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Celestyal Cruises Review: An All-Inclusive Mediterranean Cruise

Of all the cruises in Europe, it’s been a dream bucket list item for us to sail the Mediterranean. Our dreams finally came true when we decided to join a luxury cruise of the Mediterranean with Celestyal Cruises. We’re going to break down our entire experience in this Celestyal Cruises review so that you can know what to expect if you plan on joining their all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise for yourself.

This was only our second cruise, but it certainly left an impression. If you want to cruise the Mediterranean in luxury, we can definitely recommend Celestyal Cruises.

Our experience on this small cruise ship through the Greek Islands was one we will never forget. Beyond exploring the Greek islands of Crete, Santorini, and Volos, we got to cruise to Turkey, a destination we’d been dreaming to visit for ages, and enjoyed a jam-packed Turkey itinerary . We also had the chance to cruise from Istanbul to Greece, enjoying a day at sea to take full advantage of the amenities offered onboard.

What We Will Discuss in this Post

In this Celestyal Cruises review, I’ll break down the Celestyal experience , including their Greek cruise tours , the Celestyal Crystal ship , and their Mediterranean cruise stops .

I will also describe each of the Mediterranean cruise ports , so you have all the info you need in case you plan on doing independent travel.

Finally, I’ll go into detail a bit about the value of their all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise , and the best time for Mediterranean cruises . Now let’s get on with it, shall we?

Read on to learn more about why we recommend Celestyal Cruises for your luxury small ship cruises of the Greek islands and beyond!

Celestyal Experience

Greek cruise tours, superior service, the greek table experience.

• Drinks Package 

Premium Drinks Package

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Celestyal Cruises is a reputable Mediterranean cruise company rated highly on Cruise Critic .

We had an amazing time experiencing the all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises offered by Celestyal, and want to dive deep to offer you a Celestyal Cruise review to help you plan your journey. If you want to plan a trip to Greece , we highly recommend considering a Greek cruise with them.

We’ve experienced one other cruise before, but to be honest, nothing compares to the luxury, comfort, service, and ease of navigating these small ship Mediterranean cruises with Celestyal. Because the Celestyal Cruise ships are smaller than others we’ve been on, we found it to be far easier to explore and feel at home on.

Celestyal prides itself on being the top choice for Greek island small ship cruises.

I’ll now dive into everything that went into making the Celestyal experience so special and memorable, including iconic Mediterranean cruise stops, top-notch tours (and tour guides), superior service, delicious food, a legendary drinks package, fun on-board entertainment, and a seamless travel and international border experience as easy as swiping a card.

The excursions provided on the Celestyal Crystal were one of the standouts of the Celestyal experience for us. The Greek cruise tours with Celestyal took us to unforgettable destinations like Santorini and Istanbul.

We went on excursions in every port on our 8 night New Year’s cruise with the Celestyal Crystal. Thanks to the excursions, we were able to visit electrifying places like the Hagia Sophia and Ephesus—places that literally  spoke to our souls . This part of the world is so rich with history, culture, and so on, and getting the chance to dive in head first and experience some of its wonders is such an amazing opportunity.

The tour guides were all outstanding.  They were personable, knowledgeable, friendly, and funny, able to muster laughs from us even when we were tired in the morning. Most importantly, they provided loads of valuable insights into the history and local life of each destination.

Transportation was also well organized and disembarking from and embarking on the ship from the tours was a breeze.

The service with Celestyal was everything we’d hoped for on a luxury cruise in the Mediterranean. All the staff was professional and courteous, and there were several crew members who absolutely went above and beyond in making us feel welcomed and taken care of.

We’d love to give a shoutout Dastan, Irene, and Aziza—there were many, many amazing employees, but these wonderful humans in particular just made us light up with joy every time we saw them. They went above and beyond and provided a standout experience. I feel terrible because I just know there were even more people on the ship that made our experience amazing too, but at least I can shed some love on these wonderful individuals!

Impeccable Food & Drinks Package

  Eating on a cruise is one of the best darn parts of cruising, and Celestyal Cruises serves up some mighty yummy tastes of the region on their all-inclusive cruises in the Mediterranean.

For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you can choose to dine in a buffet or in one of the sit-down service dining areas.

The food, in a word, was AMAZING. I’m talking the juiciest lobster I’ve possibly ever had, fish and shrimp and steak, traditional Greek options, desserts to satisfy  any sweet tooth, so many international options (the Asian food was GLORIOUS) and so much more.

We LOVED that we could choose from Indian biryani, Greek gyros, and even pho! Who knew that you could ever get pho on a cruise, which was honestly such a heavenly treat.

Towards the end of the cruise, the crew put on a special BBQ night on the pool deck. Definitely don’t miss this if you’re on a Celestyal cruise!

The BBQ night was a ton of fun, with delicious seafood, grilled meats, and other goodies. The deck was decorated with a festive atmosphere and even ice sculptures!

This isn’t even all the dining that Celestyal offers on its cruises, though. There’s also the speciality, reservation-only restaurant in a private dining room.

The Greek Table Experience by renowned chef Diane Kochilas offers cruisers an elevated Greek dining experience. We had been looking forward to the specialty Greek dinner the whole cruise, and it did not disappoint!  

The six course meal we had at the specialty restaurant was absolutely our top dining experience on the cruise.  

Everything we tasted was delicious, but our standout was the lobster with ouzo-scented rice — it was probably the most delicate and tender lobster we’ve ever had! We also really loved the Cretan octopus carpaccio, with a bright splash of orange-ouzo vinaigrette and crisped fennel.  

This experience does have an additional cost, but we think it is totally worth it if you’re looking for truly divine cuisine.

Drinks Package  

WE GOTTA TALK ABOUT THESE DRINKS.

This all inclusive cruise in the Mediterranean won us over from the beginning with its inclusive drinks package!

Every cruise with Celestyal is totally all-inclusive for many drinks, both of the alcoholic and non-alcoholic variety. I mean we’ve never seen anything like this included on a cruise!

The “basic” drinks package that is included with every cruise fare is mind-blowingly extensive — it includes 47 different drinks. This includes water (hot/cold coffee and tea, sodas, juices, draft beer, wine, a choice of liquors, and Mai Tai / Bloody Mary cocktails. Looks like a pretty good list to us!

But if you want to take it even further, we recommend upgrading to the premium drinks package.

We had the premium all-inclusive drinks package, so we had our choice of everything offered with the inclusive package, and them some. A WHOLE LOTTA SOME.

We were spoiled for choice with over 100 drink choices, ranging from premium liquors and wine, to smoothies and milkshakes. Yes, PLEASE.

We fell head over heels in love with Celestyal’s inclusive drink package. Having never cruised with an all-you-can-drink package, we had a blast treating ourselves to whatever drink we fancied, because it was already included for us. Such. A. Treat.

There is a variety of entertainment available day and night on Celestyal cruises.  

Some of the entertainment offered onboard includes:

• Live music and dancing in the Eros and Muse lounges
• Themed song-and-dance shows nightly with performances by performers from Cirque Fantastic
• Arts & Crafts
• Dancing lessons
• Language Lessons
• Cooking  & Cocktail Demonstrations
• Onboard Casino
• Pool & Jacuzzi

As an all inclusive cruise in the Mediterranean, all port charges & gratuities are included in your fare, so you don’t have to worry about any surprise charges at the end of your cruise.

Celestyal Crystal Ship

The ship we were on for our cruise was the Celestyal Crystal. Here’s a Celestyal Crystal review for important details about the ship.

The Celestyal Crystal ship is rated the highest of any of Celestyal Cruises ships on Cruise Critic . According to Cruise Critic, the Crystal spends more time in port than most mainstream cruise lines, offering top-notch shore excursions, which we absolutely love.

Though it’s a full-featured cruise ship, the Crystal is smaller than other international cruise ships. Its smaller size made it really easy to navigate as we cruised the Mediterranean. We never got lost or struggled to find places.

Our room on the Celestyal Crystal was very comfortable, including a private balcony. Needless to say, we WENT GAGA FOR our private balcony when we first saw it.

On small ship Mediterranean cruises, there’s definitely a quieter and less crowded atmosphere.

We loved the Crystal’s smaller size. The experience on a smaller cruise ship is certainly more intimate — the crew is smaller, so we always saw familiar faces, and they would often greet us by name. To us, it felt like another touch of luxury on this Mediterranean cruise.

With Celestyal, you can sail the Mediterranean in a smaller cruise ship. Celestyal’s cruise ships are smaller than other cruise lines, making it possible to dock at ports that larger ships cannot.

Here’s a description of the Celestyal Crystal deck plan for an idea of the ship’s layout.

There are 9 decks accessible to guests (Decks 2-10), with the remaining decks accessible only to crew.  

Staterooms are between Decks 2 and 7.

Deck 5: Shore excursions, Agora marketplace, reception, Olympus restaurant, Thalassa outdoor bar, jacuzzi

Deck 8: Muses & Eros lounges, casino, Kids Corner, conference area, library, Amalthia restaurant

Deck 9: Beauty center, massage room, sauna, gym, Helios bar, swimming pool, Leda & Aura dining rooms

Deck 10: Horizons lounge & bar, roof deck

Celestyal offers many different all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises from Athens to explore various parts of the Mediterranean.

While there are many reasons we loved our Celestyal Crystal cruise, one of our absolute favorite parts is that it was all inclusive!  

We’d never been on any all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises before. So for us, it felt like such a treat to be able to enjoy the best of everything the Celestyal Crystal cruise had to offer. With everything included, there’s absolutely no FOMO here —you can try everything to your heart’s content!  

Mediterranean Cruise Stops

When I have a glance at the Celestyal Cruise website, every single cruise they offer triggers my wanderlust. Their all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise stops are amaaaaazing.

Our Celestyal experience in particular took off from Athens and stopped at Crete, Santorini, Kusadasi, Istanbul, Volos, and finally, Piraeus.

I’ll dive a bit into our experience at each of these Mediterranean cruise stops now.

Heraklion, Crete was the first stop on our itinerary.

Crete, the largest island in Greece, is a popular stop with many small ship cruises to the Greek islands , and we sure could see why. We arrived on beautiful day, and even though it was the middle of winter, the sky a clear blue, the sun shining blissfully, and the water an electric blue.

We took an excursion to the ruins of the Minoan Palace of Knossos, included for everyone on the cruise, which just further enhances the value and integrity of Celestyal’s all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise experience.

Knossos is one of the most important Bronze Age sites in Greece, with a history dating back over 3500 years. It’s home to the oldest existing throne in the world, and beautiful frescoes depicting sacred bulls and the daily life of the Minoans.

Thanks to our knowledgeable guide, we were able to get some insight into the history of the site and how it was reconstructed.

After the tour, we spent some time walking around Heraklion’s gorgeous harbor. Don’t miss the Venetian Koules Fortress, a beautiful stone fort in the harbor dating back to the 16th century.

Our next stop was Santorini. This was one of our most-anticipated stops on our Celestyal cruise, and it did not disappoint!

We took an excursion that took us to the villages of Megalochori and Oia. Megalochori was traditionally the largest village on the island, and is a good place to get a feel for local life on Santorini.

Oia is where you’ll find the most famous view of Santorini with the three blue domes perched on the edge of the caldera.

Santorini is understandably one of the most popular destinations for Greek island cruises in small ships. But since we visited in winter, we were able to marvel at the stunning views without dealing with the crowds that are present other times of the year.

The tour took us back to Fira, which is the main town above the port. We used the rest of the day to explore the villages in between Fira and Oia, taking photos to our heart’s content and feasting our eyes on the INCREDIBLE views.

We took the cable car down to the port just after sunset and took a tender boat back to the ship. The tenders run about every half an hour or so.

We left Santorini that night, setting off on the next leg on our cruise to Turkey.

The first stop on our cruise to Turkey was Kusadasi. It’s a popular resort city due its beautiful coastline and the numerous beaches in Kusadasi.

We went on an excursion included for all cruisers that took us to the ruins of Ephesus, which are not too far from Kusadasi. This excursion was one of the two that was included for every cruiser on this all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise!

The excursion took us by bus from the Kusadasi cruise port straight to the stunning Greco-Roman ruins of Ephesus.

Ephesus was one of the most important ancient Greek cities in Asia Minor, and today is home to some exceptional well-preserved ruins like the Library of Celsus.

As in Knossos, our knowledgeable guide shared many valuable tidbits with us. Thanks to him, we learned that we were walking on original marble pavestones that were two thousand years old.

On the way back from Ephesus to Kusadasi, we were taken to a fascinating rug-making demonstration. There, we had the chance to see silk worm cocoons transformed into silk threads and knotted into immaculate silk rugs. We got to have some Turkish drinks and lunch at the rug shop, and then it was time to continue our bus ride from Ephesus to Kusadasi.

Leaving right away from the Kusadasi cruise port, it was time for our cruise to Istanbul. I loved hearing the beautiful calls to prayer as we were leaving —one of the benefits of cruises from Kusadasi, I guess!

We celebrated our cruise to Istanbul with some sundowner drinks at the outdoor Thalassa bar, eagerly anticipating the next day.

We spent 2 days in Istanbul, and they were truly a highlight of our cruise!

We were in love with Istanbul from the first glimpses of Istanbul’s cultural gems as we pulled up to the Istanbul cruise port. The views of the Hagia Sophia and the dozens of Ottoman mosques lining the Bosphorus strait stunned us in the golden morning light.

We went off an excursion to the Istanbul Spice Market and later a Bosphorus boat cruise in Istanbul.

Istanbul is a vibrant, bustling city with a rich and layered history. You immediately get a sense of that the moment you leave the Istanbul cruise ship terminal, passing right by a beautiful Ottoman-era mosque.

We had fun checking out the spice market, with its delicious samples of Turkish delight and other treats.

Next, it was time for our boat cruise around Istanbul. We hopped on a smaller boat to explore the Bosphorous Strait, taking in the gorgeous scenery as our tour guide told us about the city. We got the chance to wave hello to our Celestyal Crystal cruise ship at the Istanbul cruise ship terminal, as we took in incredible views up and down the Bosphorus strait.

There are over 3000 mosques in the city, and we probably saw at least 300 of them on our boat tour in Istanbul. The tour boat docked on the Asian side of the city for a few minutes, giving us an opportunity to stand on two continents within a matter of minutes.

On the boat trip in Istanbul, we could tell that it’s a really huge city, and we barely scraped the surface of it. We’d love to come again and delve deeper into its secrets.

Time to head back to the cruise port in Istanbul for New Year’s Eve!

We watched an INCREDIBLE sunset from our cruise in Istanbul on top of the Crystal’s deck. Watching the fiery sun sink behind a silhouetted backdrop of the towers of Istanbul’s mosques is something we’ll NEVER forget.

We celebrated the New Year by making heavy use of Celestyal’s inclusive drinks package, and views of some fireworks from the top deck.

Celestyal Cruises made our New Years very special, serving a particularly memorable dinner of lobster and steak (accompanied by a hilarious display of the crew in wigs, as well as party hats and kazoo at each table setting). We also had live music and delicious tapas served at night.

Starting New Year’s Day bright and early, we headed out on a full-day excursion to Istanbul’s old city, in the heart of ancient Constantinople.

With so many things to do in Sultanhamet, Istanbul , it’s no surprise our tour would begin there. This historic district of Istanbul is known as the Old City, and once was the illustrious capital of the Byzantine Empire.

We started in Sultanahmet Square, the former Hippodrome of Constantinople. The square has a history of two millennia, and proudly sports an ancient Egyptian obelisk.

We were fortunate to visit the Blue Mosque , even though it was largely covered up for renovations. Next stop was Hagia Sophia, which greeted us with an incredibly long line.

The wait to get into Hagia Sophia is so worth it! The moment we entered, we were immediately struck by its immensity and grandeur. It was the largest church and building in the world for almost 1000 years, then a mosque, then a museum, and now a mosque again.

Leaving Hagia Sophia in awe, we visited Topkapi Palace, the home of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years. It’s full of beautiful art and architecture, and we saw some very interesting displays of royal jewels, armor, and weaponry.

After lunch, we learned about local Istanbul crafts, and then visited the Spice Market again. Normally, the tour takes you to the Istanbul Grand Bazaar, but unfortunately it was closed on New Year’s Day.

Soaking up some last-minute vibes on Istanbul’s streets, it was time to head back to the ship. We were absolutely EXHAUSTED after the 2 packed days we’d had in Istanbul, and were looking forward to resting on the coming day at sea to enjoy the amenities on board the Celestyal Crystal ship.

After 2 busy days in Istanbul, it was time on our cruise from Istanbul to Greece to take a rest on the day at sea. We used this time wisely to enjoy some of the amenities onboard and treat ourselves to what our luxury Mediterranean cruise had to offer.

We honestly spent most of the time just soaking up the sun and mesmerizing views of the ocean blue from our private balcony. We also spent some quality time at the outdoor Thalassa bar, enjoying the Mediterranean views while getting our drink on, baby!

We had fun playing games in the Eros lounge, and then Lauren got ready for her much-needed massage at the spa.

After the massage, we had a dinner reservation at the specialty restaurant at the Aura dining room on Deck 9.

Like we mentioned previously, the speciality dining experience was a highlight of the cruise, and we’d highly recommend it! We had been looking forward to this meal the whole cruise, and it did not disappoint.

Our penultimate stop on our amazing luxury small ship cruise in the Greek islands was the city of Volos. We went off on an excursion to the gravity-defying Meteora Monasteries .

