Celestyal is bringing even more love to its ‘Live Your Vacation Dream’ promotion, offering a free cabin upgrade on select departures in 2025 through to 2027. To mark the change, the deal has been renamed ‘Love Your Vacation Dream’ on these voyages.   The upgrade has been added to 44 of Celestyal’s itineraries in the Mediterranean and 40 of its ‘Desert Days’ itineraries in the Arabian Gulf. The original promotion of up to 50% off fare prices and €200 of complimentary CelestyalPay onboard spend to use on specialty dining and drinks* is also still applicable.   The promotional enhancements have been applied to select sailings across its three-, four- and seven-night Greek island cruises, its seven-night ‘Heavenly’ Adriatic cruises and its seven-night ‘Desert Days’ itineraries which now include the free cabin upgrade, and as previously offered, up to 50% off the fare and up to €200 of complimentary CelestyalPay per cabin.   Introduced earlier this year, CelestyalPay is a prepaid food and beverage tab used onboard for any non-complimentary food and drink purchases. Guests can either add the charges to their account as they go or will be invited to preload their CelestyalPay prior to, or on the first day of sailing to receive top-up bonus credit from the cruise line.   Departing between June 2025 and March 2027 prices for a three-night voyage start from £299pp, four nights from £389pp with a seven-night starting from £589pp including all meals, soft drinks, WiFi, port fees and gratuities.   The ‘Live Your Vacation Dream’ offer will still apply to all Celestyal’s cruising programme with savings available across the entire 2025 – 2027 programme and over 60 itineraries with up to 50% off, ranging from three to seven nights, visiting the Greek Isles, Adriatic and Arabian Gulf.   All offers will run to March 16, 2025. Originally, ‘Live Your Vacation Dream’ was due to end on February 28.   Lee Haslett, chief commercial officer at Celestyal, said: "We’re all about sharing the love with our extended and enhanced ‘Love Your Vacation Dream’ offer. Whether it’s a romantic getaway in the Mediterranean or a chance to reconnect with loved ones in the Adriatic, these sailings offer out-of-this-world value and experiences that will immerse our guests in the authentic local culture and warm hospitality which is synonymous with a Celestyal cruise.”   Both ships in the Celestyal fleet are currently undergoing further major refits to further enhance their customer offerings. The 1260-guest Celestyal Journey returns to service in February following a planned refit in Dubai, while the 1360-guest Celestyal Discovery is currently receiving a refit in Athens to add 47 cabins, including new cabin categories Junior Dream Suites and Grand Horizon Suites, in preparation for her 2025 Mediterranean season.   For more information, visit celestyal.com or call 0808 258 4170.

  Celestyal is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and to mark the occasion the specialist Greece and Arabian Gulf cruise line is giving away a range of unmissable agent prizes and rewards.   Over 1000 experiences will be on offer to agents across the year, such as cash prizes, cruises and sold-out concert tickets and sporting events. From March 13, Celestyal's 10th brand anniversary, agents can join the first in a series of hosted monthly ‘Celestyal Live’ webinars to hear updates from the line's senior team leaders including brand news and giveaways of the latest incentives to those in attendance.   The experiences will be won each month though booking incentives, as well as being gifted to those who complete training modules on the new travel agent portal, ‘Celestyal Compass’.   Janet Parton, VP Business Development at Celestyal, said: “After a ground-breaking 10 years we want to say a sincere thanks to agents for all their support. We are known for delivering unmissable experiences and to reflect that we are offering 1000 special giveaways and incentives to show our appreciation to our valued trade agents, and launching the monthly ‘Celestyal Live’ sessions with our regional senior leaders across the year.   "We have a history to be proud of and an incredibly exciting future ahead of us. After record trade booking numbers last year, the total refresh of our fleet, a new brand identity, new website and trade portal and the launch of a new region and year-round operations, there has never been a better time to get onboard with us."   The first four-night Celestyal sailing was on the 1,600-guest Celestyal Olympia in 2015, departing from Athens on March 13, 2015, and called round trip to Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Heraklion and Santorini.   Celestyal’s next Greece and Mediterranean season starts in March and comprises three-, four- and seven-night voyages, sailing roundtrip from Athens and calling at destinations including Mykonos, Patmos, Santorini, Thessaloniki and Kusadasi (Turkey). Itineraries will be served by both of the line’s ships, Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery.   Celestyal’s current campaign, called ‘Live Your Vacation Dream’, is available on new bookings made until February 28, 2025. The campaign features savings of up to 50% across the line’s 2025, 2026 and early 2027 programmes, while select sailings include a bonus credit of up to €100 per person pre-loaded on each guest’s CelestyalPay. Ranging from three to seven nights, destinations include the Greek Isles, Adriatic and Arabian Gulf.   An additional promotion has been made available exclusively to UK trade agents on all bookings made between January 10, and January 31, 2025, whereby for every booking made on the Heavenly Greece, Italy and Croatia cruises, and Arabian Gulf sailings departing in 2025, the agents will receive a £25 Love2Shop voucher*.

