Celestyal Cruises has always claimed to be the cruise line that aims to offer an authentic Greek cultural immersion. After a very long hiatus, its 2022 season begins on April 18th.
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 60 – March 2022
After a long global pause and a tentative but successful return in the spring of 2021, the company decided to end its operations at the end of August as a result of the evolution of the pandemic and the restrictions on travel and tourism.
These circumstances also forced them to part with the Celestyal Experience, a vessel they had acquired in July 2020 with the intention of expanding their fleet. The company continues its operations with the ships it successfully used before the pandemic. And it is with these two ships that they begin their 2022 season.
Celestyal Cruises presents its full program for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, featuring unique destinations on its Aegean and Mediterranean itineraries. These itineraries combine renowned and popular locations with lesser-known gems recently added to the route, such as Thessaloniki and Kavala. This season's itineraries include cruises of 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, and even 18 nights. These cruises are named Iconic Aegean, Idyllic Aegean, In the Footsteps of St. Paul, Eclectic Aegean, Three Continents, and special Christmas and New Year's cruises.
The price includes the most important excursions.
To fulfill its goal of providing passengers with an authentic immersion in Greek culture, the company complements its offerings with distinctive excursions in all destinations. New this season is a visit to the Ktima Gerovassiliou winery in Thessaloniki for a wine tasting; and in Athens, in addition to a panoramic tour of the city's incredible sights, passengers can savor the delicious and evocative flavors and aromas of traditional Greek cuisine.
This small company has received numerous awards for its itineraries, excursions, entertainment, and even its contribution to the national economy. Furthermore, its Spanish-speaking crew has been recognized and awarded on several occasions as one of the most hospitable in the world. In Spain, they notably received an Excellence Award for their Three Continents cruise as the best cruise itinerary in 2019.
Iconic Aegean Routes (3 and 4 nights):
The four-night “Iconic Aegean” itinerary aboard the Celestyal Crystal will be its first cruise of the season, departing from Lavrion on April 18th and calling at Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Rhodes, Heraklion, and Santorini. This cruise includes an excursion to the Acropolis of Lindos – Rhodes, founded by the ancient Dorians, which houses the 4th-century BC Sanctuary of Athena Lindia. Another excursion included in this itinerary is a visit to Ephesus during the stop in Kusadasi, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015. The most famous ruins of this city include the Library of Celsus, inaugurated in 125 AD; the Temple of Hadrian; the open-air theater; the Odeon; the Gymnasium of Vedius; and the Basilica of St. John. After the visit, passengers will have free time to explore Kusadasi's bustling market, a shopper's paradise. During this stop, an optional visit to the House of the Virgin Mary, a site of great significance to religious travelers, is also available.
The three-night Iconic Aegean itinerary departs from Lavrion and visits Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Heraklion in Crete and Santorini, and includes two excursions: a visit in Santorini to Megalochori, one of the most authentic and unspoiled villages on the island, continuing through Firostefani and Imerovigli until reaching Oia, which offers an incredible panoramic view; and a visit to Ephesus in Kusadasi.
In 2022, the Celestyal Crystal will operate this three- and four-night Iconic Aegean itinerary during the month of April, since from May onwards, the Celestyal Olympia will operate these itineraries until the end of October 2022.
7-Night Idyllic Aegean Route:
From May 7th to mid-October 2022, the Celestyal Crystal will sail seven-night cruises on the Idyllic Aegean itinerary, with stops in Thessaloniki, Kusadasi, Rhodes, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos, and Milos. This year, Celestyal Cruises adds Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city, to this cruise line, becoming the only cruise line with a regular call at this historic city.
Passengers can embark in Athens, and for the first time, also in Kusadasi and Thessaloniki. The cruise includes excursions to the Acropolis of Lindos in Rhodes and Ephesus in Kusadasi, described above.