Over the centuries, 24 monasteries were built here on top of otherworldly sheer rock formations near the town of Kalambaka in central Greece. It’s one of the largest and most important groups of Eastern Orthodox monasteries. The remaining monasteries are a UNESCO World Heritage site, and are just as incredible to visit in person as they look in pictures.

We visited two of the monasteries on the excursion. We had a bit of free time to search for the best viewpoints, and took tons of pictures.

After the two hour bus ride back to the ship, we departed for Piraeus, where we would close out our small ship cruise in the Greek islands.

Piraeus is where most of the cruises to Athens start and end.

Disembarking the ship was easy, and retrieving our luggage was quick and seamless. We’ll get more into the Mediterranean cruise ports in the next section!

Mediterranean Cruise Ports

Our 8-night all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise took us to several different Mediterranean cruise ports in Greece and Turkey. Leaving from Lavrion port near Athens, we visited Crete, Santorini, Kusadasi, Istanbul, Volos,   and ended in Piraeus.  

Read on to learn about what each Mediterranean cruise port is like:

The Heraklion cruise port is walking distance (about 20 minutes) to the city center. The cruise port itself doesn’t have much in the way of amenities, but it’s close enough to Heraklion that you can easily get to the city or its harbor on your own.

Cruise ships can’t reach the port at Santorini, so you have to take a tender boat to the port.

If there’s rough weather, the tender boats sometimes can’t make it, which would be so sad! Luckily, we were blessed with amazing weather the whole cruise, so we got to the port with no trouble.

The port is below the town of Fira, which is the biggest settlement on the island. When you get off the tender boat, you can either walk up the steep 600 steps to Fira, pay to take a donkey ride up, or take a cable car up.

The Kusadasi cruise port is located right in the middle of the city and its coastline. The cruise port itself has lots of shops and restaurants, and just outside of it there’s even more shopping and dining to be had. There are some beaches in Kusadasi not too far from the port, as well.

The Istanbul cruise port is really modern and absolutely HUGE. It probably takes almost 10 minutes to walk from the Istanbul cruise ship terminal entrance to the ship.

Going through the Istanbul cruise port is like navigating through a small airport. As of 2023, the Istanbul cruise ship terminal itself is pretty empty of anything besides one shop, long hallways, and a couple security stations. This may change in the future as development on the cruise port in Istanbul continues.

There are many places to shop and dine lining the promenade immediately outside of the Istanbul cruise port. Istanbul is a huge city with tons to do, so you’re never too far away from shopping, dining, or other entertainment.

The Volos cruise port is pretty spartan.

We didn’t notice any amenities in the port at all, and it seems a bit far to walk to the more interesting parts of the city. If you want to visit any of the attractions around Volos independently, such as the mountain villages nearby or the Meteora Monasteries, you’ll have to arrange transport. Otherwise, we highly recommend joining a tour with Celestyal Cruises to ensure you get back on board on time before the ship leaves.

Piraeus is the biggest port in Greece, and has three different cruise ship terminals. No matter which terminal you dock at, it’s easy to get to the rest of Athens or other destinations from Piraeus.

There are many beautiful Greek islands near Athens , so Piraeus is one of the most frequented Mediterranean cruise ports.

Celestyal’s all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises are our new favorite (and affordable) way to cruise the Mediterranean in luxury.

If you’re looking for some cheap Mediterranean cruise deals, definitely consider cruising with Celestyal!

We found Celestyal’s cruises to be an amazing value. This is especially so when you consider that they’re totally all-inclusive, and that some excursions are included on every itinerary. You really do get so much for your money!

Celestyal offers luxury Mediterranean cruise departures between March and December each year. We think there’s not really a bad time for a small ship cruise in Greece. With this being said, there are things you need to consider in certain times of the year.  

In summer, temperatures in the eastern Mediterranean can approach 100 °F (37 °C), and crowds can be an issue in places like Santorini. Prices are also higher in the busy summer season.

Conversely, in winter, prices are lower, there are FAR fewer crowds, and the temperatures are cooler — usually not TOO cold, though.  

Wind can be an issue any time of the year, and if it’s too windy, it can affect tender boats in places like Santorini.

We cruised with Celestyal at the end of December. There was beautiful sunny weather almost the entire cruise, and we certainly enjoyed the lack of crowds in places like Santorini.  

If you’re looking to cruise the Mediterranean on an all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise, we hope you’ve found our Celestyal cruise review helpful.  Our Celestyal experience was one we will never forget, and we truly had the best time. The hardest part of the whole cruise was saying goodbye—we never wanted to leave!

Read more Celestyal Cruises reviews here .

There are many all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises in Europe to choose from, but we love Celestyal for their commitment to outstanding service, all-inclusivity, comfort, and quality for the ultimate cruise experience.  We love the concept of taking a small cruise ship to the Greek islands and beyond, enjoying a smaller, easily navigable ship with a tight-knit crew that started to feel like family.

Cruising with Celestyal is hands-down our favorite cruising experience we’ve had, and would fully recommend them to anyone looking for an all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise. We would LOVE to cruise again with them on another of their Mediterranean and Greek island small ship cruises in a heartbeat.

If you have any questions that we didn’t cover in our Celestyal Cruises review, please feel free to reach out on any of our social media platforms and we would be ecstatic to assist you!

Disclosure: This post is a collaboration with Celestyal Cruise line, but as always, all opinions are very much our own!

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Have you joined any all-inclusive Mediterranean cruises in Europe?

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Benjamin Juster

2014 Jeopardy College Championship contestant fond of Mexican food, hiking, learning new languages and obscure history, Ben has temporarily settled on Jeju Island in Korea to teach English and travel.

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Celestyal Cruises Review: An Amazing Way to Visit Greece

Posted on Published: May 22, 2024  - Last updated: June 11, 2024

Categories Asia , Blog , Celestyal Cruises , Cruise , Europe , Greece , Turkiye

Greece and the Greek Islands are some of the dreamiest destinations in the world that belong on any travel bucket list. Justin and I recently visited Greece on a seven day cruise, and we’re sharing all the details in this Celestyal Cruises review. If you’re planning a trip to the Greece islands, consider embarking on this unique cruising adventure around the picturesque Aegean Sea.

What sets Celestyal Cruises apart from other cruise lines? Why might you decide to take a Greek cruise to the islands rather than other modes of transportation? In this Celestyal cruise review, we’re going to answer all of your questions and showcase our amazing week in Greece and Turkiye from the Celestyal Crystal ship.

This article contains affiliate links, which help run this site at no extra cost to you.

Table of Contents

Celestyal Cruises Review: About the Cruise Line

If you’re thinking about taking a cruise in Greece, Celestyal Cruises is the most popular choice for those traveling to Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean. They’ve won over 60 awards in the past seven years, and guests describe them as the “only genuine Greek cruising experience”. This is a Greek cruise line where they are the experts in Greece and the Aegean Islands.

The Celestyal Cruise line operates out of Athens, and was formerly known as Louis Cruises and Louis Cruise Lines. At the time of writing this article, Celestyal Cruises has two cruise ships: Celestyal Crystal and Celestyal Olympia. We sailed on the Celestyal Crystal. In September 2023, Celestyal Crystal will leave the fleet and all sailings will be transferred on the newest vessel, Celestyal Journey.

Celestyal’s cruise ships are medium-sized liners, meaning that they can reach ports that larger vessels simply cannot access. It is a great way to visit unique smaller destinations that are less visited by other cruise lines. This also means that there are fewer passengers on board, generally around 1200.

If you are looking for a cruise ship with all the bells and whistles, Celestyal Cruises may not be for you. However, if you like to focus on traveling to the ports and the destination itself, we highly recommend sailing with Celestyal.

Watch our Greek Isles Cruise Video

This is a cinematic video from our Greek Isles cruise with Celestyal Cruises. You can also watch the full video on YouTube and be sure to subscribe to our channel while you’re there.

Celestyal Cruises Review: Inclusive vs Enhanced Cruise Fare

In comparison to other cruise lines, sailing with Celestyal Cruises offers an incredible value. To keep your cruise set to your personal budget, you can choose the inclusive fare or the enhanced fare. With the inclusive cruise fare, you’ll receive an $80 shore excursion credit, complimentary dining, select drinks included with dining, entertainment, onboard activities, and port expenses and gratuities are included.

The enhanced fare starts for as little as $170 additional per person. You’ll receive a $160 shore excursion credit, premium drinks package, onboard entertainment and activities, complimentary dining, Wi-Fi access for one hour each day, and port expenses and gratuities are included.

If your budget allows for it, the enhanced cruise fare is well worth the cost. Your cruise is nearly an all-inclusive sailing with a premium drinks package and one or two shore excursions included (if priced at $160 or less).

Our Idyllic Aegaen seven-night cruise starts at $889 per person, though fares with Celestyal Cruises start at just $339 per person (three night cruise). It’s extremely well priced and ends up being far cheaper than a hotel stay, especially when it also includes food, drink and entertainment.

Celestyal Cruises Review: Ship Amenities

We sailed on the Celestyal Crystal and I’ll briefly mention the amenities on board the ship. As the Celestyal Crystal is being retired in September 2023, you should look into the amenities on board the newest ship, Celestyal Journey, as well as the Celestyal Olympia. This ship is pretty bare bones for amenities, but it had everything we needed.

Pool and Jacuzzi

There is one small swimming pool on the cruise ship, as well as one jacuzzi at the back of the ship. There were always a few kids in the pool, and there’s only really room for a few people at a time. You can’t really swim laps as it’s pretty small. It’s great to have a pool for cooling down or to entertain the kids, but I’d suggest going to a beach on land instead.

Promenade Deck

There is a promenade deck on deck five that wraps around the entire ship. It isn’t as long as the promenade deck on some other cruise ships because the Celestyal Crystal is smaller, but it’s still a lovely continual jaunt. You can certainly walk laps here (3.5 laps equals 1km, and 5.5 laps equals 1 mile). Many newer cruise ships have done away with the promenade deck entirely, which is a shame. I was happy to see one here.

Spa and Fitness Center

The Sana Wellness Center is the spa on board where you can pamper yourself. Make an appointment with the team for spa treatments, hair treatments, and beauty services. Near the spa, there’s a small fitness center with cardio equipment, weights, and some weight machines, too.

The casino on the Celestyal Crystal is a smaller room and it’s operational when the ship sails at night. There are several slot machines and one gaming table. We don’t really like to gamble, so we didn’t enter the casino at all.

Shops on Board

There is a duty free and value shop that’s open when the ship is sailing. It is a tax-free shop with a wide variety of gifts, alcohol, and essential items you might need throughout your stay.

There is also a shore excursions desk, the front reception desk, and a photo shop featuring pictures that you’ve had taken by the professional photographers on board.

Celestyal Cruises Review: Our Cabin

Justin and I stayed in a very roomy cabin with a large window. It contained a bed, a sofa and matching chair, a desk, and a wardrobe for our clothes. There was enough space for both mine and Justin’s clothes in the cupboards and drawers. Plus, we were able to store our suitcases under the bed.

There’s also a small fridge in the cabin, a safe, a small TV, and places to charge our devices (both outlets and USB ports). Like most cruise ship bathrooms, it was small, but had everything we needed. There were toiletries provided inside the shower (shampoo and body wash).

Next time, I’d love to book a balcony because there’s really nothing like savoring your coffee each morning with a new beautiful view. I also love sitting out on my balcony in the evening, listening to the crashing waves or watching the sunset. Instead, we enjoyed pretty views at breakfast outside near the buffet, and watched the sunset at night from the upper decks of the ship.

Celestyal Cruises Review: Food and Drink

In this Celestyal Cruises review, I’ll be reviewing the food based on my personal perspectives as someone who follows a vegan diet. All of my food, whether it was from the buffet or the main dining room, was included in my trip. There are some “Chef’s Gourmet Selections” that you can purchase for an extra fee at dinner, but I didn’t personally try any of them as they were exclusively animal products.

Justin and I mainly dined at the Leda Buffet every morning for breakfast and sometimes dined at the Leda Buffet for lunch. On some days, we came back on board for lunch, and sometimes we had lunch at restaurants in the places we visited.

For dinner every night, we dined at the Amalthia Restaurant, one of the main dining rooms. The Leda Buffet also offers a rotating selection of dishes each night at the buffet. The theme is listed in the daily program each day. You can try a menu of Mediterranean food, Middle Eastern dishes, a Pan Asian menu and more.

Main Dining Room

Every night, the two of us enjoyed dinner in the main dining room (a la carte restaurant). I was delighted to see a vegan main course on the menu every night under the heading, “Ikarian Bleu Zone Cuisine Highlight”. Items on the menu are clearly marked as “vg” (vegan), “gf” (gluten-free), or “v” (vegetarian).

Most starters were vegetarian, but I was able to have them made vegan by providing advance notice. The maitre d’hotel provided me with the following night’s menu every day where I chose what I wanted to eat. Here are some of the meals that I enjoyed while on board the Celestyal Crystal:

• Lachanodolmades of Naxos (cabbage leaves stuffed with rice and lentils)
• Hortorizo (Greek-style wild greens risotto)

• Baked fresh artichoke with vegan cheese
• Greek Gigantes (Buttery Greek giant beans braised with tomatoes, herbs and garlic)
• Assortment of vegan cheeses

• Poached asparagus
• Vegetarian Yuvetsi (whole wheat orzo with season vegetables)
• Hummus and roasted vegetables (the maitre d’ ordered this one special as a surprise!)
• Assortment of vegan cheeses (I loved the cheese plate, what can I say!)

There were always delicious dishes to discover at the buffet. For breakfast, I usually had a combination of beans, toast, hashbrowns, fresh fruit, and coffee. At lunch, I always had a big green salad, potatoes, bean salad, hummus, pita, couscous or others.

Bars, Lounges and Drink Packages

There are several bars and lounges around the ship, though our favourite was either the one by the swimming pool or the one on deck five at the back of the ship. As always, the service is fantastic and there’s always a server waiting to bring you a drink.

There is a vast menu of alcoholic beverages, including several kinds of beer, wine for every taste, and a seemingly infinite amount of cocktails. There are several drink packages where you can enjoy unlimited drinks and premium options throughout the cruise.

Navigating the drinks package isn’t easy at first glance. Take a look at the drinks menu page on Celestyal’s website as they have a PDF document with a full listing of what’s included in each one. I suggest thinking about how much you’ll be drinking (and what you like to drink) to decide whether or not a drinks package is worthwhile. Of course, you can pay for each beverage individually, if you choose. Here are the various packages with their prices per day:

• Premium Plus (€47): Any drink from the premium package, plus any drink from the bar up to €10, any beer on the menu, smoothies, energy drinks and more
• Premium (€30): Over 100 drinks, including Mythos draft beer, cocktails, wine, coffee, juice, soft drinks
• Alcohol-Free (€27): Mocktails, fresh juices, Monster milkshakes, smoothies, coffee, sodas
• Premium Kids (€20): Similar to the alcohol-free package, but for kids
• Kids (€16): A selection of mocktails, shakes, Monster milkshakes, hot cocoa and more
• Coffee (€10): Hot and cold coffee, as well as herbal tea
• Premium Water (€7.50): Up to 6 bottles a day of mineral or sparkling water

Celestyal Cruises: The Entertainment

As the main focus at Celestyal Cruises is on the ports themselves, there isn’t much onboard entertainment by comparison to other cruise ships. You can find the entertainment and activities listed in the daily program each day. The daily program is left in your stateroom each evening by your room steward.

Onboard Activities

In the daily program, you’ll find a listing of onboard activities each day. We didn’t have the opportunity to experience many of these as we were exploring the ports each day, but we did play one round of Bingo (and Justin won!).

Some onboard activities include:

• Ping pong tournament
• Turkish and Greek language lessons
• Arts and crafts
• Dance classes
• Greek cooking demonstrations
• Olive oil demonstrations
• Cocktail demonstrations
• Darts tournament

Shows and Performances

Every night, the cruise director presents an evening entertainment program with two productions each night. On Celestyal Crystal, these shows included:

• Abba’s Dream: The songs of Abba
• Cirque Fantastic: An acrobatic show featuring circus artists
• Welcome to Cabaret: A show about the World of Musicals
• Latino Show: A journey to Central and South America with Latin rhythms
• Hellenic Voyage: A Greek traditional party highlighting Greek folkloric traditions
• Odyssea: A musical voyage around the world
• Mythologia: Travel back in time to Ancient Greece

Live Music and Parties

There are a few different bands and musical performers on board. On our cruise, we enjoyed melodies by the duo, “Cuerdas de Crystal”, live music from the band, “El Greco”, melodies by the pianist, Lourdes, melodies by the duo, “Music Zone”, and DJ Evelyn plays music at the late night disco. You can hear live music throughout the day and every evening on the ship.

Celestyal Cruises Review: The Crew Members

One of the best aspects of sailing that I’ll note in this Celestyal Cruises review are the staff. Since there are fewer passengers on board by comparison to larger cruise ships, you’ll be able to get to know the staff much better. You’ll see the same friendly faces from day to day, and we found that there were more opportunities to have a chat.

We met staff members from places around the world and had conversations about casual topics like their favourite kinds of beer and smartphones to more in depth conversations about their home countries. Moreover, they got to know us as well and often remembered our favourite drinks and my vegan dietary requests.

Our cabin stewards, Ricky and Mark, always welcomed us with friendly greetings and their smiling faces. They kept our room in tip-top shape, often surprising us with towel animals and treats on our pillows.

