Booking cruise vacations in advance typically helps guests secure the best rate and gives them something exciting to look forward to, so loyal Celebrity cruisers will be thrilled to know that we know when Celebrity Cruises will open up new 2026-2027 cruises.
The deployment schedule covers Alaska, Australia, Bermuda, Canada/New England, the Canals, Hawaii, Iceland, Japan, Europe, South America, Caribbean, and Asia, giving potential sailors plenty of itinerary choices.
- Week of October 1, 2024: Alaska, Australia, Bermuda/Northeast, Canals, Hawaii, Iceland, Japan, Northern Europe
- Week of November 5, 2024: Mediterranean, South America
- Week of November 19, 2024: Caribbean
- Week of December 10, 2024: Winter Asia
It's important to remember that sailings could be released anytime within that week, not just the first day.
Cruises to the Galapagos in 2026 onboard Celebrity Flora have already been released and are available for booking. 2027 sailings are forthcoming at a later date.
Moreover, sailings through April 2026 to Asia, Australia and New Zealand, The Bahamas and Caribbean, and Hawaii are already open for booking.
An 8-night cruise in May 2026 onboard Celebrity Edge has also been released. The repositioning cruise sails from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Vancouver, British Columbia.
All itineraries are subject to change without notice. Recently, Carnival Cruise Line changed itineraries on eight ships for sailings in 2025 and 2026, exemplifying that it's important to stay flexible with your travel plans.
Read more: I Sailed the Greek Islands With Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Xcel will join Celebrity's fleet in November 2025
The fifth Edge Class ship, Celebrity Xcel, is slated to enter service next winter. She's Celebrity's last new build on order for the foreseeable future.
During her inaugural season, the 141,000 gross registered ton vessel will sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to The Caribbean, calling at ports like Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Cozumel, Mexico; Bimini, Bahamas; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
The first steel was cut for Celebrity Xcel in November 2023 at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. Most recently, the keel-laying ceremony took place, signifying the start of the vessel's physical construction.
Read more: Celebrity Cruises ships by age from newest to oldest
Thread shows what itineraries Celebrity cruisers are hoping for
In a Cruise Critic thread started by NorthStarStateCruiser, some cruisers share what they're hoping will be included in the latest deployment. None of these itineraries have been confirmed by Celebrity Cruises.
"Indian Ocean would be nice…," wrote chemmo.
WNcruiser added, "I would love a Hawaii round trip from LA. Some of you may remember a few years back when Eclipse did it, the suites were literally sold out in less than two days. The entire sail eventually sold out so I know it would be popular."
A few users theorized what Celebrity meant by "canals," rather than listing the Panama Canal directly.
"Hmmmm just noticed the release says CanalS plural. Could be interesting," said Cruise Junkie.
Ex-Airbalancer replied, "Maybe they writing about the Corinth Canal or Welland Canal 😉😁."
What's a deployment schedule?
Cruise deployment schedules are the plans for when each line will open certain sailings for booking.
As Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are both owned by Royal Caribbean Group, their schedules operate similarly. Both companies announce the week when their itineraries will be available for booking, but they don't provide a specific release day. Instead, the itineraries can be released on any day within that week.
Once new sailings are available, it's common for them to be entered into the reservation system first, meaning that some cruises can be booked earlier over the phone or through a trusted travel agent, even if they're not on the website.
Read more: 17 things I wish I knew before setting foot on a Celebrity ship
Before new itineraries are released, talk with your travel agent
Speaking of travel agents, they're an invaluable resource when cruise lines announce new deployments.
As soon as the itineraries become available, they can help you secure the lowest prices, as well as book hard-to-find cabins, like suites and studio staterooms.
Planning on booking a cruise in 2026-2027? Read more of our guides to help get started:
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
