Celestyal cruises had a record year for bookings from Australia, and will next week announce enhanced itineraries for its 2025-26 season, including around its new Middle East homeports.
Celestyal CCO Lee Haslett and VP for Business Development Janet Parton were back in Australia to not only to celebrate the line’s 10th birthday at the Green Room of Quay restaurant in Sydney, but to thank their Australian partners and local travel media for their support.
The UK-operated Greek-owned Celestyal had a record year in 2024 with bookings up 37 per cent in the Australian market. Celestyal is also about to wrap up its first Arabian Gulf season and it has surpassed all expectations. Demand is so strong it has extended the season adding 10 per cent availability to the remaining season. Plus festive season and 2025 Desert Days cruises sailed at full capacity and they “smashed” estimated targets.
“We have made some quite big changes in our business in the past 12 months,” Parton said. “Australian and New Zealand is a really core market for us, we really, genuinely believe the-at there is a lot of growth opportunity in this market and we are currently 37 per cent up year on year in the Australian market.”
Celestyal now also offers a year-round deployment, which previously had been March to November in the Med, and includes the new winter deployment in the Arabian Gulf. From December 2025, Celestyal Journey will operate 7-night cruises out Doha, while Discovery will operate 3- to 4-night cruises out of Abu Dhabi. Tweaks will include add in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE.
In other regions, its 2024 Adriatic sailings had just one sailing, in 2025 it will offer 10. Fourteen night repositioning cruises will also be offered from Athens to the Arabian Gulf from November and will incide the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. More details will be released next week. Refurbishments on both Journey and Discovery are also ongoing with the latter having “open-heart surgery” to extend the ship and create 34 new cabins, including on the aft of Deck 6 and Grand Horizons suites with waterfall windows on Deck 11.
Local changes include the addition of Melbourne-based Ascend Travel group directors Julie Primmer and Lynda Wallace, as Celestyal’s local industry representatives. They are are supported in Australia by local BDM Mary Williams who was also in attendance at the lunch.
“Our travel agent partners are critical to this success, with the vast majority of Celestyal’s business coming via trade channels,” Wallace told Travel Weekly. “Celestyal has invested in training and engagement platforms offering new tools, assets and incentives to ensure our agent partners have everything they need to sell Celestyal cruises.
“We have a new pre-selling guide which informs our agent community on how they can sell even more Celestyal and earn even more commission, and a brand-new brochure out soon alongside all of our selling tools, marketing assets and training modules on the trade portal- Celestyal Compass.
“We are very grateful to our regional partners and the agent community for their support as the cruise line transitioned to a year-round program and offered its first Arabian Gulf season.
“We look forward to Celestyal’s return to the region with a full fleet in December, kicking off the season in Abu Dhabi for the Grand Prix on December 06, 2025.
Ascend’s Julie Primmer said Aussies love Celestyal for its focus on destination-rich itineraries that allow you to explore multiple ports, sometimes two in a day.
“Onboard, you’ll find a relaxed and fun atmosphere, perfect for unwinding and enjoying yourself. Celestyal offers an authentic and affordable way to cruise both the Mediterranean and the Arabian Gulf, with the added benefit of gratuities being included in your fare,” she said.
“We believe that an out-of-this-world holiday shouldn’t have to cost the earth. Instead, we’re passionate about high value across our fleet – be it value for time, money or experience. That’s why, alongside jam-packed itineraries and bucket-list experiences, they offer value-conscious cruise packages (with more inclusions than the rest) that feature the best of our recently refurbished fleet – from award-winning bars, lounges and restaurants, to slices of heaven in the form of spas, pools and spaces to take in the view.
“Aussies also love our inclusive cruise fare. Last year Celestyal launched a new Celestyal One fare, which includes WiFi, all meals, daily entertainment, evening shows in the Amphitheatro, water/ filter coffee/ tea throughout the day, free pour sodas during mealtimes, and all gratuities and port fees. They even added in free fresh pizza slices from our onboard Pizza Ovens and fresh snacks from the Greek Deli as part of the complimentary package. On top of this, Celestyal promise a destination immersive jam-packed itinerary, regional experience and an irresistible mix of visiting both iconic and hidden gem destinations.”
Featured image: Celestyal CCO Lee Haslett and Celestyal VP for Business Development Janet Parton. Photo: Grant Jones
