Celestyal Cruises is a small cruise line with two ships of their fleet. I not too long ago took my first cruise with them, a seven-night cruise within the Arabian Gulf. You may learn my first impressions of that cruise right here.
Celestyal Cruises invited me with a small group of journalists so we will expertise first hand what they’ve to supply. By the tip of the week I walked away impressed, wanting to come back again.
After spending seven nights on Celestyal Journey, listed here are my private seven causes to take a cruise with Celestyal Cruises.
Itineraries
Because the cruise line solely has two ships of their fleet, they don’t provide a variety of itineraries. Nonetheless, they make up for it with the standard of their itineraries.
The at present provide cruises round Greece/Italy and within the Arabian Gulf (Persian Gulf). One of many issues that I like probably the most is that you’re in port each single day of the cruise. Whereas they do have a sea day right here and there, it’s not the norm.
For his or her cruises in Greece, some days you get to go to two ports. You’ll go to one within the morning, get again on the ship for lunch, after which arrive in a second port within the afternoon.
On their four-night Iconic Greek Islands crusing, you spend one morning visiting Kusadasi, Turkey (Ephesus) and the island of Patmos within the afternoon/night. Right here’s the itinerary:
- Day 1: Depart from Athens at 1pm, arrive in Mykonos within the night
- Day 2: Go to Kusadasi and Patmos
- Day 3: Go to Rhodes
- Day 4: Go to Heraklion and Santorini
- Day 5: Arrive again in Athens
Sure, you go to six ports on a 4 evening cruise.
On my seven-night Desert Days crusing, we had been in port each single day together with two days in Dubai. Cities like Dubai actually need greater than someday if you’re visiting them on a cruise. I liked each single port on our cruise.
If you happen to’re going midway around the globe to expertise and see completely different cultures, you don’t need to spend a majority of the time on a cruise ship. With Celestyal, you’re all the time in port each single day so you’ll be able to benefit from your time in overseas nations.
We visited Bahrain, Dubai, Oman, Sir Bani Yas and Abu Dhabi. It was one of many high 10 itineraries that I’ve sailed on. They’re modifying this itinerary for subsequent season to spend extra time in ports that company love.
Celestyal affords some incredible excursions on this itinerary.
In Dubai, we rode in a 4×4 over the sand dunes earlier than having an unbelievable dinner below the celebrities. The subsequent day, we went to the highest of the world’s tallest constructing, Burj Khalifa.
On Sir Bani Yas, we took a safari by means of the Arabian Wildlife Park earlier than spending the remainder of the day having fun with the seaside on this “non-public island type” port. It’s some of the distinctive cruise ports I’ve ever been to and one I actually need to return and go to once more.
I had a number of folks ask me about security and the way I felt cruising within the Center East. All through your entire journey, I by no means as soon as felt unsafe. If anybody is on the fence about taking a cruise on this area, go for it. You gained’t remorse it.
And a bit bonus for individuals who like to get their passports stamped, I racked up eight stamps and a visa sticker within the week I used to be there.
Crew
On the almost 100 cruises I’ve taken in my life, the crew on Celestyal Journey was among the many finest I’ve ever had.
They actually made you are feeling at house and and had been really easy to attach with. Many instances at the same time as I used to be simply strolling by, I might hear a “Hey Ben” as they noticed me passing. It occurred throughout the ship, from room stewards within the hallway to bartenders in several lounges.
The largest shock of the journey was when one of many women who labored at Cafe Nation (espresso store) bought up and began to sing opera within the lounge one evening. It was unbelievable and he or she had probably the most stunning voice. It blew us all away.
Because the cruise line and ships are small, they are surely like household.
Smaller Ships
One of many largest advantages of smaller cruise ships is that they will go to many ports that bigger vessels are unable to dock at. You are likely to additionally get higher berthing places in comparison with mega ships.
Celestyal Discovery is 42,000 gross tons and Celestyal Journey is 55,000 gross tons in dimension.
Despite the fact that Celestyal Journey is 31 years previous, you’ll by no means understand it from strolling across the ship. You may inform Celestyal put some huge cash into transforming the inside of the ship.
One of many issues that I actually liked that I talked about in my first impressions article was the quantity of public areas the ship had.
Despite the fact that the ship was crusing at or close to capability, you couldn’t inform if you had been in any of the bars or lounges. The one place that ever felt crowded was the buffet at peak instances however it’s that approach on just about each ship.
Suites
The primary few days I stayed in an ocean view cabin on deck 5. I used to be on the very entrance of the ship (why I had portholes as a substitute of a big window) and thought it was fairly spacious for normal cabin.
Nonetheless, Celestyal moved me to a set for the final 4 days of the cruise and it was wonderful. Not solely was the room massive, however the balcony (photograph posted earlier on this article) was large. The balcony was greater than some cabins I’ve had prior to now.
The suite had a walk-in closet, first rate dimension toilet, and loads of room to stretch out.
The mattress was extraordinarily snug and suites are positively the way in which to go when cruising with Celestyal, though you actually can’t go unsuitable with any cabin.
Passengers
On our cruise, there was a variety of nationalities on board. I’m a agency believer that this helps improve the expertise if you’re cruising in different components of the world.
Anybody who has been a reader of Cruise Fever for awhile is aware of that I’m an enormous advocate to cruise on a European cruise line when taking a cruise in Europe. This fashion you get the European expertise and tradition not solely if you’re in port, however whereas on the ship.
This was additionally true on Celestyal although English is the primary language spoken on board.
Leisure
There was a unique present each single evening of the cruise within the theater (Amphitheatro Present Lounge). They had been just like the ten track and dance exhibits that you simply discover on cruise ships, however they’d a greater diversity than I’ve ever seen.
As soon as evening they included acrobats into the manufacturing with a number of songs from The Best Showman. You would inform the company on board actually liked the exhibits.
There was additionally a pleasant number of reside music across the ship at evening within the completely different lounges.
One of many largest surprises for me is that they’d a magic present one evening within the lounges/bars. It was a enjoyable time as a number of of the bartenders did shut up magic in a non-formal setting.
It was good to see such a variety of leisure for a small ship and a port depth itinerary.
Funds Pleasant Costs
Costs for cruises on Celestyal begin at round $110-120 per particular person, per evening. This consists of all port charges and gratuities, drinks throughout meals, and important WiFi.
While you mix all of this with the wonderful itineraries that they provide, it’s arduous to beat.
Celestyal Journey had a premium really feel (for a 31 yr previous ship) however with out the premium costs.
Drink costs had been additionally extraordinarily cheap with cocktails beginning at simply seven euros.
Earlier than the cruise, I actually wasn’t positive what to anticipate on my upcoming voyage from Celestyal. I went in with an open thoughts and walked away impressed.
It was one of many high 10 itineraries I’ve taken and an general nice cruise expertise.