On day one in the main dining room, our waiter, George, invited us to dine in his section every night. We took him up on that offer and received excellent service every day. The maître d’ and other servers surprised us one evening with a guitarist, and they played/sang a song just to the two of us!

Ports of Call on the Idyllic Aegean Itinerary

In this Celestyal Cruises review, we’re covering our experiences on the “Idyllic Aegean” itinerary. Our Greek island cruise ventured roundtrip from Piraeus in Athens to a new port each day. We traveled to Thessaloniki, Kuşadası in Türkiye, Heraklion (Crete), Santorini, Mykonos and Milos.

On our Mykonos day, the winds were too high to dock there, so we visited the beautiful island of Syros instead. As it turned out, we sailed to Mykonos in the evening after all, so we got to enjoy two islands in one day (a total bonus)!

Celestyal Cruises’ Shore Excursions

You can book shore excursions through Celestyal Cruises or visit the ports on your own. Please note that if there isn’t enough interest in a particular shore excursion, Celestyal Cruises may cancel that excursion the night before. We were a little bit disappointed to have one of our excursions canceled, but we ended up having a fabulous day regardless.

Shore excursions are ideal for those looking to join a tour where you don’t need to worry about planning any of the details. They usually include a guided tour and transportation. In some cases, finding transportation can be tricky, especially when there’s a limited number of taxis or a lack of public transportation.

Celestyal Cruises has regular shore excursions and enhanced experiences called Authentic Excursions. These are immersive tours that dive deeper than typical excursions that just scratch the surface. These are smaller group tours that often connect you with locals for a more personalized trip. Their Authentic Excursions include foodie tours off the tourist trail, deep dives at archaeological sites, cultural experiences and unique adventures.

For the most part, Justin and I visited the ports of call on our own because we like to arrange our own adventures at our own pace. We took one shore excursion in Kusadasi to the ancient ruins at Ephesus. We experienced the remaining destinations independently.

Of course, you’re welcome to book your own shore excursions through popular tour booking sites like Get Your Guide and Viator . These are independent tours, so make sure they have good cancellation policies in case your arrival in a particular port gets cancelled or delayed. You’re also responsible for making it back to the ship on time. If you’re not back on time, the ship could leave without you.

Athens (Piraeus)

We spent the day in Athens before our cruise. I highly suggest doing a pre-cruise stay, just in case your original flights are delayed. This will allow you some buffer time to get to the ship before it departs. Thankfully for us, our flights went off without a hitch, and we enjoyed one glorious day in Athens before our cruise (and two nights at our hotel!).

During our day in Athens, we took a morning tour of the Acropolis and Greek Agora , and spent the afternoon wandering all over the city. We visited Psyri, the Little Kook cafe (Alice in Wonderland/fairytale-themed cafe), walked around the neighborhood of Anafiotika, and admired markets and ruins we stumbled upon on the way.

Justin and I stayed at the Athens Avenue Hotel , a clean and modern accommodation in Athens. It’s about a 30 minute walk to many attractions, including the Acropolis, though it’s very easy to take a 5 minute Uber ride if you don’t feel like walking. We enjoyed our stay at this hotel, and you can book your stay at the Athens Avenue Hotel here . If you’re looking for something closer to the action, feel free to browse the handy map below for hotels and apartments.

Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece with a rich history. Justin and I walked from the cruise port all over the city, admiring ancient ruins along the way. Don’t miss checking out the Rotunda and Arch of Galerius, plus it’s just lovely to go for a stroll on the seaside.

It’s also a fantastic city for food. As we were wandering around, we stumbled upon a vegan-friendly crepe joint, as well as a delicious vegan fast food restaurant. Furthermore, like most places in Greece, there were cats everywhere (which I love!).

Kusadasi, Turkey (for Ephesus)

The port of Kusadasi in Turkiye is most famous for its proximity to Ephesus. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was once an ancient port city and considered the most important trading center in the Mediterranean. Its gigantic amphitheater and the Library of Celsus are some of the most iconic ruins you can witness there.

Justin and I took the ship’s shore excursion to Ephesus with a knowledgeable tour guide. It is a really busy place to visit, especially in the middle of the day, and we went there with a very large group. Most tours include a stop for a carpet weaving demonstration with a sales pitch for the rugs.

I would have enjoyed more time at Ephesus on a smaller group tour and less time at the carpet shop, though most tours include these stopovers as a way to support those keeping this ancient art alive and thriving. I felt a little bit rushed at Ephesus. It was difficult to take photos, absorb my surroundings, and pay attention to the tour guide with only a little time in each area.

Heraklion, Crete

Heraklion is the port city and capital city of the island of Crete. The Palace of Knossos is one of the best things to do there, and you can easily take a shore excursion there (or a taxi, if you’d rather not take a guided tour). Justin and I decided to walk around Heraklion on our own, and we had a very enjoyable day.

We explored the old town, walked past the Koules Fortress, and admired some architecture around the city. There are lively markets with souvenirs, fresh produce and food. We also ventured to a less visited area in Heraklion, the old neighborhood of Lakkos. There’s some beautiful street art in this old area of the city that’s slowly being revitalized.

Santorini is one of the most famous Greek islands and it’s certainly one of the most picturesque. With its towns perched up high on the cliffs, there’s a beautiful view everywhere you look. We started our day by taking the cable car up to Fira (do NOT ride the donkeys to the top of the hill as the donkeys are not treated properly and it is very cruel). Wander around the whitewashed town of Fira, admiring the scenery, shopping, and dining.

Then, it’s really easy to take the public bus to the charming town of Oia. Oia is somehow even more beautiful than Fira with stunning panoramic scenes and the most idyllic places to watch the sunset. We walked around, ate gelato, took photographs, and loved every moment. With plenty of time in port (8:00am to 12:00am), we made the most of our time and loved experiencing the island later in the day with fewer tourists.

The quaint island of Syros was not on our original itinerary, but our cruise ship stopped there after we were unable to visit Mykonos due to high winds. The misfortunes of missing Mykonos were quickly remedied when we realized how magnificent Syros truly was!

We walked around the port town of Ermoupoli and embarked on a trek up a massive hill to the beautiful Ano Syros. This is where you can soak up some of the best views of Syros. We spent the rest of our day discovering picturesque alleyways filled with flowers, meeting adorable cats, sipping iced coffee from local cafes and more.

As it turned out, we did end up going to Mykonos after all! After a full day in Syros, the Celestyal Crystal sailed a short distance and docked in Mykonos in the evening. After enjoying dinner on the ship, Justin and I witnessed the most brilliant sunset in Mykonos as we got off the ship.

Then, Celestyal Cruises provided a short shuttle bus ride into town. We wandered around the cobblestone streets at dusk and into the night. The souvenir shops, restaurants and maze of streets remained full of tourists, and Mykonos offered an energetic nightlife scene.

Lastly, the Celestyal Crystal docked in Milos and we decided to have a fun beach day on this pretty island. Justin and I walked for about 20 minutes from the cruise port to the crystal clear waters of Papikinou Beach. We paid a small fee for two loungers and an umbrella and enjoyed a half day at the beach. Then, we returned to the ship for lunch.

After lunch, we took a taxi from the port to Sarakiniko Beach to discover its enchanting turquoise and deep blue waters, magical coves, and cliffs that look like the surface of the Moon. Its unlike any beach that I’ve ever seen in my life! After spending some time at the beach, we took the public bus back to the cruise port.

Celestyal Cruises vs Other Ocean Cruise Lines

One more thing that I wanted to note in this Celestyal Cruises review is that this cruise company may not be for everyone. Let’s compare and contrast Celestyal Cruises with other cruise lines that sail to Greece. Simply put, sail with Celestyal Cruises if you love visiting new ports each day and you’re less concerned with ship amenities.

On the positive side, you will venture to many smaller ports that the larger cruise ships cannot reach. This leads to discovering new destinations and in some cases, escaping the crowds. Speaking of crowds, since you are sailing on a smaller ship with fewer guests, we didn’t ever encounter lengthy lineups at the buffets. There was never a wait to enter any restaurants or main dining rooms as we’ve encountered with pretty much every other ocean cruise line.

Still on the topic of ports, you will spend a longer amount of time in each destination than other cruise ships. On most days, if there were other ships docked with us, they always arrived later than we did and left before us. For instance, in Santorini, our day in port lasted from 8:00am until midnight. In Mykonos, you’ll dock from 8:00am until 2:00am! You won’t feel like you’re rushing around as you’ll have the opportunity to spend more time in each place.

While some of the decor on the Celestyal Crystal appeared to be a bit dated, this cruise ship is being replaced by the new Celestyal Journey. Our cabin was perfectly comfortable and it was comparable to other cruise ships we’ve been on.

The staff on Celestyal Cruises goes above and beyond, and their service is among the best I’ve experienced on any cruise ships. We sailed on a mega cruise ship once in the past, and the staff seemed worn out and stretched a little too thin. This was exactly the opposite on the Celestyal Crystal.

Now, on the negative side, Celestyal Cruises is not the cruise company for you if you’re seeking continual entertainment on board. In fact, it’s pretty bare bones for amenities. There’s just one small pool on the Celestyal Crystal (two pools on Celestyal Olympia) and one jacuzzi at the back of the ship. There is one live production show each night, but not much other entertainment in the evening.

If you love dining at specialty restaurants, there aren’t any on the Celestyal Crystal. You can choose between the Leda Buffet or the main dining rooms for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Justin and I don’t typically seek any specialty dining options, so this was perfect for us. However, if you’re someone who likes a wide variety of options, you may wish to choose another cruise.

There’s only one shop on the cruise ship offering duty free goods, snacks and essential items you may have forgotten to bring with you. You won’t find huge souvenir shops, jewelry stores or clothing stores like you might on some other cruise ships. This isn’t a deal breaker for me as I like to do most of my shopping in the port anyway.

If you have kids and they love extensive kids clubs programming, waterslides, arcade games and others, this won’t be the cruise line for you. Some families prefer larger ships for the seemingly endless choices for entertainment and activities. However, if your kids are happy going to the ports each day, enjoying the swimming pool and beaches, and eating yummy food, I feel like they’ll be happy on this holiday.

Celestyal Cruises Review: Cruise vs Taking the Ferry

Taking a cruise of the Greek Isles with Celestyal Cruises is an easy and painless way of getting around the islands. If you’re traveling by ferry, you will be able to spend more time at each island, perhaps days at a time. However, it won’t be an easy trek from the Greek Islands up to Thessaloniki or Kusadasi, Turkey. And you’ll likely need to get a visa to visit Turkey, which isn’t necessary if you’re visiting from a cruise ship for the day.

If you’re taking a cruise, you unpack once in your comfortable stateroom and don’t need to carry your luggage from one island to the next. You won’t need to figure out ferry schedules, join massive lines to get on and off the ferry, and you won’t need to carry your luggage to your hotel every time. The ship sails when you are sleeping, so you’ll wake up in a new place each day.

While we dined on many of the islands, we could have enjoyed every meal on board the cruise ship. You can enjoy an all-inclusive experience, including food and drink, with Celestyal Cruises, rather than have to pay for everything separately everywhere you travel.

You don’t really need to plan your trip, apart from flying to the cruise port and perhaps choosing your excursions. If you’re taking the ferry, you’ll need to book your hotels, plan your route and itinerary, book your ferry tickets, book your tour tickets, find restaurants or groceries, and the list goes on. A Greece cruise is the most relaxed way to see the Greek islands, hands down.

Celestyal Cruises Review: The Final Verdict

So, what’s the final verdict for our Celestyal Cruises review? All in all, we had a great experience on our Greek islands cruise. From its great value to the full days in different ports, this is the perfect vacation for a first time cruiser or a seasoned veteran. For us, the Celestyal Cruise experience was a wonderful one, and we wouldn’t hesitate to sail with them again.

Celestyal Cruises Review: More Blog Posts From Greece

Would you like to read more articles specifically from this trip to Greece with Celestyal Cruises? We’re going to have more coming very soon! For now, please enjoy this article:

• How to Take the Best Acropolis Tour in Athens
• One Day in Thessaloniki Itinerary

Thank you so much to Celestyal Cruises for hosting our cruise and our pre-night stay in Athens. The opinions, advice and recommendations that you read in this review reflect our honest opinions of this voyage.

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Lauren is the full-time travel blogger and content creator behind Justin Plus Lauren. She started Justin Plus Lauren in 2013 and has travelled to 50+ countries around the world. Lauren is an expert on vegan travel as one of the very first vegan travel bloggers. She also focuses on outdoor adventure travel, eco and sustainable travel, and creating amazing travel itineraries for cities and small towns.

• Celestyal Cruises

Review of Celestyal Olympia - 4 night Iconic Aegean Cruise (Aug 21 - 25, 2023)

By CruisinKikster , September 24, 2023 in Celestyal Cruises

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I cruised on the Olympia about a month ago, and this is my very delayed review (and pictures of all the daily activity sheets in the comments) and thoughts about the cruise. Feel free to ask questions, and I'll answer what I can! We were in Junior Suite 7001. 

Embarkation -  If you have your health forms pre-printed, you can drop your bags and just check in. We did not, so we had to stand in a very slow moving and chaotic line to get the forms. Once we got to check in, it was quick and easy. Then security was a short line. You can take the bus to the ship, but honestly I would have preferred to walk. The bus doesn't save any time, and it saves maybe a couple hundred meters of walking. 

Boarding - We could go immediately to our cabins, so we went to 7001. It was easy to locate, and we met our room steward almost immediately. 

Cabin - Our cabin was roomy and just as described online on the Celestyal site. One caveat, the window was overlooking the deck, not the water, so that was a disappointment. Also at the beginning of the cruise the bathroom smelled of sewer, but the stench seemed to be gone by the end of the week. 

Food - The food was very hit or miss on this ship. We found much better food on land, with a couple of exceptions.

Breakfast - We ate in the dining room for a breakfast each morning. We sat with different people every day, and sometimes we could talk to them and sometimes not. Most groups just stuck to themselves in the morning. (There were no tables for 2 in the dining room, which we would have much preferred.)

Lunch  - On embarkation day, we ate in the restaurant with the buffet. It was fine. We ate at the pool one day. The burgers were fine, but nothing to write home about. We ate at the a la carte restaurant one day, and that was probably our best meal on the ship. The pasticcio (sp?) was amazing! We ate lunch off ship one day. 

Dinner - Dinner was fine, but again nothing stellar. Presentation was beautiful, but taste did not live up to it. 

Shore Excursions - Overall, I would not choose to do these again with the exception of one. 

Mykonos - We did the Mykonian dinner excursion through the ship. We basically had to run through town (or that's what it felt like), and our tour guide was constantly losing people. At the windmills, we got about 10 minutes to walk around and do some pictures then we headed back to the bus. Where we kept losing people on the way, so our guide was upset we were getting back late. The bus took us out to a small village tavern for dinner with a small dance demo. Dinner was good. Just a note - there isn't ever an indication of what is served as part of this, so I assumed there'd be some sort of choice given all the dietary restrictions. Nope. They just straight up served chicken (which I don't eat), and when I let them know, they prepared a plate of beef for me. 

Kusadasi - We arranged a private tour for this, and it was well worth it. We liked not having to wait for other people all the time. 

Patmos - We did not do a tour or excursion. Just walked around town for a bit, and it was a much quieter (and better IMO) version of Mykonos. 

Rhodes - We did not do a tour or excursion. Just hopped off the ship and walked around town. This was easily our favorite stop on the cruise. 

Crete - We did the ship tour to Knossos, and this is the only one we thought was worth doing. The tour is about an hour at Knossos and an hour plus in town for shopping, coffee, or wandering. Nothing felt rushed, and the order was good for feeling relaxed. We did have to wait for latecomers to the bus back to the ship (EVERY TIME), so that was annoying. 

Santorini - We did the Spectacular Oia excursion, and I was incredibly unhappy with this one. The point of doing this excursion was so we could be first off the ship and maybe get a little more time in Oia since we’d only be there for 4 hours. The tenders for the excursion took us to the very southern tip of the island, where we waited half an hour on the bus because not everyone got on the right boat and we had to wait for them. Then the bus drove the long way to Oia, and when we finally got there, we had about an hour to explore. This was when I realized that we would either be having a buffet dinner (which I don’t enjoy in general, and was Tex Mex in Greece – just never had good Tex Mex in Europe so this wasn’t a promising experience) or we’d have to spend our whole time in Oia getting something else. Well, it was wall to wall people in Oia and absolutely miserable, so we opted to eat there. Ended up at a nice (and mostly quiet) pizza place with a great view. It salvaged the excursion, but truly I would have saved my money and just done a la carte if I’d have known. I’m pretty confident that people from our ship who didn’t do an excursion made it to Oia before we did.

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These are the daily activity sheets we had. 

Thank you for the review and photos.

CaptJerry51

CruisinKikster,

Thank you for your review.  I am interested in Celestyal's 14 day Greek Islands itinerary and only became aware of the line because of their placing in service the Journey - former Holland America Line Ryndam on which I took my first ever cruise.  I love that size ship!  There have been four reviews posted of the Journey so far and all have been quite negative.  However, I have seen a Youtube video interview of a travel agent who recently sailed the Journey and she was positive about her experience.

I don't know your level of cruising experience, but expect you are not a beginner and can render an opinion based on that experience on other lines.  Although your cruise was only 4 days, what was your overall experience and would you sail Celestyal again?  I am looking at their 14 day Greek Islands itinerary and don't want to be disappointed over that length of a cruise.  I have a history of  about 100 days cruising Holland America ships only.

