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Review: Celestyal Journey

Reviewed by Rebecca Hall

What is the line? Celestyal Cruises

Name of ship? Journey

Passenger Occupancy? 1,260

Itinerary? Starting and finishing in Athens, the seven-night “Idyllic Aegean” sailing stops at Thessaloniki, Kusadasi (Turkey), Heraklion (Crete), and the Greek islands of Santorini, Mykonos, and Milos.

Start out with the big picture–what is this cruise line known for?

If you’re looking for a company that knows its Greek islands and their accompanying cultural heritage inside and out, Celestyal is the cruise line for you. With immersive shore excursions and engaging onboard entertainment, the Greek cruise operator's mid-size ships are an intimate way to explore the Mediterranean.

Tell us about the ship in general:

The Journey is the third vessel in Celestyal's fleet, replacing the Crystal on the Idyllic Aegean route. The ship, previously named the Ryndam, was originally built for Holland America Line in 1994. Celestyal then purchased the vessel, which underwent a $21 million refurbishment in time for its maiden voyage in early September 2023.

Today, the ship boasts 630 staterooms, including 120 Junior Suites and 28 Grand Suites. There are seven specialty dining experiences including the private chef’s table, live cooking demonstrations, Asian cuisine at Pink Moon, juice and ice cream stations at Fig and Honey, fresh Mediterranean bites from Smoked Olive, and a Greek Deli. Eight bars and lounges, including a decadent champagne bar and indulgent wine cellar, round off the evening relaxation, while two pools (plus an entire deck dedicated to wellness) caters to daytime relaxation. Vintage 1920s decor is featured throughout the ship, with film star prints of Sophia Loren and the like, retro light fittings, and a grand central staircase.

Who is on board?

Celestyal caters to people of all ages traveling from a wide variety of countries, including the US, Eastern and Central Europe, Australia, and Argentina.

I found the cruise to be popular among groups of friends in their sixties and upwards, as well as mothers and daughters looking to spend quality time together. As a Greek company, Celestyal also attracts local families who are keen to explore their own backyard in an environment where they’re well catered.

Describe the cabins.

There are dozens of various suite categories on the Journey, spread across Decks 9 and 10. The Junior Dream Suites A, B, and C categories all have floor to ceiling sliding doors to their balconies and can sleep up to three people across twin beds and a sofa bed. At 226 square feet, my category B Junior Dream suite on Deck 9 was more than comfortable.

A more affordable option is to opt for the ship's exterior or interior staterooms, both at 204 square feet, which sleep up to 4 people in a mixture of upper, lower, and sofa beds. Exterior staterooms have portholes while the interior rooms have backlit curtains to mimic natural light. Both are perfect for solo travelers.

A step above these is the 377-square-foot Grand Dream Suite on Deck 10 with 2 lower beds, a double sofa bed, a panoramic window, balcony, a spacious bathroom, and a dressing room.

The pièce de résistance is the 947-square-foot Stargazer Exterior Penthouse Suite on Deck 10 with space for up to three guests. Both the Stargazer Suite and Grand Dreams’ have exclusive access to Rays, a secluded sunbathing and relaxation area—plus the Compass Lounge for private drinks.

Tell us about the crew.

The ship's 613 crew members took the time to greet every passenger by name and were always on-hand for any query. The Shore Excursion staff was particularly knowledgeable and helpful, making time to enquire about your interests and passions in order to recommend the best tour at each destination.

The Stargazer Suite and Grand Dreams have their own concierge on board, plus dedicated room stewards for a section of all other Dream Suites and Staterooms.

What food and drink options are available onboard?

For a mid-size ship, Journey has an impressive choice of dining and bar options, albeit no 24-hour room service. Its restaurants range from Mediterranean dining in the Thalassa restaurant to restaurants specifically reserved for those occupying suites; the Smoked Olive and Pink Moon. Both these restaurants offer the same menu choice as Thalassa, with additional options of Mediterranean bites at Smoked Olive and Asian cuisine at the Pink Moon.

A casual breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet is served on the upper deck at the Taverna. Guests can purchase regional ice creams at the Fig and Honey and Greek fast food such as souvlaki from the Greek Deli.

There’s an impressive seven bars on board, each with unique décor, though still keeping with the 1920s vibe. Choose from a quiet coffee bar, the Blue piano Bar and Lounge, or head to the Fizz Club if you’re a lover of cocktails and champagne. The Grapevine has an impressive selection of wine choices for the connoisseurs among you. The Compass is reserved for occupants of the Grand Dream and Stargazer Suites.

I personally loved finding a quiet hide away (which was never difficult) and sipping my signature cocktail as I watched the sea go by.

Is there a spa on board and is it worth visiting?

The highlight of a cruise on the Journey is a visit to the Sozo Health Spa. Well-trained specialists treat you in one of seven treatment rooms, including a couple's room.

Choose from an impressive range of treatments such as an Ayurveda massage, regular full body massage, reflexology, or Shiatsu. Hot stone massages and Dead Sea exfoliation round up some of the other unique pampering options—just be sure to book in advance.

What about activities and entertainment?

There’s an impressive number of activities to choose from on board the Journey, ranging from Greek dance classes, mini lectures about a variety of regional specialties (for example, the health benefits of Greek herbs), an olive oil presentation, and basic Greek language classes.

Sports enthusiasts will love the morning yoga or Pilates classes (extra charge), and from 8 p.m. the evening entertainment starts to heat up. As well as the aforementioned bars featuring piano or live music, there’s mini-discos for young kids up to 12 years old, seventies-themed parties, and various adult discos.

Yet it’s the twice-nightly performance by resident Canadian artists Cirque Fantastic that takes the cake. Their impressive acrobatic show is typically scheduled for 9 p.m. then repeated at 10:30 p.m. in the ship's awe-inspiring auditorium.

How was the experience for families?

The Journey offers onboard activities for children and teens of all ages. While there's no water slides or go-karting track, Deck 12 is reserved for kids 5 to 12 years old. The Turtle Cave club offers artistic and educational games while the Shark club shows English cartoons and television shows. Kids under the age of three must be accompanied by an adult—currently, no babysitting is offered on board.

Where did it sail and how were the excursions? Did any stand out?

On the Journey's first stop in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city, I took an immersive tour that left me yearning to return. An excursion to the Ancient city of Ephesus from the Turkish port of Kusadasi and the Palace of Knossos in Crete are two sites worth reserving a tours of. I opted to explore Santorini and Mykonos on my own, taking in the beautiful views (of the former) and lively shops and nightlife (of the latter).

I'd also recommend booking the group tour of the smaller island of Milos, as it's less suited for solo exploration. Visit Sarakiniko beach, a famed moonscape of pure white stone, the ancient village of Plaka, and the Christian catacombs.

Are there any stand out sustainability or green initiatives about this cruise?

Celestyal as a company works closely with the local Greek community as part of their ethical business practices. For example, the company helps bring interactive exhibits from the Heraklion Museum in Athens to more remote areas of the Greek islands.

Anything we missed?

When eating in the Taverna buffet, you can't help but notice the impressive melon carvings—some of faces, others of various nature or sea scenes. There’s also the occasional ice sculpture in the dessert section. These are created by the onboard sculptor whose creates beautiful sculptures from various materials, a skill passed down through family generations. Check the daily itinerary, left in your room nightly, to watch the art come to life.

Finally, give a sentence or two on why the cruise is worth booking.

Families and groups of friends will love this culturally immersive cruise with world-class wellness offerings.

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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Celestyal Cruises Review: An All-Inclusive Mediterranean Cruise

Of all the cruises in Europe, it’s been a dream bucket list item for us to sail the Mediterranean. Our dreams finally came true when we decided to join a luxury cruise of the Mediterranean with Celestyal Cruises. We’re going to break down our entire experience in this Celestyal Cruises review so that you can know what to expect if you plan on joining their all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise for yourself.

This was only our second cruise, but it certainly left an impression. If you want to cruise the Mediterranean in luxury, we can definitely recommend Celestyal Cruises.

Our experience on this small cruise ship through the Greek Islands was one we will never forget. Beyond exploring the Greek islands of Crete, Santorini, and Volos, we got to cruise to Turkey, a destination we’d been dreaming to visit for ages. We also had the chance to cruise from Istanbul to Greece, enjoying a day at sea to take full advantage of the amenities offered onboard.

What We Will Discuss in this Post

In this Celestyal Cruises review, I’ll break down the Celestyal experience , including their Greek cruise tours , the Celestyal Crystal ship , and their Mediterranean cruise stops .

I will also describe each of the Mediterranean cruise ports , so you have all the info you need in case you plan on doing independent travel.

Finally, I’ll go into detail a bit about the value of their all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise , and the best time for Mediterranean cruises . Now let’s get on with it, shall we?

Read on to learn more about why we recommend Celestyal Cruises for your luxury small ship cruises of the Greek islands and beyond!

Celestyal Experience

Greek cruise tours, superior service, the greek table experience.

• Drinks Package 

Premium Drinks Package

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Celestyal Cruises is a reputable Mediterranean cruise company rated highly on Cruise Critic .

We had an amazing time experiencing the all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises offered by Celestyal, and want to dive deep to offer you a Celestyal Cruise review to help you plan your journey. If you want to plan a trip to Greece , we highly recommend considering a Greek cruise with them.

We’ve experienced one other cruise before, but to be honest, nothing compares to the luxury, comfort, service, and ease of navigating these small ship Mediterranean cruises with Celestyal. Because the Celestyal Cruise ships are smaller than others we’ve been on, we found it to be far easier to explore and feel at home on.

Celestyal prides itself on being the top choice for Greek island small ship cruises.

I’ll now dive into everything that went into making the Celestyal experience so special and memorable, including iconic Mediterranean cruise stops, top-notch tours (and tour guides), superior service, delicious food, a legendary drinks package, fun on-board entertainment, and a seamless travel and international border experience as easy as swiping a card.

The excursions provided on the Celestyal Crystal were one of the standouts of the Celestyal experience for us. The Greek cruise tours with Celestyal took us to unforgettable destinations like Santorini and Istanbul.

We went on excursions in every port on our 8 night New Year’s cruise with the Celestyal Crystal. Thanks to the excursions, we were able to visit electrifying places like the Hagia Sophia and Ephesus—places that literally  spoke to our souls . This part of the world is so rich with history, culture, and so on, and getting the chance to dive in head first and experience some of its wonders is such an amazing opportunity.

The tour guides were all outstanding.  They were personable, knowledgeable, friendly, and funny, able to muster laughs from us even when we were tired in the morning. Most importantly, they provided loads of valuable insights into the history and local life of each destination.

Transportation was also well organized and disembarking from and embarking on the ship from the tours was a breeze.

The service with Celestyal was everything we’d hoped for on a luxury cruise in the Mediterranean. All the staff was professional and courteous, and there were several crew members who absolutely went above and beyond in making us feel welcomed and taken care of.

We’d love to give a shoutout Dastan, Irene, and Aziza—there were many, many amazing employees, but these wonderful humans in particular just made us light up with joy every time we saw them. They went above and beyond and provided a standout experience. I feel terrible because I just know there were even more people on the ship that made our experience amazing too, but at least I can shed some love on these wonderful individuals!

Impeccable Food & Drinks Package

  Eating on a cruise is one of the best darn parts of cruising, and Celestyal Cruises serves up some mighty yummy tastes of the region on their all-inclusive cruises in the Mediterranean.

For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you can choose to dine in a buffet or in one of the sit-down service dining areas.

The food, in a word, was AMAZING. I’m talking the juiciest lobster I’ve possibly ever had, fish and shrimp and steak, traditional Greek options, desserts to satisfy  any sweet tooth, so many international options (the Asian food was GLORIOUS) and so much more.

We LOVED that we could choose from Indian biryani, Greek gyros, and even pho! Who knew that you could ever get pho on a cruise, which was honestly such a heavenly treat.

Towards the end of the cruise, the crew put on a special BBQ night on the pool deck. Definitely don’t miss this if you’re on a Celestyal cruise!

The BBQ night was a ton of fun, with delicious seafood, grilled meats, and other goodies. The deck was decorated with a festive atmosphere and even ice sculptures!

This isn’t even all the dining that Celestyal offers on its cruises, though. There’s also the speciality, reservation-only restaurant in a private dining room.

The Greek Table Experience by renowned chef Diane Kochilas offers cruisers an elevated Greek dining experience. We had been looking forward to the specialty Greek dinner the whole cruise, and it did not disappoint!  

The six course meal we had at the specialty restaurant was absolutely our top dining experience on the cruise.  

Everything we tasted was delicious, but our standout was the lobster with ouzo-scented rice — it was probably the most delicate and tender lobster we’ve ever had! We also really loved the Cretan octopus carpaccio, with a bright splash of orange-ouzo vinaigrette and crisped fennel.  

This experience does have an additional cost, but we think it is totally worth it if you’re looking for truly divine cuisine.

Drinks Package  

WE GOTTA TALK ABOUT THESE DRINKS.

This all inclusive cruise in the Mediterranean won us over from the beginning with its inclusive drinks package!

Every cruise with Celestyal is totally all-inclusive for many drinks, both of the alcoholic and non-alcoholic variety. I mean we’ve never seen anything like this included on a cruise!

The “basic” drinks package that is included with every cruise fare is mind-blowingly extensive — it includes 47 different drinks. This includes water (hot/cold coffee and tea, sodas, juices, draft beer, wine, a choice of liquors, and Mai Tai / Bloody Mary cocktails. Looks like a pretty good list to us!

But if you want to take it even further, we recommend upgrading to the premium drinks package.

We had the premium all-inclusive drinks package, so we had our choice of everything offered with the inclusive package, and them some. A WHOLE LOTTA SOME.

We were spoiled for choice with over 100 drink choices, ranging from premium liquors and wine, to smoothies and milkshakes. Yes, PLEASE.

We fell head over heels in love with Celestyal’s inclusive drink package. Having never cruised with an all-you-can-drink package, we had a blast treating ourselves to whatever drink we fancied, because it was already included for us. Such. A. Treat.

There is a variety of entertainment available day and night on Celestyal cruises.  

Some of the entertainment offered onboard includes:

• Live music and dancing in the Eros and Muse lounges
• Themed song-and-dance shows nightly with performances by performers from Cirque Fantastic
• Arts & Crafts
• Dancing lessons
• Language Lessons
• Cooking  & Cocktail Demonstrations
• Onboard Casino
• Pool & Jacuzzi

As an all inclusive cruise in the Mediterranean, all port charges & gratuities are included in your fare, so you don’t have to worry about any surprise charges at the end of your cruise.

Celestyal Crystal Ship

The ship we were on for our cruise was the Celestyal Crystal. Here’s a Celestyal Crystal review for important details about the ship.

The Celestyal Crystal ship is rated the highest of any of Celestyal Cruises ships on Cruise Critic . According to Cruise Critic, the Crystal spends more time in port than most mainstream cruise lines, offering top-notch shore excursions, which we absolutely love.

Though it’s a full-featured cruise ship, the Crystal is smaller than other international cruise ships. Its smaller size made it really easy to navigate as we cruised the Mediterranean. We never got lost or struggled to find places.

Our room on the Celestyal Crystal was very comfortable, including a private balcony. Needless to say, we WENT GAGA FOR our private balcony when we first saw it.

On small ship Mediterranean cruises, there’s definitely a quieter and less crowded atmosphere.

We loved the Crystal’s smaller size. The experience on a smaller cruise ship is certainly more intimate — the crew is smaller, so we always saw familiar faces, and they would often greet us by name. To us, it felt like another touch of luxury on this Mediterranean cruise.

With Celestyal, you can sail the Mediterranean in a smaller cruise ship. Celestyal’s cruise ships are smaller than other cruise lines, making it possible to dock at ports that larger ships cannot.

Here’s a description of the Celestyal Crystal deck plan for an idea of the ship’s layout.

There are 9 decks accessible to guests (Decks 2-10), with the remaining decks accessible only to crew.  

Staterooms are between Decks 2 and 7.

Deck 5: Shore excursions, Agora marketplace, reception, Olympus restaurant, Thalassa outdoor bar, jacuzzi

Deck 8: Muses & Eros lounges, casino, Kids Corner, conference area, library, Amalthia restaurant

Deck 9: Beauty center, massage room, sauna, gym, Helios bar, swimming pool, Leda & Aura dining rooms

Deck 10: Horizons lounge & bar, roof deck

Celestyal offers many different all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises from Athens to explore various parts of the Mediterranean.

