Everything You Need to Know About Celestyal Journey

Celestyal is inviting travel advisors to get to know its ship, Celestyal Journey.  

The boutique cruise line has two ships in its roster, Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery. Both ships were purchased in 2023 and received multi-million-dollar refits in the last year.

As of last year, Celestyal operates cruises year-round. Celestyal Journey currently sails the new Heavenly itinerary, the seven-night Heavenly Venice, Greece, & Croatia, and will also sail the seven-night Idyllic Greece, set to launch this month. 

In the winter, Celestyal Journey sails the new Desert Days Middle East itinerary. The ship returns to Abu Dhabi in November via a 14-day repositioning cruise, where it will offer seven-night Desert Day itineraries (fleetmate Celestyal Discovery will operate the cruise line’s first three- and four-day Iconic Arabia itineraries, as well as its seven-day Iconic Arabia itineraries).

Travel Market Report was invited to experience Celestyal Journey on the new Adriatic Sea itinerary, Heavenly Greece, Italy, & Croatia, which debuted this spring. In addition to hosting the press, Celestyal also invited 24 travel advisors onboard for a FAM trip.

After spending a week experiencing Celestyal Journey, here are TMR’s main takeaways travel advisors should know.

Celestyal Journey: The Basics

Celestyal Journey is a 1,260-guest ship that was originally built for Holland America Line in 1994. It received a major refurbishment in 2015 when it was sold to P&O, then another $20 million+ refit when Celestyal purchased the ship for its fleet in 2023. Celestyal’s updates included a full hull treatment and updates to safety equipment and technical overhauls.

In terms of facilities, there are two pools (one outdoor, one with a retractable roof), a tennis court, an amphitheatre for shows (called the Amphitheatro Show Lounge), a disco for indoor dance parties, and plenty of lounges. The lounges frequently offer entertainment, such as close-up magic demonstrations or live music.

Because of its history, Celestyal Journey has some quirks. For example, there are limited outlets in the staterooms (even in the suites), and they are mainly Euro (U.S. ports in the interior and outside staterooms). There are USB outlets in all cabin categories, though.  

Yet, Celestyal also offers experiences you might not expect for its price point. The gym is huge considering the ship’s size, and offers a variety of equipment. The Sozo Health Spa is very nice, and Celestyal’s thermal suite is charming, if small. Cafe Nation was one of the most popular public areas during our sailing; here, guests can enjoy a delicious beverage while sitting in a comfortable, contemporary setting.   

“My first reaction [to Celestyal] was I think this is going to be my favourite cruise,” said Susan Shuler, co-owner of Endless Sojourns Travel.

Celestyal Journey Can Satisfy Your Cravings

Celestyal Journey has three complimentary dining options: a buffet (The Taverna Casual Dining), a main dining room (Thalassa Restaurant), and the Greek Deli Corner. Thalassa does change up its dinner menu, so guests who eat there often will have multiple options. 

For an added fee (a la carte pricing), guests can choose from the three specialty restaurants: Grill Seekers (a steakhouse), Pink Moon (Asian), and The Smoked Olive (Mediterranean). There is also Fig & Honey, which offers takeaway fresh juice, gelato, and smoothies, and Cafe Nation, a cafe with specialty coffees.

Also available a la carte: Celestyal offers an impressive array of genuinely stunning specialty cocktails. For those who don’t drink, there is a selection of mocktails available to order as well.

Prepare for Old-School Cruise Vibes

Although Celestyal Journey is in remarkable shape, make no mistake: This is a 30-year-old ship. 

The overall decor is tasteful and understated, and, because much of it was created for P&O, feels fresh to American cruisers unfamiliar with that brand. There are obvious signs of the ship’s age, mainly original elements like the mirror doors in the suite rooms and brass accents throughout public areas. However, the carpets, furnishing, and paint are all unblemished and well-maintained.  

Celestyal Journey leans into its age. The steakhouse, Grill Seekers, features a meat case showcasing the cuts on offer as well as an old-school dessert case. During our cruise, the Maître D’Hotel proudly brought the displays to the table to explain the differences. The cruise line also occasionally offers ice carving demonstrations, and the dining hall is decorated with carved fruit. 

There is an undeniable throwback charm about Celestyal Journey. There are real wood accents in the staterooms, and activities like Bingo and Zumba dancing. Eagle-eyed cruisers will have fun searching for the few vestiges of the original Holland America Line ship, like the decorative tulips outside the Amphitheater, which make for some admittedly retro fixtures. Even the poolside Greek Deli, which was a Celestyal creation, radiates nostalgia. Celestyal Journey manages to tap into a classic, old-school vibe without feeling stuffy or overly formal. 

Celestyal Journey is also a very laid-back ship, offering a smaller ship experience. Our sailing only had about 800 guests, and with the ship’s ample public areas, it never felt busy. With the exception of one morning when all the shore excursions left at the same time, there were never any crowds—it was always possible to find a lounger, a table, or just a quiet corner to relax in.

Celestyal Remains a Destination-Focused Cruise Line

The primary thing travel advisors should know about Celestyal? This boutique cruise line is destination-focused, with very few sea days (if any) and long stays at the port. Although Celestyal has updated its fleet, this hasn’t changed. 

The seven-night Heavenly Greece, Italy, & Croatia cruise features no sea days and long stays at port, including a night stay until 2:30 a.m. in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

The ship is eerily empty during the day, with the vast majority of guests opting to head to the port. Most excursions leave by 8:00 a.m. (or earlier). In the evenings, Celestyal Journey offers a comfortable ride, and—despite the cruise line’s focus on destinations—offers a surprising amount of onboard activities.