Thank you! I've been on over 20 cruises mostly on Celebrity but also a smattering on Virgin, NCL, RCCL, and Carnival. It's a tough question about whether I'd sail them again, because I didn't hate our experience and it was VERY different from sailing in the US. We also didn't sail Celestyal for the ship. We sailed for the itinerary, which is different from how I sail Celebrity. 

I'd say that Celestyal has a lot to offer: friendly staff, great itinerary, and good on board programming. It's also culturally much more diverse than the American-focused cruises we've done. We weren't enthralled by the food (hence why we love Celebrity so much and why we'll do Virgin again). I'd say the food is on par with Carnival or RCCL. 

So if all factors were the same, Celestyal isn't a top choice. But I wouldn't say no if the itinerary or dates were more important. 

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Review: Celestyal Journey

Reviewed by Rebecca Hall

What is the line? Celestyal Cruises

Name of ship? Journey

Passenger Occupancy? 1,260

Itinerary? Starting and finishing in Athens, the seven-night “Idyllic Aegean” sailing stops at Thessaloniki, Kusadasi (Turkey), Heraklion (Crete), and the Greek islands of Santorini, Mykonos, and Milos.

Start out with the big picture–what is this cruise line known for?

If you’re looking for a company that knows its Greek islands and their accompanying cultural heritage inside and out, Celestyal is the cruise line for you. With immersive shore excursions and engaging onboard entertainment, the Greek cruise operator's mid-size ships are an intimate way to explore the Mediterranean.

Tell us about the ship in general:

The Journey is the third vessel in Celestyal's fleet, replacing the Crystal on the Idyllic Aegean route. The ship, previously named the Ryndam, was originally built for Holland America Line in 1994. Celestyal then purchased the vessel, which underwent a $21 million refurbishment in time for its maiden voyage in early September 2023.

Today, the ship boasts 630 staterooms, including 120 Junior Suites and 28 Grand Suites. There are seven specialty dining experiences including the private chef’s table, live cooking demonstrations, Asian cuisine at Pink Moon, juice and ice cream stations at Fig and Honey, fresh Mediterranean bites from Smoked Olive, and a Greek Deli. Eight bars and lounges, including a decadent champagne bar and indulgent wine cellar, round off the evening relaxation, while two pools (plus an entire deck dedicated to wellness) caters to daytime relaxation. Vintage 1920s decor is featured throughout the ship, with film star prints of Sophia Loren and the like, retro light fittings, and a grand central staircase.

Who is on board?

Celestyal caters to people of all ages traveling from a wide variety of countries, including the US, Eastern and Central Europe, Australia, and Argentina.

I found the cruise to be popular among groups of friends in their sixties and upwards, as well as mothers and daughters looking to spend quality time together. As a Greek company, Celestyal also attracts local families who are keen to explore their own backyard in an environment where they’re well catered.

Describe the cabins.

There are dozens of various suite categories on the Journey, spread across Decks 9 and 10. The Junior Dream Suites A, B, and C categories all have floor to ceiling sliding doors to their balconies and can sleep up to three people across twin beds and a sofa bed. At 226 square feet, my category B Junior Dream suite on Deck 9 was more than comfortable.

A more affordable option is to opt for the ship's exterior or interior staterooms, both at 204 square feet, which sleep up to 4 people in a mixture of upper, lower, and sofa beds. Exterior staterooms have portholes while the interior rooms have backlit curtains to mimic natural light. Both are perfect for solo travelers.

A step above these is the 377-square-foot Grand Dream Suite on Deck 10 with 2 lower beds, a double sofa bed, a panoramic window, balcony, a spacious bathroom, and a dressing room.

The pièce de résistance is the 947-square-foot Stargazer Exterior Penthouse Suite on Deck 10 with space for up to three guests. Both the Stargazer Suite and Grand Dreams’ have exclusive access to Rays, a secluded sunbathing and relaxation area—plus the Compass Lounge for private drinks.

Tell us about the crew.

The ship's 613 crew members took the time to greet every passenger by name and were always on-hand for any query. The Shore Excursion staff was particularly knowledgeable and helpful, making time to enquire about your interests and passions in order to recommend the best tour at each destination.

The Stargazer Suite and Grand Dreams have their own concierge on board, plus dedicated room stewards for a section of all other Dream Suites and Staterooms.

What food and drink options are available onboard?

For a mid-size ship, Journey has an impressive choice of dining and bar options, albeit no 24-hour room service. Its restaurants range from Mediterranean dining in the Thalassa restaurant to restaurants specifically reserved for those occupying suites; the Smoked Olive and Pink Moon. Both these restaurants offer the same menu choice as Thalassa, with additional options of Mediterranean bites at Smoked Olive and Asian cuisine at the Pink Moon.

A casual breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet is served on the upper deck at the Taverna. Guests can purchase regional ice creams at the Fig and Honey and Greek fast food such as souvlaki from the Greek Deli.

There’s an impressive seven bars on board, each with unique décor, though still keeping with the 1920s vibe. Choose from a quiet coffee bar, the Blue piano Bar and Lounge, or head to the Fizz Club if you’re a lover of cocktails and champagne. The Grapevine has an impressive selection of wine choices for the connoisseurs among you. The Compass is reserved for occupants of the Grand Dream and Stargazer Suites.

I personally loved finding a quiet hide away (which was never difficult) and sipping my signature cocktail as I watched the sea go by.

Is there a spa on board and is it worth visiting?

The highlight of a cruise on the Journey is a visit to the Sozo Health Spa. Well-trained specialists treat you in one of seven treatment rooms, including a couple's room.

Choose from an impressive range of treatments such as an Ayurveda massage, regular full body massage, reflexology, or Shiatsu. Hot stone massages and Dead Sea exfoliation round up some of the other unique pampering options—just be sure to book in advance.

What about activities and entertainment?

There’s an impressive number of activities to choose from on board the Journey, ranging from Greek dance classes, mini lectures about a variety of regional specialties (for example, the health benefits of Greek herbs), an olive oil presentation, and basic Greek language classes.

Sports enthusiasts will love the morning yoga or Pilates classes (extra charge), and from 8 p.m. the evening entertainment starts to heat up. As well as the aforementioned bars featuring piano or live music, there’s mini-discos for young kids up to 12 years old, seventies-themed parties, and various adult discos.

Yet it’s the twice-nightly performance by resident Canadian artists Cirque Fantastic that takes the cake. Their impressive acrobatic show is typically scheduled for 9 p.m. then repeated at 10:30 p.m. in the ship's awe-inspiring auditorium.

How was the experience for families?

The Journey offers onboard activities for children and teens of all ages. While there's no water slides or go-karting track, Deck 12 is reserved for kids 5 to 12 years old. The Turtle Cave club offers artistic and educational games while the Shark club shows English cartoons and television shows. Kids under the age of three must be accompanied by an adult—currently, no babysitting is offered on board.

Where did it sail and how were the excursions? Did any stand out?

On the Journey's first stop in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city, I took an immersive tour that left me yearning to return. An excursion to the Ancient city of Ephesus from the Turkish port of Kusadasi and the Palace of Knossos in Crete are two sites worth reserving a tours of. I opted to explore Santorini and Mykonos on my own, taking in the beautiful views (of the former) and lively shops and nightlife (of the latter).

I'd also recommend booking the group tour of the smaller island of Milos, as it's less suited for solo exploration. Visit Sarakiniko beach, a famed moonscape of pure white stone, the ancient village of Plaka, and the Christian catacombs.

Are there any stand out sustainability or green initiatives about this cruise?

Celestyal as a company works closely with the local Greek community as part of their ethical business practices. For example, the company helps bring interactive exhibits from the Heraklion Museum in Athens to more remote areas of the Greek islands.

Anything we missed?

When eating in the Taverna buffet, you can't help but notice the impressive melon carvings—some of faces, others of various nature or sea scenes. There’s also the occasional ice sculpture in the dessert section. These are created by the onboard sculptor whose creates beautiful sculptures from various materials, a skill passed down through family generations. Check the daily itinerary, left in your room nightly, to watch the art come to life.

Finally, give a sentence or two on why the cruise is worth booking.

Families and groups of friends will love this culturally immersive cruise with world-class wellness offerings.

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Incredible Aegean Cruise in the Greek Islands (Plus Honest Celestyal Cruises Review)

Posted on Published: June 7, 2023  - Last updated: September 19, 2023

It’s a bucket-list worthy adventure, cruising the Greek islands and the Aegean Sea! The vivid blue waters are met with unique flair that each destination has to offer. Whether you’re dreaming of visiting the blue domes in Santorini, amazing beaches in Milos or food scene in Crete, this Celestyal Cruises review of the Idyllic Aegean will help guide your next vacation!

This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, see my  disclosures .

Going on an Aegean cruise is a magical experience. Sounds cheesy, I know. But just think about those sparkling blue waters of the Aegean Sea, mixed with picturesque villages on the islands of Greece, plus adventures at every port.

If you’re considering an Aegean Sea cruise, or are wondering about Celestyal Cruises reviews, this is the guide for you!

Aegean Sea cruises can vary greatly. The size of the ships, which islands you visit and even which countries you’ll visit as part of your cruise. So many things to consider!

Aegean Cruise with Celestyal Cruises

First, let’s go over reasons you’d go on an Aegean cruise, then review what you can expect with Celestyal Cruises Greece.

In this guide you can expect:

🛳️Why and when to cruise the Aegean Sea 💲Pricing and how to make it budget-friendly 🏝️Aegean cruise itinerary 🇬🇷Celestyal Cruises review – ship experience ⚓️Greek island cruise (summary of each destination) ‼️Tips for first time cruisers 🧳What to pack for cruising Greek islands

This fabulous vacation is an amazing way to explore Greece and potentially the surrounding area. Let’s  get to some of the most commonly asked questions that will help you decide!

Why cruise the Aegean Sea?

Two words: it’s fabulous! 

In all honesty, taking an Aegean Sea cruise is the perfect way to get into cruising if you’ve never been. It’s also one of the best ways to explore the Greek islands!

You’ll get a taste of many destinations in Greece. If you’ve never been to Greece, this is one of the best ways to experience the islands. Check them each out for a day and see which is your favorite!

Santorini or Mykonos , Rhodes and Crete, Milos or Patmos – the list goes on! 

An Aegean Sea cruise will sometimes drop down south further into the Mediterranean Sea as well, making stops in Egypt, Cyprus and Israel. There’s truly so many options!

And as a bonus – every destination in the Aegean Sea is totally unique! It’s not like taking a Caribbean Cruise where so many islands look the same. Instead, you’ll get tons of personality with each destination you visit.

Aegean Sea map (Celestyal Cruises review itinerary)

If you’re still wondering where the Aegean Sea is exactly, here’s a map for a visual. It’s basically the northern part of the Mediterranean Sea between Greece and Türkiye (Turkey). Here were the stops on my cruise – more about the itinerary in a bit!

Use this Aegean Sea map to reference the destination details below.

When do cruises go to the Aegean Sea?

You can take an Aegean Sea cruise year-round. However, not all the destinations will be fully open and operational. The Greek islands are very seasonal, so even if the cruise company makes a stop, you may not be able to dine or shop at very many places.

The best time to do an Aegean Sea cruise is in the summertime. June through September offer the best months for weather. Plus you’ll see each destination completely open to tourism where the attractions, restaurants and activities are available to enjoy.

If you’re looking to avoid crowds during your Aegean cruise, I’d recommend cruising in May or September during the shoulder season. As a bonus – prices are typically better during these months, too.

Some companies do not operate during the winter. Celestyal Cruises offers slightly different stops in the wintertime. A popular option is the 3-continent cruise: Europe, Asia and Africa.

When to book an Aegean cruise with Celestyal Cruises Greece

Consider the time of year when you want to cruise. But basically you’ll want to book as far in advance as possible for the best pricing and room options. 

If you’re particular about which Greek islands to see or the room type you want during your Aegean Sea cruise, you’ll want to book the season before. If you’re less particular about the room type because you’re all about seeing sunshine in the summer, you could probably book in the springtime and be ok!

What does an Aegean Sea cruise cost?

This question is tricky to answer! There’s so many options from 4 days to 14 days – or longer! The room type and overall package options play a role, too.

I’ve seen some 4-night cruises for less than $500, which just seems like a spectacular deal based on the places you’ll go for that much. Celestyal Cruises offers great value for the money, considering you’re seeing the Greek islands, dining on board and have built-in accommodations.

Cruising Greek islands: standard pricing should include:

• Port charges
• Basic dining package
• On-board entertainment and activities

Sailing Aegean Sea: add-on pricing:

• Premium drinks package
• Wifi options
• Specialty dining options

Also check into the price of excursions and if gratuities are included, as these things can really add up! Later in the Celestyal Cruises review you’ll see their cruises all include gratuities , which is so nice!

If you’re cruising on a budget, consider reducing the number of nights, keeping excursions to a minimum or avoiding the premium food and drink options to keep pricing low.

What kind of excursions are on an Aegean sea cruise?

The possibilities truly seem endless! When sailing the Aegean Sea, it really depends where you go, which will determine which activities are available via excursion.

You’ll find food tours, archeological sites and other historical landmarks, religious sites and so much more to see during excursions! The Greek islands and nearby regions are pretty phenomenal to visit!

I’ll review the excursions I took with Celestyal Cruises in a bit. 🙂

Celestyal Cruises Review

First thing’s first, Celestyal Cruises is the only Greek cruise company. Other companies may come to Greece but it’s not the same authenticity. So in other words, if you’re considering the best cruise Greek islands, it’s a smart choice.

Cruise Greek islands highlights

There are too many individual moments to list in this guide. However, here were some of the best and unexpected highlights….

😳Stunning views from the balcony 🇬🇷Bucket-list destinations 😋Award-winning dining options 🌍Destinations I wouldn’t necessarily have chosen independently

And these are the details for the route I chose:

Idyllic Aegean, Celestyal Cruises

• Departure Port: Athens (Piraeus)

Celestyal Cruises is considered a medium sized cruise company. This means they carry around 1000 people, and are nimble enough to squeeze into smaller ports (like Milos). The Idyllic Aegean cruise was the perfect mix of culture, popular spots and lesser-known gems.

The cruise company felt really authentic and the staff and service was outstanding! More on that in a bit. 🙂 

Aegean Cruise itinerary

To say cruising the Greek islands with Celestyal Cruises was amazing is an extreme understatement!

Here’s the route and itinerary of the Celestyal Cruise Idyllic Aegean Sea:

• Athens (departure city)
• Thessaloniki
• Kusadasi (Türkiye/Turkey)

Each day is a new port and a new adventure! On this Celestyal Cruises review, it’s important to emphasize that one of the best things about choosing this company is the emphasis on the destination. 

Of course there’s plenty of on-board entertainment and amenities. But they really focus on the ports! With 10-12 hours or more at most destinations, you can really see a lot in that amount of time.

Celestyal Cruises reviews: ship experience

Not having ever been on a cruise before, I really didn’t know what to expect. But honestly, it was everything it needed to be and a really great time on board the ship!

Keeping in mind that Celestyal Cruises is a medium cruise company and their emphasis is on the itinerary and destinations, there are some things that really mattered. After all, you’re spending every night on the ship!

Celestyal Cruises staterooms (important while cruise Aegean Sea)

The cabins on board are comfortable and adequate. There’s obviously several stateroom options for your budget, too. I cruised in a junior suite, which included a balcony. And if you can swing it, I’d highly recommend!

Having a room with a balcony allows you to wake up and see the open ocean or port you’ve arrived in or check the weather outside without having to fully leave your room. You can also see sunrises or sunsets from the comfort of your room, or your robe on your balcony!

The junior balcony suites are a bit larger offering more room to spread out as well. 

There’s staterooms with windows and interior staterooms without windows as well. It all depends on your preference and budget which is the right room type for you.

Staterooms on the ship come with turndown service, offering a late night snack and the next day’s activities and itinerary, which is super helpful.

Since this is an honest Celestyal Cruises review, I’ll say the only thing that was lacking in the room was the size of the shower. It was really tight but manageable.

Restaurants on the ship

On a ship this size, you don’t actually need a ton of restaurant options, especially if you consider that you’ll be at port for most days. However, when you do eat on the ship just know there’s enough variety in meal choices.

The buffet is an easy choice for a quick breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can find snacking menus throughout the ship, offering just a handful of items like burgers, pizzas or sandwiches.

Fun fact: there can be as many as 140 nationalities on board a Celestyal Cruises ship at any given time, so they really do a great job of catering to a lot of cuisines, with Greek being in the forefront, of course!

Pro tip: if you want the classic restaurant experience, go early when they open (closer to 6:00pm or 6:30pm) or late after the dinner crowd (8:30pm or 9:00pm) to avoid the dinner rush. 

Of course you could always grab a cocktail at the bar while you wait as well!

The main restaurant and buffet do change their menu daily, which offers variety during the week considering there’s only a few restaurant options. Also consider eating at port the days when the ship leaves late.

My Greek Table – Celestyal Cruise review of the special dinner on board

If it’s available during your cruise and not sold out, I’d highly recommend the “My Greek Table” dining experience. With 6 delightful Greek foods plus an intermezzo, you’ll want to come hungry!

