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June 1, 2022

Celestyal Cruises returns to sailing this summer and offers cruises on interesting itineraries and with new ports of call, added offerings and a return to year-round sailing. This upcoming summer and fall/winter seasons promises to provide Celestyal’s guests with more complete and innovative experiences.

We asked Leslie Peden, Chief Commercial Officer, to tell us about the new direction that Celestyal Cruises, the Athens-based company, is taking. There seems to be a lot of news.

Leslie, what should we expect from the resumption of operations? What will Celestyal Cruises be offering during this summer and in the near future?

We will start with what sets us apart. We not only sail in Greece, but this is our “back yard.” Greek hospitality is in our DNA, and we know the destinations we sail to intimately. We thereby are able to offer truly authentic experiences both onboard and onshore. We also operate mid-sized ships that allow us to visit smaller, off-the-beaten path islands and destinations that others with larger ships simply can’t. We take our guests to a different port of call every day. We do this with great flexibility in terms of duration and days of embarkation, so that we always have a choice of departures available for our guests.

But we know that itineraries can also be lengthened now, right?

Yes, we have designed different types of packages that also include pre- and post-cruise stays. In this way, we add value and flexibility to the experience. We also have shorter three- and four-night itineraries that are perfect add-ons to a land-based vacation. In this way our guests can decide independently the duration of their vacation.
Not only Greece, we have seen many interesting itineraries in the Mediterranean.

Are you expanding your range of operations?

Yes, Greece and the short itineraries between the islands remain a constant offering of ours, but we have new destinations that offer stopovers or embarkation/disembarkation in Lavrion, Thessaloniki and Kusadasi and Istanbul, Turkey on select itineraries.

Leslie, you’ve told us about some of the changes in Celestyal Cruises’ philosophy. What should we expect from the company in the coming months?

Among the major changes is our return to year-round cruising. We will be departing year-round from Athens to explore the Greek islands and beyond. While Celestyal has always offered our guests the marquis destinations such as Mykonos and Santorini, we have also earned a reputation for being a “trailblazer” in taking travelers to more of the unexplored side of Greece as well as staying longer in port to allow deeper exploration than what is typically offered by other lines visiting Greece. Along these lines, this year we’ve introduced new ports of call including Thessaloniki and Kavala.

At the end of this year, we will reintroduce our “Three Continents” seven-night itinerary, last operated in late 2019, calling on Greece, Turkey, Israel, Egypt and Cyprus. This will be followed by two, exclusive holiday sailings, the ten-night Christmas special sailing calling on Thessaloniki, Izmir (Turkey), Rhodes, Limassol (Cyprus), Alexandria (Egypt) and an overnight visit in Haifa (Israel) to spend both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the “Holy Land,” and the eight-night New Year’s sailing with visits to Heraklion, Santorini, Volos, Kusadasi (Turkey) along with an overnight stay in Istanbul, to take in the New Year’s Eve fireworks. Both sailings can be combined for an amazing, 18-night holiday event covering the whole of the Eastern Mediterranean.

This ties in with a new inspiration for our brand that will offer the chance to enjoy deeper experiences within the local culture and gastronomy. The additional time in port allows our guests the opportunity to enjoy immersive and authentic shore excursions, such as local cooking classes, craft workshops and other cultural experiences. In short, we will offer a real insight into the life of locals and the culture of the ports we visit. The experience will also continue on board with, a new, signature Greek menu and dining experience onboard sailings.

Celestyal, already known and recognized for its focus on authentic Greek cuisine and signature warm hospitality, has developed the culinary experience in collaboration with Diane Kochilas, one of the world’s foremost experts on Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. She is the host, creator and co-producer of My Greek Table, the highly acclaimed cooking and travel show that airs in both the U.S. and Australia. Kochilas is also the author of more than 18 cookbooks on Greek-Mediterranean Cuisine, consulting chef and cooking school owner. The premium, “My Greek Table Six-Course Tasting Menu,” which features local and regional ingredients from many of the islands Celestyal visits, will be offered onboard our specialty restaurant. A daily signature dish created by Kochilas will also be featured as part of the main dining room offering.

We are therefore facing a real transformation of your brand. Or rather, your summer strong point, to travel among the most beautiful beaches of the Aegean, will remain current, but we will have many news for the winter season too. An interesting project indeed, Leslie, what are your predictions for the future?

We believe our product has considerable exclusivity in both contexts. Our flexibility in departures and the ability to visit multiple islands in a single day is a signature offering of Celestyal. Traveling in the Eastern Mediterranean in winter, is another important innovation. We believe that the experiences we will offer, on land and on board, will be an extra incentive to have guests sail with us all year round and discover wonderful places in the Mediterranean beyond the summer season.

Thank you, Leslie, I would say that there is truly a basis to see a transformation of Celestyal Cruises and to learn about a new aspect of cruising in the Eastern Mediterranean area.

We are really excited about the idea of visiting the most beautiful islands even out of season and getting to know their true essence, culture and local people in the most authentic way. But I also have a wonderful memory of one of my summer cruises aboard Celestyal Olympia: an experience that I hope to repeat as soon as possible, especially now that we will have a new Celestyal Cruises in front of us.

Do not miss further updates, information and Reviews of Celestyal Cruises on Cruising Journal with photos, videos and cruises on offer!

Gabriele Bassi

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