While there are many reasons we loved our Celestyal Crystal cruise, one of our absolute favorite parts is that it was all inclusive!  

We’d never been on any all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises before. So for us, it felt like such a treat to be able to enjoy the best of everything the Celestyal Crystal cruise had to offer. With everything included, there’s absolutely no FOMO here —you can try everything to your heart’s content!  

Mediterranean Cruise Stops

When I have a glance at the Celestyal Cruise website, every single cruise they offer triggers my wanderlust. Their all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise stops are amaaaaazing.

Our Celestyal experience in particular took off from Athens and stopped at Crete, Santorini, Kusadasi, Istanbul, Volos, and finally, Piraeus.

I’ll dive a bit into our experience at each of these Mediterranean cruise stops now.

Heraklion, Crete was the first stop on our itinerary.

Crete, the largest island in Greece, is a popular stop with many small ship cruises to the Greek islands , and we sure could see why. We arrived on beautiful day, and even though it was the middle of winter, the sky a clear blue, the sun shining blissfully, and the water an electric blue.

We took an excursion to the ruins of the Minoan Palace of Knossos, included for everyone on the cruise, which just further enhances the value and integrity of Celestyal’s all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise experience.

Knossos is one of the most important Bronze Age sites in Greece, with a history dating back over 3500 years. It’s home to the oldest existing throne in the world, and beautiful frescoes depicting sacred bulls and the daily life of the Minoans.

Thanks to our knowledgeable guide, we were able to get some insight into the history of the site and how it was reconstructed.

After the tour, we spent some time walking around Heraklion’s gorgeous harbor. Don’t miss the Venetian Koules Fortress, a beautiful stone fort in the harbor dating back to the 16th century.

Our next stop was Santorini. This was one of our most-anticipated stops on our Celestyal cruise, and it did not disappoint!

We took an excursion that took us to the villages of Megalochori and Oia. Megalochori was traditionally the largest village on the island, and is a good place to get a feel for local life on Santorini.

Oia is where you’ll find the most famous view of Santorini with the three blue domes perched on the edge of the caldera.

Santorini is understandably one of the most popular destinations for Greek island cruises in small ships. But since we visited in winter, we were able to marvel at the stunning views without dealing with the crowds that are present other times of the year.

The tour took us back to Fira, which is the main town above the port. We used the rest of the day to explore the villages in between Fira and Oia, taking photos to our heart’s content and feasting our eyes on the INCREDIBLE views.

We took the cable car down to the port just after sunset and took a tender boat back to the ship. The tenders run about every half an hour or so.

We left Santorini that night, setting off on the next leg on our cruise to Turkey.

The first stop on our cruise to Turkey was Kusadasi. It’s a popular resort city due its beautiful coastline and the numerous beaches in Kusadasi.

We went on an excursion included for all cruisers that took us to the ruins of Ephesus, which are not too far from Kusadasi. This excursion was one of the two that was included for every cruiser on this all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise!

The excursion took us by bus from the Kusadasi cruise port straight to the stunning Greco-Roman ruins of Ephesus.

Ephesus was one of the most important ancient Greek cities in Asia Minor, and today is home to some exceptional well-preserved ruins like the Library of Celsus.

As in Knossos, our knowledgeable guide shared many valuable tidbits with us. Thanks to him, we learned that we were walking on original marble pavestones that were two thousand years old.

On the way back from Ephesus to Kusadasi, we were taken to a fascinating rug-making demonstration. There, we had the chance to see silk worm cocoons transformed into silk threads and knotted into immaculate silk rugs. We got to have some Turkish drinks and lunch at the rug shop, and then it was time to continue our bus ride from Ephesus to Kusadasi.

Leaving right away from the Kusadasi cruise port, it was time for our cruise to Istanbul. I loved hearing the beautiful calls to prayer as we were leaving —one of the benefits of cruises from Kusadasi, I guess!

We celebrated our cruise to Istanbul with some sundowner drinks at the outdoor Thalassa bar, eagerly anticipating the next day.

We spent 2 days in Istanbul, and they were truly a highlight of our cruise!

We were in love with Istanbul from the first glimpses of Istanbul’s cultural gems as we pulled up to the Istanbul cruise port. The views of the Hagia Sophia and the dozens of Ottoman mosques lining the Bosphorus strait stunned us in the golden morning light.

We went off an excursion to the Istanbul Spice Market and later a Bosphorus boat cruise in Istanbul.

Istanbul is a vibrant, bustling city with a rich and layered history. You immediately get a sense of that the moment you leave the Istanbul cruise ship terminal, passing right by a beautiful Ottoman-era mosque.

We had fun checking out the spice market, with its delicious samples of Turkish delight and other treats.

Next, it was time for our boat cruise around Istanbul. We hopped on a smaller boat to explore the Bosphorous Strait, taking in the gorgeous scenery as our tour guide told us about the city. We got the chance to wave hello to our Celestyal Crystal cruise ship at the Istanbul cruise ship terminal, as we took in incredible views up and down the Bosphorus strait.

There are over 3000 mosques in the city, and we probably saw at least 300 of them on our boat tour in Istanbul. The tour boat docked on the Asian side of the city for a few minutes, giving us an opportunity to stand on two continents within a matter of minutes.

On the boat trip in Istanbul, we could tell that it’s a really huge city, and we barely scraped the surface of it. We’d love to come again and delve deeper into its secrets.

Time to head back to the cruise port in Istanbul for New Year’s Eve!

We watched an INCREDIBLE sunset from our cruise in Istanbul on top of the Crystal’s deck. Watching the fiery sun sink behind a silhouetted backdrop of the towers of Istanbul’s mosques is something we’ll NEVER forget.

We celebrated the New Year by making heavy use of Celestyal’s inclusive drinks package, and views of some fireworks from the top deck.

Celestyal Cruises made our New Years very special, serving a particularly memorable dinner of lobster and steak (accompanied by a hilarious display of the crew in wigs, as well as party hats and kazoo at each table setting). We also had live music and delicious tapas served at night.

Starting New Year’s Day bright and early, we headed out on a full-day excursion to Istanbul’s old city, in the heart of ancient Constantinople.

With so many things to do in Sultanhamet, Istanbul , it’s no surprise our tour would begin there. This historic district of Istanbul is known as the Old City, and once was the illustrious capital of the Byzantine Empire.

We started in Sultanahmet Square, the former Hippodrome of Constantinople. The square has a history of two millennia, and proudly sports an ancient Egyptian obelisk.

We were fortunate to visit the Blue Mosque , even though it was largely covered up for renovations. Next stop was Hagia Sophia, which greeted us with an incredibly long line.

The wait to get into Hagia Sophia is so worth it! The moment we entered, we were immediately struck by its immensity and grandeur. It was the largest church and building in the world for almost 1000 years, then a mosque, then a museum, and now a mosque again.

Leaving Hagia Sophia in awe, we visited Topkapi Palace, the home of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years. It’s full of beautiful art and architecture, and we saw some very interesting displays of royal jewels, armor, and weaponry.

After lunch, we learned about local Istanbul crafts, and then visited the Spice Market again. Normally, the tour takes you to the Istanbul Grand Bazaar, but unfortunately it was closed on New Year’s Day.

Soaking up some last-minute vibes on Istanbul’s streets, it was time to head back to the ship. We were absolutely EXHAUSTED after the 2 packed days we’d had in Istanbul, and were looking forward to resting on the coming day at sea to enjoy the amenities on board the Celestyal Crystal ship.

After 2 busy days in Istanbul, it was time on our cruise from Istanbul to Greece to take a rest on the day at sea. We used this time wisely to enjoy some of the amenities onboard and treat ourselves to what our luxury Mediterranean cruise had to offer.

We honestly spent most of the time just soaking up the sun and mesmerizing views of the ocean blue from our private balcony. We also spent some quality time at the outdoor Thalassa bar, enjoying the Mediterranean views while getting our drink on, baby!

We had fun playing games in the Eros lounge, and then Lauren got ready for her much-needed massage at the spa.

After the massage, we had a dinner reservation at the specialty restaurant at the Aura dining room on Deck 9.

Like we mentioned previously, the speciality dining experience was a highlight of the cruise, and we’d highly recommend it! We had been looking forward to this meal the whole cruise, and it did not disappoint.

Our penultimate stop on our amazing luxury small ship cruise in the Greek islands was the city of Volos. We went off on an excursion to the gravity-defying Meteora Monasteries .

Over the centuries, 24 monasteries were built here on top of otherworldly sheer rock formations near the town of Kalambaka in central Greece. It’s one of the largest and most important groups of Eastern Orthodox monasteries. The remaining monasteries are a UNESCO World Heritage site, and are just as incredible to visit in person as they look in pictures.

We visited two of the monasteries on the excursion. We had a bit of free time to search for the best viewpoints, and took tons of pictures.

After the two hour bus ride back to the ship, we departed for Piraeus, where we would close out our small ship cruise in the Greek islands.

Piraeus is where most of the cruises to Athens start and end.

Disembarking the ship was easy, and retrieving our luggage was quick and seamless. We’ll get more into the Mediterranean cruise ports in the next section!

Mediterranean Cruise Ports

Our 8-night all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise took us to several different Mediterranean cruise ports in Greece and Turkey. Leaving from Lavrion port near Athens, we visited Crete, Santorini, Kusadasi, Istanbul, Volos,   and ended in Piraeus.  

Read on to learn about what each Mediterranean cruise port is like:

The Heraklion cruise port is walking distance (about 20 minutes) to the city center. The cruise port itself doesn’t have much in the way of amenities, but it’s close enough to Heraklion that you can easily get to the city or its harbor on your own.

Cruise ships can’t reach the port at Santorini, so you have to take a tender boat to the port.

If there’s rough weather, the tender boats sometimes can’t make it, which would be so sad! Luckily, we were blessed with amazing weather the whole cruise, so we got to the port with no trouble.

The port is below the town of Fira, which is the biggest settlement on the island. When you get off the tender boat, you can either walk up the steep 600 steps to Fira, pay to take a donkey ride up, or take a cable car up.

The Kusadasi cruise port is located right in the middle of the city and its coastline. The cruise port itself has lots of shops and restaurants, and just outside of it there’s even more shopping and dining to be had. There are some beaches in Kusadasi not too far from the port, as well.

The Istanbul cruise port is really modern and absolutely HUGE. It probably takes almost 10 minutes to walk from the Istanbul cruise ship terminal entrance to the ship.

Going through the Istanbul cruise port is like navigating through a small airport. As of 2023, the Istanbul cruise ship terminal itself is pretty empty of anything besides one shop, long hallways, and a couple security stations. This may change in the future as development on the cruise port in Istanbul continues.

There are many places to shop and dine lining the promenade immediately outside of the Istanbul cruise port. Istanbul is a huge city with tons to do, so you’re never too far away from shopping, dining, or other entertainment.

The Volos cruise port is pretty spartan.

We didn’t notice any amenities in the port at all, and it seems a bit far to walk to the more interesting parts of the city. If you want to visit any of the attractions around Volos independently, such as the mountain villages nearby or the Meteora Monasteries, you’ll have to arrange transport. Otherwise, we highly recommend joining a tour with Celestyal Cruises to ensure you get back on board on time before the ship leaves.

Piraeus is the biggest port in Greece, and has three different cruise ship terminals. No matter which terminal you dock at, it’s easy to get to the rest of Athens or other destinations from Piraeus.

There are many beautiful Greek islands near Athens , so Piraeus is one of the most frequented Mediterranean cruise ports.

Celestyal’s all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises are our new favorite (and affordable) way to cruise the Mediterranean in luxury.

If you’re looking for some cheap Mediterranean cruise deals, definitely consider cruising with Celestyal!

We found Celestyal’s cruises to be an amazing value. This is especially so when you consider that they’re totally all-inclusive, and that some excursions are included on every itinerary. You really do get so much for your money!

Celestyal offers luxury Mediterranean cruise departures between March and December each year. We think there’s not really a bad time for a small ship cruise in Greece. With this being said, there are things you need to consider in certain times of the year.  

In summer, temperatures in the eastern Mediterranean can approach 100 °F (37 °C), and crowds can be an issue in places like Santorini. Prices are also higher in the busy summer season.

Conversely, in winter, prices are lower, there are FAR fewer crowds, and the temperatures are cooler — usually not TOO cold, though.  

Wind can be an issue any time of the year, and if it’s too windy, it can affect tender boats in places like Santorini.

We cruised with Celestyal at the end of December. There was beautiful sunny weather almost the entire cruise, and we certainly enjoyed the lack of crowds in places like Santorini.  

If you’re looking to cruise the Mediterranean on an all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise, we hope you’ve found our Celestyal cruise review helpful.  Our Celestyal experience was one we will never forget, and we truly had the best time. The hardest part of the whole cruise was saying goodbye—we never wanted to leave!

Read more Celestyal Cruises reviews here .

There are many all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises in Europe to choose from, but we love Celestyal for their commitment to outstanding service, all-inclusivity, comfort, and quality for the ultimate cruise experience.  We love the concept of taking a small cruise ship to the Greek islands and beyond, enjoying a smaller, easily navigable ship with a tight-knit crew that started to feel like family.

Cruising with Celestyal is hands-down our favorite cruising experience we’ve had, and would fully recommend them to anyone looking for an all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise. We would LOVE to cruise again with them on another of their Mediterranean and Greek island small ship cruises in a heartbeat.

If you have any questions that we didn’t cover in our Celestyal Cruises review, please feel free to reach out on any of our social media platforms and we would be ecstatic to assist you!

Disclosure: This post is a collaboration with Celestyal Cruise line, but as always, all opinions are very much our own!

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Benjamin Juster

2014 Jeopardy College Championship contestant fond of Mexican food, hiking, learning new languages and obscure history, Ben has temporarily settled on Jeju Island in Korea to teach English and travel.

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Opiniones del barco Celestyal Journey, Celestyal Cruises

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Celestyal Journey

Opiniones y valoraciones de nuestros clientes

Aquí encontrarás diferentes opiniones de viajeros que ya han disfrutado de un crucero en el Celestyal Journey y también una valoración media que te podrá ser de ayuda a la hora de tomar tu decisión. Te recomendamos que no bases tu elección en una sola opinión ya que cada viajero valora el barco y el crucero según sus propios criterios que pueden no coincidir con los tuyos.

Opiniones Verificadas: Los clientes han escrito sus opiniones después de haber viajado con nosotros.

basada en 34 comentarios

• Excursiones 7
• Calidad/Precio 8
• Servicio Habitaciones 9
• Servicio Bares 8
• Servicio Restaurantes 8
• Espectáculos 8
• Equipo de Animación 8
• Equipamientos 8

Ótima comida, serviço de recepção, camareiras, garçons, tudo muito bom.

Os espetáculos noturnos eram todos muito parecidos e no fim ja estava cansativo.

Los servicios mejor valorados son: Comida, Limpieza, Destinos

Los servicios menos valorados son: Calidad/Precio, Excursiones

Los servicios mejor valorados son: Espectáculos, Equipo de Animación, Comida

Los servicios menos valorados son: Excursiones, Equipamientos

MARIA JESUS

El trato agradable y una animacion estupenda, comida buena, limpieza, muy recomendable

No, nada...

Angel Manuel

La comodidad y decoración del barco.La amabilidad del personal.

Los servicios menos valorados son: Excursiones, Servicio Habitaciones

La amabilidad, son encantadores, todo muy cómodo

Pues que falta algo de ambiente para los que cenan a las ocho , Todo bien, el equipo de animación estupendo

Los servicios mejor valorados son: Destinos, Excursiones, Calidad/Precio

No hay valoraciones negativas

Maria Asuncion

Todo estuvo muy bien especialmente la amabilidad y simpatía de toda la tripulación

No tengo nada negativo

Antonio Javier

Los trabajadores

María Cristina

Excelentes lugares, riquísima la comida, muy cómodos lo camarotes, el servicio de animación fantástico

Que no haya un dispenser de agua , fuera de los horarios del buffet

Los cruceros más buscados a bordo del Celestyal Journey

Egeo Idílico

8 días desde Pireo (Atenas)

Salidas: 04 may hasta 05 oct (Salidas los Sábados)

Itinerario: Pireo (Atenas), Tesalónica (Grecia), Kusadasi (Turquía), Heraklión (Creta), Santorini (Grecia), Miko...

