Launch Date Announced for Celestyal Journey Cruise Ship

Celestyal Cruises has announced that its newest ship, Celestyal Journey will set sail on September 2, 2023, following an extensive $21 million refurbishment and technical maintenance overhaul.

The 1,260-guest mid-sized vessel will take over the Celestyal Crystal's program, initially sailing the popular seven-night "Idyllic Aegean" itinerary.

Named to symbolize "exploration, discovery and progress," Celestyal Journey will offer 630 staterooms, 149 or 24 percent of which feature balconies. Of those 149 balcony staterooms, 120 are Junior Suites, 28 are Grand Suites and one is the spacious Penthouse Concept Suite. Additionally, the ship features 80 percent outside staterooms as well as a high guest-to-space ratio.

Food and beverage offerings onboard Celestyal Journey will include seven unique venues including specialty and themed restaurants showcasing cuisines from the Mediterranean to European and Asian dishes. Meanwhile, guests can celebrate special occasions or host private group functions at the cooking demonstration area and exclusive Chef's Table venue.

As many as eight bars and lounges, each with its own distinctive character, are also available to guests to indulge in Celestyal's signature cocktails.

Passengers can also look forward to more open deck areas. The ship will boast expansive sundecks with two pools and two Jacuzzis featuring magnificent views on top of a secluded and tranquil outdoor space known as the Beach Club available exclusively to all Grand Suite and Junior Suite guests. Grand Suite guests can also access Celestyal's Concierge Service for a dedicated priority check-in counter, expedited embarkation and express luggage delivery service that even includes assistance with unpacking.

Other onboard highlights will include a comprehensive spa, fitness and wellness area with ocean views as well as two, fully-equipped conference rooms and a multi-purpose amphitheater complete with a cinema.

"It has always been our mission to renew and rejuvenate our fleet, and we're thrilled to see this come to fruition with the arrival of the Celestyal Journey. She is already undergoing her extensive refurbishment program and will be deployed in a matter of just a few months," Celestyal Cruises CEO Chris Theophilides said in a statement.

"The Celestyal Journey will offer our guests more in the way of premium accommodations with balconies, a greater choice of dining and bar venues, public areas and open decks creating a greater sense of space. At the same time, the newest member of the Celestyal family continues our tradition of operating intimate, mid-sized vessels, allowing us to take our guests to destinations that larger ships cannot, reinforcing our in-depth regional destination knowledge and genuine, warm Greek hospitality, both of which have consistently been recognized as second to none."

Celestyal Journey will embark on the "Steps of Paul" itinerary on October 14, 2023, followed by the seven-night "Three Continents" itinerary visiting Greece, Egypt, Israel, Cyprus and Turkey, from October through December 2023. Afterward, the ship will offer an exclusive holiday sailing, a 19-night Christmas voyage calling on Thessaloniki, Volos, Rhodes and Crete (Greece), Izmir, Kusadasi, Antalya, Istanbul (Turkey), Limassol (Cyprus), Alexandria (Egypt) and an overnight visit in Haifa (Israel), spending both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the "Holy Land." Guests can also split this sailing into eight- or nine-night itineraries.

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