Celestyal has marked its maiden call in Dubai with a dhow escort, a plaque exchange ceremony and a star-studded celebration. Last week’s event saw a number of dhows guide Celestyal Journey into port. Local dignitaries and travel agent partners were invited onboard for an evening of entertainment and celebrations, featuring special guests, renowned DJ and performance artist Tinie and DJ Charlesy. The call was the start of the ship’s seven-day ‘Desert Days’ itinerary, sailing roundtrip from Dubai, and calling at Khasab, Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain. Lee Haslett, Celestyal CCO, said: “The dhow escort into port was a magical moment and the perfect way to officially start our long-term relationship with this captivating destination”. We would like to thank our partners in the region and look forward to a successful first season and beyond.” Celestyal’s inaugural Arabian Gulf season sails until March 2025, and will feature in the winter season for three years. Celestyal Discovery will then join Celestyal Journey in the region at the end of 2025, home porting in Abu Dhabi in another three-year partnership, sailing three-night long weekend ‘Iconic Arabia’ cruises round-trip from Abu Dhabi and a four-night mid-week ‘Iconic Arabia’ cruise.

  Celestyal has marked its maiden call in Dubai with a dhow escort, a plaque exchange ceremony and a star-studded party.   The event, which took place on December 9, saw a number of dhows – a traditional one or two-masted sailing vessel – guide their flagship, Celestyal Journey into port, signalling the synergy between tradition and new beginnings in the region.   Local dignitaries and travel agent partners were then invited onboard for an evening of entertainment and celebrations, featuring special guests, renowned DJ and performance artist Tinie (formerly Tinie Tempah) and DJ Charlesy.   The call was the start of the ship’s seven-day ‘Desert Days’ itinerary, sailing roundtrip from Dubai, and calling at Khasab, Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain.   Lee Haslett, Celestyal chief commercial officer, said: “Today marks a significant milestone in our history, as we proudly call in Dubai for our first season. The dhow escort into port was a magical moment and the perfect way to officially start our long-term relationship with this captivating destination. We would like to thank our partners in the region and look forward to a successful first season and beyond. Dubai just had to be on our Desert Days itinerary as it is an iconic destination for our guests. As a truly global city, it provides the ideal mix of culture, immersion and bucket-list moments.”   Celestyal’s inaugural Arabian Gulf season sails until March 2025, and will feature in the winter season for three years. Celestyal Discovery will then join Celestyal Journey in the region at the end of 2025, home porting in Abu Dhabi in another three-year partnership, sailing three-night long weekend ‘Iconic Arabia’ cruises round-trip from Abu Dhabi, calling at Doha and Sir Bani Yas Island, and a four-night mid-week ‘Iconic Arabia’ cruise sailing roundtrip from Abu Dhabi, calling at Fujairah, Muscat and Khasab.

Flagship Celestyal Journey arrived in Doha, Qatar to kick off its maiden Arabian Gulf season. The season begins with two specially themed F1 voyages, which will take in the Qatar and Abu Dhabi grand prix events. Thirty-two global agents were hosted on a five-day F1 themed ‘super fam’ to mark the launch. The Fam comprises a three-night land stay, with various local excursions including to the Arabian Travel Market, and two days on Celestyal Journey while docked at Doha’s Grand Cruise Terminal. Attendees also had the option to attend the Qatar Grand Prix races and a speaking session with Formula 1 driver and presenter David Coulthard. Travel agents were also gifted a free ‘Desert Days’ cruise credit to use to experience the full voyage. Celestyal hosted an onboard event in partnership with Visit Qatar, Qatar Tourism, Qatar Airways and Mwani Port Authority while the ship was docked in port on November 30. After the F1, Celestyal Journey departures will be seven-night ‘Desert Days’ itineraries, sailing roundtrip from Doha, until March 2025. Each cruise features calls at Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, an overnight stay in Dubai Marina, as well as visits to the lesser-known destinations of Khasab and Sir Bani Yas Island. Celestyal Journey will sail from Doha for three consecutive years throughout the winter seasons, following a collaboration between Celestyal and Visit Qatar. The ship features 630 suites and staterooms, seven restaurants, eight bars and lounges, two pools and Jacuzzis, and a dedicated wellness deck. The ship underwent a multi-million Euro refurbishment in September 2023, prior to joining the Celestyal fleet. Additional refurbishments were made enroute to Doha, including adding a Café Nation coffee bar, which was introduced on sister ship Celestyal Discovery in March 2024. Celestyal Discovery will join Celestyal Journey in the Gulf at the end of 2025. The ship will sail three-night ‘Iconic Arabia’ cruises roundtrip from Abu Dhabi, calling at Doha, Khalifa Bin Salman (Bahrain) and Dubai Marina, as well as four-night cruises to Fujairah, Muscat and Kasab.