Desierto asombroso

8 días desde Doha (Qatar)

Salidas: 16 nov hasta 01 mar 2025 (Salidas los Sábados)

Itinerario: Doha (Qatar), Manama (Bahrain), Dubái (EAU), Khasab (Omán), Sir Bani Yas (Emiratos), Abu Dhabi (EAU)...

Vuelos + Hotel + Crucero

Una auténtica experiencia griega

10 días de viaje

Salidas: 02 may hasta 03 oct

5 días desde Dubái (EAU)

Salidas: 11 nov hasta 03 mar 2025

Itinerario: Dubái (EAU), Khasab (Omán), Sir Bani Yas (Emiratos), Abu Dhabi (EAU)

Desierto asombroso y Grand Prix de Qatar

8 días desde Dubái (EAU)

Salida: 25 Nov.

Itinerario: Dubái (EAU), Khasab (Omán), Abu Dhabi (EAU) , Doha (Qatar)

Desierto asombroso y Grand Prix de Abu Dhabi

Salida: 2 Dic.

Doha y el desierto asombroso

Salidas: 14 nov hasta 27 feb 2025

Adriático Sublime 2025

Salidas: 22 mar 2025 hasta 10 may 2025 (Salidas los Sábados)

Itinerario: Pireo (Atenas), Argostoli (Cefalonia), Dubrovnik (Croacia), Kotor (Montenegro), Bari (Alberobello), ...

Egeo Idílico 2025

Salidas: 17 may 2025 hasta 11 oct 2025 (Salidas los Sábados)

Salidas: 26 Julio 2025; 9, 23 Agosto 2025

Itinerario: Pireo (Atenas), Kotor (Montenegro), Split (Croacia), Ravenna (Italia), Katákolon (Olimpia)

Turquía, Grecia

8 días desde Tesalónica (Grecia)

Salidas: 05 may hasta 29 sept (Salidas los Domingos)

Itinerario: Tesalónica (Grecia), Kusadasi (Turquía), Heraklión (Creta), Santorini (Grecia), Mikonos (Grecia), Mi...

8 días desde Kusadasi (Turquía)

Salidas: 06 may hasta 30 sept (Salidas los Lunes)

Itinerario: Kusadasi (Turquía), Heraklión (Creta), Santorini (Grecia), Mikonos (Grecia), Milos (Grecia), Pireo (...

Grecia, Turquía

8 días desde Heraklión (Creta)

Salidas: 07 may hasta 01 oct (Salidas los Martes)

Itinerario: Heraklión (Creta), Santorini (Grecia), Mikonos (Grecia), Milos (Grecia), Pireo (Atenas), Tesalónica ...

Salidas: 18 may 2025 hasta 05 oct 2025 (Salidas los Domingos)

+30 Cruceros a bordo del Celestyal Journey

+30 Cruceros a bordo del Celestyal Journey Ver cruceros

Algunas cifras del Celestyal Journey

Otros barcos de Celestyal Cruises

Celestyal Discovery

El nuevo Celestyal Discovery ha sido diseñado para que vivas una experiencia incomparable a bordo mientras navegas hacia destinos encantadores. Cuenta con espacios decorados con un gusto exquisito y muebles elegantes que crean a bordo un ambiente de pura relajación, como el atractivo Anfiteatro con ...

Todo sobre el Celestyal Journey

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Celestyal Cruises Review: All About the Greek Cruise Line

We were so grateful to learn how uniquely Greek Celestyal Cruises is when we sailed on the cruise line for the first time. During a wonderful spring vacation, we discovered the delightful way Celestyal Cruises focuses on its port destinations, interacted with the friendly crew, and learned how wifi and the drinks packages work. 

We are sharing everything you need to know about the cruise line with an overview of their itineraries, many of which start and end in Athens. 

Here, you’ll learn more about what it’s like to sail with Celestyal Cruises, including an overview of what we liked, if they have all-inclusive pricing , and information about onboard spaces from souvenir shops to staterooms, dining, programming , and entertainment.

Disclosure: This page has affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you click the link and proceed with a purchase  at no cost to you . We thank Celestyal Cruises for generously hosting us. We truly only recommend cruises, experiences, products, and services we personally use. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Celestyal Cruises Overview

Celestyal Cruises is a Greek cruise line. They have two cruise ships that sail very interesting itineraries in the Mediterranean, including Greek island-hopping cruises and cruises that sail the Greek islands and onto some neighboring countries.

Celestyal Crystal and Celestyal Olympia are the two ships. Come September 2023, Celestyal Journey will replace Celestyal Crystal. 

We recommend the cruise line for guests who want a medium-sized ship that sails the Greek Islands and a very interesting itinerary that sails to Three Continents . 

Celestyal Cruises Pricing Overview

Celestyal Cruises are incredibly affordable! Pricing differs depending on the itinerary you choose, the cabin category, and the dates you select. But you can expect pricing ranging from just $339 for a 3-night cruise in an Interior Stateroom “IA” category to $2,578 (IA) for a 28-night cruise. 

Things We Liked About Celestyal Cruises

There were a lot of things we loved about the cruise line. For starters, very few cruise lines have a cultural identity, and we immediately got a strong feeling this was a Greek-owned and operated cruise line.

We wouldn't hesitate to sail on Celestyal Cruises again and look forward to doing so in the future.

Celestyal Cruises is Greek, and It Shows

The cruise line’s origins revealed themselves in several ways, including Greek music in the hallways, a Greek band onboard, a Greek menu item with each meal, feta cheese on nearly all buffets when buffets were available, and Greek wine options (in addition to wines from other countries). Even the house beer, Mythos, which we really enjoy, was Greek. We liked this aspect of the cruise.

The crew is from all over the world, not just Greece, but the Cruise Director is Greek. 

Open Seating

We enjoyed open seating in the dining room and the flexibility of times we could eat within scheduled operating hours. We also loved how friendly the crew in the dining rooms and bars were; several crew members remembered our names, and it was fun to see each other day-to-day and converse about things.

Cruise Director and Assistant Cruise Director

We were incredibly impressed with our Cruise Director and Assistant Cruise Director, who both easily spoke more than three languages. 

Though we didn’t interact with them much like we did on Celebrity Cruises, where the Cruise Director engages in many activities with the guests throughout the day, we met Teresa, the Cruise Director, who was friendly and upbeat. 

It’s always nice to have a great welcoming committee in the leaders on the ship since behavior/demeanor is modeled from the top down.

Our cabin was a great size, and we enjoyed the balcony of our junior suite. It was spacious enough for two, and we had plenty of storage for clothes and luggage.

Evening Musical Entertainment in the Lounge

Lastly, there was a phenomenal musical duo on our particular sailing – they were a singer and guitarist from the Philippines. The woman had an incredible voice – we told her she should try out for a television broadcast talent show! She was that good.

Celestyal Cruises Areas for Improvement 

Drinks packages.

Celestyal Cruises has eight drinks packages to choose from. In this regard, we left missed the simplicity of a cruise line like Emerald Cruises, which has one drinks package option, only. 

If you don’t have the premium package, the waiters and waitresses in the restaurants and bars continuously try to upgrade you to the highest package. So much so that we wondered if they make a commission on each drinks package upgrade. 

What’s more confusing is that the in-room water, we learned, isn’t even included in the drinks package, even if you have the highest package. However, one complimentary bottle of water is placed in suites and junior suites. If you’re confused, we were a bit confused too. 

Overall, we learned that water in the staterooms is maintained by housekeeping. Luckily, to avoid all that confusion, we filled our reusable water bottles in the dining room as needed.

Memo Bottle

We love these because they're flat, so a Memo Bottle fits in a pocket, on the side of a backpack, in a purse, etc., very easily and comfortably.

MiiR Bottle

They’re insulated and keep the liquid at the temperature you added it to the bottle, for HOURS and hours. They rock.

We also love that the wide-mouthed bottles are easy to get ice cubes into. Use code “ SOMETIMESHOME ” for  15% off   your order .

Collapsible Water Bottle

This Nomader water bottle saves a lot of space when rolled up and empty. The only reason we don't carry one is because we're worried about squishing it when it's filled with water. But it's a great option if it fits your needs.

Shore Excursions: Onboard Desk and Organization  

There is room for improvement with Celestyal’s onboard shore excursions team. We overheard several team members unable to answer guests’ questions, and several guests clearly frustrated that they had booked one thing through the website, yet once onboard, the experiences weren’t showing or registered in their reservations. 

We personally experienced confusion with the bookings as well. For example, we were never informed that our Israel excursion to Tel Aviv didn’t have enough people sign up, which left us scrambling to find availability on the very full Jerusalem and Bethlehem excursion when it was nearly too late. This nearly happened with a second excursion we were signed up for during our cruise. 

We realized that we had to be very much on top of what was going on with each port and the excursions we selected one to two days before our arrival at that destination. Also, because the excursions desk isn’t open all the time, if you want to confirm your excursion — and realize during that confirmation that you may need to sign up for a different one (that may be at near capacity) — you usually have to do so before the day before. 

Additionally, the way that Celestyal Cruises divides tour groups and designates buses in the morning is through stickers. There were two occasions when we didn’t receive stickers in our stateroom the evening before. This was a red flag that something was off. 

If you don’t get stickers for your excursion delivered to your stateroom the night before, go to the excursions desk as soon as possible to see what’s amiss.

The point is, our advice is to do the following:

Evening Shows

The entertainment – specifically the evening shows – was fine, but not great. We’re grateful they had a main stage show every evening, but the choreography and production levels we lacking even though it was clear that the dancers, singers, and acrobats were talented. 

The great talent, multiple costume changes through every show, and lighting were just enough to prove they have what it takes to be great shows. They just need the right choreographers and producers to get them there!  

Celestyal Cruises Pricing 

Is celestyal cruises all inclusive.

The cruise line is not all -inclusive though some things are included in the base fare. Their website carefully says the pricing is “inclusive,” not “all-inclusive.” 

Celestyal Cruises emphasizes that their cruises are designed to be about the ports, not their ships. However, guests pay to be onboard, so the cruise fare and what’s included versus what costs extra is something to consider. 

Base cruise fares get you a stateroom and main dining, with house beer and wine for lunch and dinner. It’s unlikely that you won’t add on anything else — whether excursions or a beverage despite if you pay per drink or add a drinks package. 

Below, we list a fare upgrade option that we recommend, then get into details about overall costs. 

Celestyal Cruises “Enhance Fare” 

We recommended booking their Enhance Fare option, which is a package up from their base fare. It includes a lot more for a great price.

This fare includes: 

• Premium drinks package
• Complimentary $160 shore excursion discount
• One hour of Wi-fi access
• 25% discount on the specialty menu and upgrade options 

While the price may change depending on how many days your cruise is, expect a 7-day cruise to cost an additional $260 per person with the Enhance Fare on top of the cruise base fare. Also, you have to add it per stateroom. So if you are two guests in one room, both guests must add the Enhance Fare, not just one.

If you want to upgrade your drinks package that is included with the Enhance Fare, it's $17 more per day to go from the Premium drinks package (included) to the Premium Plus drinks package. Remember that you have to add that per guest in the stateroom, not for just one.

If you have children under the age of 18 traveling with you, Premium and Premium Plus drinks packages will automatically be converted to a Non-Alcoholic Premium drinks package on board, meaning no alcoholic beverages will be served. Kids can look forward to plenty of milkshakes, smoothies, and soft drinks!

What Does Celestyal Cruises “Inclusive” Pricing Actually Include? 

Dining/restaurants.

A buffet venue and a sit-down restaurant are included for lunch and dinner. There are onboard dining experiences that guests can pay to go to as well, like “The Greek Table” experience. 

Upgrade to a Suite for More Dining Options

Suite and junior suite guests (cruise categories S, SG, and SB) have an additional dining option for breakfast and lunch, where they can sit down at a table and either order an item off the menu or go through the suites-dining buffet. Depending on the ship and itinerary, the restaurant is sometimes open for dinner.

The buffet items are similar (if not exactly the same) to what is available in the main buffet area. It’s simply a quieter, less hectic/more peaceful dining venue because there were fewer adults and kids, and the finishes were a bit nicer than the other dining space, like white tablecloths, whereas the other dining venue had bare tables.

Upgrade to Enhance Fare for 25% off Specialty Dining

If you upgrade to the Enhance Fare, you can take advantage of 25% off The Greek Table dining experience. 

Entertainment

Onboard shows are included and do not cost extra. This includes daytime and evening entertainment, including music in the lounge and the main evening show. 

Excursion Discount 

All cruise fares enjoy a credit of $80 per guest in their cruise fare to put towards an excursion if pre-booked. If you select to upgrade to the Enhance Fare, this onboard credit doubles to $160 per person if the excursion is pre-booked.

Port Charges and Gratuities 

We love when a cruise line includes port charges and gratuities, as Celestyal Cruises does with every cruise fare.

Wi-Fi 

Four Wi-Fi packages are available onboard: 

• One hour for €7.00
• Three hours for €16.00
• Six hours €25.00
• Unlimited hours for €100.00

If you plan on being online at all to read emails, browse the web, or engage with social media, our recommendation is to get six hours as a minimum. If you upgrade to the Enhance Fare, one hour of Wifi is included in the package. 

The wifi isn’t strong enough to stream anything, but it was good enough for emails and text messages. We weren’t always able to get a strong connection while we were sailing. For example, photos within text messages didn’t always download.

How it works is you buy a package for x-amount of hours (whatever you choose) and then log in and out so the wifi time doesn’t continue to run if your phone isn’t open, but the device is connected. The system remembers the total time you have used and displays it when you log back in. 

Wi-Fi in Ports 

We always carried our wifi hotspot during this trip, so when we were off the ship exploring ports we could still get online and use the device's connection to do anything that needed more bandwidth, like social media posts. 

In general, the connection was stronger than the wifi on the ship, but it doesn’t work when you’re at sea because it needs to ping cell towers to get wifi (which is why it works incredibly well on land in 135+ countries). 

• WiFi on up to 10 devices
• Lightweight and pocket-sized
• Works in popular port cities worldwide

Select Beverages 

Certain beverages are included with meals in the dining room and buffet. House wines and house beer are included with lunch and dinner, sodas by the glass, select juices by the glass, coffee, hot tea and iced tea, and mineral water.

Suite and junior suite guests have a small complimentary bottle of water in the stateroom that is replenished daily. Suite guests (not junior suites) also have complimentary beer and soda in the room, which is replenished daily.

There are eight drinks packages available to choose from. 

Prices are per person per day, including taxes:  

• Premium Plus €47.00
• Premium €30.00
• Alcohol-free €27.00
• Kids €16.00
• Premium Kids €20.00
• Soft drinks €10.00
• Premium Water €7.50
• Coffee €10.00

Premium Plus includes anything from alcoholic beverages up to a certain price, to beer any time, to milkshakes, fresh squeezed orange juice, smoothies, and lattes. The included options decrease as you go down the line for the drinks package options.

If you purchase the Enhance Fare, the Premium drinks package is included. Or you can upgrade it to the Premium Plus package for $17 more per day. You can also upgrade to the Premium Plus drinks package with the base cruise fare if you do not want everything in the Enhance Fare. 

Transfers and Pre-Post Cruise Extensions

Though it’s not included in the cruise fare, Celestyal Cruises has add-on options for a cruise package that takes care of your pre/post cruise hotels and transfers – to and from the airport and to/from hotels to get to/from the ship. 

Book a package that includes pre-cruise accommodations and transfers, or a package with pre and post-cruise offerings. 

Celestyal Cruises Excursions 

A true highlight of a Celestyal Cruises experience is the ports you visit. The cruise line strongly focuses on this aspect of its cruises, which is why the itineraries are so great. 

We joked that every day we were on the Three Continents Cruise, another bucket list travel item was checked off our list, whether see the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, being at the Western Wall in Jerusalem in Israel, or exploring the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey. But it was true! 

