Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship, Celebrity Xcel, debuts in November 2025. When she does, she will have a Kyriakos Matragkas–better known as Captain Kirk–at her helm.
Captain Kirk, who graduated from the world’s oldest marine academy in Hydra, has been sailing with Celebrity Cruises since 2000 when he helped to launch Celebrity Millennium, and has been a favorite of the cruise line ever since. He is currently serving as the captain of Celebrity Beyond, but has also captained Celebrity Reflection and other ships in the cruise line’s fleet.
Celebrity Cruises confirmed the announcement via social media, “Every captain has a story. Captain Kirk’s begins with rock ‘n roll, heart, and one unforgettable ‘yes.’ This November, he takes the helm of Celebrity Xcel. We can’t wait to sail with him.”
Captain Kirk was born in Piraeus, Greece and graduated from the world’s oldest marine academy in Hydra. He was introduced to the water by his father, who was also a Captain. Kirk stated, “My father was a Captain, and when school was out, I would join him on trips with my mother. The different languages, different cultures, and history that I would be introduced to in each place fascinated me so much, that in combination with my love for the sea, made me want to follow in his footsteps.”
Captain Kirk is also passionate about music and plays multiple instruments, including drums and guitar. He has been known to join in on performances and put on his own shows when taking a break from his duties.
Celebrity Xcel is still under construction at the Chantiers de I’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. The fifth Edge-class ship will homeport from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and is set to debut ahead of schedule. She will sail a “preview” cruise on November 9, 2025 that visits Cozumel, Mexico. She will then sail her inaugural voyage on November 18, 2025 and call on Bimini in the Bahamas and Cozumel, Mexico.
Celebrity Xcel will sail 7-day alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages for her inaugural season from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and call on ports like Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Bimini and Grand Cayman.
At the end of April, she will embark on a transatlantic cruise to Barcelona for a summer season in the Mediterranean where not only will Celebrity Xcel sail from Barcelona, but she will also sail from Captain Kirk’s homeport of Piraeus, Greece.
During her time in the Mediterranean, Celebrity Xcel will offer the annual President’s Cruise for Celebrity Cruises. The 8-night sailing embarks on September 13, 2026 from Piraeus and calls on Santorini, Ephesus, Mykonos, Rhodes and Valletta before disembarking in Barcelona.