Our menu consisted of:

• Appetizer with 3 homemade dips: Syros maintanosalata, roasted tomato kopanisti and smoked eggplant caviar
• First course: Cretan Octopus carpaccio
• Second course: Aegean fisherman’s saffron avgolemono
• Third course: escallop of Aegean lobster, saffron jeweled pilafi
• Intermezzo: pappardelle of zucchini, marinated tomatoes and mint
• Fourth course: Kalogeros Terrine
• Fifth course: arugula, red onion, baked olives, grilled manure and pastell crumble
• Sixth course: Greek village cheese platter or floating Greek island in a wine-dark sea dessert

Oh my goodness don’t expect to eat it all. But you’ll really get a great taste of Greece during this authentic and spectacular dining experience!

Celestyal Cruises review: ship amenities and entertainment

Maybe by now you’re asking what you’ll do when you’re not at port and not sleeping. Well, there’s a pool and hot tub, which can be used at your leisure . The onboard spa services are a great way to get a little self care in while on the boat as well!

Once you’re on board the ship, sign up for a spa service before it’s booked up. From facials to massages, hot stone treatments to mud wraps, there’s a bit of everything!

Celestyal Cruises does a good job with providing other daily activities , like cooking demonstrations, wine and cheese tastings, ping pong tournament and much more. The ship can be a really peaceful experience to take a break and rest during a long day at port, too. Grab a book and sun on a deck, or people watch from the ship!

The nightly entertainment is also a hit when you’ve had dinner but you’re just not ready for sleep yet. There are typically two shows a night, an earlier performance and a later one. But if you want a great seat get there early because the lounge fills up fast since it’s such a popular spot!

You can also spend time in the casino, business center, fitness center or one of the other bars as well.

Service on board (honest Greek island cruise review)

One of the areas Celestyal Cruises excels is in their service. Every single service member and encounter exceeded my expectations. From the tour desk to the restaurant host, bartenders and tour guides, everything was truly fabulous.

It’s amazing how in just a week time the crew learned our names. We even hugged as we left the ship!

The Celestyal Cruises crew were so kind and authentic. Day in and day out, you really can appreciate the hard work they put in to make the experience so memorable!

Best cruise Greek islands: Celestyal Cruises Idyllic Aegean itinerary

Alright let’s get to the itinerary already! There arso many factors to consider when deciding if an Aegean cruise is right for you, and we’ve reviewed a whole lot of them. 

But one of the most fun parts of planning your trip is finding out more about each destination along the way! Let’s dive into what ports are included on the Idyllic Aegean Sea cruise , and what you can expect at each stop.

While it is possible to board the ship from other ports, most people embark and disembark in Athens. Being the largest city in Greece, there are multiple cruise ports. The Celestyal Cruises uses the Piraeus port.

Boarding the ship is easy! Once you’re on board, you can enjoy lunch or dinner and check out the amenities of the ship. This is a great chance to unpack your things too – one of the benefits of cruising is not having to move your stuff the whole week!

If you happen to embark at another location, Celestyal Cruises offers several 1/2 day tours within Athens. See the Acropolis and Parthenon , the Acropolis Museum, take a food tour, and so much more!

Athens is a great city and you can truly spend a lot of time there, soaking up the sights. It’s easy to fill 2 days in Athens , or even more. But if you’re cruising, the day at port is just enough time to just get a taste of Athens before boarding the ship again!

Thessaloniki (your first stop on your Celestyal Cruises Greece trip)

Pronunciation: theh-suh-low-nee-kee

Thessaloniki is the 2nd largest city in Greece. Located in Northern Greece, and being from the US, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in this city. It’s not a region I was familiar with prior to planning this trip to Greece.

Thessaloniki is a fun port city built right on the water. Most everything you’ll want to see in a day is within walking distance of the port. 

Celestyal Cruises offers 1/2 day tours within the region. Learn about the impact Alexander the Great had on the city, visit a Greek winery, go on a food tour or see the city’s highlights.

My husband and I chose to walk the city and experience the local flair on our own. Some 20,000 steps later, I can say we saw a lot of the city!

Thessaloniki highlights:

• Climbing White Tower – the city’s iconic landmark near the sea.
• Museum of Byzantine Culture for incredible history and artifacts.
• Walking through the Arch of Galerius and the Rotunda, nestled in the heart of town.
• Seeing the Alexander the Great Statue and learning about his history in Thessaloniki.

One of the most fun things I witnessed in Thessaloniki was the way they built the city around the ancient ruins. You’d be walking down a street between buildings and all of a sudden it opens up to an ancient ruin thousands of years old. Reminds me of a perfect Rome itinerary where you have the right mix of history, food and culture in a city. So cool.

Kusadasi, Türkiye (an Aegean cruise delight)

Pronunciation: KOOSH-ah-dah-suh

On this Celestyal Cruises review, this was the only spot that my cruise went that was not in Greece. It honestly wasn’t on my travel bucket list , but I’m so glad I experienced it!

Kusadasi is a port city in Türkiye (Turkey), home to amazing culture, food and history. The shining star of the region is Ephesus, part of the Izmir province and just 45 minutes drive from the port. It’s actually the most well-preserved ancient city in the country.

Kusadasi is the shortest stop on the Idyllic Aegean cruise (6 hours), so my husband and I enjoyed a tour through Celestyal Cruises for this port city. Our tour focused on the ancient city of Ephesus . 

We also visited the House of the Virgin Mary, which the Vatican recognizes as a holy place where Mary spent her final years.

Bonus: if you’re taking a cruise with your family, Kusadasi is home to amazing water parks, and you can take an excursion through Celestyal Cruises during the summer months to the water parks.

Visiting Ancient Ephesus (one of the surprise activities while sailing Aegean Sea)

This ancient city is incredible! It’s home to so many structures. Ephesus is not as well kept as Parthenon in Athens, for example, but it’s still a work in progress! When you first walk through there’s quite a bit of columns and piles of ruins. It’s hard to tell what most of it was, except for the signage and tour guide.

As you go in further you can see more structures and detail. The most impressive part of Ephesus is the library . It was the 3rd largest library in the world at the time it was built, with approximately 12,000 books (scrolls).

The city of Ephesus was approximately 240,000 people and an estimated 80% of it is still uncovered. 🤯

It’s truly amazing much of today’s world began in ancient times. The symbol for medicine – carved here. The Goddess Nike herself has a statue here as well.

The theatre is one of the most well preserved landmarks in Ephesus, with reconstruction, of course. It’s actually kept in relatively good shape, and some classic musicians like Elton John and Sting have played concerts there. The theatre holds 24,000 people. They open it up just once a year for concerts to the public.

Buying Turkish rugs

One of the stops on the tour was to see the culturally significant Turkish rugs. A timeless tradition in Turkey, and one they’re really proud of. 

Our tour learned how they use the cocoon to grab silk and create thread. They get up to 1 mile of silk per cocoon! We saw the process of weaving the rugs using the loom, and stunning creations created in this small Turkish town.

During the tour, they serve you Turkish wine (white and red) and Raki, which is the official drink in Turkey . It tastes like ouzo or black licorice, so wasn’t my personal favorite!😜

By the way, Turkish rugs can be several varieties of fabric including wool, cashmere and silk. Because you’re paying a salary for a weaver (or multiple), they can be quite pricey. Consider adding this to your vacation budget when visiting Kusadasi!

Crete, Greece (one of my favorite stops on an Aegean cruise)

Fun fact: Crete is the largest island in Greece, and the 5th largest in the Mediterranean Sea. So although this is an Aegean Sea cruise, you’re technically dipping down into the Mediterranean Sea for a day!

With 11 hours at port, you’ll have a lot of time to explore. The Idyllic Aegean cruise arrives at the Heraklion port, in the north-central part of the island. 

Compared to the Cyclades, which are the other island stops on this itinerary, this island has a much different personality. An organized tour through Celestyal Cruises can take you through ancient ruins, a lifestyle experience where you’ll see the countryside and dancing, through a walking food tour and more.

My husband and I rented a car and road-tripped through the island. Visiting the most underrated beaches on the southern side of Crete, it’s such a picturesque place!

The island is so large, you’ll see huge mountains which get snow during the winter, and stunning beaches all on the same landscape! The island is home to olive groves and open land where you’ll see far more sheep than people!

Crete, Greece is such an interesting island. You’ll definitely want to explore it while on your cruise!

Santorini (a classic destination on this Celestyal Cruises review guide)

It’s the most popular Greek island by far, and on a travel bucket list for so many people! Santorini was the mid-way point on our Aegean Sea cruise, and one island we won’t soon forget!

A few things you should know about visiting Santorini:

• It’s super busy . Get off the boat early to maximize your time before the crowds really set in. And expect lots of people, especially in the high season (June-August).
• Santorini is actually on a caldera. The island is on a giant rock, and you’ll need to go up that rock to see anything.
• Your Aegean cruise will use tender boats to get you from the cruise ship to the island . There’s no actual port, so the ship is just docked at sea and you’re transferred on smaller boats.
• It’s the 2nd most expensive Greek island. Expect to pay more for food and cocktails when you’re on the island.

Once you’re on the island, the town of Oia (pronounced ee-uh) is the most popular spot. It’s where you’ll find the blue dome churches and excellent sunset views.

Oia is also where the crowds are so thick you can barely walk through the narrow streets. Just prepare yourself!

Celestyal Cruises offers several tour excursions, most of them including Oia. You could also do a wine tour or visit ancient ruins. There’s seriously so much history in Greece it’s incredible!

Santorini highlights:

• Picturesque blue domed churches in Oia.
• Village of Imerovigli for less crowds and great views.
• Shopping in Fira, the gateway to and from the island for cruise ships.
• Sunsets in Imerovigli or Oia. Just be sure to make dinner or cocktail reservations for the best views.

Pro tip: plan to spend the day on the island. Most cruises wrap up early afternoon, and the line to get on the gondola to back to the boat can be hundreds of people deep. Alternatively, you can walk the 600+ steps down to the tender boats from Fira.

Pro tip #2: plan to pay for toilet tissue at public restrooms, or bring your own along with you. Most restaurants are free of course.

The overnight path from Santorini to your next stop is so brief, you can soak in the nightlife in Santorini considering the ship doesn’t leave until after midnight! One of these Santorini beach bars would be perfect for the evening.

Since this is an honest Celestyal Cruises review, I’ll say that Santorini was my least favorite stop. I’m certainly glad I saw this iconic island, but it was far too touristy for me (and I didn’t even go during peak season!) I’m glad I went but likely won’t plan to go back to Santorini.

Known as the party island, Mykonos has a personality bigger than life! One of the most picturesque islands due to the white streets, village alleyways and colorful shops, Mykonos is a fun island to visit.

Mykonos is the 2nd most popular island in Greece, and the most expensive island.

Celestyal Cruises Greece offers a few excursion options in Mykonos, the most popular being a 1/2 day trip to Delos , which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Delos is one of the most important archeological sites in Greece, only behind the Parthenon and Mount Olympia.

My husband and I had visited many other archeological sites in Greece, so we opted for the Mykonian countryside tour with Chora and Little Venice with Celestyal Cruises. Off the beaten path, we visited the small town of Ano Mera Village then the popular Windmills of Mykonos as well as some other popular spots.

Mykonos highlights:

• Walking the pedestrian-only streets in Mykonos Town.
• Seeing Little Venice and the Windmills of Mykonos.
• Beach hopping to Kalafati and Paradise Beach.

Fun fact: this review of Celestyal Cruises lists yet another reason why it’s such a great option for cruising the Greek islands. The mid-sized ship is able to dock at the port, instead of utilizing tender boats like many of the mega sized cruise ships. This makes it more convenient to go back and forth from the boat to the town as needed.

You can have another late night in Mykonos if you desire. The trip from Mykonos to Milos isn’t very long, so the boat leaves really late at night and you can visit the bars and restaurants into the night hours.

Milos (a gem while cruising Aegean Sea)

One of the most underrated Greek islands is Milos! The island doesn’t have the capacity to disembark the volume of passengers from large cruise ships, so visiting Milos during your Celestyal Cruises Greece truly feels like a secret.

This island has a natural feel, and is way more laid back than the previous 2 days in Mykonos and Santorini. It’s a fresh break if you don’t love crowded places!

On Milos, I highly recommend you either rent a car for the day or take a tour from Celestyal Cruises. The island itself isn’t as walkable as Mykonos and doesn’t have the public transportation structure of Santorini.

Organized tours through Celestyal Cruises include visiting beaches, historical or religious tours. My husband and I rented a car and explored the beaches on the island – and actually ran into a tour bus from the ship!

Having visited beaches all over the world like the best beaches in Thailand , Flamenco Beach in Culebra Puerto Rico , the beaches of Manuel Antonio Costa Rica and so many more, I can honestly say Milos had way better beaches than Santorini or Mykonos, in my opinion.

Milos highlights:

• Exploring the beaches and tunnels at Sarakiniko.
• Hiking to the Plaka Castle and seeing the incredible panoramic views.
• Plathiena Beach, which was a ghost town before the summer crowds set in.
• Tsigrado & Fyriplaka Beaches on the south side of Milos.

You’ll definitely want to visit Sarakiniko, aka Moon Beach. With over 70 beaches on the island, this is the most popular. The white rock formations from volcanic ash create the most stunning coastline. In contrast to the bright blue waters of Greece, it’s truly stunning!

You’ll want water shoes on this day, as it’s much easier to walk around Sarakiniko with these grippy shoes , and it will protect your feet from rocks and shells on some of the other beaches.

Milos is one of the best stops on your Aegean cruise for beaches, and one of the best Greek islands for couples !

Celestyal Cruises review: back to Athens

That wraps up the 7 nights on the Idyllic Aegan cruise with Celestyal Cruises! There’s truly so much variety during a cruise Greek islands. Each destination was unique, interesting and worthy of a stop!

Whether you’re dreaming of the iconic photos of Santorini, looking for some culture in Kusadasi or beach-hopping in Milos, there’s truly something for everyone!

And the extra bonus is that by selecting excursions through Celestyal Cruises that pique your interest, each cruise will have a customized experience to your personal preferences.

With such major airport in Athens, cruising with Celestyal Cruises is really accessible, too. If you’re coming in and departing from Athens, be sure to spend at least 2 days in Athens exploring all the most popular sights!

Let’s cover a few more tips before wrapping up this guide.

Tips for first time cruisers

If this is your first cruise – congratulations for taking the leap! There’s no right or wrong way to travel – and cruising is a fun option to see new destinations.

You’ll wake up each morning in (or on the way to a new place), and only have to pack up once. So convenient! Here are a few tips to make the most of your experience.

• Book your excursion early. After you get settled on the boat, go to the tour desk and sign up for your excursion, if you don’t do it prior to boarding. Depending on season and popularity, you may have to choose your #2 choice as well.
• If you’ve ever had motion sickness, prepare yourself adequately. Over the counter medicines can be helpful. I absolutely loved my motion sickness bracelet . I get really bad motion sickness and this helped most of the trip. Just two nights I had to layer Dramamine on top because the sea was especially rocky.
• Be sure to plan your day to be back at the port early. Celestyal Cruises allows passengers to board up to 30 minutes before they depart. You certainly don’t want to push your luck there!
• Take advantage of laundry service on the boat. Don’t worry about packing 7 full outfits if you don’t want to. Laundry service is quick and relatively inexpensive.
• Carry cash with you. Although most places take credit cards, there were some restaurants and shops that only accepted euro.

Things to pack for a Greek island cruise

Depending on the time of year you take your cruise, your packing list will vary. But these essentials should come with you on your cruise!

• Sun hat. Protect yourself from the sun whether you’re walking the streets of Mykonos or lounging on a beach in Crete.
• Sunscreen. You’re going to need it in Greece! Anytime you’re in or near the ocean, be sure to use mineral sunscreen to protect marine life. Chemicals in traditional sunblocks kill the reefs and the marine life that relies on it.
• Water shoes. Not all Greek beaches are created equal and most of them are rocky, not soft sand. This is my favorite pair of water shoes that literally travels the world with me and they’re great for light hikes, too!
• Comfortable walking shoes. Cobblestone streets and thin sandals are not a good combination. I loved these simple white shoes – and bonus, they washed up easily after walking through rain puddles in Milos.
• Umbrella. Carry a mini one with you if the weather calls for rain.
• Power bank and cord . One of the great things about long days at port is that you’ll get to see a lot! But plan for your phone battery to need a recharge.
• GoPro. Take excellent underwater photos and videos! Plus, it’s great for smooth videos as you’re walking. You can see me carrying my GoPro in the photo in Kusadasi, above.
• Comfortable shoulder bag. It’s popular in Greece for men and women to carry a shoulder bag for money and other essentials. This is the bag I carried everywhere around Greece!
• Cash. As previously stated, not every business accepts credit cards. Have cash on hand just in case.
• US-Europe adapter plug. If you’re from the US, you’ll definitely need this. 🙂

During summer you’ll want a swimming suit and over winter you’ll want extra layers. Check the weather before you go and try not to overpack!

Celestyal Cruises review of the Aegean Cruise – that’s a wrap!

Well, are you so ready to book a tour? After reviewing why Aegean cruises are amazing and details around a Celestyal Cruise, is it clear yet it’s time to book?

There’s so many itinerary options with Celestyal Cruises. Honestly, I was looking at the 4-night cruise, but I’m so glad I went on the 7-night Idyllic Aegean cruise.

I personally think visiting multiple islands in a day isn’t enough – it would leave me begging for more! With a 7 day cruise you really get to see and experience a lot. Go at your own pace and get back to the ship earlier if you please!

Questions about the cruise? Drop them in the comments below!

