Famed NFL mom Donna Kelce was among the surprise guests spotted aboard the brand-new Celebrity Xcel during its two-night naming-ceremony sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, Nov. 16–18. Warm, friendly and down-to-earth, she chatted with us about her first impressions of the ship, her cruising style, her upcoming travel plans-and whether she planned to catch the Chiefs game from the cruise deck.
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Donna Kelce's First Impressions of Celebrity Xcel: "It's Beautiful"
When asked what she thought of Celebrity's newest ship, Donna lit up. "Oh, I love Celebrity Xcel. It's beautiful; the design is amazing," she said, admiring the sleek layout from the Grand Plaza area in the center of the ship. "I just love all the different spaces and how it makes you feel like you're on a smaller ship because you can kind of congregate."
Like many cruisers on board for the naming ceremony, Donna was struck by Xcel's mix of sophistication and warmth. Though she's sailed with the line many times, this ship, she said, felt fresh.
"This one is… the first one I've been on that's this new," she explained. "It's just really, really pretty. It almost smells like a new car, but not really."
The Xcel-part of Celebrity's 5-ship Edge-Series fleet-debuted this week with an entertainment-packed naming ceremony full of Carnival-themed dancing, parkour and a christening from its godmother, Best Female Chef in the World Janaina Torres. The ship, so far, seems to be a hit with the first passengers, featuring an all-new pool space, rooftop all-day Brunch spot Bora and a cutting-edge "Bazaar" space concept that offers cruisers a taste of each local destination before their feet hit shores.
Pool Club - Deck 14 Midship Celebrity Xcel - Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Xcel Celebrity Xcel
What She Was Most Looking Forward To Onboard
For Donna, this sailing wasn't about racing from activity to activity. After a packed year-including four other cruises already-this trip was about slowing down.
"I just want to enjoy the rooms. I want to enjoy the space," she said. Shows were on her maybe-list, and she confirmed she planned to attend the ship's naming ceremony at least for part of the night.
She said her favorite thing about cruising is that "you can make [it] what you want-you can either go and do exciting things or you can just sit in your room and enjoy the sunset."
Her Very Relatable Approach to Packing
We love a good packing hack-but Donna insists she's not the expert.
"No, I'm terrible at it," she laughed. "I definitely want to have something nice for the times I'm going to go to dinner. But besides that, it's just whatever I throw in my bag that's clean."
Honestly? Same.
Did She Watch the Chiefs Game at Sea?
The naming ceremony overlapped with the Kansas City Chiefs' game against the Denver Broncos this past Sunday, leaving Donna with a scheduling dilemma.
"Yes, but probably in my room," she said, revealing that she was planning to tune in after catching the first quarter of festivities. It's proof that even when cruising on a brand-new ship, football is never far from mind.
Where She's Sailing Next
Though 2025 was a very cruise-heavy year for her-Donna has one big adventure still ahead: a Celebrity cruise through Europe in summer 2026.
The itinerary is definitely bucket-list worthy-Sicily, Croatia, Greece, Rome, Naples, Pompeii, and more. "I think it's on the Ascent. I'm not sure; I can't remember because we did it, like, five months ago. But it's a family trip," she shared.
It will also be a way to connect with personal roots, telling us that her best friend's father is from Sicily; part of Donna's family is from Croatia. "I just really look forward to that," she said.
Why Cruising Keeps Calling Her Back
For Donna Kelce, cruising offers something rare: the freedom to choose your own pace.
"There are so many things you can do and see and enjoy the beautiful outdoors," she said. Whether she's watching the sunset from her balcony or exploring ports with personal ties, cruising gives her the perfect mix of comfort and discovery-plus a big-screen broadcast on the top deck when there's an important game to catch.
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