Celebrity Cruises vs Norwegian Cruise Line — a head-to-head on the specs, the amenities, and what each ship is genuinely better at.
Celebrity Xcel (2025) is the newer ship by 6 years versus Norwegian Encore (2019). Norwegian Encore is the larger hull at 169,116 GT (~20% bigger). Celebrity Xcel sails with fewer guests at double occupancy (3,260 vs 3,998).
| Spec | Celebrity Xcel | Norwegian Encore |
|---|---|---|
| Year built | 2025 | 2019 |
| Tonnage | 141,420 GT | 169,116 GT |
| Guests (double occupancy) | 3,260 | 3,998 |
| Guests (max) | 3,873 | 4,004 |
Trophy marks the ship that wins each row. Smaller capacity = more space per guest.