Related content to read next: Mykonos vs Santorini: Which is the PERFECT Greek Island for You? 29 Best Greek Islands for Couples You’ll Love (Romance, Beaches, Adventure + More) AMAZING 2 Days in Athens Itinerary You’ll Love (+ Map & Tips for First Timers)

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Thank you to Celestyal Cruises for hosting me! As always, all opinions are my own.

Tuesday 8th of August 2023

Hi Nikki, I'm going on this cruise in few weeks so this is super helpful! I have few questions: 1. For the “My Greek Table” dining experience, can I book this before the cruise or has to be when we're already on the ship? 2. Is the "Water Package" really worth it? Thanks for all this amazing information. I feel so ready now ;-) Best!

Thursday 10th of August 2023

Oh yay! I'm so glad you found this helpful. For the Greek Table experience - I wasn't able to book it in advance (you can check for your dates online) but there was plenty of availability the first day on the ship. I will caveat that with I boarded in Athens, which has the most people transitioning, so if you're boarding between Athens and the night they hold the tasting, it may be more booked up. Just make sure after you find your room to head to the reception to book it! I'm not really sure what you mean by water package? I'm not familiar with the term. Could you expand and I can provide info if I can!

Tuesday 13th of June 2023

I've never thought about doing an Aegean cruise but it actually looks ideal. There is so much to see on the Greek islands and western Türkiye (I agree that Ephesus is incredible!) and a cruise would make that easy.

Thursday 15th of June 2023

Yes yes yes Melanie! It's such a great way to explore the region!

This cruise looks amazing. I like the smaller size of the ship. I would also be interested in cruises that touch down to Egypt and Israel.

Oh you'd love it then, Rhonda! Sounds like an Aegean cruise with Celestyal Cruises might be in your future! 💙

Sunday 11th of June 2023

I have never been on a cruise and would love to experience it at least once. The Aegean cruise sounds like a great idea. Since I would like to explore the Greek islands, it might be a good idea to tick two things simultaneously!

Monday 12th of June 2023

Yesss Mayi! Time to book that trip to check them off.✅ Such an incredible experience.

I have yet to go on my first cruise, somehow I have been a bit prejudiced that you are "stuck" on a ship! Obviously, that is not the case - this looks awesome!

Oh yes Hege! You'd love it. I think it really depends on the cruise too. I definitely didn't feel stuck!! Maybe a Greek island cruise with Celestyal is on your horizon soon 💙

Cruising the Aegean with Celestyal Cruises: A Complete Review

Last Updated on 16th April 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

This post may contain affiliate links. Please check out my  privacy policy  and  disclosure  for more information.

Dream about Greece and you can expect to imagine crystal clear waters, quaint hilltop villages, and oodles of locally sea-inspired food. Well, my recent trip cruising the Aegean with Celestyal Cruises was all this and more in the form of a totally unbelievable and beautiful week-long experience. Here’s a complete review of 7 days at sea with Celestyal.

The Celestyal Cruise Experience: A Review

Dining facilities, the cabin onboard celestyal cruises, food on board celesytal cruises, how to get to celestyal cruises, greece, enjoyed reading about a week cruising the aegean with celestyal cruises pin it now, read it again later:.

Having never ventured out to sea on a cruise before, I was more than a little curious as to what the experience of cruising the Aegean would be like.

After all, having received the invitation just days before, I was excited, nervous, and had spent several days debating as to what to pack for Greece (my wardrobe is curated for wet weather situations!).

We hardly ever get the kind of sunny skies and crystal clear wasters which Greece is so synonymous with here in the UK! And so, I packed my things, purchased a large and floppy sunhat and headed towards London where I embarked on a flight to Athens from Heathrow. Here’s a first timer’s review as to what it’s like to spend a week living at sea:

Facilities on board Celestyal Cruises

While the ship was much smaller than other cruise companies, which meant that there were fewer facilities on board than you might expect if your cruise on a regular basis, this also meant that we could dock in smaller and less touristic islands that other boats couldn’t reach.

The ratio of crew to passengers was exceptional, meaning that staff constantly remembered my name throughout the week and customer service was totally on point.

There were two buffet restaurants on board, as well as one smart-casual restaurant, and one formal restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of food at sea and was impressed by the variety of dishes offered.

The cruise is all-inclusive when it comes to room and board, meaning that should you opt to remain on board, you’ll be fully catered for when it comes to cuisine and a comfortable cabin.

Located not far from the buffet restaurants, the pool was quite small (the ship itself was also quite small) and was home to a poolside bar which offered alcoholic and soft drinks day and night. Situated on the roof, this was a great place to chill and work during the sea days (though as we visited so many destination, sea afternoons were few and far between!)

Offered on board throughout the duration of the cruise, the spa had a plethora of facilities from teeth whitening services to more basic massages.

I enjoyed a half hour back and shoulder massage and came out feeling fresh and a lot less tense- spending all day most days behind a computer with severe scoliosis will do that to you!

Throughout the ship, there were several bars on offer, including a terrace outdoor bar on deck 5 where you could sip on your cocktail while admiring the waves roll past.

For the duration of the cruise, we enjoyed the unlimited drinks passage. If you enjoy drinking cocktails, wine, and local beer, then the packages are the way to go as the cost of drinks on their own can soon add up!

I absolutely fell in love with the Sports Bar located steps away from the formal dining restaurant. The laid out vibe there, as well as the board games on offer made for the perfect atmosphere to sit down and actually get some work done (as well as the desk heigh tables and plug outlets)!

Disco dance Floor: Each night, after a Karaoke (and, of course, everyone secretly loves a little bit of karaoke), the ship held a disco which carried on into the early hours of the morning.

Of course, when you’re literally staying on board a floating hotel, your bedroom, or ‘cabin’ as it is known as sea, is the most important part of the cruise.

When I stepped into my sea-facing cabin, I was surprised by how large my room was (although it’s worth noting that I was on my own and typically these rooms are to be used by up to four people, as can be seen from the folding bunks in the picture below).

While the room was a little dated in decor, my window was large and allowed me beautiful sea views onto the glittering Aegean on a daily basis (sunrise and sunset were my favourite times on board). There was a turndown service each night and throughout the day, staff would come in and clean my room.

Second, only to the room, the food on board ship is one of the most important aspects of a cruise ship. The food was delicious and dietary requirements were well catered to.

As a vegetarian, there were always vegan and veggie options on offer, while a dairy-free woman in our group was always shown a special menu which catered specifically to her needs.

There are several dining styles on offer; formal, smart casual, and buffet style. Each breakfast and lunch where we were on the cruise we would dine at the Leda and Aura buffet.

Once there, there was a range of hot and cold Greek-inspired range of plates on offer which we could enjoy inside or by the pool. The more formal dining situations comprised of ordering from an a la carte menu.

The Week-Long Itinerary Cruising the Aegean

With five destinations in just 7 days (not including the arrival and departure port of Piraeus in Athens) , it’s fair to say that the itinerary was pretty packed!

The Celestyal Cruise itinerary meant that you could explore a different island each day, or alternatively partake in many of the activities on board the ship.

There were plenty of offerings from origami classes to Greek language lessons etc. to keep those who opted to stay on the cruise during the day entertained.

Well-known as the ‘party island’ of Greece, and more specifically, the Aegean Sea, our cruise was unique in that it stopped overnight in Mykonos to allow all guests and cruise on board to experience some Greek nightlife. Elsewhere on the island, the Mykonos windmills are rich in medieval history, while Little Venice of Mykonos town is the ideal place to experience the sunset.

While larger cruise ships don’t have the option of docking on the island, our 1200 passenger ship meant that we had the opportunity to discover the stunning island of Milos.

Home to oodles of history and most famous as being the place where the Venus de Milo was discovered, this stunning Greek destination is worth a trip on any visit to Greek.

Eternal Santorini and more specifically the blue-domed churches of Oia and the volcanic black sand beaches of the island are some of the most iconic attractions that Greece has to offer. Day one of our two days in Santorini was all about seeing the black sand beach of Perissa and experiencing a little Santorini nightlife.

If you’re even on the island the Red Bicycle restaurant is pretty pricey but also pretty delicious. Our second day on the volcanic island involved a trip to a second beach, an exploration of the hilltop town of Fira, and a visit to the Venetsanos winery, a cave-based wine producer which overlooks the Aegean Sea.

Home to the world-famous Palace of Knossos this cultural highlight is a must-see on any trip island hopping in Greece. We docked at the ancient port city of Heraklion early in the morning and soon made our way to the Minotaur mythical world heritage site. The rest of the day was spent experiencing the various facilities on board Celestyal Cruises (shout-out to the sports bar!)

Our final destination on the week-long cruise with Celestyal was Samos. This highly underrated destination is home to lush green forests and crystal clear waters, making for a heady combination for getting off the beaten tourist path- all with a twist of history thrown in.

Aegean Airlines flies to Athens multiple times a week from London. I’ve never flown with them before but was pleasantly surprised by the level to detail in customer service once aboard the plane.

Complimentary meals and drinks are provided (the white wine I ordered was a local Greek one while my Vegetarian dish was Greek inspired cuisine) . Services ran on time and I thoroughly enjoyed my three and a half hour journey each way.

You will surely not be disappointed should you opt to visit Greece, though there are a number of things to consider while planning your trip, such as the best time of the year to visit and other travel considerations. Check out our guide to the best of Greece tips for more information and inspiration!

I went cruising in the Aegean with Celestyal Cruises and Discover Greece . However, all opinions, photos, and words are my own!

Sophie Nadeau loves dogs, books, Paris, pizza, and history, though not necessarily in that order. A fan of all things France related, she runs solosophie.com when she's not chasing after the next sunset shot or consuming her weight in sweet food. Currently based in Paris after studies in London, she's spent most of her life living in the beautiful Devonian countryside in South West England!

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Lovely! Could you comment on Celestyal’s formal attire? How formal is formal? Have limited luggage and hoping not having to bring sports coat and other formal wear.

I only travelled hand luggage only (due to travel plans prior to the cruise) and it was definitely not nearly as formal as other cruises (or so I’m told)! I wore a floor length gown but I think a nice cocktail dress would be sufficient. A few people were in nice summer dresses and this was also okay! 🙂

Thank you! I’ve been trying to find reviews of Celestyal and came across your post. This has helped cement my decision for 2020!

Hot Topic: Surprise Cruise Reveal Ideas

Celestyal Cruises Review: All About the Greek Cruise Line

We were so grateful to learn how uniquely Greek Celestyal Cruises is when we sailed on the cruise line for the first time. During a wonderful spring vacation, we discovered the delightful way Celestyal Cruises focuses on its port destinations, interacted with the friendly crew, and learned how wifi and the drinks packages work. 

We are sharing everything you need to know about the cruise line with an overview of their itineraries, many of which start and end in Athens. 

Here, you’ll learn more about what it’s like to sail with Celestyal Cruises, including an overview of what we liked, if they have all-inclusive pricing , and information about onboard spaces from souvenir shops to staterooms, dining, programming , and entertainment.

Disclosure: This page has affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you click the link and proceed with a purchase  at no cost to you . We thank Celestyal Cruises for generously hosting us. We truly only recommend cruises, experiences, products, and services we personally use. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Celestyal Cruises Overview

Celestyal Cruises is a Greek cruise line. They have two cruise ships that sail very interesting itineraries in the Mediterranean, including Greek island-hopping cruises and cruises that sail the Greek islands and onto some neighboring countries.

Celestyal Crystal and Celestyal Olympia are the two ships. Come September 2023, Celestyal Journey will replace Celestyal Crystal. 

We recommend the cruise line for guests who want a medium-sized ship that sails the Greek Islands and a very interesting itinerary that sails to Three Continents . 

Celestyal Cruises Pricing Overview

Celestyal Cruises are incredibly affordable! Pricing differs depending on the itinerary you choose, the cabin category, and the dates you select. But you can expect pricing ranging from just $339 for a 3-night cruise in an Interior Stateroom “IA” category to $2,578 (IA) for a 28-night cruise. 

Things We Liked About Celestyal Cruises

There were a lot of things we loved about the cruise line. For starters, very few cruise lines have a cultural identity, and we immediately got a strong feeling this was a Greek-owned and operated cruise line.

We wouldn’t hesitate to sail on Celestyal Cruises again and look forward to doing so in the future.

Celestyal Cruises is Greek, and It Shows

The cruise line’s origins revealed themselves in several ways, including Greek music in the hallways, a Greek band onboard, a Greek menu item with each meal, feta cheese on nearly all buffets when buffets were available, and Greek wine options (in addition to wines from other countries). Even the house beer, Mythos, which we really enjoy, was Greek. We liked this aspect of the cruise.

The crew is from all over the world, not just Greece, but the Cruise Director is Greek. 

Open Seating

We enjoyed open seating in the dining room and the flexibility of times we could eat within scheduled operating hours. We also loved how friendly the crew in the dining rooms and bars were; several crew members remembered our names, and it was fun to see each other day-to-day and converse about things.

Cruise Director and Assistant Cruise Director

We were incredibly impressed with our Cruise Director and Assistant Cruise Director, who both easily spoke more than three languages. 

Though we didn’t interact with them much like we did on Celebrity Cruises, where the Cruise Director engages in many activities with the guests throughout the day, we met Teresa, the Cruise Director, who was friendly and upbeat. 

It’s always nice to have a great welcoming committee in the leaders on the ship since behavior/demeanor is modeled from the top down.

Our cabin was a great size, and we enjoyed the balcony of our junior suite. It was spacious enough for two, and we had plenty of storage for clothes and luggage.

Evening Musical Entertainment in the Lounge

Lastly, there was a phenomenal musical duo on our particular sailing – they were a singer and guitarist from the Philippines. The woman had an incredible voice – we told her she should try out for a television broadcast talent show! She was that good.

Celestyal Cruises Areas for Improvement 

Drinks packages.

Celestyal Cruises has eight drinks packages to choose from. In this regard, we left missed the simplicity of a cruise line like Emerald Cruises, which has one drinks package option, only. 

If you don’t have the premium package, the waiters and waitresses in the restaurants and bars continuously try to upgrade you to the highest package. So much so that we wondered if they make a commission on each drinks package upgrade. 

What’s more confusing is that the in-room water, we learned, isn’t even included in the drinks package, even if you have the highest package. However, one complimentary bottle of water is placed in suites and junior suites. If you’re confused, we were a bit confused too. 

Overall, we learned that water in the staterooms is maintained by housekeeping. Luckily, to avoid all that confusion, we filled our reusable water bottles in the dining room as needed.

Memo Bottle

We love these because they’re flat, so a Memo Bottle fits in a pocket, on the side of a backpack, in a purse, etc., very easily and comfortably.

MiiR Bottle

They’re insulated and keep the liquid at the temperature you added it to the bottle, for HOURS and hours. They rock.

We also love that the wide-mouthed bottles are easy to get ice cubes into. Use code “ SOMETIMESHOME ” for  15% off   your order .

Collapsible Water Bottle

This Nomader water bottle saves a lot of space when rolled up and empty. The only reason we don’t carry one is because we’re worried about squishing it when it’s filled with water. But it’s a great option if it fits your needs.

Shore Excursions: Onboard Desk and Organization  

There is room for improvement with Celestyal’s onboard shore excursions team. We overheard several team members unable to answer guests’ questions, and several guests clearly frustrated that they had booked one thing through the website, yet once onboard, the experiences weren’t showing or registered in their reservations. 

We personally experienced confusion with the bookings as well. For example, we were never informed that our Israel excursion to Tel Aviv didn’t have enough people sign up, which left us scrambling to find availability on the very full Jerusalem and Bethlehem excursion when it was nearly too late. This nearly happened with a second excursion we were signed up for during our cruise. 

We realized that we had to be very much on top of what was going on with each port and the excursions we selected one to two days before our arrival at that destination. Also, because the excursions desk isn’t open all the time, if you want to confirm your excursion — and realize during that confirmation that you may need to sign up for a different one (that may be at near capacity) — you usually have to do so before the day before. 

Additionally, the way that Celestyal Cruises divides tour groups and designates buses in the morning is through stickers. There were two occasions when we didn’t receive stickers in our stateroom the evening before. This was a red flag that something was off. 

If you don’t get stickers for your excursion delivered to your stateroom the night before, go to the excursions desk as soon as possible to see what’s amiss.

The point is, our advice is to do the following:

Evening Shows

The entertainment – specifically the evening shows – was fine, but not great. We’re grateful they had a main stage show every evening, but the choreography and production levels we lacking even though it was clear that the dancers, singers, and acrobats were talented. 

The great talent, multiple costume changes through every show, and lighting were just enough to prove they have what it takes to be great shows. They just need the right choreographers and producers to get them there!  

Celestyal Cruises Pricing 

Is celestyal cruises all inclusive.

The cruise line is not all -inclusive though some things are included in the base fare. Their website carefully says the pricing is “inclusive,” not “all-inclusive.” 

Celestyal Cruises emphasizes that their cruises are designed to be about the ports, not their ships. However, guests pay to be onboard, so the cruise fare and what’s included versus what costs extra is something to consider. 

Base cruise fares get you a stateroom and main dining, with house beer and wine for lunch and dinner. It’s unlikely that you won’t add on anything else — whether excursions or a beverage despite if you pay per drink or add a drinks package. 

Below, we list a fare upgrade option that we recommend, then get into details about overall costs. 

Celestyal Cruises “Enhance Fare” 

We recommended booking their Enhance Fare option, which is a package up from their base fare. It includes a lot more for a great price.

