Celestyal becomes the first cruise company in Greece to receive SETE’s METRON Sustainable Tourism Verification
With an exceptionally high overall ESG score of 93.33% and strong performance across the Environmental, Social and Governance pillars, Celestyal reaffirms its commitment to sustainable and responsible cruising
Athens, Greece [12 May 2026]: Celestyal has become the first cruise company in Greece to receive the “METRON Sustainable Tourism” Verification from the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), reaffirming its commitment to sustainable and responsible business practices. The distinction follows the successful assessment of the company, based on 2025 data, and was verified by TÜV AUSTRIA Hellas.
Celestyal achieved an exceptionally high overall ESG score of 93.33%. Across the individual pillars, the company recorded 93.75% in the Environmental pillar, 100% in the Social pillar and 87.5% in the Governance pillar, demonstrating the systematic integration of ESG practices into its operations.
“METRON Sustainable Tourism” is a voluntary self-regulation initiative by SETE, designed to align Greek tourism with the principles of sustainable development through key ESG indicators and to strengthen its positive impact. Through the Verification Mark, participating businesses are able to demonstrate, in a documented and measurable way, their progress across the critical areas of Environmental, Social and Governance.
For Celestyal, the METRON Verification reflects a holistic approach to operations, covering environmental practices, social responsibility and governance. The assessment highlights practices related to the monitoring and management of energy, fuel and water consumption, the calculation of CO2 emissions, waste management, as well as initiatives concerning safety, health, accessibility, staff training and collaboration with local suppliers.
This recognition forms part of Celestyal’s strategy to offer authentic cruise experiences with a distinct Greek identity, while creating value for destinations, partners, its people and Greek tourism as a whole. Operating across the Greek islands, the Adriatic, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Arabian Gulf, the company continues to invest in practices that support sustainable tourism development and enhance Greece’s international profile.
The Verification Mark is valid for one year, with the renewal process repeated annually to safeguard its credibility and highlight the ongoing progress of the businesses participating in the initiative. For Celestyal, this annual process serves as an additional tool for continuous improvement, transparency and accountability.
Maria Gatsou, Director General of SETE, said:
“We congratulate Celestyal on completing the assessment process and obtaining the “METRON Sustainable Tourism” Verification Mark. The participation of businesses in the voluntary self-regulation initiative of SETE contributes to promoting the principles of sustainable development and strengthening the positive footprint of Greek tourism.”
Captain George Koumpenas, Chief Operating Officer of Celestyal, said:
“Receiving the METRON Sustainable Tourism Verification is an important recognition of the work carried out every day by our teams ashore and at sea. The fact that Celestyal is the first cruise company in Greece to receive this distinction from SETE, with an overall ESG score of 93.33%, confirms the consistency with which we integrate sustainability into the way we design, operate and deliver our cruises.
For Celestyal, sustainability is not a parallel activity, but a core element of our identity. We continue to invest in practices that reduce our environmental footprint, support our people, strengthen the destinations we visit and create meaningful value for Greek tourism.”
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 extensively refurbished vessels, accommodating up to 1360 passengers each, Celestyal prioritizes highly personalised services, establishing a high-end environment that welcomes over 140,000 passengers annually from more than 130 different nationalities.
