Thousands of Dream Makers have helped with the addition of loads of new features
I NEVER thought I'd write this but I've just met Captain Kirk.
He's boldly going where no captain has been before - the helm of Celebrity Xcel, a new cruise ship that has just completed its sea trials before the inaugural sailing from Florida this November.
What a star it promises to be, with loads of new features added with the help of thousands of Dream Makers.
They are the holidaymakers who have voted on the food, music and entertainment they would like to have on their perfect holiday.
Fancy boozy brunches and Bloody Marys, with pick-your-own over-the-top garnishes (forget a stick of celery - I'm thinking a vegetable garden topped with strips of bacon!).
All that is yours at new al-fresco eatery Bora.
And go back to Bora in the evening to get loved-up to the sound of Greek ballads and love songs as you tuck into a Mediterranean food under the stars.
There will be new pool valets handing out chilled towels, sunscreen and card games so sun worshippers don't have to move from their loungers, and poolside parties after dark on Xcel's island-hopping Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale this winter.
Maybe the captain, real name Kyriakos Matragkas, will be getting the party started as it turns out he's a bit of a whizz on the guitar as well as knowing what all the buttons on the hi-tech bridge do.
Passengers can even go retro in a new games arcade with Golden Tee and Pac-Man.
"And Pac-Woman," chimes in Celebrity Cruises' president Laura Hodges Bethge. Do I detect a fan?
She's at the shipyard in Saint-Nazaire in France, where Xcel is being built, to show us all the exciting new spaces.
It requires hard hats, protective glasses and rather a lot of imagination as the Xcel looks more like a building site than a luxury ship, with wires and scaffolding everywhere.
We also have to dodge around the 1,400 or so workers beavering away to get the ship, well, shipshape in time for its autumn debut.
It's in such a state we're even allowed to channel our inner Banksy by scrawling our names on a wall so we're forever part of the vessel.
Our tour takes us to what will be Mosaic, a new restaurant with an open kitchen, cooking school and exclusive "Chef's Table".
Floating festivity
Directly above, the Bazaar will come alive on sea days with Caribbean or Mediterranean-themed festivals, depending where the ship is sailing, flashy LED screens and carts where passengers can taste local eats and drinks.
Prefer the sounds of silence? Bag an AquaClass cabin and you can chill in Vitamin D, a new shaded outdoor area at the front of the spa, or dip in a warm bubble pool that's been added in the thermal suite.
"Our guests are looking for relaxation and exploration so we are offering a balance of both," says Hodges Bethge.
In April 2026, Xcel relocates from the Caribbean to Europe for a sunny summer season sailing around Italy, France, Spain and the Greek isles with prices from £940pp for seven nights.
Beam me on board, Scotty!