This fare includes: 

• Premium drinks package
• Complimentary $160 shore excursion discount
• One hour of Wi-fi access
• 25% discount on the specialty menu and upgrade options 

While the price may change depending on how many days your cruise is, expect a 7-day cruise to cost an additional $260 per person with the Enhance Fare on top of the cruise base fare. Also, you have to add it per stateroom. So if you are two guests in one room, both guests must add the Enhance Fare, not just one.

If you want to upgrade your drinks package that is included with the Enhance Fare, it’s $17 more per day to go from the Premium drinks package (included) to the Premium Plus drinks package. Remember that you have to add that per guest in the stateroom, not for just one.

If you have children under the age of 18 traveling with you, Premium and Premium Plus drinks packages will automatically be converted to a Non-Alcoholic Premium drinks package on board, meaning no alcoholic beverages will be served. Kids can look forward to plenty of milkshakes, smoothies, and soft drinks!

What Does Celestyal Cruises “Inclusive” Pricing Actually Include? 

Dining/restaurants.

A buffet venue and a sit-down restaurant are included for lunch and dinner. There are onboard dining experiences that guests can pay to go to as well, like “The Greek Table” experience. 

Upgrade to a Suite for More Dining Options

Suite and junior suite guests (cruise categories S, SG, and SB) have an additional dining option for breakfast and lunch, where they can sit down at a table and either order an item off the menu or go through the suites-dining buffet. Depending on the ship and itinerary, the restaurant is sometimes open for dinner.

The buffet items are similar (if not exactly the same) to what is available in the main buffet area. It’s simply a quieter, less hectic/more peaceful dining venue because there were fewer adults and kids, and the finishes were a bit nicer than the other dining space, like white tablecloths, whereas the other dining venue had bare tables.

Upgrade to Enhance Fare for 25% off Specialty Dining

If you upgrade to the Enhance Fare, you can take advantage of 25% off The Greek Table dining experience. 

Entertainment

Onboard shows are included and do not cost extra. This includes daytime and evening entertainment, including music in the lounge and the main evening show. 

Excursion Discount 

All cruise fares enjoy a credit of $80 per guest in their cruise fare to put towards an excursion if pre-booked. If you select to upgrade to the Enhance Fare, this onboard credit doubles to $160 per person if the excursion is pre-booked.

Port Charges and Gratuities 

We love when a cruise line includes port charges and gratuities, as Celestyal Cruises does with every cruise fare.

Wi-Fi 

Four Wi-Fi packages are available onboard: 

• One hour for €7.00
• Three hours for €16.00
• Six hours €25.00
• Unlimited hours for €100.00

If you plan on being online at all to read emails, browse the web, or engage with social media, our recommendation is to get six hours as a minimum. If you upgrade to the Enhance Fare, one hour of Wifi is included in the package. 

The wifi isn’t strong enough to stream anything, but it was good enough for emails and text messages. We weren’t always able to get a strong connection while we were sailing. For example, photos within text messages didn’t always download.

How it works is you buy a package for x-amount of hours (whatever you choose) and then log in and out so the wifi time doesn’t continue to run if your phone isn’t open, but the device is connected. The system remembers the total time you have used and displays it when you log back in. 

Wi-Fi in Ports 

We always carried our wifi hotspot during this trip, so when we were off the ship exploring ports we could still get online and use the device’s connection to do anything that needed more bandwidth, like social media posts. 

In general, the connection was stronger than the wifi on the ship, but it doesn’t work when you’re at sea because it needs to ping cell towers to get wifi (which is why it works incredibly well on land in 135+ countries). 

• WiFi on up to 10 devices
• Lightweight and pocket-sized
• Works in popular port cities worldwide

Select Beverages 

Certain beverages are included with meals in the dining room and buffet. House wines and house beer are included with lunch and dinner, sodas by the glass, select juices by the glass, coffee, hot tea and iced tea, and mineral water.

Suite and junior suite guests have a small complimentary bottle of water in the stateroom that is replenished daily. Suite guests (not junior suites) also have complimentary beer and soda in the room, which is replenished daily.

There are eight drinks packages available to choose from. 

Prices are per person per day, including taxes:  

• Premium Plus €47.00
• Premium €30.00
• Alcohol-free €27.00
• Kids €16.00
• Premium Kids €20.00
• Soft drinks €10.00
• Premium Water €7.50
• Coffee €10.00

Premium Plus includes anything from alcoholic beverages up to a certain price, to beer any time, to milkshakes, fresh squeezed orange juice, smoothies, and lattes. The included options decrease as you go down the line for the drinks package options.

If you purchase the Enhance Fare, the Premium drinks package is included. Or you can upgrade it to the Premium Plus package for $17 more per day. You can also upgrade to the Premium Plus drinks package with the base cruise fare if you do not want everything in the Enhance Fare. 

Transfers and Pre-Post Cruise Extensions

Though it’s not included in the cruise fare, Celestyal Cruises has add-on options for a cruise package that takes care of your pre/post cruise hotels and transfers – to and from the airport and to/from hotels to get to/from the ship. 

Book a package that includes pre-cruise accommodations and transfers, or a package with pre and post-cruise offerings. 

Celestyal Cruises Excursions 

A true highlight of a Celestyal Cruises experience is the ports you visit. The cruise line strongly focuses on this aspect of its cruises, which is why the itineraries are so great. 

We joked that every day we were on the Three Continents Cruise, another bucket list travel item was checked off our list, whether see the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, being at the Western Wall in Jerusalem in Israel, or exploring the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey. But it was true! 

All cruise fares include an $80 credit for excursions to encourage you to book them. The Enhance Fare includes double that. 

Regardless, since multiple excursions throughout your cruise per person will cost more than that, factor between $300-500 per person for Celestyal Cruises excursions when you’re budget-planning. Cost per excursion varies depending on the destination and the tour. 

Onboard Spaces 

Both Celestyal Cruises ships have the following onboard spaces and amenities:

Shop with Souvenirs

You can purchase a variety of items at the Celestyal Cruises shop. Whether you want snacks for your room, like chocolates and gummy bears, or a souvenir magnet, or want new sandals and a hat, they have several options. 

Photography Prints Area 

A small area of the ship is dedicated to viewing printed photos from your days on board and in ports. If you decide you want to buy them, they are reasonably priced at $11 or so per print. 

Several photographers are working onboard who take photos of the guests. These images get printed for guests to see, though you have to make a point to go to the photography area to see them. 

The staterooms are lovely, with a color palette that evokes feelings of the Mediterranean and Greek islands. The toilet and showers are in the same room, which leaves more space for the bedroom and living space.

We recommend getting a suite or junior suite with a balcony for maximum enjoyment of the ship while you’re onboard. 

If you are sailing during shoulder season, which is before or after peak season when temperatures are slightly cooler, or you know you’ll be off the ship on excursions every day, we think it’s less important to spring for a suite if you’re on a budget than for something like upgrading your drinks package.

An onboard spa is available for guests to book treatments, including massages, facials, and the like. We enjoyed a couple’s massage on the first day of the cruise that set us up for relaxation the entire trip. 

Entertainment Areas, Lounges, and Bars

There are several areas to relax and enjoy a cocktail around the ship. This includes the main entertainment venue where evening shows are and the lounge areas. You can get beverages, play cards, and games (if you bring them onboard), and listen to musical entertainment at night in the lounge and bar. 

The ship has several bars open at various times throughout the day. So you have options, whether you want to order a drink and be indoors or enjoy the top deck with the most sunshine possible. There is also a small onboard casino that is usually open when the ship is sailing. 

Celestyal Cruises Dining

Dining is often a highlight of any cruise, and Celestyal Cruises didn’t disappoint. We loved that they had featured Greek dishes on every menu as part of the meal offerings, which have regional ingredients from islands Celestyal visits.

There is specialty dining experiences onboard called The Greek Table experience, which we detail below.

Suites Dining

There is a dining venue that is specifically for suites and junior suites guests. The restaurant has white-linen tablecloths, the same crew serving as waiters and hosts every day, a buffet to go through, and a menu to order from for breakfast and lunch.

It was usually open for two meals daily, depending on the port and daily schedule. It is not open for dinner. 

We were in a junior suite and enjoyed this option for breakfast and lunch whenever possible.

An Especially Tasty Greek Evening: Celestyal Cruises “The Greek Table Experience”  

Celestyal Cruises has partnered with esteemed chef, Diana Kochilas, to create a special menu for the cruise line. Kochilas is a Greek American who is the host, creator, and co-producer of My Greek Table, a Public Television program that airs in the US and Australia. She is also the author of 18 cookbooks on Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. 

For just under $60 per person, you can enjoy dinner in a private restaurant reserved for the evening’s Greek Table diners, and relish in a six-course tasting menu. With the homemade dips to start, an optional cheese course, and an intermezzo, it’s more like nine courses!  

The Greek Table Courses

We signed up for The Greek Table on our second evening of the cruise, the day at sea. It started with an absolutely phenomenal octopus carpaccio dish and ended with Greek cheeses and a photo-worthy dessert. It was so much food we couldn’t eat it all, but we certainly tried everything.

Though the menu may change should Chef Kochilas and Celestyal Cruises choose to switch it up, here’s what we had:

• Three homemade dips and pita bread and Simit (which is like a very thin Greek sesame bagel)
• Cretan octopus carpaccio with fennel and an orange-ouzo vinaigrette 
• Aegean fisherman’s saffron avgolemono soup
• Escallop of Aegean lobster, saffron-jeweled pilaf with pistachios, almonds, and peas
• Pappardelle of zucchini, marinated tomatoes, and mint with toasted pine nuts
• Kalogeros terrine with sliced beef loin, sheep’s milk cheese, and tomatoes 
• Arugula, red onion, baked olives, grilled manouri, and pasteli crumble, tossed in Greek virgin olive oil and aged balsamic
• Dessert: Selection of Greek village cheeses or floating Greek island in a wine-dark sea, with a rose geranium-infused fruit soup and meringues

The Greek Table Experience Dinner Review 

The highlights for us were the octopus carpaccio, pappardelle of zucchini (a refreshing vegetable plate that was beautifully crafted), and the vibrant arugula salad with pomegranate seeds and sesame candy, which was the “pasteli” on top. Another highlight was the Escallop of Aegean Lobster; the dish’s textures were quite nice.

The service was very good, and the private dining room that the specialty dinner was in, with no more than four tables, was lovely and intimate. However, we recommend keeping at least one menu nearby, so you know what you’re eating. We were glad we have a menu next to us because the server didn’t explain each dish as he set the plates down. 

Programming Aboard Celestyal Cruises

Daytime entertainment.

As a cruise line focusing on ports, it’s not a cruise line that will wow you with onboard daytime programming. That said, there is plenty to enjoy onboard if you have a day at sea or choose to stay onboard instead of disembarking to explore a port. 

You can enjoy the onboard hot tub or pool, read a book on a lounge chair, enjoy the sports bar and whatever news or sporting event is on television, or look at the daily schedule to see if something like bingo, trivia, Greek language lessons, or a cooking demonstration is scheduled. 

Greek Wine Tasting on Celestyal Cruises Day at Sea

We decided to sign up for the Greek Wine Tasting on our day at sea. It was a fun thing to do for an extra $25 for two people. 

The tasting was well-organized and a  fun activity to look forward to. Though we didn’t expect a wine tasting of the caliber of our Bordeaux River cruise experience in France, we were a little disappointed there wasn’t slightly more depth to it. We were also surprised that the cheese plate with the tasting didn’t include Greek cheese. 

The wine-tasting facilitator was one of the beverage people on the ship who wasn’t a sommelier and, it was evident, not an expert on Greek wines. Though he didn’t educate us on the wine regions in Greece or wine history there, he knew slightly more about Greek wines than we did, so we learned a thing or two. 

We have partaken in countless wine tastings, from Bordeaux and Burgundy to California, so while it wasn’t a standout, at €12.50 per person during the day at sea, it was something different and enjoyable to do. And we accomplished our goal of tasting Greek wines! 

Evening Entertainment

The shows on Celestyal Cruise are okay, but not great. As we mentioned earlier, the talent is there. They just need some production improvement. 

While the shows are not at the level of some mega-ship entertainment, the production level is definitely higher than a river cruise or yacht cruise, for example. Remember, it’s a mid-size ship with affordable pricing, so the entertainment matches the cruising level. 

If you don’t want to watch the show – or only want to watch some of it, then explore other areas of the ship – the lounge is nearby and always had music at night. In fact, the musical duo was so good we made sure to attend every night!

Celestyal Cruises Itineraries 

We’ve shared everything onboard – so you’re probably wondering about the itineraries. 

Celestyal Cruises offers three, four, five, seven, and 14-night itineraries. We went on one of the regularly scheduled sailings, but they also offer special event cruises, like an eight-night New Year cruise.

Celestyal Cruises’ Ports of Embarkation

• Greece : Piraeus (Athens), Lavrion (Athens), Crete/Heraklion and Thessaloniki
• Turkey : Kusadasi and Istanbul
• Cyprus : Limassol  

The main port city people leave from is Athens.

7-Night Itineraries 

• Idyllic Aegean : Athens | Thessaloniki | Kusadasi | Crete | Santorini | Mykonos | Milos | Athens
• Eclectic Aegean : Athens | Istanbul | Kavala | Thessaloniki | Volos | Santorini | Athens
• Three Continents : Athens | Port Said | Ashdod | Limassol | Rhodes | Kusadasi | Athens
• Steps of Paul : Athens | Thessaloniki | Kavala | Istanbul | Dikili | Kusadasi | Patmos | Athens

We embarked on a 7-night Three Continents Cruise, which was fabulous. 

5-Night Cruises 

• Legendary Aegean : Athens | Santorini | Rhodes | Samos | Istanbul
• Legendary Ionian : Athens | Kotor | Corfu | Chania Souda | Athens

3 and 4-Night Cruises

• Iconic Aegean (3-nights): Athens, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Santorini, Athens
• Iconic Aegean (4-nights): Athens, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Rhodes, Santorini, Athens
• Legendary Aegean (4-nights): Istanbul, Chios, Kos, Mykonos, Athens

Celestyal Cruise Guest Demographics: Where Are the Guests From? 

We have been on many cruises, from small to large. And we always meet a few people from other countries here and there, especially from Australia and the United Kingdom. 

An aspect of cruising with Celestyal Cruises that surprised us was that guests were from so many different areas of Europe. This included places like Greece, the Balkans, and South Africa. 

Onboard Smoking

The reality of the increased attendance of Europeans onboard meant many more cigarette smokers were on board. 

You cannot smoke anywhere inside the cruise ship, of course. That’s the same across the board with any cruise line. However, we found that the smokers did not respect the designated smoking areas. The smell would sometimes drift over into our room or to where we were outside. 

If this happens while you’re on the cruise and you find someone smoking in a non-designated area that affects your cruise enjoyment, simply alert the nearest crew member, and they will direct the smoker to a smoking area.

While there isn’t much you can otherwise do about this if you don’t like the smell of cigarette smoke, you’ll be more prepared for what to expect than we were if you know about it ahead of time.

Celestyal Cruises Experience in Review

We really enjoyed our cruise. We look forward to sailing with Celestyal Cruises again because we loved the Greek identity of the cruise line and their truly impressive itineraries and ports. Knowing what you’re paying for and what to expect, you’ll thoroughly enjoy your Celestyal Cruises vacation.

Interested in European cruising? Read this next:

• Celestyal Cruises Three Continents Cruise with Bucket List Sightseeing 
• Marseille Cruise Port Info: Complete Visitors Guide
• Complete Guide to Closed-Loop Cruises (and Open Jaw Itineraries)

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Flying Fluskey

Sharing our travel stories to inspire yours, all aboard the celestyal olympia – our full celestyal cruises review.

Celestyal Cruises is a small, homegrown Greek cruise line. They celebrate all things Greek through their food, onboard activities, shows and cruise itineraries. I had never heard of Celestyal before last year but was so intrigued by their impossible sounding Iconic Aegean cruises. Four nights and seven posts? This must be a truly unique offering. Read on for our full Celestyal Cruises review.

This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.

Arriving in Athens

Checking in, welcome aboard celestyal olympia, a look around our cabin, dining on the olympia, entertainment, information and top tips for celestyal cruises.

• Final Thoughts for Our Celestyal Cruises Review

It is possible to book a cruise package with Celestyal that includes transfers and a 4*+ hotel. This was such a nice way to start the trip. We arrived at the airport to find a driver waiting to whisk us into Athens. Our package included just one night before our sailing but you can choose more. I was expecting a small hotel somewhere near the port but we were actually in a nice spot right in the heart of Athens. We had a lovely afternoon and evening exploring near the hotel.

Check out all our travels in Greece

We weren’t worried about getting to the port in the morning as once again, someone was there bang on time to get us there. Our Celestyal Cruise was operating out of Lavrio which isn’t the easiest to reach by public transport so this was a very chilled way to get there in comparison.

Lavrio Port

Check-in was so easy. We dropped our two small bags off outside the port building and then waited no more than five minutes to check in at the desk. This probably took us three minutes, obviously the people in front of us were a bit slow, and then we went to security. The security line was a bit mixed up with two lines merging into one, but I think as this was a smaller sailing with only 500 people due to be on board, they had changed things to try to streamline them, and just not got their queue control perfected.

We were shown to a bus which we hopped on, soon realising that the ship was a hilariously short distance away and lots of people were walking. We boarded quickly, with no fuss, just scanning our cruise cards and hopped in the lift up to deck number 7 to find our cabin.