All cruise fares include an $80 credit for excursions to encourage you to book them. The Enhance Fare includes double that. 

Regardless, since multiple excursions throughout your cruise per person will cost more than that, factor between $300-500 per person for Celestyal Cruises excursions when you’re budget-planning. Cost per excursion varies depending on the destination and the tour. 

Onboard Spaces 

Both Celestyal Cruises ships have the following onboard spaces and amenities:

Shop with Souvenirs

You can purchase a variety of items at the Celestyal Cruises shop. Whether you want snacks for your room, like chocolates and gummy bears, or a souvenir magnet, or want new sandals and a hat, they have several options. 

Photography Prints Area 

A small area of the ship is dedicated to viewing printed photos from your days on board and in ports. If you decide you want to buy them, they are reasonably priced at $11 or so per print. 

Several photographers are working onboard who take photos of the guests. These images get printed for guests to see, though you have to make a point to go to the photography area to see them. 

The staterooms are lovely, with a color palette that evokes feelings of the Mediterranean and Greek islands. The toilet and showers are in the same room, which leaves more space for the bedroom and living space.

We recommend getting a suite or junior suite with a balcony for maximum enjoyment of the ship while you’re onboard. 

If you are sailing during shoulder season, which is before or after peak season when temperatures are slightly cooler, or you know you’ll be off the ship on excursions every day, we think it’s less important to spring for a suite if you’re on a budget than for something like upgrading your drinks package.

An onboard spa is available for guests to book treatments, including massages, facials, and the like. We enjoyed a couple’s massage on the first day of the cruise that set us up for relaxation the entire trip. 

Entertainment Areas, Lounges, and Bars

There are several areas to relax and enjoy a cocktail around the ship. This includes the main entertainment venue where evening shows are and the lounge areas. You can get beverages, play cards, and games (if you bring them onboard), and listen to musical entertainment at night in the lounge and bar. 

The ship has several bars open at various times throughout the day. So you have options, whether you want to order a drink and be indoors or enjoy the top deck with the most sunshine possible. There is also a small onboard casino that is usually open when the ship is sailing. 

Celestyal Cruises Dining

Dining is often a highlight of any cruise, and Celestyal Cruises didn’t disappoint. We loved that they had featured Greek dishes on every menu as part of the meal offerings, which have regional ingredients from islands Celestyal visits.

There is specialty dining experiences onboard called The Greek Table experience, which we detail below.

Suites Dining

There is a dining venue that is specifically for suites and junior suites guests. The restaurant has white-linen tablecloths, the same crew serving as waiters and hosts every day, a buffet to go through, and a menu to order from for breakfast and lunch.

It was usually open for two meals daily, depending on the port and daily schedule. It is not open for dinner. 

We were in a junior suite and enjoyed this option for breakfast and lunch whenever possible.

An Especially Tasty Greek Evening: Celestyal Cruises “The Greek Table Experience”  

Celestyal Cruises has partnered with esteemed chef, Diana Kochilas, to create a special menu for the cruise line. Kochilas is a Greek American who is the host, creator, and co-producer of My Greek Table, a Public Television program that airs in the US and Australia. She is also the author of 18 cookbooks on Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. 

For just under $60 per person, you can enjoy dinner in a private restaurant reserved for the evening’s Greek Table diners, and relish in a six-course tasting menu. With the homemade dips to start, an optional cheese course, and an intermezzo, it’s more like nine courses!  

The Greek Table Courses

We signed up for The Greek Table on our second evening of the cruise, the day at sea. It started with an absolutely phenomenal octopus carpaccio dish and ended with Greek cheeses and a photo-worthy dessert. It was so much food we couldn’t eat it all, but we certainly tried everything.

Though the menu may change should Chef Kochilas and Celestyal Cruises choose to switch it up, here’s what we had:

• Three homemade dips and pita bread and Simit (which is like a very thin Greek sesame bagel)
• Cretan octopus carpaccio with fennel and an orange-ouzo vinaigrette 
• Aegean fisherman’s saffron avgolemono soup
• Escallop of Aegean lobster, saffron-jeweled pilaf with pistachios, almonds, and peas
• Pappardelle of zucchini, marinated tomatoes, and mint with toasted pine nuts
• Kalogeros terrine with sliced beef loin, sheep’s milk cheese, and tomatoes 
• Arugula, red onion, baked olives, grilled manouri, and pasteli crumble, tossed in Greek virgin olive oil and aged balsamic
• Dessert: Selection of Greek village cheeses or floating Greek island in a wine-dark sea, with a rose geranium-infused fruit soup and meringues

The Greek Table Experience Dinner Review 

The highlights for us were the octopus carpaccio, pappardelle of zucchini (a refreshing vegetable plate that was beautifully crafted), and the vibrant arugula salad with pomegranate seeds and sesame candy, which was the “pasteli” on top. Another highlight was the Escallop of Aegean Lobster; the dish’s textures were quite nice.

The service was very good, and the private dining room that the specialty dinner was in, with no more than four tables, was lovely and intimate. However, we recommend keeping at least one menu nearby, so you know what you’re eating. We were glad we have a menu next to us because the server didn’t explain each dish as he set the plates down. 

Programming Aboard Celestyal Cruises

Daytime entertainment.

As a cruise line focusing on ports, it’s not a cruise line that will wow you with onboard daytime programming. That said, there is plenty to enjoy onboard if you have a day at sea or choose to stay onboard instead of disembarking to explore a port. 

You can enjoy the onboard hot tub or pool, read a book on a lounge chair, enjoy the sports bar and whatever news or sporting event is on television, or look at the daily schedule to see if something like bingo, trivia, Greek language lessons, or a cooking demonstration is scheduled. 

Greek Wine Tasting on Celestyal Cruises Day at Sea

We decided to sign up for the Greek Wine Tasting on our day at sea. It was a fun thing to do for an extra $25 for two people. 

The tasting was well-organized and a  fun activity to look forward to. Though we didn’t expect a wine tasting of the caliber of our Bordeaux River cruise experience in France, we were a little disappointed there wasn’t slightly more depth to it. We were also surprised that the cheese plate with the tasting didn’t include Greek cheese. 

The wine-tasting facilitator was one of the beverage people on the ship who wasn’t a sommelier and, it was evident, not an expert on Greek wines. Though he didn’t educate us on the wine regions in Greece or wine history there, he knew slightly more about Greek wines than we did, so we learned a thing or two. 

We have partaken in countless wine tastings, from Bordeaux and Burgundy to California, so while it wasn’t a standout, at €12.50 per person during the day at sea, it was something different and enjoyable to do. And we accomplished our goal of tasting Greek wines! 

Evening Entertainment

The shows on Celestyal Cruise are okay, but not great. As we mentioned earlier, the talent is there. They just need some production improvement. 

While the shows are not at the level of some mega-ship entertainment, the production level is definitely higher than a river cruise or yacht cruise, for example. Remember, it’s a mid-size ship with affordable pricing, so the entertainment matches the cruising level. 

If you don’t want to watch the show – or only want to watch some of it, then explore other areas of the ship – the lounge is nearby and always had music at night. In fact, the musical duo was so good we made sure to attend every night!

Celestyal Cruises Itineraries 

We’ve shared everything onboard – so you’re probably wondering about the itineraries. 

Celestyal Cruises offers three, four, five, seven, and 14-night itineraries. We went on one of the regularly scheduled sailings, but they also offer special event cruises, like an eight-night New Year cruise.

Celestyal Cruises' Ports of Embarkation

• Greece : Piraeus (Athens), Lavrion (Athens), Crete/Heraklion and Thessaloniki
• Turkey : Kusadasi and Istanbul
• Cyprus : Limassol  

The main port city people leave from is Athens.

7-Night Itineraries 

• Idyllic Aegean : Athens | Thessaloniki | Kusadasi | Crete | Santorini | Mykonos | Milos | Athens
• Eclectic Aegean : Athens | Istanbul | Kavala | Thessaloniki | Volos | Santorini | Athens
• Three Continents : Athens | Port Said | Ashdod | Limassol | Rhodes | Kusadasi | Athens
• Steps of Paul : Athens | Thessaloniki | Kavala | Istanbul | Dikili | Kusadasi | Patmos | Athens

We embarked on a 7-night Three Continents Cruise, which was fabulous. 

5-Night Cruises 

• Legendary Aegean : Athens | Santorini | Rhodes | Samos | Istanbul
• Legendary Ionian : Athens | Kotor | Corfu | Chania Souda | Athens

3 and 4-Night Cruises

• Iconic Aegean (3-nights): Athens, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Santorini, Athens
• Iconic Aegean (4-nights): Athens, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Rhodes, Santorini, Athens
• Legendary Aegean (4-nights): Istanbul, Chios, Kos, Mykonos, Athens

Celestyal Cruise Guest Demographics: Where Are the Guests From? 

We have been on many cruises, from small to large. And we always meet a few people from other countries here and there, especially from Australia and the United Kingdom. 

An aspect of cruising with Celestyal Cruises that surprised us was that guests were from so many different areas of Europe. This included places like Greece, the Balkans, and South Africa. 

Onboard Smoking

The reality of the increased attendance of Europeans onboard meant many more cigarette smokers were on board. 

You cannot smoke anywhere inside the cruise ship, of course. That’s the same across the board with any cruise line. However, we found that the smokers did not respect the designated smoking areas. The smell would sometimes drift over into our room or to where we were outside. 

If this happens while you’re on the cruise and you find someone smoking in a non-designated area that affects your cruise enjoyment, simply alert the nearest crew member, and they will direct the smoker to a smoking area.

While there isn’t much you can otherwise do about this if you don’t like the smell of cigarette smoke, you’ll be more prepared for what to expect than we were if you know about it ahead of time.

Celestyal Cruises Experience in Review

We really enjoyed our cruise. We look forward to sailing with Celestyal Cruises again because we loved the Greek identity of the cruise line and their truly impressive itineraries and ports. Knowing what you’re paying for and what to expect, you’ll thoroughly enjoy your Celestyal Cruises vacation.

Interested in European cruising? Read this next:

• Celestyal Cruises Three Continents Cruise with Bucket List Sightseeing 
• Marseille Cruise Port Info: Complete Visitors Guide
• Complete Guide to Closed-Loop Cruises (and Open Jaw Itineraries)

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Incredible Aegean Cruise in the Greek Islands (Plus Honest Celestyal Cruises Review)

Posted on Published: June 7, 2023  - Last updated: September 19, 2023

It’s a bucket-list worthy adventure, cruising the Greek islands and the Aegean Sea! The vivid blue waters are met with unique flair that each destination has to offer. Whether you’re dreaming of visiting the blue domes in Santorini, amazing beaches in Milos or food scene in Crete, this Celestyal Cruises review of the Idyllic Aegean will help guide your next vacation!

This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, see my  disclosures .

Going on an Aegean cruise is a magical experience. Sounds cheesy, I know. But just think about those sparkling blue waters of the Aegean Sea, mixed with picturesque villages on the islands of Greece, plus adventures at every port.

If you’re considering an Aegean Sea cruise, or are wondering about Celestyal Cruises reviews, this is the guide for you!

Aegean Sea cruises can vary greatly. The size of the ships, which islands you visit and even which countries you’ll visit as part of your cruise. So many things to consider!

Aegean Cruise with Celestyal Cruises

First, let’s go over reasons you’d go on an Aegean cruise, then review what you can expect with Celestyal Cruises Greece.

In this guide you can expect:

🛳️Why and when to cruise the Aegean Sea 💲Pricing and how to make it budget-friendly 🏝️Aegean cruise itinerary 🇬🇷Celestyal Cruises review – ship experience ⚓️Greek island cruise (summary of each destination) ‼️Tips for first time cruisers 🧳What to pack for cruising Greek islands

This fabulous vacation is an amazing way to explore Greece and potentially the surrounding area. Let’s  get to some of the most commonly asked questions that will help you decide!

Why cruise the Aegean Sea?

Two words: it’s fabulous! 

In all honesty, taking an Aegean Sea cruise is the perfect way to get into cruising if you’ve never been. It’s also one of the best ways to explore the Greek islands!

You’ll get a taste of many destinations in Greece. If you’ve never been to Greece, this is one of the best ways to experience the islands. Check them each out for a day and see which is your favorite!

Santorini or Mykonos , Rhodes and Crete, Milos or Patmos – the list goes on! 

An Aegean Sea cruise will sometimes drop down south further into the Mediterranean Sea as well, making stops in Egypt, Cyprus and Israel. There’s truly so many options!

And as a bonus – every destination in the Aegean Sea is totally unique! It’s not like taking a Caribbean Cruise where so many islands look the same. Instead, you’ll get tons of personality with each destination you visit.

Aegean Sea map (Celestyal Cruises review itinerary)

If you’re still wondering where the Aegean Sea is exactly, here’s a map for a visual. It’s basically the northern part of the Mediterranean Sea between Greece and Türkiye (Turkey). Here were the stops on my cruise – more about the itinerary in a bit!

Use this Aegean Sea map to reference the destination details below.

When do cruises go to the Aegean Sea?

You can take an Aegean Sea cruise year-round. However, not all the destinations will be fully open and operational. The Greek islands are very seasonal, so even if the cruise company makes a stop, you may not be able to dine or shop at very many places.

The best time to do an Aegean Sea cruise is in the summertime. June through September offer the best months for weather. Plus you’ll see each destination completely open to tourism where the attractions, restaurants and activities are available to enjoy.

If you’re looking to avoid crowds during your Aegean cruise, I’d recommend cruising in May or September during the shoulder season. As a bonus – prices are typically better during these months, too.

Some companies do not operate during the winter. Celestyal Cruises offers slightly different stops in the wintertime. A popular option is the 3-continent cruise: Europe, Asia and Africa.

When to book an Aegean cruise with Celestyal Cruises Greece

Consider the time of year when you want to cruise. But basically you’ll want to book as far in advance as possible for the best pricing and room options. 

If you’re particular about which Greek islands to see or the room type you want during your Aegean Sea cruise, you’ll want to book the season before. If you’re less particular about the room type because you’re all about seeing sunshine in the summer, you could probably book in the springtime and be ok!

What does an Aegean Sea cruise cost?

This question is tricky to answer! There’s so many options from 4 days to 14 days – or longer! The room type and overall package options play a role, too.

I’ve seen some 4-night cruises for less than $500, which just seems like a spectacular deal based on the places you’ll go for that much. Celestyal Cruises offers great value for the money, considering you’re seeing the Greek islands, dining on board and have built-in accommodations.

Cruising Greek islands: standard pricing should include:

• Port charges
• Basic dining package
• On-board entertainment and activities

Sailing Aegean Sea: add-on pricing:

• Premium drinks package
• Wifi options
• Specialty dining options

Also check into the price of excursions and if gratuities are included, as these things can really add up! Later in the Celestyal Cruises review you’ll see their cruises all include gratuities , which is so nice!

If you’re cruising on a budget, consider reducing the number of nights, keeping excursions to a minimum or avoiding the premium food and drink options to keep pricing low.

What kind of excursions are on an Aegean sea cruise?

The possibilities truly seem endless! When sailing the Aegean Sea, it really depends where you go, which will determine which activities are available via excursion.

You’ll find food tours, archeological sites and other historical landmarks, religious sites and so much more to see during excursions! The Greek islands and nearby regions are pretty phenomenal to visit!

I’ll review the excursions I took with Celestyal Cruises in a bit. 🙂

Celestyal Cruises Review

First thing’s first, Celestyal Cruises is the only Greek cruise company. Other companies may come to Greece but it’s not the same authenticity. So in other words, if you’re considering the best cruise Greek islands, it’s a smart choice.

Cruise Greek islands highlights

There are too many individual moments to list in this guide. However, here were some of the best and unexpected highlights….

😳Stunning views from the balcony 🇬🇷Bucket-list destinations 😋Award-winning dining options 🌍Destinations I wouldn’t necessarily have chosen independently

And these are the details for the route I chose:

Idyllic Aegean, Celestyal Cruises

• Departure Port: Athens (Piraeus)

Celestyal Cruises is considered a medium sized cruise company. This means they carry around 1000 people, and are nimble enough to squeeze into smaller ports (like Milos). The Idyllic Aegean cruise was the perfect mix of culture, popular spots and lesser-known gems.