  Celestyal has confirmed its flagship, Celestyal Journey, has arrived in Doha, Qatar, to start the line’s maiden Arabian Gulf season. The season begins with two specially themed F1 voyages, which will take in the Qatar and Abu Dhabi grand prix events.   32 global agents are being hosted on a five-day F1 themed ‘super fam’ to mark the launch. The fam comprises a three-night land stay, with various local excursions including to the Arabian Travel Market, and two days on Celestyal Journey while she is docked at Doha’s Grand Cruise Terminal. The attendees also had the option to attend the Qatar Grand Prix races and join a speaking session with Formula 1 driver and presenter David Coulthard, and Formula 1 presenter Laura Winter. During the event all of the global agents in attendance were gifted a free ‘Desert Days’ cruise credit so that they could return to experience the full voyage.   In addition, Celestyal hosted an onboard event in partnership with Visit Qatar, Qatar Tourism, Qatar Airways and Mwani Port Authority for local dignitaries, while the ship was docked in port on November 30. They joined for a series of presentations, a ship tour, the traditional plaque exchange ceremony and a celebratory lunch.   Subsequent Celestyal Journey departures will comprise a series of seven-night ‘Desert Days’ itineraries, sailing roundtrip from Doha, up to March 2025. Each cruise features calls to the iconic destinations of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, an overnight stay in Dubai Marina, as well as visits to the lesser-known destinations of Khasab and Sir Bani Yas Island.   Celestyal Journey will sail from Doha for three consecutive years throughout the winter seasons, following a collaboration between Celestyal and Visit Qatar.   The ship features 630 suites and staterooms, seven restaurants, eight bars and lounges, two pools and Jacuzzis, and a deck dedicated to wellness including a spa and fitness area. It underwent a multi-million Euro refurbishment in September 2023, prior to entering the Celestyal fleet. Additional refurbishments were made enroute to Doha, including adding a Café Nation coffee bar, which was introduced on fleet mate Celestyal Discovery in March 2024.   Lee Haslett, chief commercial officer at Celestyal, said: “We’re incredibly excited to see our first ever Arabian Gulf season get under way. I would like to thank our partners at Visit Qatar, Mwani port authority and Qatar Airways for their continued support and warm welcome to the region. We are confident that our special FI themed cruises will ensure we have a roaring start to the season, while the Desert Days itinerary offers the very best of the local region. Whether guests are familiar with the destinations we visit or are sampling them for the first time, there will be a wealth of authentic experiences available to everyone.”   Celestyal Discovery will join Celestyal Journey in the region at the end of 2025. She will sail three-night ‘Iconic Arabia’ cruises roundtrip from Abu Dhabi, calling at Doha, Khalifa Bin Salman (Bahrain) and Dubai Marina, as well as four-night departures calling at Fujairah, Muscat and Kasab.   Chris Theophilides, CEO at Celestyal, said: “We’re delighted to be commencing our season in the Arabian Gulf, with this momentous arrival into Doha. I want to thank our teams and partners who have made this a reality. It marks the significant start of Celestyal’s next chapter, operating a fully refreshed fleet across year-round operations and two regions. We listened to our guests; 86% tell us they want to return after they have spent time with us, and with our new Desert Days itinerary, as well as our additional Iconic Arabia itineraries on Celestyal Discovery from next year, we are expanding the many reasons to try or come back to Celestyal.”   The Desert Days itinerary prices start from £319 per person, representing a 67% saving, and the Iconic Arabia cruises start from £219 per person representing a 57% saving, in the cruise line’s Black Friday sale available until December 3.

