Celebrity Cruises has shared that it has named Janaína Torres—recognized as the Best Female Chef in the World 2024 by World’s 50 Best—as godmother of Celebrity Xcel. Torres is the co-owner of the award-winning São Paulo restaurant A Casa do Porco and she becomes the first Brazilian chef to be appointed as a godmother for a major cruise line.

On 16 November 2025, Torres will christen Celebrity Xcel during its official naming ceremony in Fort Lauderdale. Following this, the ship will sail seven-night itineraries, alternating between the Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands and St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. In summer 2026, Celebrity Xcel will set sail on its inaugural European season. Options will include seven-to 11-night journeys out of Barcelona and Athens, including an overnight stay in Madeira, Portugal.

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Torres—who Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises, called “a trailblazer in the culinary industry”—has an influence that extends far beyond Brazil’s culinary scene. Chef Torres oversees a range of hospitality venues and recently launched a broad gastronomic-cultural project for researching, valuing and promoting Brazilian culture through food.

Said the cruise line: “ redefining Brazilian cuisine and championing nutrition access for millions, Torres embodies the global perspective and human connection that will shape the future of travel with Celebrity.”

Good to know: The premium cruise line was among the first to earn a Forbes Travel Guide Star Award for its culinary offerings. Celebrity Xcel will deliver a heightened focus on destination-inspired culinary experiences through The Bazaar, “a transformative venue, which erases the line between ship and shore to extend guests’ time in, and understanding of, the destinations they visit through local and authentic food, entertainment and activities.”