The cruise company felt really authentic and the staff and service was outstanding! More on that in a bit. 🙂 

Aegean Cruise itinerary

To say cruising the Greek islands with Celestyal Cruises was amazing is an extreme understatement!

Here’s the route and itinerary of the Celestyal Cruise Idyllic Aegean Sea:

• Athens (departure city)
• Thessaloniki
• Kusadasi (Türkiye/Turkey)

Each day is a new port and a new adventure! On this Celestyal Cruises review, it’s important to emphasize that one of the best things about choosing this company is the emphasis on the destination. 

Of course there’s plenty of on-board entertainment and amenities. But they really focus on the ports! With 10-12 hours or more at most destinations, you can really see a lot in that amount of time.

Celestyal Cruises reviews: ship experience

Not having ever been on a cruise before, I really didn’t know what to expect. But honestly, it was everything it needed to be and a really great time on board the ship!

Keeping in mind that Celestyal Cruises is a medium cruise company and their emphasis is on the itinerary and destinations, there are some things that really mattered. After all, you’re spending every night on the ship!

Celestyal Cruises staterooms (important while cruise Aegean Sea)

The cabins on board are comfortable and adequate. There’s obviously several stateroom options for your budget, too. I cruised in a junior suite, which included a balcony. And if you can swing it, I’d highly recommend!

Having a room with a balcony allows you to wake up and see the open ocean or port you’ve arrived in or check the weather outside without having to fully leave your room. You can also see sunrises or sunsets from the comfort of your room, or your robe on your balcony!

The junior balcony suites are a bit larger offering more room to spread out as well. 

There’s staterooms with windows and interior staterooms without windows as well. It all depends on your preference and budget which is the right room type for you.

Staterooms on the ship come with turndown service, offering a late night snack and the next day’s activities and itinerary, which is super helpful.

Since this is an honest Celestyal Cruises review, I’ll say the only thing that was lacking in the room was the size of the shower. It was really tight but manageable.

Restaurants on the ship

On a ship this size, you don’t actually need a ton of restaurant options, especially if you consider that you’ll be at port for most days. However, when you do eat on the ship just know there’s enough variety in meal choices.

The buffet is an easy choice for a quick breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can find snacking menus throughout the ship, offering just a handful of items like burgers, pizzas or sandwiches.

Fun fact: there can be as many as 140 nationalities on board a Celestyal Cruises ship at any given time, so they really do a great job of catering to a lot of cuisines, with Greek being in the forefront, of course!

Pro tip: if you want the classic restaurant experience, go early when they open (closer to 6:00pm or 6:30pm) or late after the dinner crowd (8:30pm or 9:00pm) to avoid the dinner rush. 

Of course you could always grab a cocktail at the bar while you wait as well!

The main restaurant and buffet do change their menu daily, which offers variety during the week considering there’s only a few restaurant options. Also consider eating at port the days when the ship leaves late.

My Greek Table – Celestyal Cruise review of the special dinner on board

If it’s available during your cruise and not sold out, I’d highly recommend the “My Greek Table” dining experience. With 6 delightful Greek foods plus an intermezzo, you’ll want to come hungry!

Our menu consisted of:

• Appetizer with 3 homemade dips: Syros maintanosalata, roasted tomato kopanisti and smoked eggplant caviar
• First course: Cretan Octopus carpaccio
• Second course: Aegean fisherman’s saffron avgolemono
• Third course: escallop of Aegean lobster, saffron jeweled pilafi
• Intermezzo: pappardelle of zucchini, marinated tomatoes and mint
• Fourth course: Kalogeros Terrine
• Fifth course: arugula, red onion, baked olives, grilled manure and pastell crumble
• Sixth course: Greek village cheese platter or floating Greek island in a wine-dark sea dessert

Oh my goodness don’t expect to eat it all. But you’ll really get a great taste of Greece during this authentic and spectacular dining experience!

Celestyal Cruises review: ship amenities and entertainment

Maybe by now you’re asking what you’ll do when you’re not at port and not sleeping. Well, there’s a pool and hot tub, which can be used at your leisure . The onboard spa services are a great way to get a little self care in while on the boat as well!

Once you’re on board the ship, sign up for a spa service before it’s booked up. From facials to massages, hot stone treatments to mud wraps, there’s a bit of everything!

Celestyal Cruises does a good job with providing other daily activities , like cooking demonstrations, wine and cheese tastings, ping pong tournament and much more. The ship can be a really peaceful experience to take a break and rest during a long day at port, too. Grab a book and sun on a deck, or people watch from the ship!

The nightly entertainment is also a hit when you’ve had dinner but you’re just not ready for sleep yet. There are typically two shows a night, an earlier performance and a later one. But if you want a great seat get there early because the lounge fills up fast since it’s such a popular spot!

You can also spend time in the casino, business center, fitness center or one of the other bars as well.

Service on board (honest Greek island cruise review)

One of the areas Celestyal Cruises excels is in their service. Every single service member and encounter exceeded my expectations. From the tour desk to the restaurant host, bartenders and tour guides, everything was truly fabulous.

It’s amazing how in just a week time the crew learned our names. We even hugged as we left the ship!

The Celestyal Cruises crew were so kind and authentic. Day in and day out, you really can appreciate the hard work they put in to make the experience so memorable!

Best cruise Greek islands: Celestyal Cruises Idyllic Aegean itinerary

Alright let’s get to the itinerary already! There arso many factors to consider when deciding if an Aegean cruise is right for you, and we’ve reviewed a whole lot of them. 

But one of the most fun parts of planning your trip is finding out more about each destination along the way! Let’s dive into what ports are included on the Idyllic Aegean Sea cruise , and what you can expect at each stop.

While it is possible to board the ship from other ports, most people embark and disembark in Athens. Being the largest city in Greece, there are multiple cruise ports. The Celestyal Cruises uses the Piraeus port.

Boarding the ship is easy! Once you’re on board, you can enjoy lunch or dinner and check out the amenities of the ship. This is a great chance to unpack your things too – one of the benefits of cruising is not having to move your stuff the whole week!

If you happen to embark at another location, Celestyal Cruises offers several 1/2 day tours within Athens. See the Acropolis and Parthenon , the Acropolis Museum, take a food tour, and so much more!

Athens is a great city and you can truly spend a lot of time there, soaking up the sights. It’s easy to fill 2 days in Athens , or even more. But if you’re cruising, the day at port is just enough time to just get a taste of Athens before boarding the ship again!

Thessaloniki (your first stop on your Celestyal Cruises Greece trip)

Pronunciation: theh-suh-low-nee-kee

Thessaloniki is the 2nd largest city in Greece. Located in Northern Greece, and being from the US, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in this city. It’s not a region I was familiar with prior to planning this trip to Greece.

Thessaloniki is a fun port city built right on the water. Most everything you’ll want to see in a day is within walking distance of the port. 

Celestyal Cruises offers 1/2 day tours within the region. Learn about the impact Alexander the Great had on the city, visit a Greek winery, go on a food tour or see the city’s highlights.

My husband and I chose to walk the city and experience the local flair on our own. Some 20,000 steps later, I can say we saw a lot of the city!

Thessaloniki highlights:

• Climbing White Tower – the city’s iconic landmark near the sea.
• Museum of Byzantine Culture for incredible history and artifacts.
• Walking through the Arch of Galerius and the Rotunda, nestled in the heart of town.
• Seeing the Alexander the Great Statue and learning about his history in Thessaloniki.

One of the most fun things I witnessed in Thessaloniki was the way they built the city around the ancient ruins. You’d be walking down a street between buildings and all of a sudden it opens up to an ancient ruin thousands of years old. Reminds me of a perfect Rome itinerary where you have the right mix of history, food and culture in a city. So cool.

Kusadasi, Türkiye (an Aegean cruise delight)

Pronunciation: KOOSH-ah-dah-suh

On this Celestyal Cruises review, this was the only spot that my cruise went that was not in Greece. It honestly wasn’t on my travel bucket list , but I’m so glad I experienced it!

Kusadasi is a port city in Türkiye (Turkey), home to amazing culture, food and history. The shining star of the region is Ephesus, part of the Izmir province and just 45 minutes drive from the port. It’s actually the most well-preserved ancient city in the country.

Kusadasi is the shortest stop on the Idyllic Aegean cruise (6 hours), so my husband and I enjoyed a tour through Celestyal Cruises for this port city. Our tour focused on the ancient city of Ephesus . 

We also visited the House of the Virgin Mary, which the Vatican recognizes as a holy place where Mary spent her final years.

Bonus: if you’re taking a cruise with your family, Kusadasi is home to amazing water parks, and you can take an excursion through Celestyal Cruises during the summer months to the water parks.

Visiting Ancient Ephesus (one of the surprise activities while sailing Aegean Sea)

This ancient city is incredible! It’s home to so many structures. Ephesus is not as well kept as Parthenon in Athens, for example, but it’s still a work in progress! When you first walk through there’s quite a bit of columns and piles of ruins. It’s hard to tell what most of it was, except for the signage and tour guide.

As you go in further you can see more structures and detail. The most impressive part of Ephesus is the library . It was the 3rd largest library in the world at the time it was built, with approximately 12,000 books (scrolls).

The city of Ephesus was approximately 240,000 people and an estimated 80% of it is still uncovered. 🤯

It’s truly amazing much of today’s world began in ancient times. The symbol for medicine – carved here. The Goddess Nike herself has a statue here as well.

The theatre is one of the most well preserved landmarks in Ephesus, with reconstruction, of course. It’s actually kept in relatively good shape, and some classic musicians like Elton John and Sting have played concerts there. The theatre holds 24,000 people. They open it up just once a year for concerts to the public.

Buying Turkish rugs

One of the stops on the tour was to see the culturally significant Turkish rugs. A timeless tradition in Turkey, and one they’re really proud of. 

Our tour learned how they use the cocoon to grab silk and create thread. They get up to 1 mile of silk per cocoon! We saw the process of weaving the rugs using the loom, and stunning creations created in this small Turkish town.

During the tour, they serve you Turkish wine (white and red) and Raki, which is the official drink in Turkey . It tastes like ouzo or black licorice, so wasn’t my personal favorite!😜

By the way, Turkish rugs can be several varieties of fabric including wool, cashmere and silk. Because you’re paying a salary for a weaver (or multiple), they can be quite pricey. Consider adding this to your vacation budget when visiting Kusadasi!

Crete, Greece (one of my favorite stops on an Aegean cruise)

Fun fact: Crete is the largest island in Greece, and the 5th largest in the Mediterranean Sea. So although this is an Aegean Sea cruise, you’re technically dipping down into the Mediterranean Sea for a day!

With 11 hours at port, you’ll have a lot of time to explore. The Idyllic Aegean cruise arrives at the Heraklion port, in the north-central part of the island. 

Compared to the Cyclades, which are the other island stops on this itinerary, this island has a much different personality. An organized tour through Celestyal Cruises can take you through ancient ruins, a lifestyle experience where you’ll see the countryside and dancing, through a walking food tour and more.

My husband and I rented a car and road-tripped through the island. Visiting the most underrated beaches on the southern side of Crete, it’s such a picturesque place!

The island is so large, you’ll see huge mountains which get snow during the winter, and stunning beaches all on the same landscape! The island is home to olive groves and open land where you’ll see far more sheep than people!

Crete, Greece is such an interesting island. You’ll definitely want to explore it while on your cruise!

Santorini (a classic destination on this Celestyal Cruises review guide)

It’s the most popular Greek island by far, and on a travel bucket list for so many people! Santorini was the mid-way point on our Aegean Sea cruise, and one island we won’t soon forget!

A few things you should know about visiting Santorini:

• It’s super busy . Get off the boat early to maximize your time before the crowds really set in. And expect lots of people, especially in the high season (June-August).
• Santorini is actually on a caldera. The island is on a giant rock, and you’ll need to go up that rock to see anything.
• Your Aegean cruise will use tender boats to get you from the cruise ship to the island . There’s no actual port, so the ship is just docked at sea and you’re transferred on smaller boats.
• It’s the 2nd most expensive Greek island. Expect to pay more for food and cocktails when you’re on the island.

Once you’re on the island, the town of Oia (pronounced ee-uh) is the most popular spot. It’s where you’ll find the blue dome churches and excellent sunset views.

Oia is also where the crowds are so thick you can barely walk through the narrow streets. Just prepare yourself!

Celestyal Cruises offers several tour excursions, most of them including Oia. You could also do a wine tour or visit ancient ruins. There’s seriously so much history in Greece it’s incredible!

Santorini highlights:

• Picturesque blue domed churches in Oia.
• Village of Imerovigli for less crowds and great views.
• Shopping in Fira, the gateway to and from the island for cruise ships.
• Sunsets in Imerovigli or Oia. Just be sure to make dinner or cocktail reservations for the best views.

Pro tip: plan to spend the day on the island. Most cruises wrap up early afternoon, and the line to get on the gondola to back to the boat can be hundreds of people deep. Alternatively, you can walk the 600+ steps down to the tender boats from Fira.

Pro tip #2: plan to pay for toilet tissue at public restrooms, or bring your own along with you. Most restaurants are free of course.

The overnight path from Santorini to your next stop is so brief, you can soak in the nightlife in Santorini considering the ship doesn’t leave until after midnight! One of these Santorini beach bars would be perfect for the evening.

Since this is an honest Celestyal Cruises review, I’ll say that Santorini was my least favorite stop. I’m certainly glad I saw this iconic island, but it was far too touristy for me (and I didn’t even go during peak season!) I’m glad I went but likely won’t plan to go back to Santorini.

Known as the party island, Mykonos has a personality bigger than life! One of the most picturesque islands due to the white streets, village alleyways and colorful shops, Mykonos is a fun island to visit.

Mykonos is the 2nd most popular island in Greece, and the most expensive island.

Celestyal Cruises Greece offers a few excursion options in Mykonos, the most popular being a 1/2 day trip to Delos , which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Delos is one of the most important archeological sites in Greece, only behind the Parthenon and Mount Olympia.

My husband and I had visited many other archeological sites in Greece, so we opted for the Mykonian countryside tour with Chora and Little Venice with Celestyal Cruises. Off the beaten path, we visited the small town of Ano Mera Village then the popular Windmills of Mykonos as well as some other popular spots.

Mykonos highlights:

• Walking the pedestrian-only streets in Mykonos Town.
• Seeing Little Venice and the Windmills of Mykonos.
• Beach hopping to Kalafati and Paradise Beach.

Fun fact: this review of Celestyal Cruises lists yet another reason why it’s such a great option for cruising the Greek islands. The mid-sized ship is able to dock at the port, instead of utilizing tender boats like many of the mega sized cruise ships. This makes it more convenient to go back and forth from the boat to the town as needed.

You can have another late night in Mykonos if you desire. The trip from Mykonos to Milos isn’t very long, so the boat leaves really late at night and you can visit the bars and restaurants into the night hours.

Milos (a gem while cruising Aegean Sea)

One of the most underrated Greek islands is Milos! The island doesn’t have the capacity to disembark the volume of passengers from large cruise ships, so visiting Milos during your Celestyal Cruises Greece truly feels like a secret.

This island has a natural feel, and is way more laid back than the previous 2 days in Mykonos and Santorini. It’s a fresh break if you don’t love crowded places!

On Milos, I highly recommend you either rent a car for the day or take a tour from Celestyal Cruises. The island itself isn’t as walkable as Mykonos and doesn’t have the public transportation structure of Santorini.

Organized tours through Celestyal Cruises include visiting beaches, historical or religious tours. My husband and I rented a car and explored the beaches on the island – and actually ran into a tour bus from the ship!

Having visited beaches all over the world like the best beaches in Thailand , Flamenco Beach in Culebra Puerto Rico , the beaches of Manuel Antonio Costa Rica and so many more, I can honestly say Milos had way better beaches than Santorini or Mykonos, in my opinion.

Milos highlights:

• Exploring the beaches and tunnels at Sarakiniko.
• Hiking to the Plaka Castle and seeing the incredible panoramic views.
• Plathiena Beach, which was a ghost town before the summer crowds set in.
• Tsigrado & Fyriplaka Beaches on the south side of Milos.

You’ll definitely want to visit Sarakiniko, aka Moon Beach. With over 70 beaches on the island, this is the most popular. The white rock formations from volcanic ash create the most stunning coastline. In contrast to the bright blue waters of Greece, it’s truly stunning!

