A fluid-filled hollow optical fiber cell broadly includes a hollow-core optical fiber and a fluid. The optical fiber presents first and second fiber ends and a longitudinal passageway that extends continuously between the fiber ends. The fluid occupies the passageway, with the fiber ends being closed to hermetically seal the fluid within the optical fiber. The first fiber end has a rounded closed shape formed by at least partly melting the first fiber end to form melted fiber material, with the fiber material being permitted to solidify without splicing the first fiber end to another fiber so that the fiber material terminates the passageway at the first fiber end.