“This is more destination-focused, which might not be for every cruiser,” said Lynda Loethen, owner of a Cruise Planners franchise. “Some cruisers really care about the bells and whistles of the ship, but [for] the ones that love to actually travel and get immersed in the destination, I’ll be using Celestyal.”

Celestyal Journey Includes Suite Perks

Celestyal Journey has five stateroom categories: interior, exterior, Junior Dream Suite (balcony), Grand Dream Suite, and The Stargazer Suite (penthouse). Of the 630 cabins, 150 are suites.

TMR stayed in a Grand Dream Suite, which was comfortable and well laid out (the live olive tree was a nice touch). The room category includes a desk/vanity area and a sofa that converts into a bed. There is also a walk-in closet area with plenty of storage. The Grand Dream Suites have a balcony large enough to fit a table and chairs, and two loungers.

Anyone who books a suite gets concierge service, complimentary access to the thermal suite, a complimentary cocktail event each evening, complimentary evening appetizers delivered to the room, access to “VIP spaces” (Rays and The Compass), and exclusive access to Smoked Olive for breakfast and lunch. Note: During these meal times, Smoked Olive offers the same menu as Thalassa (the main dining room); however, it is a more elevated dining experience with nicer views and a generally more upscale environment.

The “VIP spaces” are forgettable. Rays is an outdoor lounge area, and is the most disappointing part of the ship. Rather than an upscale VIP area, the fake grass and sterile white patio furniture make the area feel like a downgrade from the main outdoor deck (which has nicer loungers, a better view, and a pool!). The Compass is also unappealing: while in HAL days, this area would have offered snacks and concierge services, now it’s an unused desk and empty displays.

Arguably, the best perk afforded to suite guests is the access to Smoked Olive for breakfast and lunch. It’s a much nicer dining option than the buffet and dining room, both of which can be noisy by noon. And when your shore excursion leaves at 7:30 a.m., it’s nice to have a breakfast option with incredibly fast service (and no lines at the buffet).

Celestyal Journey Finds Its Niche Between Contemporary & Premium

Competitively priced without skimping on amenities and service, Celestyal offers an attractive option for cruisers who want a smaller ship experience without a luxury price tag. 

“We are in this really unique sweet spot. I’d say that we’re not contemporary and we’re not premium. We’re kind of right in the middle,” explained Stephanie McDonald, Celestyal’s North American-based manager, partner training and development. “That’s not to say that we don’t have contemporary, premium, [or] even luxury within ourselves, but we can be priced very contemporary, which means that we can be affordable to so many different people.”

The travel advisors TMR spoke to said that Celestyal offered excellent value, noting that it would be a good fit for first-time cruisers as well as experienced travelers who are looking for a more immersive experience but aren’t ready to pay for a premium or luxury cruise.  

“They’re better priced than most, and they don’t skip on anything,” said Loethen.

Fares start at under $1,000 for a seven-night cruise, based on double occupancy. Shore excursions average around $95, and can be bundled for additional savings—and these are comprehensive excursions with multiple experiences and often included food and drink. 

For example, the “Panoramic Dubrovnik, Village Life & Wine” option combines a guided city tour of Dubrovnik’s Old Town with a visit to a family-owned Croatian vineyard for a wine tasting and a guided tour of a traditional Dalmatian homestead, complete with refreshments (including excellent olive oil and soft cheeses). All this for about $130.  

The new Celestyal One fare structure includes basic beverages (water, coffee, tea, and juice), gratuities, port fees and taxes, and basic WiFi. Instead of beverage packages, guests can put money into a virtual wallet called CelestyalPay, which can be used for specialty food and drink. Guests get a bonus for pre-paying (for example, 100 euros for putting 500 euros into CelestyalPay), and, like the shore excursions, the package is commissionable.  

Celestyal Journey: An Ideal Ship for Laid-Back, Immersive Travel

The travel advisors TMR spoke to all agreed that Celestyal is a great fit for clients who are a bit more conservative and genuinely love immersive travel. Some advisors felt the ship would be a great fit for those in their 40s and 50s, while others said they would be suggesting it for clients aged 65+.

“The well-traveled that do care about the destinations, because those that haven’t traveled, they want to go to the spot that everybody goes to,” Loethen explained. “[Well-traveled clients] want the ports that not as many people visit, or that have a longer time in port so you don’t have to run off and run back on.”

Young adults wanting to party and families with young children are less likely to appreciate Celestyal Journey. The ship lacks kid-friendly activities and experiences: There are no playgrounds, splashpads, or even children’s media available on the stateroom TV. There is a kids club (ages 5 and up) that is open for very limited hours each day, but no babysitting services. Other than the pool, there aren’t many options to burn off energy.

Frank Newton, a Vacation Consultant with Expedia Cruises, told TMR that he would be returning from the FAM motivated to sell Celestyal.

“I can think of a good 10 clients right at the top of my head [to sell Celestyal to],” he said. “Clients who are about my age and a little bit younger, who aren’t huge thousand-person deck party people… They’re looking to have immersive and authentic experiences.”

Similarly, Shuler also said she’d be returning from the FAM inspired to sell Celestyal “more so than any other cruise line,” thanks to the “serene” atmosphere and friendly service.

“My clients are more conservative. They have the money, but they’re careful with it,” explained Schuler. “I think the price would be right for them.”