Autumn/Winter Cruises:
This autumn, the Celestyal Crystal will sail its themed cruise, "In the Footsteps of St. Paul," departing from Athens on October 15th. The itinerary includes visits to Thessaloniki and Kavala, Istanbul, Dikili and Kusadasi (Turkey), and Patmos (Greece). The cruise offers two excursions: the biblical city of Veria, a flourishing Roman and medieval city with captivating architecture, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as a stop on St. Paul's journey to Athens; and Ephesus and Miletus in Kusadasi. Visitors will explore one of the world's largest and most important open-air archaeological museums, featuring the Odeon and Prytaneion, the Temple of Hadrian, the Library of Celsus, and the Great Theatre of Ephesus, as well as the Temple of Artemis.
Their short cruises are very intense, with up to two stops on the same day.
From October 22nd until mid-November, the Celestyal Crystal will sail the seven-night "Eclectic Aegean" itinerary, with stops in Istanbul (Turkey), and Kavala, Thessaloniki, Volos, and Santorini (Greece). Passengers can join their Celestyal cruise by embarking in Athens, and, for the first time, by embarking in Istanbul and Thessaloniki.
Kavala is also a new stop for Celestyal, a centuries-old port city in northern Greece on the Thracian Sea, often known as the “Blue City” because of its crystal-clear coastal waters and legendary panoramic sea views from Kavala Bay. The Eclectic Aegean itinerary includes two excursions for passengers: a cruise on the Bosphorus, which flows between Europe and Asia, visiting the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul, one of the oldest in the world; and an excursion to Oia in Santorini, with its whitewashed houses, blue-domed churches, cobblestone alleyways, charming traditional Cycladic-style hotels, and houses carved into the cliffside rocks.
Starting November 19th, the Celestyal Crystal begins its 7-day Three Continents itinerary with four departures: from Athens on November 19th, from Ashdod on November 22nd, and from Limassol on November 23rd. The itinerary includes stops in Egypt, Israel, Cyprus, Turkey, and Greece. Included excursions on this cruise are Classical Cairo, with a stop at the Pyramids of Giza, as well as a visit to the city center with the option to explore the National Archaeological Museum or the Papyrus Museum, and time for souvenir shopping; and an excursion to ancient Ephesus in Kusadasi.
Following these departures, the Celestyal Cristal will sail its special ten-night Christmas Cruise, departing on December 17. This unique itinerary departs from Athens and visits Thessaloniki and Rhodes in Greece, along with Izmir (Turkey), Egypt, Israel, and Cyprus, offering guests the unique experience of spending Christmas in the Holy Land.
For those wishing to celebrate the New Year at sea, Celestyal's special eight-night New Year's Cruise departs on December 27. This cruise sails from Athens and visits Heraklion in Crete, Santorini and Volos in Greece, and Kusadasi and Istanbul in Turkey, just in time to enjoy Istanbul's famous New Year's Eve celebrations. This cruise marks the end of the 2022 season.
For those seeking a longer cruise experience, Celestyal offers a special 18-night combined Christmas and New Year's itinerary aboard the Celestyal Crystal.
The Christmas and New Year itineraries include four shore excursions during the trip, visiting Curium and Limassol (Cyprus), ancient Ephesus (Kusadasi), Classical Cairo (Egypt) and the Palace of Knossos in Crete.
In addition to the excursions included in each itinerary, Celestyal Cruises offers guests a variety of optional excursions to choose from according to their preferences in all the destinations visited and in all the itineraries proposed on board the Celestyal Crystal and Celestyal Olympia.
2023 Schedule
For 2023, the season will begin on January 7 with the Celestyal Crystal on its 7-day Three Continents itinerary during January and February, followed by five departures of the Eclectic Aegean cruise starting on March 4.
For the Celestyal Olympia, the season will begin on March 13, 2023, with the 4-night Iconic Aegean cruises alternating with the 3-night Iconic Aegean itinerary until the end of October.
The Celestyal Crystal will continue its 2023 season with the 7-night Idyllic Aegean itinerary from April 15th to mid-October. It will then sail the In the Footsteps of St. Paul itinerary, departing on October 14th and 21st. Following this, it will sail its Three Continents itinerary from October 28th, with a final departure on December 9th.
For the Christmas season of 2023, Celestyal Cruises is offering its special 11-day Christmas Cruise aboard the Celestyal Crystal, departing on December 16th, followed by the special New Year's Cruise, which can be combined with the Christmas Cruise into an 18-night cruise.