The Celestyal Olympia was built in1982 in Finland but she looks rather good for her age we must say! The gorgeous teak deck that surrounds deck 7 is a particularly lovely vintage feature (Is it vintage…maybe for a cruise ship?) She was originally owned by Royal Caribbean, named Song of America before passing through a couple more hands and ending up with Celestyal Cruises. She is 179m long, 29m wide and can hold around 1500 passengers. For our sailing, we found out that there were only 500 or so of us and so we never queued for a drink, struggled to find a seat or book any of the excursions we preferenced. Honestly, I think that, even at capacity, it wouldn’t feel too crowded at all.

Our cabin was a junior suite, and we had so much room! It was 23 square metres (more than half the size of our flat in London). We were not in each other’s way at any point.

The storage was copious. I can almost imagine filling it on a two week cruise, maybe not with the way we pack, but it was chemically empty for our four night Iconic Aegean.

There were two large wardrobes, one for full length garments, and one with two shallow rails. Next to these was a cupboard with slightly awkward triangular shelves and a half size, one with the same kind of shelves on the other side of the TV.

The junior suite has a large seating area. The three seater sofa can be converted into an extra bed if you are using the cabin for three people. Then there are two chairs and a coffee table by the window. Being such a busy itinerary we didn’t use this at all but it would be nice on a longer sailing or for a quiet night. Mind you, the TV is opposite the bed so if you want a movie night the sofa is not an option. My only disappointment with the room was the view. Our room was on deck seven, tucked behind a lifeboat so the view was partially obscured.

Opposite the sofa was a large desk/vanity, backed by two large mirrors which was fab. There were more shelves and this is where you find the electric safe. Under the desk, the hairdryer was stashed. It wasn’t very strong. Luckily, there were some plugs here, so I was able to use my own. There is also a minibar. It’s worth noting that even with the full premium plus drinks package (more on that later), this is NOT included. The prices aren’t bad. You can get a half bottle of bubbly for around £12, but unless you want to incur extra costs, it’s best to forget that this store exists. The water bottles in the room are also chargeable so don’t forget to grab one from the bar before you head to bed.

The Bathroom

The bathroom was really quite big with plenty of room between the toilet, sink and bath. Yes, you read that correctly, we had an actual bath! Of course, it wasn’t quite full length, but still big enough for me to relax in. Actually, I fully intended to have a bath (I wanted to see if the water would slash with the waves) but never felt like I had time because there was so much to do. Luckily, the shower was good with decent pressure.

There was a large counter and a shallow three door cabinet on the wall. We had plenty of room for all our bathroom bits. The only weird thing was the cabinet doors, which were all hung in the opposite manner to that which common sense would indicate

The bathroom products provided were all olive oil-based with a herby, unisex fragrance. We got shampoo but no conditioner, soap and body milk. These were all available to buy in the shop if you fall in love with them.

Our bed was large and the mattress was quite firm, which I love. The pillows in contrast were far too soft for my taste. I am aware that my predilection for bouncy pillows isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Every evening we returned to our room to see a nice turn down service with a little snack (sesame crackers or nougat) which was a nice goodnight nibble. We were also treated to some adorable towel art. (Yes, I know this is passé but it delights me every time).

We each had a reading light, but there were no plugs by the bed, probably the worst thing about this old cruise ship. We all have so much to charge these days. This is especially true when you are disembarking every day as you can’t leave things charging in your room during the day.

During our trip, all meals were served in the main Aegean restaurant. There are no set dining times, just opening times and seating is at shared tables on a first come, first served basis. Well, that is almost true. We were lucky enough to be able to use the Galileo Room. This is a quieter dining room tucked in the corner of the main room and is open to those with suites/staterooms. All the food is the same here but the service isn’t spread as thinly and we had a private table that was ours for the whole trip.

If the weather was warmer, and the ship busier, there would have also been the Leda self-serve buffet (more about that in a bit) and the Aura Grill. This is open on days that the ship is at sea during lunch and serves international fare like burgers and fries. Finally, there is usually a poolside grill in summer once a cruise, where great quantities of meat are prepared poolside.

Aegean Restaurant    

Breakfast was a big buffet. You could pick from a selection of six spreads, copious, fruits, thick, Moorish, Greek yoghurt, and even salad. In the hot area, there were sausages, eggs, bacon, hash browns (yum) and plenty of other naughty breakfast delights. There was a section with crispy croissants (good, but not great) and thick American pancakes. Oh and don’t forget the cake selection. Breakfast desert? Why not?

Finally, there was an omelette station with two chefs, whipping up, fresh, French-style omelettes. I wanted to try one but ate so much at dinner every day that I just wasn’t hungry by the next morning.

At lunch, you could choose from the buffet or go à la cart. The buffet was brilliant. The food was fresh and there were loads of healthy options. not that we preferred these. The feta was the creamiest I’d ever had, and I took every opportunity to add it to my plate.

As well as a substantial European buffet, there was an Asian section 2. This had mainly Chinese dishes. I saw noodles on our first day, but had already filled my plate to overflowing. Then, they never reappeared over the next three lunches and boy, was I craving noodles. Note to self (and you) if you see something delicious, grab it, because the buffet changes every day.

Dinner was always à la la carte, really good food, cooked beautifully and with some interesting combinations. On the whole. I was particularly impressed with the cooking of the meat I tried. I had beef one evening and I asked for it, “Medium rare, more rare than medium” and it was exactly what I got. That is so hard to achieve in a dining room full of people all ordering at the same time. I did have moussaka on one occasion and it was very dry and very bland, so it wasn’t hit after hit, but the majority of food was excellent.

The desserts were the weakest of the courses. I very much enjoyed my ice cream with blue Curaçao. However, the Panna cotta had too much gelatin, so it was a bit solid and the chocolate Heart was clearly made with quite a cheap chocolate. We did enjoy trying the different Greek pastries, it was a lovely way to try something new.

Leda Buffet

The other option for breakfast was the continental breakfast up in the Leda restaurant. This is a restaurant that looks out over the back of the ship and in summer it has all its windows open and has a buffet lunch too. On our quiet, winter sailing it was only open for pastries and boy, were the staff confused that we actually came up. Couldn’t miss that sunrise though!

There were six bars, each with their own vibe, but with mostly the same menu. Our favourite bar was quite hard to find. Tucked through a door on deck seven, the lift whisked guests up to the bar that ran around the funnel called the Horizons Bar. This had lovely views out across the water and the pool deck. It was always quiet so it was easy to get a drink and really relaxing.

In general, most of the drinks are excellent. Particularly noticeable were the Miami Vice (a blend of frozen piña colada and strawberry daiquiri), the Hugo, and something Mr Fluskey loved; the Mudslide. He had one on the last night. Too late in the crusie to find your favourite!

The Celestyal Cruises Drinks Packages

Celestyal’s menu was surprisingly extensive. Included with every cruise are soft drinks, selected drinks with meals, and some hot drinks. Of course, anyone can purchase drinks at any time and with wine at something something and most cocktails between £7 and £10. This isn’t a terrible way to go if you don’t drink a lot or you plan to be in port most of the time. There were a couple of soft drink packages that allowed the extra special milkshakes and coffees, but for the price, it’s probably best to do pay-as-you-go. The coffee in the bars was good but quite small, so I began to order two at once. Maybe the drinks package is worth it?

However, if you enjoy a few bevvies with breakfast, libations at lunch, and drinks at dinner, then the packages are pretty good value. There is a premium package that allows cocktails up to £7. The premium plus package gets you cocktails up to £10, which is most of them. There is a list of drinks that are £30 also but if you really want one, you can pay the extra. We didn’t try any of these, but they better be blooming good!

Drinks at Dinner

Selected drinks with dinner are included with everyone’s cruise. This presumably meant sodas, wine and beer. We had a wine waiter who very much enjoyed helping us to taste different wines. We brought different options and taught us how to taste them which was fun. (mind you, I am not sure i needed to compare the Barefoot White Zinfandel to know it is really rather sweet. He looked slightly bemused when we ordered cocktails at dinner. I don’t think many people are as uncouth as us.

The Activities

Considering how much time we were in port, I was impressed at the variety and availability of activities on board. I imagine these would be vital when the ship was busier and there were less free spots to just laze about. We saw exercise classes like Zumba, Greek language lessons, bingo, quizzes and sporting tournaments. We did pop to the back of deck eight to play mini golf but nobody else had turned up. I mean, it was windy and a bit rainy so I guess we were the weird ones.

Throughout the day, there was quite a bit of live music, which we loved. The Argo Bar in particular often had someone tinkling on the piano or singing to backing tracks. There was a super violinist on our cruise who could be found performing on most evenings, which was a real treat. Plus, there was karaoke in the Selene Bar on most nights….which wasn’t so much.

Finally, Casino Royale next to the Argo Bar allowed people to try and win back the cost of their cruise. We didn’t venture in as casinos aren’t really our scene but people looked to be having fun.

Sana Wellness Spa

The Sena Spa offers all kinds of treatments, from hair to nails, to facials, to massage. We decided that with such a busy week, a 30 minute head, neck and back massage would be just the ticket. I ticked medium and Mr Fluskey chose soft but they both seemed quite intense. I was a sore lady the next day but he was OK so even though they were both stronger than we expected, they obviously listened to the request which was lovely to know. The treatment rooms were quite bare and I must admit, I wasn’t a fan of the lime green towels. (I know this is super nit-picky but it just seemed to clash with the relaxing vibe I was after). For the best experience, go for a manicure as the treatment room looks out over the sea, a beautiful spot for some pampering.

Now we all know that I didn’t use the gym. Actually, that being said, if we had been on a cruise with sea days, we probably would have. This can be a little tricky to find as it has to be entered from the outside deck on level 8. Inside, the gym is quite small with four running machines, some ellipticals and a handful of bikes. There are some weight machines and a set of free weights too. When we popped in, there were three people in here but I guess with so much walking in port, most people don’t feel the need. There are also saunas here, separated by gender.

The Pool and Sundeck

On deck nine you will find two pools. We thought they were identical but apparently, one is adults only (the one to the aft of the ship). They are a reasonable size for an exercise swim and have some railings to hang on to if you are just having a float about. We spent an afternoon here whilst in port at Rhodes as the sun was warm enough and the wind dropped. The water is not heated and was just about warm enough for quick few lengths. Bear in mind that they will be much colder at the beginning of the season (MArch/April). Then we steamed dry in the winter sun on a couple of sunbeds. There is loads of seating around the pool so finding a spot shouldn’t be too tricky.

There are also loads of sunbeds up on deck 10, the walkway that runs around the pools, one deck above. As the sun began to set, we decamped up here and as other people appeared, the staff began to bring more and more beds for people to relax upon. I am sure that in warmer months, they would stay out but nobody was expecting it to actually be warm enough to sun(set)bathe.

We watched the show in the Muses Lounge every night, no matter how tired we were. The set up is more of a cocktail lounge than a proscenium style theatre. There is a bar to the back of the room but staff don’t take orders during the performance. So make sure you grab something before you settle in for the show. The shows have to cater for an international audience, so there wasn’t a lot of speech, focusing more on singing, dancing and acrobatics. Each offering is performed by Canadian troupe Cirque Fantastique, The cast was quite small but they are very talented. We enjoyed the musical theatre show with some favourite songs and really allowed the dancers to show off their skills.

At every port, there are several excursions on offer. One of the lovely things about Celestyal is that all cruises include excursion credit. We enjoyed a mixture of organised excursions and independent travel during our port visits.

The excursions we took with Celestyal were:

• Rhodes, Acropolis of Lindos and the Citadel of the Knights – Although it was possible to reach Lindos by ourselves, we decided it would be quicker and easier to join a tour. Usually we arrive before tour groups, but as the tour groups disembark first, this wasn’t going to happen. We really loved the views from the hill top temple at Lindos and following our guide through Rhodes Old Town gave us a nice overview. We dashed back through the streets to take photos afterwards with nobody else there. (That is probably not possible in high season).

• Santorini, Spectacular Oia Village Perched on the Caldera Rim – This was our second visit to Santorini . We spent three days here in 2021 and so knew how to get around but decided to join the tour as it included both the cable car and bus transfer. We wanted to spend a bit longer in Oia than the group was allocated. We asked our guide to hang onto the cable car tickets and caught the bus back to Thira before grabbing a sunset cocktail by ourselves.

• Kusadasi, Ancient Ephesus and the Terrace Houses – Again, this was our second visit to Ephesus. On our first visit, we had been by ourselves, armed only with a guidebook. It was great to revisit with someone who was really passionate about it and explore new areas of the site.

If you are considering a cruise with Celestyal, here a few things you might like to know:

• For all the nest deals, you should definitely check the Celestyal Cruises website .
• Our phones picked up Turkish phone service when we sailed between Ephesus and Rhodes as it dropped off the wifi. A top tip is to leave your phone on airplane mode as you sail close to the border.
• Many of the cruises start from Greece but a few board from Turkey so you have pre and post-cruise options.
• There will be a gala night on every cruise so don’t forget to pack one fancier outfit so you can join in the fun. You may also have a Greek night on longer cruises where guests are encouraged to wear white and blue (the colours of the Greek flag). We didn’t have one but I did bring a white and blue dress just in case!
• The Celestyal itineraries are very port intensive so make sure you have comfortable walking shoes and a bag you don’t mind carrying a lot for excursions.
• Dinging times are flexible so you can arrive during the opening hours of the dining rooms rather than at a set seating. The Gala Night is an exception, with two seatings for dinner.
• Gratuities are included on Celestyal Cruises so you do not need to offer any extra. If you do decide to tip specific crew then bring euros that you have picked up ahead of time. Finding free ATMs in many of the destinations isn’t that easy. (This is especially true in winter when many ATMS are emptied and closed).
• Celestyal is very family friendly, with a kid’s club and small kid’s area available. To be honest, you will be on land so much of the time that this isn’t as vital as those cruises with sea days but it is nice to know that it’s there.

Final Thought s for Our Celestyal Cruises Review

We had a blast on our Iconic Aegean cruise. There is no doubt that it is an intense itinerary but it isn’t so crazy that you can’t enjoy it. We disembarked at every stop but still had plenty of time to explore the ship, relax and even spend some time at the pool. Now, it is worth noting that the Celestyal Olympia is meant to be retired any minute now. You may not find exactly what we experienced, but the itinerary and vibes should be the same so get booking!

5 thoughts on “ All Aboard the Celestyal Olympia – Our Full Celestyal Cruises Review ”

I am taking the Celestyal 7 day Aegean cruise. Were you happy with her excusions you took and were they worth the money? The excursion to Oia Santorini is early in the day? We are in port until 12 midnight that night from early morning. Is that why you hung out in Oia longer than the tour alloted and you asked for your cable car tickets to use later when you got back on your own to Fira? Thanks for a response.

Hey Carolyn,

Nice to hear from you and how super that you are booked for the 7 days!

I would say that the Ephesus was definitely worth it. I really enjoyed having the guide and the smaller group,

If you are arriving at the southern port in Santorini then visiting Oia is a pain in the whatsit. You would need to get a bus to Fira, and then another to Oia. That is why it would be worth it but the tour itself was a bit lacklustre. We mostly did it so the queue for the cable car would be less.

The tour in Rhodes was definitely worth it as it is hard to get to the temple from the port with any certainty of timing.

I hope that helps and definitely let me know if you have any more questions xx

Oh, and yes, we wanted to stay and enjoy a sundowner on the island which is why we stuck around

We’re excited to be taking a Celestyal cruise soon, so it was great to read your review and know what to expect — though it looks like the poor Olympia is now retired in favor of the ex-AIDAaura. But I did have a quick question about the beer and wine available to everyone (non-drinks package) at lunch and dinner.

It was my impression that there was one beer selection, one white, one rose, and one red on offer. Is that correct or is there a larger selection for free? Also, are you permitted to get a second glass or is it one glass per meal? Thanks!

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Celestyal Announces New 2025 Sailings, Year-Round Cruising

B outique cruise line Celestyal is expanding its sailings in 2025 to offer year-round cruising for the first time, with new Arabian Gulf sailings and 21 Adriatic cruises.

The line’s year-round program for 2025, 2026 and early 2027 are available to book on the line’s website or with a travel advisor. Travel advisors can learn more about the program through Celestyal's travel advisor portal.

Celestyal is expanding its sailings by 30 percent, adding eight additional “Heavenly Adriatic” cruises in 2025 and 13 in 2026 due to high demand. The itinerary visiting Greece, Croatia, Montenegro and Italy. 

The line will also offer 7-night “Idyllic Aegean” itineraries, which depart from Athens and visit Kusadasi, Rhodes, Crete, Santorini, Milos and Mykonos. Shorter 3- and 4-night itineraries are also available.The Celestyal Discovery, the line’s newest ship, will spend its first winter sailing the Arabian Gulf in 2025. Both the Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey will offer itineraries in the region, visiting destinations like Abu Dhabi, Doha, Sir Bani Yas Island, Fujairah, Muscat, Khasab and more. 

Special sailings are also available to take advantage of the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Guests can purchase a specific package and enjoy access to one or both of the Grand Prix events during their cruise. 

“Eighty-six percent of our guests tell us they want to come back to Celestyal, so we’re delivering on our commitment to broaden our programs,” said Lee Haslett, Chief Commercial Officer at Celestyal. “We’re renowned as the cruise specialists of the Greek islands and Mediterranean and, thanks to the commitment of the region and this overwhelming support from our customers and trusted partners, we are now confident in becoming the go-to cruise specialists of the Arabian Gulf.”