You’ll want water shoes on this day, as it’s much easier to walk around Sarakiniko with these grippy shoes , and it will protect your feet from rocks and shells on some of the other beaches.

Milos is one of the best stops on your Aegean cruise for beaches, and one of the best Greek islands for couples !

Celestyal Cruises review: back to Athens

That wraps up the 7 nights on the Idyllic Aegan cruise with Celestyal Cruises! There’s truly so much variety during a cruise Greek islands. Each destination was unique, interesting and worthy of a stop!

Whether you’re dreaming of the iconic photos of Santorini, looking for some culture in Kusadasi or beach-hopping in Milos, there’s truly something for everyone!

And the extra bonus is that by selecting excursions through Celestyal Cruises that pique your interest, each cruise will have a customized experience to your personal preferences.

With such major airport in Athens, cruising with Celestyal Cruises is really accessible, too. If you’re coming in and departing from Athens, be sure to spend at least 2 days in Athens exploring all the most popular sights!

Let’s cover a few more tips before wrapping up this guide.

Tips for first time cruisers

If this is your first cruise – congratulations for taking the leap! There’s no right or wrong way to travel – and cruising is a fun option to see new destinations.

You’ll wake up each morning in (or on the way to a new place), and only have to pack up once. So convenient! Here are a few tips to make the most of your experience.

• Book your excursion early. After you get settled on the boat, go to the tour desk and sign up for your excursion, if you don’t do it prior to boarding. Depending on season and popularity, you may have to choose your #2 choice as well.
• If you’ve ever had motion sickness, prepare yourself adequately. Over the counter medicines can be helpful. I absolutely loved my motion sickness bracelet . I get really bad motion sickness and this helped most of the trip. Just two nights I had to layer Dramamine on top because the sea was especially rocky.
• Be sure to plan your day to be back at the port early. Celestyal Cruises allows passengers to board up to 30 minutes before they depart. You certainly don’t want to push your luck there!
• Take advantage of laundry service on the boat. Don’t worry about packing 7 full outfits if you don’t want to. Laundry service is quick and relatively inexpensive.
• Carry cash with you. Although most places take credit cards, there were some restaurants and shops that only accepted euro.

Things to pack for a Greek island cruise

Depending on the time of year you take your cruise, your packing list will vary. But these essentials should come with you on your cruise!

• Sun hat. Protect yourself from the sun whether you’re walking the streets of Mykonos or lounging on a beach in Crete.
• Sunscreen. You’re going to need it in Greece! Anytime you’re in or near the ocean, be sure to use mineral sunscreen to protect marine life. Chemicals in traditional sunblocks kill the reefs and the marine life that relies on it.
• Water shoes. Not all Greek beaches are created equal and most of them are rocky, not soft sand. This is my favorite pair of water shoes that literally travels the world with me and they’re great for light hikes, too!
• Comfortable walking shoes. Cobblestone streets and thin sandals are not a good combination. I loved these simple white shoes – and bonus, they washed up easily after walking through rain puddles in Milos.
• Umbrella. Carry a mini one with you if the weather calls for rain.
• Power bank and cord . One of the great things about long days at port is that you’ll get to see a lot! But plan for your phone battery to need a recharge.
• GoPro. Take excellent underwater photos and videos! Plus, it’s great for smooth videos as you’re walking. You can see me carrying my GoPro in the photo in Kusadasi, above.
• Comfortable shoulder bag. It’s popular in Greece for men and women to carry a shoulder bag for money and other essentials. This is the bag I carried everywhere around Greece!
• Cash. As previously stated, not every business accepts credit cards. Have cash on hand just in case.
• US-Europe adapter plug. If you’re from the US, you’ll definitely need this. 🙂

During summer you’ll want a swimming suit and over winter you’ll want extra layers. Check the weather before you go and try not to overpack!

Celestyal Cruises review of the Aegean Cruise – that’s a wrap!

Well, are you so ready to book a tour? After reviewing why Aegean cruises are amazing and details around a Celestyal Cruise, is it clear yet it’s time to book?

There’s so many itinerary options with Celestyal Cruises. Honestly, I was looking at the 4-night cruise, but I’m so glad I went on the 7-night Idyllic Aegean cruise.

I personally think visiting multiple islands in a day isn’t enough – it would leave me begging for more! With a 7 day cruise you really get to see and experience a lot. Go at your own pace and get back to the ship earlier if you please!

Questions about the cruise? Drop them in the comments below!

Related content to read next: Mykonos vs Santorini: Which is the PERFECT Greek Island for You? 29 Best Greek Islands for Couples You’ll Love (Romance, Beaches, Adventure + More) AMAZING 2 Days in Athens Itinerary You’ll Love (+ Map & Tips for First Timers)

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Thank you to Celestyal Cruises for hosting me! As always, all opinions are my own.

Tuesday 8th of August 2023

Hi Nikki, I'm going on this cruise in few weeks so this is super helpful! I have few questions: 1. For the “My Greek Table” dining experience, can I book this before the cruise or has to be when we're already on the ship? 2. Is the "Water Package" really worth it? Thanks for all this amazing information. I feel so ready now ;-) Best!

Thursday 10th of August 2023

Oh yay! I'm so glad you found this helpful. For the Greek Table experience - I wasn't able to book it in advance (you can check for your dates online) but there was plenty of availability the first day on the ship. I will caveat that with I boarded in Athens, which has the most people transitioning, so if you're boarding between Athens and the night they hold the tasting, it may be more booked up. Just make sure after you find your room to head to the reception to book it! I'm not really sure what you mean by water package? I'm not familiar with the term. Could you expand and I can provide info if I can!

Tuesday 13th of June 2023

I've never thought about doing an Aegean cruise but it actually looks ideal. There is so much to see on the Greek islands and western Türkiye (I agree that Ephesus is incredible!) and a cruise would make that easy.

Thursday 15th of June 2023

Yes yes yes Melanie! It's such a great way to explore the region!

This cruise looks amazing. I like the smaller size of the ship. I would also be interested in cruises that touch down to Egypt and Israel.

Oh you'd love it then, Rhonda! Sounds like an Aegean cruise with Celestyal Cruises might be in your future! 💙

Sunday 11th of June 2023

I have never been on a cruise and would love to experience it at least once. The Aegean cruise sounds like a great idea. Since I would like to explore the Greek islands, it might be a good idea to tick two things simultaneously!

Monday 12th of June 2023

Yesss Mayi! Time to book that trip to check them off.✅ Such an incredible experience.

I have yet to go on my first cruise, somehow I have been a bit prejudiced that you are "stuck" on a ship! Obviously, that is not the case - this looks awesome!

Oh yes Hege! You'd love it. I think it really depends on the cruise too. I definitely didn't feel stuck!! Maybe a Greek island cruise with Celestyal is on your horizon soon 💙

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• Celestyal Cruises

Celestyal Journey

Former names: aegean goddess (seajets greece), victoria majestic (victoria cruises china), pacific aria (p&o australia), ida pfeiffer (cmv), ms ryndam (holland america).

Cruise line Celestyal Cruises

• Piraeus-Athens (Greece)
• Thessaloniki (Greece)
• Heraklion (Crete Greece)
• Kusadasi (Ephesus, Turkey)
• Doha Qatar (Qatar)

Celestyal Journey current position

Celestyal Journey current location is at Aegean Sea (coordinates 40.63585 N / 22.92903 E) cruising en route to Thessaloniki. The AIS position was reported 3 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Celestyal Journey

Celestyal Journey current cruise is 7 days, round-trip Idyllic Aegean . Prices start from USD 959 (double occupancy rates). The itinerary starts on 21 Apr, 2024 and ends on 28 Apr, 2024 .

Specifications of Celestyal Journey

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Celestyal Journey Itineraries

Celestyal journey review, review of celestyal journey.

The 1994-built (as "MS Ryndam", fka "Aegean Goddess") cruise ship Celestyal Journey between 1994-2015 was named "MS Ryndam" (operated by HAL-Holland America Line ) and in 2015-2020 was named "Pacific Aria" (operated by P&O Australia ). The sisterships (by design) are the former HAL boats MS Maasdam/CFC Renaissance , MS Veendam/Aegean Majesty and MS Statendam/Vasco da Gama Nicko .

While operated by P&O Australia, the vessel (IMO number 8919269) was UK- flagged (MMSI 235113823) and registered in London. The new shipowner (Aegean Goddess Inc, subsidiary of Eaglepower Shipping Ltd/Seajets Ferries Greece) renamed it "Aegean Goddess" and reflagged it to Bermuda (MMSI 310811000). For the management was contracted Optimum Ship Services Ltd (2014-founded, Piraeus-based company part of Scorpio Group). Holland America Line owned and operated the boat via its subsidiary HAL Nederland NV (1994-founded).

History - construction and ownership

On August 12, 2022, was announced that in 2023 (May) will be inaugurated the new cruise brand "Victoria Cruise Lines" (website victoria.cruises) having a two-ship fleet - the sisterships Aegean Goddess (VICTORIA MAJESTIC) and Aegean Majesty (VICTORIA AMAZING).

• The Paralimni Cyprus-based Victoria Cruise Lines company specializes in residential cruise shipping and is led by Olavs Zvinelis (CEO). The adults-only, all-inclusive travel brand provides a residential travel experience by allowing stateroom rentals for long-term occupancy (minimum 6 months).
• Victoria Majestic was scheduled to depart from PortMiami (Florida USA) on February 1, 2023.
• Victoria Amazing was scheduled to depart from Livorno (Italy) , on April 1, 2023.
• Victoria Cruises' cabin rates start at USD 8000 (inside cabin), US$10000 (oceanview), US$16000 (balcony). Travel and rental options are offered only to adults (18-yo or older).
• All interior cabins on both ships were to be fitted with a 100-cm/40-inch LCD monitor for real-time sea views and sounds provided by 10x HD cameras.

For 3 years (2020-2023) Aegean Goddess was out of service (in cold layup) and remained docked in Port Lavrio (Attica Greece) .

In late February 2023 was announced that Aegean Goddess was sold to/acquired by Celestyal Cruises and renamed "Celestyal Journey". Before entering service for Celestyal, the boat was scheduled for an extensive (EUR 20 million/~USD 21,2 M) drydock refit and refurbishment. The drydocking project was conducted at Valletta 's Malta Dockyard/Palumbo Shipyard (May 21 thru August 27, 2023) and included full-scale refurbishments (public areas, staterooms), general hotel maintenance, hull works (steel, cleaning, painting, new livery), safety equipment and technical overhauls.

In April 2021, Pacific Aria was planned to leave P&O Cruises Australia, with the last voyage scheduled for April 9, 2021 (departing from Melbourne to Singapore via Fremantle ). The last voyage was bookable as short break (Melbourne-Fremantle), Asia Explorer (Fremantle-Singapore) and "full farewell" (18-night B2B cruise Melbourne-Fremantle-Singapore). In February 2021, P&O Australia's fleet was also planned to leave Pacific Dawn (now Ambassador Ambience) .

In November 2019, for both vessels were signed presale agreements with CMV-Cruise and Maritime Voyages . Pacific Aria was to be renamed to "CMV Ida Pfeiffer", Pacific Dawn - to "CMV Amy Johnson". Following the CMV's collapse (filed for bankruptcy in July 2020), Carnival Corporation reopened both ships for sale. Pacific Dawn was sold to Ocean Builders to become their "Crypto Cruise Ship" (residential ship). Pacific Aria was sold in mid-October (the buyer was not revealed) and left the fleet. With P&O Australia (November 2015 through March 2020), the 26-year-old Pacific Aria sailed 450,000+ NM (~520K mi / ~835K km).

SEAJETS Greece (1989-founded) is a Cyprus-based shipping company that specializes in passenger and cargo ferry services exclusively in the Eastern Mediterranean (Aegean Sea). Seajets' fleet includes mainly fast-ferries (14x high-speed catamarans, max capacity 2100 passengers + 600 cars) plus 3x conventional Ro-Pax vessels (max capacity 1300 passengers + 400 cars). Seajets operates from homeports Piraeus-Athens , Lavrion and Crete ( Heraklion and Rethymno ) interconnecting 26 Cyclades Islands (Crete including) with 260 connections.

The 1260-passenger ship was launched and operated as "MS Ryndam" by Holland America Line between 1994 and 2015. In May 2014, Carnival Corporation (shipowner for both brands P&O AU and HAL) announced that the liner would be transferred to P&O Australia's fleet in 2015, following a drydock refurbishment to tailor Ryndam for the Australia-New Zealand source market.

Decks and Cabins

Celestyal Journey staterooms (630 total) include 28x Grand Dream Suites and 120x Junior Dream Suites. The ship's largest accommodation is Deck 11's Stargazer Suite (Celestyal Cruises' first penthouse) with a large terrace which is sized 940 ft2 / 87 m2 (including the terrace). Over 80% of all staterooms are outside, and ~55% of those are Cosmos Cabins.

Pacific Aria had 29x Grand Suites, 120x Balcony Junior Suites, 353x Oceanview, and 128x Inside staterooms, grouped in 13 cabin categories.

Most staterooms are standard-sized (190 ft2 / 18 m2) and nearly 1/4th are with private step-out balconies.

The boat has 12 decks , of which 9 are passenger-accessible and 5 with cabins.

Shipboard facilities and amenities (Celestyal Journey review)

Celestyal Cruises Journey ship has 7 new dining options including Thalassa Restaurant, Olive Restaurant, Leda Casual Dining, Grill Seekers, Pink Moon (Asian restaurant), and the exclusive Chef's Table (VIP dining room with a live cooking demonstration station).

Thalassa Restaurant is the MDR (complimentary Main Dining Room) open for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (a la carte menu). Adjacent to the Restaurant is the Galley (kitchen with storage rooms for food and beverages).

Leda Casual Dining is a buffet-style outdoor seating/alfresco area where is served Continental Breakfast (7-8:30 am) and Afternoon Tea with snacks (4-5 pm).

Other dining venues include Marco Polo Restaurant, Mediterraneo Restaurant, The Grill Specialty Restaurant, and The Grill Lounge.

The Grapevine Wine Cellar is a boutique winery with a large selection of premium wines. Here are hosted daily wine tastings and classes. Top-brand wines are available for purchasing and pre-ordering for dinner.

At the new Fizz Club guests can enjoy hand-crafted cocktails and fine champagne.

Martini Piano Bar & Lounge is a specialty cocktail bar with live piano performances (nightly) and also serves the Casino (gaming lounge). The Martini Lounge offers as entertainment live music and dance performances. Martini Bar serves exclusive Signature Cocktails.

Ble Bar and Lounge

The outdoor relaxation complex has a resort-style swimming pool and is served by the Ocean Bar. Its spacious sundeck/sunbathing area is fitted with padded loungers and deckchairs (sun lounges, daybeds, cabanas, hanging pod chairs).

Helios Deck & Beach Club

Helios Bar has a few barstools, stylish lounges, tables and chairs. Its retractable roof and covered spaces enable open-air drinking. 

Ice Cream and Healthy Juice Corner also sell iced coffee, thick shakes, specialty coffees and teas.

The fore-located Horizons Lounge is an indoor observation lounge with a full-service bar, ample seating, floor-ceiling windows (for 270-degree panoramic views), large central dance floor. The Horizons doubles as a Cocktail Bar and Disco Nightclub (karaoke bar in the evenings).

The Amphitheatro (fka Teatro Show Lounge) is a 2-deck high theater/big-capacity show lounge with tiered seating and a dance floor. The grand-style evening entertainment program is complimentary and includes show productions, music revues, live music, dance shows, stand-up comedy acts, magicians and acrobatic performances.

The Atrium's lower level/Lobby houses the Reception Desk (guest services, assistance, information) and Shore Excursions Desk (information and booking of land tours). The Atrium's upper level is served by the Argo Bar & Lounge. The lobby bar provides a home-like environment, furnished with comfortable lounges and small coffee tables. Beside the theater's shows, the onboard entertainment options also include live music performances, guest lectures, cooking workshops

The Photo Shop & Gallery displays photos made by the ship’s photographers and also sells duty-free equipment and accessories.

