Ship review: Celestyal Journey

Everything you need to know about the latest addition to Celestyal's fleet now sailing around the Gulf

Key selling points for travel agents: 

• Offering Gulf winter cruises 
• 35-square-metre Grand Dream Suite
• Spa with thermal suite 
• Multiple pools
• Live bands
• Casual atmosphere
• Good value

Overview: Celestyal fans got a treat late last year when Celestyal Journey entered the fleet with more balcony cabins, bars and restaurants than any vessel in the line’s history. The ship isn’t new, having launched in 1994 as Holland America Line’s Ryndam. It holds 1,260 passengers and attracts various nationalities, with Americans in the majority, and most announcements made in at least six languages.

This winter, Celestyal Journey is sailing around the Gulf, helping agents to entice the emerging GCC market to sample cruising with its eight-day 'Desert Days' round-trip from Doha.

For your clients, Celestyal cruises represent good value and the cheery crew are excellent, but what makes guests rebook time and again is the wonderful 'Greekness' of it all. The atmosphere is genuinely relaxed and charmingly chaotic, and the theatre shows are wonderfully eccentric.

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Cabins: Our 35-square-metre Grand Dream Suite lived up to its name, offering a large balcony and bathroom, and a walk-in wardrobe with enough storage for a world cruise, plus perks including priority check-in, exclusive access to the Smoked Olive restaurant for all meals, complimentary bottled water and a free minibar. 

The sizeable Stargazer Suite (88 square metres) comes with the same inclusions, while a further 120 Junior Dream Suites have access to Smoked Olive on a space-available basis. 

Cabins without balconies have either sea views or no window at all inside, with many cabins able to accommodate up to four people.

Food and drink: There are more bars and lounges than there are days of the week and plenty of places to eat too. The Thalassa main dining room is open to all, while Smoked Olive is for suite guests. The Taverna buffet has themed dinners each evening and there are two speciality restaurants: Pink Moon serving Asian fare, and Grill Seekers specialising in steaks. Both cost extra with pricing à la carte. Greek favourites in the deli by the pool (Celestyal’s answer to a burger bar) also cost extra, as does a Chef’s Table that is open for private functions only.

Facilities: There are plenty of places to hang out, around outdoor and lido pools. The lido has a retractable roof that lets in the sun. It can get noisy with kids splashing about, the Fizz Club is a quieter alternative. For those in the Grand Dream and Stargazer suites, the thermal facilities at the spa are free to use. 

Having so many languages on board rules out spoken entertainment. Evening brings live bands in the bars, song-and-dance shows in the theatre and a late-night disco

Prices: Eight-day winter cruises around the Gulf, departing from Doha and stopping in the UAE, Oman and Bahrain cost from US$1,098, departing 4 January, 15 and 22 February, and 1 March 2025. Summer cruises cost from US$1,100 for a seven-night Idyllic Aegean itinerary from Piraeus calling at Thessaloniki, Milos, Kusadasi, Heraklion, Santorini and Mykonos, including selected drinks with meals, tips and US$80 excursion credit. 

For more information, visit celestyal.com

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