Celestyal Cruises Announces Return To Year-Round Cruising; Adds Thessaloniki To “Idyllic Aegean Itinerary”

Monday, Oct 11, 2021 1

Celestyal Cruises, the award-winning, number one choice for cruise travellers to the Greek Islands and the Eastern Mediterranean, has announced its return to cruising on 14^th March 2022 with its unique offering of three- and four-night cruises followed by seven-night sailings on 30^th April. Celestyal, one of the only cruise lines to consistently call upon Turkey, will also return to visiting Kusadasi when it sets sail in March and adds Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece to its popular seven night “Idyllic Aegean Itinerary.” All 2022 and 2023 sailings -with all-inclusive pricing starting as low as £369 per person – are currently bookable.

Destination-Enrichment Continues in 2022-23; Highlights Include Thessaloniki, Milos and Kavala

While Celestyal has always offered its guests the marquis destinations such as Mykonos and Santorini, the cruise line has also earned a reputation for being a “trailblazer” by taking travellers to more of the unexplored side of Greece, as well as staying longer in port than other cruise lines to allow deeper exploration. This will continue once again in 2022. On Celestyal’s popular seven-night “Idyllic Itinerary” starting in April, Celestyal will sail to Thessaloniki. Celestyal is the only cruise line calling on a regular basis to this historic city which offers guests stunning Paleo Christian and Byzantine monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, monuments to the famed “Alexander the Great,” and the chance to explore the city’s rich Roman and Sephardic Jewish heritage. Thessaloniki is also known as a “gastronomic paradise”, sitting at the crossroads for trade and drawing upon ingredients from all over the Mediterranean and Asia, and boasts a number of renowned tavernas. Thessaloniki serves as the gateway to Northern Greece and nearby Balkan drive markets. As Greece’s second largest city, Thessaloniki also offers robust airlift with competitive airfares to and from Northern and Western Europe, thus making cruising and Celestyal more accessible and affordable for these markets.

Celestyal will also return to the less-discovered island of Milos, which was recently named the “World’s Best Island” by Travel + Leisure magazine and is an island not traditionally visited by many other cruise lines with larger ships. In the coming year, Celestyal will also extend its time in port in Milos from a half day to a full day. Additionally, this itinerary calls upon Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, Rhodes and Kusadasi (Turkey). All-inclusive pricing on the seven-night “Idyllic Itinerary” starts from £759 per person.

Celestyal’s seven-night “Eclectic Itinerary” includes Kavala, the northern, centuries-old Greek port city on the Thracian Sea, often referred to as the “blue city” due to its crystal-clear coastal waters and legendary scenic sea views from the Bay of Kavala, with a picturesque historic town unfolding high atop the triangular Panagia peninsula. This charming old town comprises a mosaic of winding lanes of red-tiled houses and a Byzantine fortress known as the Kastro. Just nine miles from the centre of the old town is the ancient city of Philippi, home to the first Christian church in Europe. Philippi became an important early Christian centre following a visit to the city by Paul the Apostle in 49 C.E. This itinerary also calls in Thessaloniki, Santorini, Volos and Istanbul. The “Eclectic Itinerary” also gives the option to embark and disembark in Istanbul, offering additional air connection options. All-inclusive pricing on the seven-night “Eclectic itinerary” starts from £759 per person.

Celestyal Brings Back “Three Continents” Itinerary; Introduces New Christmas and New Year’s “Holy Land” Cruises

The end of 2022 will see the return of Celestyal’s seven-night “Three Continents” itinerary, last operated in late 2019, calling in Greece, Turkey, Israel, Egypt and Cyprus. This will be followed by two exclusive holiday sailings. The ten-night Christmas special sailing calling in Thessaloniki, Izmir, Rhodes, Limassol and Alexandria with an overnight visit to Haifa to spend both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the “Holy Land”. The eight-night New Year’s sailing features visits to Heraklion, Santorini and Kusadasi, along with an overnight stay in Istanbul to take in the New Year’s Eve fireworks, and Volos. This sailing is priced from £979 per person. Both sailings can be combined for an amazing 18-night holiday event taking in the entire Eastern Mediterranean with prices from £1,739 per person.

“This past summer, thanks to the dedication and hard work of Celestyal’s crew we were able to demonstrate our ability to safely return to cruising. We are optimistic that our destination-centric itineraries to undiscovered and exciting destinations will continue to be well received by our core audience, who are ‘travellers’ by nature. Our confidence is supported by strong levels of interest, inquiry and bookings already for these itineraries next year and into 2023, which has been the catalyst to returning to year-round cruising,” said Celestyal’s Chief Commercial Officer, Leslie Peden.