Celestyal Cruises
Mainstream Cruising
Celestyal is the best-kept secret in Greek Islands cruising. They're the only line homeporting in Greece year-round, and those 3- and 4-night Iconic itineraries hitting Mykonos, Santorini, and Patmos are extraordinary value when you factor in the all-inclusive pricing — meals, drinks, excursions, tips, the lot. The ships are mid-size and nothing flashy, but the itineraries and the price point are hard to argue with if Greece is what you're after.
Celestyal Cruises is a Greek-owned line with over 30 years of experience and a laser focus on its home waters. It is the only cruise company to homeport in Greece year-round, sailing from Athens (Piraeus and Lavrio) to the Aegean islands, Turkey, and the wider Eastern Mediterranean. That singular geographic focus is both its greatest strength and its defining characteristic — Celestyal does not try to be all things to all travellers, and the result is a product that feels authentically rooted in the region rather than passing through it.
The fleet consists of two mid-sized ships, Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery, each carrying around 1,200 passengers. These are not the newest or most glamorous vessels afloat, but their size allows access to smaller island ports that mega-ships cannot reach, and recent refurbishments — including in-cabin experience tablets fleet-wide in early 2026 — have brought the hardware up to a comfortable standard. The real draw is the itinerary design: 3-, 4-, and 7-night sailings that pack in iconic stops like Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, Patmos, and Kusadasi, often with overnight stays that let passengers experience sunset and nightlife ashore.
Pricing is genuinely all-inclusive and remarkably competitive. Fares bundle meals, a classic drinks package, two select shore excursions, port charges, entertainment, and gratuities. Seven-night sailings start under $900 per person, and the shorter 3-night Iconic Greek Islands voyages can be had for under $400 — making Celestyal one of the strongest value propositions in Mediterranean cruising. Onboard programming leans into Greek culture with cooking classes, dancing lessons, and regional cuisine in both buffet and a-la-carte settings.
For 2026, Celestyal has expanded its range with a 7-night Heavenly Adriatic itinerary adding Dubrovnik, Kotor, and Corfu alongside Greek island ports, and the line continues to offer winter sailings to Dubai and the Arabian Gulf. Having closed its strongest season to date in late 2025 — with passenger numbers up 4% and revenue up 10% — Celestyal is quietly proving that a focused, value-driven approach to Greek Islands cruising has a loyal and growing audience.
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