  Celestyal has released details of a new destination specific cocktail menu to celebrate the cruise line’s maiden season in the Arabian Gulf.   The menu, which will be available during evening hours on Celestyal Journey, features a range of beverages inspired by the enchanting stories of '1001 Nights' - a collection of Middle Eastern folktales.   A selection of 13 new signature cocktails and mocktails will be on offer from €16, which include:  

• Arabian Jewel – a gin-based cocktail featuring the exotic flavours of the Middle East, with a base of fragrant rosewater and spicy cardamom.
• Desert Mirage – a vibrant cocktail with a blend of passion fruit and White Oak Rum, enhanced with a hint of lime and mint, it offers a balance of tropical sweetness and zesty freshness.
• The Storyteller – a dark and mysterious mocktail offering a mix of fruity flavours including orange, blackberry and lime, combined with Seedlip and sweet syrup.

  Lee Haslett, chief commercial officer at Celestyal, said: “We pride ourselves on our regional specialities, bringing a hint of the destinations we visit to our guests onboard at every opportunity, and this new collection of signature beverages is a perfect reflection of that ethos. Whether it’s savouring a smooth mocktail in Doha, perhaps a classic cocktail in iconic Dubai or discovering a new favourite tipple while docked at the hidden gem of Sir Bani Yas Island, guests can enjoy exciting and authentic flavours across their Arabian Gulf sailing.”   The 1,260-guest Celestyal Journey will spend an inaugural season in the Arabian Gulf from November, offering new itineraries to destinations including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Oman. Prices start from £399pp for seven-nights sailing round-trip from Doha.   The cocktails will also be available at the Casino Bar on Celestyal Discovery when she joins Celestyal Journey for her maiden Arabian Gulf season from December 2025. Celestyal Discovery will offer the new three and four-night ‘Iconic Arabia’ sailings from Abu Dhabi, with prices starting from £249pp.

  Celestyal has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Visit Qatar. The MOU, signed at World Travel Market in London, signifies a three-year commitment to the region, promoting Qatar as a key destination among Celestyal’s guests and agent partners.   Lee Haslett, chief commercial officer at Celestyal, said: "It's a privilege to sign this agreement with Visit Qatar and we would like to thank them for all their support in bringing this partnership to life. Qatar is an extraordinary destination and an ideal fit for our guests who are seeking immersive, culturally rich experiences. We look forward to working together with our agent partners to showcase everything this unique region offers.”   The event coincided with the announcement of Celestyal and Visit Qatar hosting agents on a super fam in the Arabian Gulf. As well as experiencing Celestyal Journey, agent partners will attend the Qatar Grand Prix and be invited to a speaker event with David Coulthard, who competed in Formula One from 1994 to 2008, winning 13 Grands Prix across 15 seasons.   Celestyal’s inaugural Arabian Gulf season sails from November 2024 until March 2025, and will feature for three years. The 1,260-guest Celestyal Journey is currently on her way to the region ready to launch the seven-day ‘Desert Days’ itinerary sailing roundtrip from Doha, calling at Bahrain, Dubai, Khasab, Sir Bani Yas Island and Abu Dhabi. Prices start at £399.   Celestyal Discovery will join her fleet mate in the region at the end of 2025, sailing three-night long weekend ‘Iconic Arabia’ cruises round-trip from Abu Dhabi, calling at Doha Port, Khalifa Bin Salman port (Bahrain) and Dubai Marina port, and a four-night mid-week ‘Iconic Arabia’ cruise sailing round-trip from Abu Dhabi, calling at Fujairah, Muscat and Kasab. Prices start at £249.

Celestyal has revised its 2025 cruises schedule to boost the number of sailings, thanks to strong customer demand. It has added more 'Heavenly Adriatic' and 'Desert Days' Arabian Gulf cruises. Sailing onboard the 1260-guest Celestyal Journey, both itineraries were introduced in January, with the maiden 'Heavenly Adriatic' sailing earlier this month. The 'Desert Days' itinerary debut is planned for November 9, 2024. Due to demand and positive feedback, Celestyal will be adding a further five departures to their 2025 programme. This will comprise three- and four-night variations of the Arabian Gulf cruises. There will be two additional seven-night 'Heavenly Adriatic' cruises departing round trip from Athens. They depart on March 22 and 29, 2025 calling at Kefalonia, Dubrovnik, Kotor (Montenegro), Bari, Corfu and Katakolo, Greece. These new sailings join the eight existing seven-night round trip departures from Athens between April and October 2025 and seven-night 'Summer Heavenly Adriatic' sailings in July and August 2025. There are three additional seven-night 'Desert Days' Arabian Gulf cruises roundtrip from Doha. They call at Bahrain, Dubai, Khasab (Oman), Sir Bani Yas Island (UAE) and Abu Dhabi. They depart February 15, 22, and March 1, 2025. Celestyal has also added three- and four-night options to their existing 'Desert Days' itinerary. All cruises are on sale now and form part of Celestyal's new spring campaign. Lee Haslett, Chief Commercial Officer, said: "We are thrilled with the demand for our newly introduced Heavenly Adriatic itinerary and Arabian Gulf winter programme.” "Our 2025 season will be our biggest and best to-date."  

