Travel Weekly asked Celestyal global Chief Commercial Officer, Lee Haslett, to share his thoughts on the current state of the cruise industry.
Tell us about the new travel agent tool
Our newly introduced ‘Cruise and Stay’ tool is a game changer for our agent partners. Until recently you could only book our fantastic cruises with Celestyal – now this innovative feature allows the trade to seamlessly book cruise and land packages, providing a complete travel experience.
Agents can add four-star or higher hotel stays, plus private transfers, providing a stress-free Celestyal experience for their customers from start to finish.
At the moment the service is currently available on select sailings from Athens, but we have plans to expand to the Arabian Gulf imminently.
We think this is going to go down particularly well down under as Australians appreciate a seamless travel experience after a long-haul journey.
How can cruise agents tap into new to cruise?
CLIA’s most recent survey of international holidaymakers – which was conducted in key source markets including Australia – revealed that 71 per cent of yet-to-cruise respondents are open to taking a holiday at sea. So clearly there is still a significant opportunity out there.
A holiday at sea offers many more benefits than a traditional land holiday, and during the current cost of living crisis, it’s worth highlighting the incredible value of everything on offer on a cruise, which is available at a price that land holidays just can’t compete with.
Offers and deals shouldn’t be underestimated with a first-time cruise audience and we are always looking at ways to pack even more value into our offering. For instance, our entry-level Celestyal Experience fare is designed to give our guests unbeatable value, offering complimentary dining, drinks with meals, credit to book shore excursions and all gratuities, which is something we know our Australian guests in particular appreciate not having to worry about.
And we’ve just launched our new spring deals, offering unbeatable savings of up to 50 per cent across our 2025, 2026 and early 2027 programs. More than 120 itineraries are included in this promotion, and they will be available to agents until the end of October this year. There really is a cruise for everyone as we offer itineraries ranging from three to fourteen nights, across the Greek Isles, Adriatic and Arabian Gulf, some costing less than $200 a day.
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 our jam-packed itineraries and bucket-list experiences, we offer value-conscious cruise packages that feature the best of our recently refurbished fleet – from award-winning bars, lounges and restaurants to opportunities to relax and unwind in our Sozo wellness spas, treatment areas and pools.
And where are return to cruise guests heading? How important are they?
The real beauty of tempting someone to take a cruise is the repeat rate of business it brings. The CLIA survey mentioned above also revealed that 82 per cent of cruisers will sail again once they have dipped their toes in the water. Taking the time to convert a yet-to-cruise customer can really pay long-term dividends.
For Celestyal, one of the primary motivators of launching our year-round expansion to the Arabian Gulf and our new Heavenly Adriatic itineraries (including Italy, Croatia and Montenegro) was our return guests. We know we do the Greek islands and Mediterranean like no other, but our customers told us that they wanted more destinations and more itineraries, so that they had a chance to discover even more with Celestyal.
We now have Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery based in the Mediterranean and Adriatic from March to October, with both ships heading to the Gulf for some sun from November to March, each year. Matched with our unique range of shorter three- and four-night cruises and longer seven- and 14-night voyages in each region, we feel there is now even more reason to return to the brand.
Like the CLIA results, 86 per cent of our customers tell us that they would cruise with Celestyal again, and our new year-round program and new itineraries gives them even greater options to get back onboard. It was essential to us to offer an expanded year-round cruise program to our loyal guests – we know the demand is there, they are telling us that, so along with a completely refreshed fleet, we’ve given them more reasons to return to Celestyal.
You offer short cruises that can be combined and run back-to-back – tell us about this approach?
What we’ve done is create consistency across our three-year program and our two regions, so that our agent partners can really understand our product offering.
In the Mediterranean you have Celestyal Discovery sailing our three- and four-night Iconic Aegean itinerary, offering port rich shorter cruises, ideal for adding on to longer land stays in Greece. On our four-night option you can visit an impressive seven different ports, with full days in Mykonos and Rhodes, plus a late-night departure from Santorini.