The cruise ship has three Conference Rooms (Symposium 1, 2, and 3) hosting large-group and corporate meetings, lectures, seminars, conferences at sea, and other private events.

There are three Tax and Duty-Free Shops ("Duty-Free and Value", "Agora", "Essentials"), including a general store for convenience goods. The onboard shops sell liquor, tobaccos, brand perfumes, cosmetics, sunglasses, fashion and accessories, and luxury watches – all at duty-free prices. 

Jewellery Shop

Shorex Selling Kiosks

The Casino/gambling lounge has gaming tables (poker and roulette), several slot machines, video arcade, and is served with beverages by the Martini Bar.

Spa & Fitness (the ship’s Wellness Center "The Sozo Experience") consists of 2x Sauna Rooms 1x Steam Room & Jacuzzi (unisex, all complimentary), Treatment Rooms (for spa massages and therapies), a Gym Room (equipped with a treadmill, exercise bikes, free weights), Beauty Center (facials, nail-hairdresser-barber services).

Celestyal Journey's main pool deck (deck 11) has 1x large Swimming Pool, 1x outdoor Jacuzzi/Whirlpool, and 2x Spa Pools/hot tubs. The entire pool area is covered with a retractable glass roof. The luxury resort experience here is provided by a Greek Deli with deluxe daybeds. This is also the place for the open-air deck parties held in the evenings.

The ship's sports complex groups a full-size Tennis Court (portside), a full-size Basketball Court (starboard), and a Deck Games area around the sliding dome (quoits, golf putting green, shuffleboard).

Kids' Room and Video Arcade include all teen- and kids club lounges offering complimentary and supervised age-appropriate activities.

Pacific Aria (ship review)

Pacific Aria showcases P&O Australia's biggest dining options selection, with 15 venues in total.

The Pantry replaced the traditional buffet. It is an area of fresh-food stations including items like fish and chips and a delicatessen.

The Dragon Lady serves a range of Asian dishes, Angelo's is an elegant Italian venue.

The Open Kitchen is a modern cooking school. Back by popular demand are favorites, such as the exclusive 14-seat Chef's Table and Salt Grill by Luke Mangan.

The Waterfront Restaurant (main dining room) continues to serve classic Australian dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a stylish setting.

Follows the complete list of Pacific Aria restaurants and food bars.

• Waterfront Restaurant (open-seating dining room; each of all three dining rooms on Pacific Aria is operated with “Your Choice Dining” (a la carte) menus for breakfast and lunch, and offers a 4-course dinner menu. Tables seat up to 10 guests. Dining times vary according to sea/port days. The Waterfront is connected with the Asian- and Italian-themed dining rooms)
• The Dragon Lady (Asian cuisine restaurant; ship’s second dining room)
• The Angelo's (Italian cuisine restaurant, the third dining room)
• The Pantry (self-service buffet restaurant with an open-air terrace)
• Salt Grill (reservations-only specialty restaurant via a partnership with Australian celebrity chef Luke Mangan)
• Chef's Table (specialty dining venue with gourmet private dining and tour of the galley).

Pacific Aria's bars and lounges include the Salt Grill Bar (complementing the MIX cocktail bar), Cellar Door for wine tastings and Dome nightclub. For kids, innovative activity clubs include Turtle Cove (ages 3-6-yo), Shark Shack (ages 7-10-yo) and HQ for teens. Adults can relax in the child-free Oasis (top deck's sundeck), while all ages enjoy the swimming pool on Lido Deck and the P&OEdge (top deck).

On Top Deck is P&O Australia's signature P&OEdge Adventure Park. This unique outdoor playground offers 20 different high-adrenaline activities, including zip-lining, rock climbing, rope jumping, racing. The most popular P&OEdge activities are named “Cargo Net Race”, “Flying Fox” (rope jumping across pool deck), “Atrium High Ropes” (net climbing in the Atrium), “Aft Funnel Climb” (rock climbing wall), "Bungee Tramp", "Bow Ladder Climb" and "Slackline Bouncing Bridge" (ropes course).

Follows the complete list of Pacific Aria's bars, clubs, lounges, and other entertainment venues for adults, teens and kids.

• Atrium (3-deck central open floor area and social hub)
• The Marquee Theatre (2-decks, featuring large-scale shows, magic and comedy acts; during the day, the theatre hosts Jackpot bingo games, trivia quizzes)
• Cellar Door (boutique winery); Ocean Bar; Blue Room (bar); The Bar/Monkey Bar; The Grill/Lido Bar; Pool Bar
• Cinema & Open Kitchen (indoor cinema with a culinary school)
• Tax and Duty-Free Shops; PANDORA shop (jewelry)
• The Dome (indoor observation lounge with floor-ceiling windows, large dance floor, full-service bar; transforms into disco nightclub in the evenings)
• Casino (served by The “MIX” Lounge and Bar which doubles as a sports bar)
• Expressions Studio (Photo Gallery and Shop); The Library (with Internet Cafe)
• The Oasis (adults-only relaxation complex)
• Aqua HealthSpaFitness (Wellness Centre with Day Spa, Thermal Suites, Fitness Centre with a separate room for classes, Hair and Beauty Salon); Main Pool Area
• Promenade (decks 6 & 7), 2 pools (1 covered with sliding roof), 2 jacuzzis
• Teen- and Kids club lounges (offering complimentary activities by P&O youth program: Turtle Cove/kids, Shark Shack/children, HQ Lounge/children, HQ+ Teen Lounge)
• P&OEdge Adventure Park experience (high-adrenalin program with 20 different activities, such as climbing, jumping, racing, flying on ropes)
• Jogging Track; Traditional deck games area (Deck Chess, Deck Quoits, Shuffleboard); Sports Court (basketball, volleyball, tennis); Table Tennis; Golf Nets.

Itineraries

For Celestyal Cruises, Celestyal Journey's inaugural season started with the Maiden Voyage on September 2, 2023, when the ship took over Celestyal Crystal ‘s schedule. The program grouped 7-night Greek Islands itineraries leaving roundtrip from Piraeus-Athens , as well as from Thessaloniki and Heraklion (Crete Island) as alternative turnaround ports/homeports.

Celestyal's "Idyllic Aegean" itinerary (Piraeus roundtrip) visits Greece's Thessaloniki, Kavala and Patmos Island  and Turkey's Istanbul , Dikili and Kusadasi-Ephesus . Select voyages visit Crete's Heraklion, Santorini Island (Thira) , Mykonos Island , and Milos Island (Adamantas) . Roundtrip departures are also offered from Thessaloniki and Heraklion (both serving as alternative homeports to Piraeus).

Celestyal's "Three Continents" itinerary (Piraeus-roundtrip) is Holy Land-themed and visits ports in Egypt ( Port Said ), Israel ( Ashdod/Jerusalem ), Greece ( Limassol Cyprus , Rhodes ) and Turkey (Kusadasi). Roundtrips are alternatively offered also from Limassol.

In late November 2023, was announced the new 7-night "Heavenly Adriatic" itinerary introducing 3 new Adriatic countries and 6 new ports - three in Greece ( Kefalonia , Kerkyra/Corfu Island , Katakolon/Olympia ) as well as Dubrovnik Croatia , Kotor Montenegro , and Bari Italy .

The itinerary was incorporated into Celestyal Journey's 2024-2025 schedule, starting on March 2nd (2024).

"Heavenly Adriatic" includes extensive port stays in Kefalonia, Kotor, Bari, and Corfu, along with late-night departures from Dubrovnik and a half-day stay in Katakolon for tours to Olympia.

Phoenix Reisen's World Cruise 2023-2024 ship charter

After being chartered by Phoenix Reisen , the Celestyal Journey is sailing from Genoa, Italy today on the first leg of a 143-night world cruise.

In December 2023, Phoenix Reisen chartered Celestyal Journey due to a delay in Amera ship 's drydock refurbishment in Poland. On December 1st (2023), Celestyal Journey departed from Hamburg on Amera's 143-night World Cruise .

The itinerary was only the first segment of Amera's World Voyage (25-day from Hamburg to Cape Town ).

However, as Amera's drydock was further delayed, Celestyal Journey's charter was expanded to the World Voyage's second segment (18-day from Cape Town to Victoria/Mahe Island Seychelles ).

The Celestyal Journey-Amera ship exchange (scheduled to take place in Mahe/Seychelles in February 2024) was later rescheduled for Feb 25th ( Benoa, Bali Indonesia ) when Amera started the 23-day itinerary to Auckland New Zealand .

The full itinerary you can see at Amera's CruiseMinus page .

Pacific Aria itineraries (P&O Australia)

Pacific Aria itinerary program was based on Australia cruises from homeports Sydney NSW and Brisbane QLD , including roundtrip “South Pacific Islands” voyages to Fiji, Vanuatu, Santo, New Caledonia, “ cruises to nowhere ” and Moreton Island short breaks, Queensland cruises to the Great Barrier Reef (Coral Sea) and Papua New Guinea, Sydney-Brisbane repositioning cruises with one-way itineraries.

In 2020, the ship had planned its longest-ever New Zealand season - 7 months (April through October) with roundtrips from homeport Auckland NZ . P&O AU's 2020 program featured a new 14-day "Bounty Adventure" itinerary (operated since July 2020) visiting Norfolk Island , Vavau , Nuku'alofa , Suva , Dravuni Island , Port Denarau-Nadi .

The boat's New Zealand 2020 program included 18 longer itineraries ("P&O Voyages", 8- to 12 days) leaving roundtrip from Auckland to South Pacific Islands (including 12x visiting Fiji Islands). The 10-day "Bounty Discovery" itinerary (April, June, July, September) was to Norfolk Island, Lifou , Noumea , Port Vila , Mystery Island .

Following the vessel's sale in October 2020, a total of 26x P&O Pacific Aria cruises (departures between December 7, 2020, and April 9, 2021) were canceled. For details on the scheduled 2020-2021 itineraries see the ship's Wiki page .

MS Ryndam itineraries

For HAL, Ryndam operated on Caribbean voyages leaving roundtrip from Florida (during winter) and on Alaskan voyages out of Vancouver BC Canada (during summer). Before its transfer to P&O AU, MS Ryndam was drydock-refurbished in Singapore , then renamed “Pacific Aria”.

Celestyal Journey - user reviews and comments

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Celestyal Journey ship related cruise news

Celestyal Journey ship collides with Kusadasi Port's pier during docking attempt

Celestyal Cruises' ship Celestyal Journey collided with the pier at Port Kusadasi Turkey during an unsuccessful docking maneuver. The incident...

Celestyal Cruises unveils new voyage to Egypt (Celestyal Journey ship)

Celestyal Cruises is set to embark on voyages to Egypt aboard its latest vessel - Celestyal Journey, which will assume the routes previously...

Celestyal Journey adds Heavenly Adriatic and Desert Days departures for 2025

Celestyal Cruises has expanded its itinerary offerings with the introduction of two Heavenly Adriatic voyages in March 2025 and three Desert Days...

Celestyal introduces Arabian Gulf cruises aligned with 2024 Grand Prix races

Celestyal Cruises has unveiled 3 new Arabian Gulf itineraries timed to coincide with the 2024 Grand Prix races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. These cruises...

Celestyal Cruises' expansion: year-round sailing and new destinations revealed

Celestyal Cruises, renowned for its boutique approach to seasonal summer sailings in the Greek Islands, is embarking on an expansion into new...

Celestyal Cruises unveils 2025 schedule, 2026 coming soon with popular Adriatic itineraries

Celestyal Cruises has unveiled its 2025 itinerary program and confirmed the imminent launch of its 2026 collection. Currently available for booking...

Celestyal Cruises expands offerings with 3 new Adriatic countries (Croatia, Montenegro, Italy)

The Greek travel brand Celestyal Cruises is set to expand its offerings, introducing 3 new countries in Southern Europe/Adriatic Sea - Croatia...

Celestyal Journey sets sail from Port Piraeus (Greece) on maiden voyage

On Saturday, September 2nd, the cruise ship Celestyal Journey embarked from the port of Piraeus (Athens, Greece), marking her inaugural voyage under...

Celestyal Cruises reveals design details for newly refurbished ship Celestyal Journey

Celestyal Cruises has revealed the details of its newly refurbished and technologically updated ship, Celestyal Journey (fka P&O Pacific Aria...

Celestyal Cruises to launch its newest ship Celestyal Journey on September 2

A former HAL-Holland America Line ship is getting a new life with Celestyal Cruises, which announced the arrival of Celestyal Journey. The ship is...

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Other Celestyal Cruises cruise ships

• Celestyal Crystal
• Celestyal Discovery

Celestyal Journey Wiki

The vessel (Fincantieri Monfalcone yard/hull number 5883) has volume 55877 GT-tons, DWT-deadweight tonnage 7447 tons, max draught 7,5 m. The powerplant is based on Wartsila-Sulzer marine diesel engines (models 12ZAV40S, ZA40S) with combined output 34,56 MW (46345 hp). The registered shipowner is OASIS SHIPPING SERVICES SA (previously AEGEAN GODDESS INC), while the registered manager is OPTIMUM SHIPMANAGEMENT SERVICE.

The Fincantieri Monfalcone -built ship Pacific Aria operated under the name "MS Ryndam" (for Holland America Line ) since 1994. In 2015, the vessel was refurbished and transferred to P&O Australia , renamed "Pacific Aria" and homeported in Brisbane Queensland . In June 2017, P&O AU's fleet joined Pacific Explorer (fka Dawn Princess) .

By design, the liner is sistership to Vasco da Gama (fka Pacific Eden) and to HAL's boats Maasdam/CFC Renaissance and Veendam/Aegean Majesty . Pacific Aria started operations in November 2015, right after the renaming ceremony in Sydney NSW . The christening ceremony was dual (also including the Pacific Eden ship) and held at Fort Denison (Sydney Harbour) on November 25, 2015. Aria's godmother is Mrs Jessica Mauboy (singer). Part of the dual naming celebrations were also the P&O Australia ships Pacific Pearl (CMV Columbus) , Pacific Jewel (2020-scrapped as "MS Karnika") and Pacific Dawn (Ambassador Ambience) . On each of the five ships, there were musical parties with live performances featuring Jessica Mauboy (on Aria), The Veronicas (on Eden), Samantha Jade (on Pearl), Justice Crew (on Jewel) and Stan Walker (on Dawn).

Pacific Aria's inaugural cruise (Mayden Voyage for P&O AU) was on November 25 (2-days Sydney to Brisbane ). Pacific Aria was the first cruise ship to call on Fraser Island - followed by the fleetmate Pacific Eden. The island's location is along Queensland's southern coast- some 200 km (120 mi) north of Brisbane. This is a World Heritage-listed location and also the largest sand island in the world (length 120 km (75 mi), width 24 km (15 mi). The ship's scheduled visit to Fraser Island Queensland was on April 3, 2016 (4-day Brisbane round-trip cruise itinerary). The Great Sandy Strait is a 70 km (~ 43 mi) sand passage estuary (tidal strait consisting of bays and sand flats) that separates mainland Queensland from Fraser Island. On April 3, at high tide Pacific Aria entered and navigated through the strait, assisted by an experienced local pilot (a former Captain). At about 7 am the ship anchored off the Kingfisher Bay Resort. Among the special P&O Australia shore excursion deals on Fraser Island is the Kingfisher Bay Resort, offering 4WD tours along the island's beaches and some 1500 km (930 mi) of tracks.

Pacific Aria was also P&O's second boat (after Pacific Jewel ) to visit the privately-owned Conflict Islands (Papua New Guinea). Aria's maiden call was on August 5, 2016. This is a group of 21 islands surrounding a blue lagoon with a pristine reef system. This makes the new destination one of the perfect ones for snorkeling and diving excursions in the South Pacific Ocean.

Celestyal Journey refurbishment 2023 review

Following the acquisition by Celestyal Cruises (in February 2023), the ship was scheduled to enter drydock at the Palumbo Shipyard (in Valletta Harbour Malta )

The drydocking was for extensive refit and full-scale refurbishment and was conducted in the period May 18th-August 27th.

The scope of works included full hull maintenance (cleaning, steel works, painting, new livery), checking all safety equipment, technical systems and machinery overhauls, extensive hotel renovations (public areas and staterooms) and amenities upgrades.

Celestyal announced that the drydocking project's cost is USD 20+ million (~EUR 19M).

