Celestyal Expands Year-Round Cruising by 30% Through 2027

Celestyal is expanding its year-round cruising offerings by adding a second ship to its winter Arabian Gulf deployment schedule from 2025 to 2027. Additionally, the line has added new Adriatic departures.

“85% of our guests tell us they want to come back to Celestyal, so we’re delivering on our commitment to broaden our programs,” said Lee Haslett, chief commercial officer at Celestyal, adding that the line aspires to become the “go-to specialists of the Arabian Gulf.”

“These itineraries safely travel far from the current conflict in the Middle East, while still exposing and educating passengers about the region,” he told TMR. “The well-being and security of guests and crew is always our main priority.”

Arabian Gulf
“Our new Arabian Sea itineraries will visit Doha, Abu Dhabi, Khasab, Bahrain, Sir Bani Yas Island and Dubai, incredibly safe regions with low levels of crime, rich culture and exciting activities for passengers to do and experience in port,” Haslett said, adding the cruise line is doing so “in partnership with the tourist boards in these cities.”

Celestyal Discovery will join Celestyal Journey in the Arabian Gulf starting in 2025. But where Journey offers seven-night immersive itineraries from Doha, Discovery will offer three- and four-night taster cruises sailing from Abu Dhabi.  

The shorter cruise options, which run from November to March, include:

• A three-night Iconic Arabia cruise departing from Abu Dhabi and calling at Doha (Qatar) and Sir Bani Yas Island (UAE).
• A four-night Iconic Arabia cruise departing from Abu Dhabi and calling at Fujairah (UAE), Muscat and Khasab (both Oman).
• Guests can combine the two into a seven-night Gulf Icons sailing.

“We’re incredibly excited to be running both our ships, Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey, year-round. It allows us to offer the range and breadth of itineraries our customers have been asking for,” Haslett said. 

Greek & Mediterranean
Celestyal is also expanding in its core market, adding new ports to its summer Greek and Mediterranean cruises on both ships.

The sailings feature eight additional Heavenly Adriatic cruises in 2025 and 13 in 2026.

The line’s poplar summer seven-night Idyllic Aegean, and three- and four-night Iconic Aegean itineraries return as well.

“The year-round operation, coupled with core seasonal offerings, aim to provide a diverse range of experiences for our guests and agents to return time and time again,” Haslett said. “The introduction of new ships and destinations shows that we are listening to guest and travel agent feedback and expanding upon the core elements of our product.”

TMR asked Haslett if Celestyal would ever consider year-round sailings specifically in the Mediterranean and Greek Isles.

Currently, we are focused on expanding in the Greek Islands, further into the Mediterranean and Adriatic during the spring, summer, and fall months and offering our guests some ‘winter sun’ in the Arabian Sea,” he told us. “But, as we grow and embrace our year-round status, we aren’t ruling out any regions or itineraries for future sailings, especially if there is demand from our guest and agent partners.”

As a result of the new deployments, Celestyal is sunsetting its Three Continents itinerary. Six departures, all scheduled for the end of 2025, have been canceled and affected cruisers either reimbursed or offered alternative cruises.