Celestyal Journey operates our longer seven-night sailings, Heavenly Adriatic and Idyllic Aegean, which can now be combined into unique 14-night options. These longer options are the perfect choice for any Australians planning a longer European break, and wanting to visit beautiful well-known ports, alongside some lesser-known hidden gems, with the ease and affordability of a cruise.
The set-up is replicated in our Arabian Gulf program with Celestyal Discovery sailing our three- and four-night Iconic Arabia sailings from Mina Zayed in Abu Dhabi and taking in the likes of Fujairah in the UAE, Muscat and Khasab in Oman, Doha in Qatar and Sir Bani Yas Island. These shorter options are perfect for Aussies doing a stop-over either to or from Europe and may also be combined into a seven-night Gulf Icons voyage from next year.
This year, Celestyal Journey will operate our seven-night Desert Days cruises, for those guests eager to start exploring more of the Arabian Gulf.
What are your most popular destinations, and how do you offer a fresh perspective on popular places?
Thanks to the regional expertise of our experienced crew and our boutique fleet of smaller ships, we prioritise as many ports as possible, from landmark destinations such as Mykonos, Santorini, Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, to less travelled, smaller ports that are accessible to only a few such as Patmos, Milos, and Sir Bani Yas Island.
And our fleet of mid-sized ships provide the perfect balance between intimacy and exploration. Both Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery carry around 1200 guests and easily sail into the smaller ports such as Bari in Italy or Katakolo in Greece.
Whether our days feature one port or two, late stays, longer days or overnights, our flexible itineraries ensure our guests experience as much as possible, for as long as possible. As we maximise time in port with extended stays this allows for relaxed dinners in destinations and fewer crowds, so our guests can truly immerse themselves in the destinations we visit. Some book for our icon destinations, but many come to Celestyal because we offer this mix of marquee destinations alongside hidden gem ports that only smaller ships can visit.
Our inaugural Arabian Gulf season later this year is also proving very popular with customers who are taking advantage of this new way to explore the region.
There’s a lot of talk about overtourism, especially with cruise passengers in the Greek Islands – how are you combating this or what are you doing in this space?
At Celestyal we fully support responsible tourism. We understand measures need to be put in place to ensure the ports we visit in Greece and further afield are enjoyed by all.
As a local cruise line that operates smaller ships, we have a particular interest in responsible tourism for Greece. We are working with the relevant teams across the islands to support initiatives such as enhanced berth request systems and scheduled visit times to popular landmarks.
As an industry, alongside our fellow cruise lines, CLIA and the destination management teams, we’re confident we can collectively provide a solution which allows for economic benefit to the destinations, while locals and tourists alike can appreciate this wonderful country.
What excites you at the moment – in the industry, onboard, new destinations?
While I’ve worked in travel for 25 years, I’ve only been in the cruise industry for 18 months, so in the scheme of things I’m relatively new to the space. That brings a fresh perspective and energy.
I’m excited about how much we’ve achieved in such a short space of time. We completely refreshed the fleet with Celestyal Journey joining the brand in September 2023 and Celestyal Discovery shortly after – both having an extensive refurbishment, with a further round planned for early 2025. We’ve introduced six new itineraries, seven new countries, 14 new ports, undergone a brand overhaul, gone year-round, invested heavily in new and existing talent, and we’ve only just started!
We are listening to our customers and trusted agents, and we’re building step changes in our customer offering and support functions. We never feel like we’re done, and that continuous improvement mindset within our business, is also exciting to me.
What do you see happening in cruise in the near future, any trends to watch?
I think we’re going to continue to see the rise of interest in cruise as a high value way to explore the world. I also strongly believe that cruise guests will continue to seek out unique holiday experiences that give them those cherished life-long memories.
Through service, destination choice, shore excursion offerings, onboard inclusions and much more, our guests want to feel special, to feel like they’ve had an experience that has been tailored to them.
Destination immersion is the cornerstone of Celestyal – and I think our guests and others will continue to want local, authentic encounters when they’re visiting these destinations. Our immersive itineraries are destination-focused and designed for the culturally curious.
Because we homeport in the two regions that we spend our time exploring, we pride ourselves on unique, locally-inspired shore excursions that tread beyond the tourist path – experiences that only those with a deep understanding of the local landscape can offer.