Pacific Aria refurbishment 2018 review

The ship's 12-day drydock refurbishment in 2018 (August 3-15, done in Singapore ) resulted in the following deckplan changes:

• The Dome (Deck 12 forward) was redecorated with a new nautical theme (dark blue and white) and redesigned with new soft lighting and classy drapes. By day, the Dome is the right place for board games, dance classes, trivia and relax on the lounges. In the evening it transforms into a chic dance-spot.
• Elemis Spa (Deck 11 forward) was enhanced and upgraded with Barber Shop. The new venue features chic decor (gold-framed mirrors, leather swivel chairs, premium curtains) and offers professional grooming services (hot towel shaves, beard trimming, and styling).
• All Penthouse, Suite and balcony staterooms received new carpets and outdoor furniture.
• Fleet's new Southern Cross themed livery was painted on the hull.

In total, on the ship were replaced with new 1000 pieces of furniture, 6000 m of fabrics, 10000+ m2 of carpets. New artworks and contemporary wallpapers were placed in public spaces.

Pacific Aria cruise itineraries 2020-2021 (CANCELED)

Next tables show some of the planned by P&O Australia cruises for Pacific Aria (by theme). Following the ship's sale in October 2020, all these voyages were cancelled.

3-day Cruises to Nowhere (roundtrips without any call ports) in 2021 were scheduled from Sydney (Jan 24, ), Adelaide (Jan 30, Feb 20, Mar 6, Mar 13) and from Melbourne (Mar 26, Apr 2).

4 days, round-trip Moreton Island - Tangalooma Sydney

10 days "Christmas Cruise"

Cruise Theme: Christmas cruise

10 days "New Years Eve Cruise"

8 days "A Taste Of New Caledonia"

9 days "Explore The Loyalty Islands"

4 days "Southern Getaway"

10 days Southern Discovery"

7 days "A Taste Of Tasmania"

4 days "Kangaroo Island"

The last scheduled by P&O cruise for Pacific Aria was a 6-days repositioning voyage from Melbourne to Fremantle Melbourne

Holland America MS Ryndam cruise ship

Follows the table with information regarding the previously named "MS Ryndam" Holland America vessel.

• Cabin grades number: 26
• Total number of passenger cabins: 630 (of which 149 Suites, no Balcony, 129 Inside, 32 Spa rooms)
• Dining Room: Rotterdam
• Restaurants and food bars: Lido (indoor buffet with outdoor Lido Terrace), Terrace Grill (fast-food), Pinnacle Grill (steakhouse, seafood, French /"Le Cirque" in the evening), Canaletto (Italian).
• Lounges & Bars: Showroom at Sea (theater), Wajang (culinary arts, and cinema), Crow’s Nest (nightclub), MIX (Champagne, Spirits & Ales, Martini), Wine Tasting and Gourmet Shops, Explorer’s, Explorations Cafe, Neptune (suite guests), Ocean (Atrium bar), Casino, kids and teens lounges (Club HAL, The Loft, The Oasis), poolside bars.
• Amenities: complimentary 24-Hour Room-Service, Supervised Kids Program ("Club Hal"), cruise ship weddings, Internet/WiFi Access, Laundry/Self-Serve Laundromats, Spa cabins (6 CQ - oceanview, 2 IQ - Interior), Spa suites (8, BQ).
• Adults relaxation area (Sea View), Greenhouse Spa, Fitness, 2 jacuzzis, 2 pools, wraparound Promenade (Deck 6).

MS Ryndam's Maiden Voyage was on October 16, 1994, attended by the Godmother Madeleine Arison. On this vessel, there is an art-antiques collection of items from the 17-18-19th centuries (themed Dutch exploration). In its Atrium area (midship) it has a huge fountain (by G. Lebigre, Italy). Ryndam was HAL's 2nd vessel with this name. The first Ryndam was 12340 t passenger ship (1901-built/1929- scrapped ).

The Holland America Ryndam ship was transferred to P&O Australia, starting operations in November 2015. Before the transfer, the ship operated on the following itineraries: Caribbean cruises from Tampa Florida

• 7-day Western Caribbean - visiting Key West FL (or Cozumel Mexico), Roatan, Guatemala (Santo Tomas) and Costa Maya (Mexico)
• 14-day Southern Caribbean - visiting Half Moon Cay (Bahamas), Puerto Rico, St Thomas, Antigua, St Lucia, Curacao, Aruba, and Grand Cayman
• (back-to-back) 14-day Western Caribbean (with Key West and Cozumel), and 21-day Western-Southern Caribbean.

North European cruises from Dover (England, UK)

• 7-day Norwegian Fjords
• 14-day Arctic (North Pole)
• 14-day Baltic Capitals
• 21-day back-to-back
• 19-day Canary Islands
• 20-day Western Mediterranean

Mediterranean Sea cruises

• 10-day Barcelona to Venice
• 17-day Venice to Athens
• 14-day Athens to Rome
• 7-day Rome to Barcelona
• 7-day round-trip Greek Isles and Turkey from Athens Greece
• 14-day back-to-back

15-16-day Transatlantic crossings on repositioning between Tampa and Barcelona.

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• Chania Souda
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YOUR CRUISE YOUR CHOICE

Your perfect cruise is in your hands. with endless options available to make your trip truly yours , from excursions, dining and everything in between, it’s never been easier to get the most out of your celestyal getaway.   , here at celestyal cruises , we’re incredibly proud of our global reputation for putting our guests first in everything we do. when you choose to cruise with us, we will ensure you’re choosing the freedom to create the perfect experience for you. and that starts with our fares.  , great value and a great sense of occasion  .

We love to share our deep-rooted connection to Greece and the Mediterranean with our guests. O ur expert knowledge of every destination , of every authentic recipe, and our warm hospitality is unmatched – so you can relax in the knowledge that your trip will be one to remember.  

Your fare, your way

New for 2024 we’re introducing a flexible way to get the most from our time together with two exciting fares – Celestyal Experience and Celestyal Plus+ Experience. We’ve created our new fares by listening to what our guests say they want most from their experience to give them both value and a sense of occasion.  

THE CELESTYAL EXPERIENCE CRUISE FARE

Incredible value as standard  .

We want every guest to experience the best of Celestyal as standard.   

Our Experience Fare is designed to give our guests the perfect start to their voyage, offering complimentary dining, drinks with meals, gratuities and pre-bookable shore excursion discounts. We think it represents the best way to enjoy a wide range of what we have to offer, while at the same time giving freedom of choice. All our guests can make the most of their time with us by choosing to upgrade as they go, so there’s no pressure to make your mind up right away.  

Before you set sail, take control of your cruise with Manage My Booking. Access all your need-to-know information, and even add an extra excursion or two.   

We can’t wait to welcome you to our beautiful blue world, so when you step foot on the sands of Greece and the Mediterranean, our endless excursion options are designed to take you to the heart of our homeland. As standard, all of our guests enjoy a $80 excursion discount to put towards any of our immersive experiences. Choices include:  

• Beauty of Butterflies and Ancient Kameiros  
• Athens Tour and the New Acropolis Museum  
• The Amazing Beaches tour, Milos  
• Minoan Palace of Knossos  
• Mykonian Countryside Tour  

The extra Aegean mile for everyone.  

Where will your adventure take you?   

• Teas and coffees
• House wine by the glass (red, white and rose)
• A variety of juices and softs by the glass

From hearty options, like roasted stuffed pork loin and creamy moussaka, to the elegant and delicious courses of Aegean Bouillabaisse and Grilled Red Mullet. Our menu is crafted to elevate your cruise dining to the next level. And the best part? It’s all included as standard. Meal options include:  

• Vegetarian Yuvetsi  
• Lamb Kleftiko in Papillote  
• Stuffed Summer Vegetables  
• Double Duck Consommé  
• Pan Seared Sole Fish Fillet  

Fresh local cooking that captures the essence of Greece and the Mediterranean, always included.   

• Daily arts and crafts programme
• Sirtaki, Kalamatianos and Hasapiko dance lessons
• Expert cooking demonstrations
• Cirque Fantastic
• Onboard casino

Enjoy the Aegean without the worry of extra costs. All port feed and gratuities are included in the upfront price, so there’s no need to worry about additional fees. So you can spend more time immersing yourself in the glistening Milos coastline, the mountains of Moutzouris, the windmills of Mykonos… Or wherever else you want your Celestyal adventure to take you.   

OR CHOOSE MORE STARTING FROM AS LITTLE AS $170pp

Our Plus+ Experience Fare allows our guests to do exactly that. This is where you can enhance your cruise experience with a fantastic selection of premium drinks onboard, speciality dining discounts, Wi-Fi and more shore excursion discount vouchers. The idea is to go with the flow and build your perfect cruise experience that prioritizes what you think is important to make your cruise as memorable as possible.  

THE CELESTYAL PLUS+ EXPERIENCE CRUISE FARE

A bit more on top  .

Upgrade to our Plus+ Experience Cruise Fare and delve even deeper into your Celestyal experience.   

For some of our guests, our fine dining experience is top of their menu – and our incredible chefs would obviously agree – so there’s no better way to complement our delicious cuisine than with a selection of fine wines from our Sommelier’s personal selection.   

Our Enhance fare lets you squeeze every last drop out of your cruise, including an extra complimentary discount to help you explore more from our range of shore excursions. And Manage my Booking means it’s never been easier to take control of your experience Celestyal – so you can enjoy Greece and the Mediterranean without limits.   

$160 complimentary excursion discount  

Your perfect holiday, on your terms. Dig deeper into ancient Greek history at the Oenogenesis winery as you trace the stories of King Philip II of Macedon and Paul the Apostle. Take a pottery class in Rhodes Town, where they built the clay bricks of Istanbul’s Hagia Sofia. Or swim. Sun-soak. Eat meze and be merry. Endless options include:

• Learn the secrets of Pelion cuisine
• Hiking to the ultimate beauty of Oia
• Trek to the heart and soul of Milos
• Cruise to Santorini’s islands and volcanoes
• Athens monuments and The Acropolis

Your $160 excursion discount opens up a world of Aegean adventure.

What will you choose?

After a long day exploring beneath the beaming sunshine, you’ll have earned a drink. Whether your tipple of choice is a crisp pint of Mythos, a fruity Mai Tai or a creamy iced coffee, our premium drinks package will never leave you wanting more. On this trip of a lifetime, Celestyal has you covered – so you’ll be looked after, with every need taken care of . Drinks include:

• Premium hot and cold coffees
• Cocktails (up to €7 each)
• Mocktails (up to €6 each)
• Sodas and juices
• Draft Mythos beer
• Wine; red, white, rose and sparkling (up to €6 each)
• Spirits; vodka, rum, gin, whiskey (up to €6 each)

Wi-Fi Access

Need to kick back and relax with some quality tv time after a busy day of sightseeing? Or maybe you’ll want to send home your daily tales of the culinary delights of Chora, and photos of the ancient city of Knossos – the oldest city in Western Europe. Keep connected to your family back home and instantly show them the memories you’re making. With onboard wi-fi access, you’ll be able to send across those perfect snapshots instantly. Just try not to make people too jealous back home!

Stay connected without stepping on shore.

Port Charges And Gratuities

Enjoy the Aegean without the worry of extra costs. All port fees and gratuities are included in the upfront price, so there’s no need to worry about additional fees. So you can spend more time immersing yourself in the glistening Milos coastline, the mountains of Moutzouris, the windmills of Mykonos… Or wherever else you want your Celestyal adventure to take you.

A cruise without limits

Seize the day, indulge in your evening and dance the night away with Celestyal. It’s your cruise – and there are endless options for you to make it a trip of a lifetime. Choose from a huge range of options and add-ons; a champagne breakfast, our onboard spa, extra excursions, and the premium hospitality of our highly trained concierge team. The choice is yours.

Suite Concierge Services

Our concierge service is here to help you unwind with our authentic Greek hospitality. You can relax as we run your bath after a hard day roaming the ruins of the Acropolis. Put your feet up as we quench your thirst with r efreshments brought to your door. We’ll even have canapés sent to your room before your evening meal . Our team are truly on hand to help with anything , so every second of your cruise counts .

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Immersive Excursions

Just feel like getting out there, being active and doing something a bit different for a change? Well, don’t hold back we say! Fr om Mykonos to Delos, the ‘most sacred of all the islands’, where you’ll marvel at the ruins of Doric temples and the House of Naxians . On a winding journey to the village of Plaka , savour the sweet delicacies of koufeto and karpouzopita . Gaze down on the awesome Aegean views from the hills in Patmos, which rose from the sea on the commands of Zeus himself. Our immersive excursion vouchers are unlimited – so the adventure is yours for the taking.   

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Sensational Spa Treatments

Serenity is at hand aboard our ships with specialist treatments available in our Sozo spa . Relax the muscles with a classic Swedish massage or ditch the jet l ag with a deep cleansing facial. Packages range from two hours to a full day , so you can make the most out of your downtime. 

The countdown begins – bet you can’t wait!

Hand-pick your trip, and have it all your way

THE EXCITEMENT STARTS HERE

Your countdown begins. Don’t miss out on your booking. Book now and start building your very own Aegean adventure.

CHOOSE A FARE FOR YOU AND YOUR PARTY

Pick your fare. Whatever your perfect Celestyal cruise looks like – You decide, we provide!

PLAN IT ALL OUT WITH MANAGE MY BOOKING

Push the boat out! With Celestyal, you’re in charge from the very beginning. Add as many special extras as you like, like a chilled bottle of Taittinger beneath the Mediterranean stars or a Balinese hot stone massage as you sail across the horizon. Where else can you do that on a Wednesday night!

Already booked with us?

The glittering Aegean and the sun on your skin. Sounds good, doesn’t it? With our Celestyal extras, it can get even better. Use Manage My Booking to easily add on extras from our endless choices to make sure your experience is planned perfectly.   

Call now     Manage my booking

Celestyal Cruises Excursions

Your greek excursions.

Step ashore and explore Greece like a local. From admiring Athens on foot to trekking off the beaten path in the heart of Milos, set sail for the beautiful Greek island with some of our authentic Greek excursions. As you travel from island to island, you’ll see Greece at its authentic best. Whether you prefer to relax and feel the sun on your skin or want to taste the vibrant flavours of Greek cuisine, there’s an excursion for everyone.

Explore the winding streets of Thessaloniki and Milos and let your senses come alive as you head through Greek markets, the alluring aromas of authentic Greek food filling the air. And if you’re looking to cool off after a day to remember, relax into the Greek way of live at a winery. Let the breeze wash over you as you enjoy a glass of something local.

If you’d rather make your own adventures, hike around the ruggedly beautiful coastal terrain of Oia and breathe in the ocean air. If it’s the Aegean you’re craving, why not kayak across the tranquil blue waters around Milos? Glide over the ocean and take in the picture-perfect views – it doesn’t get more idyllic than this.

Whether you’re drawn to Greece in search of the best food and drinks, or want to explore the terrain and get closer to history, your excursions around Greece will stay with you for a lifetime.

Thank you for requesting a quote about the amazing cruises we have on offer at Celestyal Cruises.

Our team are looking into your request and will be in touch within 2 working days. We are confident you will not be disappointed!

Thank you your enquiry.

This has been sent to our team of experts and we will be in touch shortly. If you have any further questions please contact us on +30 211 1995176

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Why cruise on this ship?

Constructed using the finest materials, obviously very modern and specially designed to sail in Croatian waters and operated by a family of seafarers of three generations, there is an unmistakable sense of exclusivity about a yacht cruiser, and MV Corona displays this quality in abundance.

Value for Money

Delivers unparalleled experiences without compromising on affordability

Understand why that Value For Money

Riviera Travel is one of the oldest and most reliable river cruise operators in the world, with 40 years of experience running guided and escorted tours, a land and water all around the world, including river cruises.

Riviera Travel operates a unique cruising experience, partnering with local guides and experts to create a programme of guided tours and river cruises, bringing like-minded travellers together and offering a selection of authentic and bespoke travel experiences.

The operator runs river cruises on European waterways like the Danube, Rhine and Douro, but also the Nile, Mekong and Yangtze. Championing escorted tours and guided holidays, Riviera Travel line also specialises in solo travel, providing a safe, friendly and social environment for travellers going it alone.

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