Key Aspects:
- Celebrity Cruises has named Captain Kyriakos “Kirk” Matragkas as the master of the upcoming fifth Edge-class ship, Celebrity Xcel.
- Matragkas has been with Celebrity Cruises since 2000 and is currently the captain of Celebrity Beyond.
- Also a talented musician, Matragkas often offers drum and guitar performances onboard his ships.
When the new Celebrity Xcel debuts in November 2025, she will have a very famous master at the helm, none other than Captain Kirk.
Beam this Star Trek fan up! Really? Yes, but not THAT Captain Kirk.
Celebrity Cruises has named Captain Kyriakos Matragkas as the vessel’s master. Early in his maritime career, Matragkas chose the nickname “Kirk” for himself, as his Greek name is challenging to pronounce.
Matragkas has excelled with the cruise line for 25 years, beginning in 2000 as a member of the launch team for the then-new Celebrity Millennium. More recently, he has served as the captain of Celebrity Beyond and previously of Celebrity Reflection, among other ships in the fleet.
Now, he will be leading the fifth Edge-class ship into service when she sets sail from Fort Lauderdale in November.
“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,” Celebrity Cruises confirmed on social media. “We can’t wait to sail with him.”
Born in Piraeus, Greece, Matragkas continues a proud seafaring tradition that is truly a family trade.
“My father was a Captain, and when school was out, I would join him on trips with my mother,” he said. “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.”
It isn’t just the sea that Matragkas is passionate about, however. He flawlessly (even xcel-lently) combines his passion for travel with music, and is a talented multi-instrument player, including drums and guitar.
In fact, his guitar accompanies him on board his ships, and he has been known to join in playing sets and even offers shows during breaks in his more traditional seafaring duties.
His bold personality and musical charm, not to mention his quirky adaptation of a very famous moniker, have made him a favorite among Celebrity Cruises’ guests who are glad to see him take the helm of Celebrity Xcel.
Sailing With Captain Kirk
Celebrity Xcel is currently under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. Her keel was first laid in June 2024 and work has been full steam ahead ever since.
So productive has that work been that the vessel is able to debut earlier than originally scheduled.
While the original 5-night maiden voyage remains the same with a departure date of November 18, 2025, an additional 4-night “preview sailing” was added to Celebrity Xcel‘s schedule in April. That new first cruise will set sail on November 9, 2025 to visit Cozumel, Mexico.
For her regular schedule of cruises, Celebrity Xcel is offering 7-night sailings alternating Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean routes, visiting ports such as Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Bimini, and Grand Cayman.
Read Also: Celebrity Cruises Ships by Age – Newest to Oldest
On April 26, 2026, the new ship will set sail on a transatlantic cruise to Barcelona to begin her first summer in the Mediterranean, with departures planned from both the Spanish port as well as Piraeus, Greece, her captain’s birthplace.
Of special note is the September 13, 2026 departure from Piraeus to Barcelona, calling on Santorini, Ephesus, Mykonos, Rhodes, and Valletta. That 8-night voyage will be the annual President’s Cruise for Celebrity Cruises.
Celebrity Xcel will return to the Sunshine State in early November and homeport from Miami for the winter of 2026-2027.
In the months now leading up to her debut, there are still more details, crew assignments, and announcements to come, one of the biggest of which will be who the ship’s ceremonial “parent” will be.
Now, if Celebrity Cruises would only consider William Shatner as the ship’s godfather, what an “Xcel-lent” choice that would be!
