Celestyal will introduce a new simplified fare structure, a prepaid food and beverage digital wallet and add 47 new cabins to Celestyal Discovery in latest refit, as part of a major over of its offering.

‘Celestyal One’ will replace ‘Experience’ and ‘Experience Plus’ packages and will include the cruise fare, complimentary essential Wi-Fi for all guests, filter coffee, tea, water and juice throughout the day (6am-10pm), unlimited free soft drinks in the main restaurants with meals, as well as port fees and taxes, and crew gratuities.

Celestyal is also simplifying its drinks offering removing the “niggling” issue of beverage packages which will be replaced by ‘CelestyalPay’, a prepaid food and beverage wallet which will be used onboard for any non-complimentary food and drink purchases.

Guests can either add the charges to their account as they go or will be invited to preload their ‘CelestyalPay’ prior to sailing, to receive top-up bonus credit from the cruise line. Any leftover credits will for forfeited.

“At Celestyal we’ve been working hard for the last year, 18 months, to really transform the business and 2024 marked a really significant milestone for our company, as we kicked off the Mediterranean season in March with two fully refurbished ships the Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey, all under a new brand narrative and identity,” Celestyal chief commercial officer Lee Haslett told media.

As for Celestyal’s new territory in the Adriatic Sea, its Heavenly Adriatic cruise, which took guests through Greece to Croatia, Turkey, Montenegro and Italy, was a huge hit for Aussies.

“The Aussies are absolutely booking that, and they’re booking longer, longer, cruising with us and back-to-back cruising,” he said.

The announcements are coupled with an increase in complimentary eateries onboard. Guests can continue to take advantage of the main restaurant Thalassa and buffet-style Taverna across the line’s two-ship fleet, and now dine at the Greek Deli or Pizza Oven as additional complimentary informal eateries available in the afternoons.

“These changes will come into effect for bookings made from December the 11th this year, and it will start from all cruises departing from March the 21st, 2025, so that first cruise of the Mediterranean season, every passenger on board our ships will be on Celestyal One, and they will have the opportunity to have Celestial Pay,” VP for business development Janet Parton, said.

As far getting accustomed to a digital wallet, Parton said the transition will be supported by a calculator.

“There will be this really smart AI tool that will be implemented on the website and on the trade portal, so guests can type in what they think that they’re going to drink, you know, just a rough idea how many cocktails they might like to have, how many specialty diner restaurants they might like to have. And then it will give them an idea of how much celestial pay they should pre purchase,” she said.

New Grand Suites on Celesytal Discovery.

Refit of Celestyal Discovery

Celestyal has also begun a refit of the line’s newest ship, Celestyal Discovery, to include the introduction of 47 additional cabins, increasing the ship’s overall capacity to 1300 people, a 7.4 per cent uplift.

The new staterooms will include two ‘Grand Horizon Suites’ featuring expansive balconies and a unique position above the bridge. They will also showcase a new design language that will change with the seasonal homeports. There will also be the addition of 30 newly designed ‘Junior Dream Suites’, a new stateroom category on the ship, and 15 further spacious interior ‘Cosmos Cabins’.

Mirroring the offering on her fleet mate, Celestyal Discovery’s ‘Smoked Olive’ restaurant will now be available as a dedicated dining space for all suite guests. The refit will also include an extra ‘pop up’ evening restaurant with a bookable private dining area, offering high-end specialty regional cuisine inspired by the destinations on the ship’s itinerary.

An aerial impression of the new Grand Suite layout on Celestyal Discovery.

“We’re passionate about high value – whether it’s value for time, money or experience. So, we’re thrilled to be introducing our new ‘Celestyal One’ fare structure and ‘CelestyalPay’ as a direct response to feedback from our guests and travel agent partners. Our new simplified approach offers enhanced inclusions, more choice, more flexibility and out-of-this-world value,” Haslett said.

“From complimentary essential Wi-Fi, unlimited sodas and crew gratuities to an expanded range of locally inspired dining options, we’re making sure guests have everything they need to enjoy their time onboard with ease and convenience.”

The major announcement follows on from Celestyal securing a home port in Doha for the next three years, showing the lines commitment to the region which it has identified as the next hot new global cruise destination, including for Australians. Celestial Journey is on the way there at the moment, to starts its inaugural first season on Saturday, 30 November, just in time for the Qatar F1.

Qatar deal cemented with Abu Dhabi home port

Last week, Celestyal announced it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Visit Qatar at World Travel Market in London. As part of the deal, Celestyal will promote Qatar as a key destination among cruise line guests and agent partners.

“We’re really pleased to announce that we’re going to have the Celestial Discovery join her fleet mate in the Gulf, home ported in Abu Dhabi starting in November 2025,” Haslet said.

Celestyal signs official MOU with Visit Qatar 

In recognition of the uplift in premium cabins now available, the cruise line has also announced a significant enhancement to their fleet-wide premium stateroom offering. Alongside priority check-in, it now includes a ‘Sail Away’ party for all balcony and suite guests, a pillow menu, daily hosted cocktail hours and exclusive access to the private Ray’s Sundeck and Cabanas area exclusive to ‘Grand Dream’ and ‘Grand Horizon Suite’ guests.

On Celestyal Journey, Grand Suite guests also receive complimentary access to the Thermal Spa Suite complete with private jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and a private relaxation area. Guests in the ‘Stargazer Penthouse Suite’ will also enjoy an in-room ‘bottomless’ mini bar.

“Following Celestyal Discovery’s extensive refurbishment at the start of 2024, this latest refit reinforces our commitment to constantly evolving our guest experience and offering our guests out-of-this-world value,” Celestyal’s VP brand, marketing, communications and customer experience, Anna Gregori, said.

“The addition of new premium staterooms, including our stunning ‘Grand Horizon Suites’ and a wealth of enhanced balcony and suite benefits, provide our guests with even more home comforts and choice as they explore the incredible destinations we visit.”

All additions will be completed on Celestyal Discovery from April 2025 and the new cabins will be on sale from December 10, 2024.

The new way to pay for non-complementary food and drinks, Celestyal Pay.

As part of the cruise line’s current promotional offer, valid to November 24, 2024, a three-night ‘Iconic Aegean’ cruise on Celestyal Discovery departing Athens on November 21, 2025, and calling at Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos and Santorini, is priced from A$499 per person twin share for an interior Cosmos cabin, A$1109pp for a Balcony Cabin, and A$1629pp for a Grand Dream Suite.

Celestyal Discovery already underwent a multi-million Euro refurbishment in Athens following her purchase in November 2023. The line invested in the social spaces onboard, along with a complete stateroom refresh and the additions of a new coffee bar, Café Nation, as well as the Pizza Oven eatery and the Discovery Lounge.