Celestyal to increase capacity by 30% and expand in the Arabian Gulf with a second ship from 2025
· Celestyal to increase capacity on sale by 30% versus last year, including new Iconic Arabia cruises, plus 21 Adriatic cruises across 2025 and 2026.
· Both ships in the refreshed Celestyal fleet will now offer Arabian Gulf sailings from next year
· Greek, Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf programmes for 2025, 2026 and early 2027 announced
· Celestyal Discovery to offer port intensive 3- and 4-night cruises in both regions homeporting in Athens and Abu Dhabi, with the option to combine itineraries in the Arabian Gulf into 7-night sailings.
· Celestyal Journey to offer destination immersive 7-night cruises in both regions, homeporting in Athens and Doha, with the option to combine itineraries in the Mediterranean and Aegean into 14-night voyages.
Athens, Greece, [June 25, 2024] – Celestyal has today announced its year-round programmes for 2025, 2026 and early 2027 which will be on sale from tomorrow, June 26, 2024.
The cruise line’s newest ship, Celestyal Discovery, will sail the winter sun Arabian Gulf season from 2025. Celestyal Discovery will join Celestyal Journey in the region, which will depart on the previously launched seven-night ‘Desert Days’ itinerary later this year.
Celestyal Discovery will operate rotating three- and four-night itineraries from November to March:
· A three-night ‘Iconic Arabia’ cruise, departing from Abu Dhabi, calling at Doha (Qatar) and Sir Bani Yas Island (UAE).
Prices start from €279 pp.
· A four-night ‘Iconic Arabia’ cruise, departing from Abu Dhabi, calling at Fujairah (UAE), Muscat and Khasab (both Oman).
Prices start from €349 pp.
· Guests can also combine the itineraries into a seven-night ‘Gulf Icons’ sailing.
Prices start from €629 pp.
Celestyal Journey will homeport from Doha for the ‘Desert Days’ itinerary, in a three-year partnership with the region. The ship will make maiden calls to Khasab, Dubai, Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. A popular overnight Dubai option features on these itineraries, and guests may also start and end their cruise in Dubai.
Celestyal Journey will sail seven-night itineraries from November to March:
• A ‘Desert Days’ cruise, departing from Qatar
Prices start from €529 pp.
The itinerary launches on November 9, 2024, with special sailings also on offer including festive cruises plus Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix departures.
Alongside their winter sun Arabian Gulf voyages, Celestyal’s core summer Greek and Mediterranean cruises are also on sale. They feature eight additional Heavenly Adriatic cruises in 2025 and 13 in 2026 – due to overwhelming demand for the new-to-2024 itinerary – taking in Greece, Croatia (Split or Dubrovnik), Montenegro (Kotor) and Italy (Venice (Marghera) or Bari).
· Celestyal Journey will sail two seven-night itineraries during the Mediterranean and Aegean season:
o The ‘Heavenly Adriatic’ cruise, departing from Athens with a late stay in Dubrovnik, and full day calls at Kefalonia, Kotor, Bari, and Corfu, plus Katakolo.
Prices start from €789 pp.
o The ‘Heavenly Adriatic (with Venice, Marghera)’ cruise, a variant of the Heavenly Adriatic, departing from Athens with full day calls at Kotor, Split, Venice (Marghera) and Katakolo.
Prices start from €789 pp.
o The ‘Idyllic Aegean’ cruise, in 2025 and 2026, departing from Athens with full days in Kusadasi (Ephesus), Rhodes, Crete, Santorini, and Milos plus a full day and late stay in Mykonos.
Prices start from €789 pp.
o The ‘Idyllic Aegean’ sailings can also be combined with the ‘Heavenly Adriatic’ sailings on select dates to form 14-night voyages. Prices start from €1319 pp.
· Celestyal Discovery will continue to offer shorter rotating itineraries during the summer season:
o The three-night ‘Iconic Aegean’ cruise, departing from Athens and calling at Mykonos, Kusadasi (Ephesus), Patmos, Crete and Santorini.
Prices start from €309 pp.
o The four-night ‘Iconic Aegean’ cruise, departing from Athens and calling at Mykonos, Kusadasi (Ephesus), Patmos, Rhodes, Crete and Santorini.
Prices start from €389 pp.
Celestyal Discovery launched in March 2024 and Celestyal Journey in September 2023. Both ships carry up to 1,260 guests.
Lee Haslett, Chief Commercial Officer at Celestyal, said: “86% of our guests tell us they want to come back to Celestyal, so we’re delivering on our commitment to broaden our programmes. We’re renowned as the cruise specialists of the Greek islands and Mediterranean and, thanks to the commitment of the region and this overwhelming support from our customers and trusted partners, we are now confident in becoming the go-to cruise specialists of the Arabian Gulf.
“Across our network we offer two types of cruising. Destination intensive three- and four-night itineraries are perfect to combine with a land stay and as a bolt-on to a beach or touring holiday, while our classic seven-night cruises are ideal as a holiday in themselves.
“We have an award-winning service, two newly refurbished ships, immersive shore excursions, a quality, diverse food and beverage offering and unrivalled customer satisfaction, as well as the ambition to continuously evolve and deliver more. We really cannot wait to showcase everything Celestyal has to offer to a wider audience.”
The announcement means that Celestyal Discovery will no longer sail the ‘Three Continents’ itinerary. Customers on the six affected departures at the end of 2025 have been contacted in advance and either reimbursed or offered alternative cruises.
About Celestyal
Celestyal, an award-winning and year-round cruise company, continues to set the standard for unmissable travel experiences in the Greek Islands, the Adriatic, and the Arabian Gulf. Built on a foundation of unique Greek heritage, the company excels in delivering, exceptional hospitality, ensuring genuine cultural immersion both onboard and onshore. Operating two brand new vessels, accommodating up to 1260 passengers each, Celestyal prioritizes highly personalized services, establishing a high-end environment that welcomes over 100,000 passengers annually from more than 130 different nationalities.
The company’s unique approach, informed by valuable passenger feedback and market insights, has contributed to its continuing success in the cruise industry. Celestyal’s vision extends beyond the shores of Greece and the Mediterranean, aiming to redefine the cruising experience. As the company looks to the future, its dedication to providing authentic and unmissable experiences, reaffirms the company’s vision of offering travellers a unique and enriching exploration of diverse destinations. Celestyal recently won the Sailawaze UK award for Best Bar Offering – Consumer Choice 2024, further solidifying its commitment to excellence in its bar services, with 15 bars across 2 ships, 23 handcrafted Alchemy cocktails, and a diverse drinks package selection, ensuring guest satisfaction.
