcement is that the voyage will sail aboard the brand’s newest vessel, Celebrity Xcel, which is scheduled to make its debut in November 2025.?

Celebrity Cruises' President Laura Hodges Bethge speaks aboard the 2025 President's Cruise voyage.

The 3,260-guest ship will be the newest vessel in Celebrity’s Edge Class series, joining Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent. Representing a leap forward in the series’ evolution, Xcel will feature seven brand-first spaces and concepts, offering guests something new to experience daily. It will also be the brand’s first ship capable of running on methanol, bringing parent company Royal Caribbean Group that much closer to its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

At a special welcome event for Captain's Club loyalty members, Hodges Bethge said that those who sail on the 2026 President's Cruise will also have options to extend their voyage with pre- and post-cruise?stays in Athens and Barcelona. "Mark your calendars," she advised. "I hope you'll join us on XCel next year. Thank you for your loyalty, thank you for your commitment to Celebrity Cruises. Know that our commitment is equally as strong back to you in ensuring that we deliver the elevated premium vacations that you're used to."

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Laurie Baratti

Assistant Editor

Laurie Baratti is an Assistant Editor for TravelPulse. She is a San Diego-based journalist whose work has previously appeared in publications like TravelAge West, SPACE, Modern Home + Living, Montage, and Sandals Life magazines. Travel writing has long been her passion, and she is always looking for excuses to explore the world outside of her native California. Laurie is also a lifelong equestrian, a proud pet-parent, and an underground advocate of the Oxford comma.