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Celestyal has launched three new Arabian Gulf cruises to coincide with the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix races in 2024.  The new departures, now available to book, have been tailored specifically to the Formula 1 schedule and will be aboard the 1,260-guest Celestyal Journey. A three-day grandstand race ticket, which includes complimentary transfers to and from the ship, will be available to purchase for every guest booking. The new sailings comprise: A seven-night 'Desert Days & Qatar Grand Prix' Arabian Gulf cruise, overnighting and sailing round trip from Dubai calling at Khasab (Oman), Abu Dhabi including three days accommodation onboard in Doha coinciding with the Formula 1 Grand Prix. Departing November 25, 2024. A seven-night 'Desert Days & Abu Dhabi Grand Prix' cruise overnighting and sailing round trip from Dubai calling at Khasab (Oman), Sir Bani Yas Island (UAE), including three days accommodation onboard in Abu Dhabi coinciding with the Formula 1 Grand Prix. Departing December 2, 2024. A 14-night 'Desert Days & Double Grand Prix' cruise overnighting and sailing round trip from Dubai calling at Khasab (Oman), Abu Dhabi (UAE), including three days accommodation onboard in Doha coinciding with the Formula 1 Grand Prix, Dubai, Khasab (Oman), Sir Bani Yas Island (UAE), and three days accommodation onboard in Abu Dhabi coinciding with the Formula 1 Grand Prix. Departing November 25, 2024. These special Arabian Gulf cruises also form part of Celestyal's new spring campaign, offering competitive lead pricing and 50% off deposits until April 30, 2024.

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- Tobias Klitsch Named VP of Global Market Development, Beth Hulett Named Global Market Development Manager -

  Celestyal, the award-winning, number one choice for travellers to the Greek Islands and the Eastern Mediterranean, is continuing to invest substantially in growing key markets with the appointment of two senior members to its commercial team. Tobias Klitsch joins as VP of Global Market Development while Beth Hulett has been named Global Market Development Manager.   Tobias Klitsch has a wealth of experience and has held senior positions within the travel industry for 15 years. He joins Celestyal from PA Consulting, where he worked with organisations across the Aviation and Travel verticals to deliver structural change, with a view to driving long-term growth and commercial success, in his role as Director. Prior to that, Tobias worked at Virgin Atlantic as Director of Sales Strategy & Development, designing and executing the airline’s Global Sales and Account Management strategy. Before joining Virgin Atlantic, Tobias has held senior leadership roles at British Airways across Revenue Management and Sales, as well as delivering the airline’s Ancillaries strategy. As Celestyal’s VP of Global Market Development, Tobias will work cross-functionally to design and execute the commercial strategy that will deliver our vision of being brilliant to do business with. He will also provide analytical insight and partner with Sales leaders to devise the market-appropriate strategies to drive Celestyal’s growth plans. Tobias joined on 17th April and report directly to Celestyal’s Chief Commercial Officer, Lee Haslett.   Beth Hulett comes with over eight years’ experience in the cruise industry. She joins Celestyal from Virgin Voyages where she worked with key UK partners to help drive sales in her role as Sales Manager. Previously, Beth worked at Iglu.com as Senior Global Supply Manager where she helped strengthen relationships with Trade Partners and had an impressive track record of delivering commercial value, implementing change and improving performance.  As Global Market Development Manager, Beth will support Tobias in delivering the commercial strategy to deliver value for both Celestyal and its Trade Partners globally. She will also support the field-based account team across all channels in identifying opportunities. Beth joined Celestyal on 21st April and will report directly into Tobias.   Lee Haslett, Celestyal’s Chief Commercial Officer, comments: “I am delighted to welcome Tobias and Beth to Celestyal. They join at an exciting time, with the recent launch of Celestyal Holidays, our dedicated trade packaging solution in partnership with Aviate, and the highly-anticipated debut of our new ship, Celestyal Journey, in September.  Both Tobias and Bethanie have a strong track record of delivering commercial value and strategic growth which will prove invaluable as we intensify our efforts and invest in substantially broadening Celestyal’s presence in key markets, and strengthening our position as the leading provider of the award-winning, multi-destination holiday experiences in Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean.”