Onboard, our activities and cultural experiences are crafted by the expertise of our crew, intended to connect with local culture and bring you ever closer to the shores we sail alongside. We are told consistently by our guests that they want to tread like a local in destination but feel at home on the ship.
Can you reveal any exciting plans or news, what’s on the horizon?
We’ve achieved a lot in the last 18 months, however Celestyal is an ever-growing challenger brand – we’re continuing to invest in our product, systems and our people to ensure we continue to provide the outstanding service and product expertise we’re renowned for.
Both of our ships continue to receive investment, with some very exciting developments in the near horizon. Celestyal enters its 10-year anniversary next year, so expect celebrations and more news to mark this milestone. And we are continuously evaluating even more destinations we can visit- but we will continue to do so thoughtfully and be guided by our trusted agent community and guests.
We’re not done for this year, there is more on the horizon, and I don’t foresee our pace and energy slowing down any time soon.
What’s your personal favourite destination and do you have a bucket list trip/destination?
It’s tough to choose a single favourite destination, especially when our itineraries offer so many incredible places to explore. However, if I had to pick one, Patmos in the Greek islands holds a special place in my heart. There’s something magical about being able to visit this hidden gem on our cruises, as it offers somewhere off the beaten track, with a combination of rich history, stunning landscapes, and the warmth of the local culture.
As for a bucket list trip, I’ve always wanted to visit a Formula 1 Grand Prix race in the Arabian Gulf. Luckily for me, our inaugural sailings to the Arabian Gulf later this year both take in either the Qatar Grand Prix or the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. I plan to attend both on our tailored Desert Days cruise as we will be in port for both occasions to take in the races and sailing mid-week to enjoy the stunning surrounding region.
What do you personally love about cruising?
What I love most about cruising is the unique way it allows us to explore the world. Cruising is so varied, and you can set the pace. For instance, we offer three- and four-night mini cruises at a faster tempo, or seven and 14-night voyages that are more relaxed.
Cruising allows you to wake up each morning to a new destination, a different city or a stunning coastline which just can’t be replicated on any other form of travel. You can enjoy it solo, with a loved one, a group of friends or bring a multi-generational family, because there is a cruise for everyone.
And it’s so easy. Unpack once, have the comforts of delicious dining, bespoke cocktails, world-class entertainment, award winning spa offerings and attentive crew, all while exploring new destinations – simply unmissable.
What do you think makes Celestyal special?
Celestyal is special because it offers more than just a cruise; it provides an authentic, immersive travel experience. Our focus on destinations means that we don’t just visit a place – we bring our guests closer to the heart of each port. Whether it’s through our carefully curated shore excursions, allowing guests to delve into the local culture and history or our onboard programs that celebrate regional cuisine and traditions, Celestyal ensures that each guest is walking away with unmissable memories.
As is our heritage and custom, we welcome friends and strangers with open arms. Our smaller ships mean our hospitality feels effortlessly attentive, with a multi-lingual, multicultural crew always on hand to offer a personalised experience that will make our guests feel at home from the moment they step onboard.
Our Celestyal ‘secret sauce’ is made from a thousand ingredients, but the warmth of our hospitality, our mix of well-known and more undiscovered destinations, plus our links with the regions we visit feature high up on the list.
How does the Australian market fit in and how important is the market to Celestyal?
Feedback from our Australian guests is always incredibly positive; they love the destinations we visit; they love how they can really get under the skin of the ports we call at with our extensive shore excursion offering and they love everything that is included as standard.
In our entry level fare, we have shore excursion credit, drinks with meals, port fees and taxes, and gratuities all rolled into one affordable fare. There really are no hidden costs. Yet you can upgrade your experience with a specialty restaurant, spa experience or premium authentic encounter excursion should you want to indulge a little more.
We know there is huge potential to grow in Australia, we have our dedicated trade team in the market ready and waiting to speak to both our existing and potential agent partners. We also have a dedicated trade portal which has a whole host of tools, training and market resources available to use and we’re committed to investing in the brand to grow awareness in the region. Our aim is to double bookings from the Australian market next year and we feel we have a product the Aussies will appreciate.
For more information visit celestyal.com
