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Celestyal Experience debuts in March, adding suites, wellness rooms, Beach Club

Celestyal Cruises plans to resume operations in March with its new flagship, Celestyal Experience (ex Costa neoRomantica), bringing more suites, new wellness rooms, a Mediterranean wine and cheese bar and a Beach Club.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

September 24, 2020

3 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

On March 6, it will embark on Celestyal's seven-night 'Three Continents' cruise, calling at Greece (Piraeus and Rhodes), Turkey (Kusadasi), Israel (Ashdod), Egypt (Port Said) and Cyprus (Limassol). 

Idyllic Aegean from April

Beginning April 3, Celestyal Experience will operate the seven-night 'Idyllic Aegean' itinerary that includes Piraeus, Rhodes, Crete (Agios Nikolaos), Santorini, Milos, Mykonos and Kusadasi.

For a limited period, all-inclusive launch pricing starts at $699 per person.

New Thessaloniki embarkation port

Later in the season, Celestyal Experience will operate the 'Eclectic Aegean' itinerary, a seven-night voyage that introduces the historical city of Thessaloniki, the gateway to the land of Alexander the Great, as a new embarkation port. In addition to an overnight stay in Istanbul and the ‘hanging monasteries’ of Meteora, this itinerary includes a visit to the site of Ancient Troy.

Celestyal Experience has capacity for up to 1,800 passengers in 789 staterooms, 166 with balconies, sea terraces and bridge-view verandas. The 1993-built ship underwent an extensive refurbishment in 2012.

'This has been a challenging year for everyone. However, we are extremely optimistic about the future of travel and, especially, of cruising. We are delighted with the addition of the Celestyal Experience to our fleet,' Celestyal CEO Chris Theophilides said.

'This ship will be a game-changer' for Celestyal, he continued, and embodies its commitment to an intimate, authentically Greek experience on a well-appointed, mid-sized cruise vessel.

Mediterranean wine and cheese bar

Celestyal Experience offers four restaurants, seven bars and lounges, two pools, two Jacuzzis, a Beach Club, sun deck and jogging track. Other amenities include nightly entertainment, a casino, library, meeting rooms and boutiques. One bar will feature Mediterranean wines and cheeses.  

An expansive, 47,300-square-foot panoramic spa spreads across two decks, complete with a fully equipped gym offering ocean views, thalassotherapy baths, massage rooms, saunas and a range of thermal suites. The spa also has a Japanese-style tea parlor, which will serve a wide variety of rare teas including local remedial herb and mountain teas.

Celestyal Experience offers more suites than the line’s two other ships, with 166 suite category rooms. Some 132 are junior suites with balconies, while the 34 suites include 22 with balconies, six with bridge-view verandas and six grand suites with large sea terraces. Travelers in suites higher than junior suite will get access to Celestyal Cruises' Suite Concierge service with dedicated priority check-in counter, expedited embarkation, an exclusive dining area on board, and express luggage delivery service including assistance with unpacking. A suite concierge will be available.

New wellness staterooms

Four new wellness spa stateroom categories span a variety of balcony, sea terrace and veranda suite accommodations. Exclusive use of Deck 14 ensures added tranquility. Complimentary and unlimited access to the wellness and spa area is included, notably the thalassotherapy baths and thermal suites. The wellness staterooms also provide priority access to specialty dining and a new, exclusive Beach Club concept.  

New Beach Club

This adults-only outdoor area, dedicated to those in suites and wellness accommodations, is furnished with premium sunbeds and cabanas along with a Jacuzzi perched on the stern.

Celestyal is known for its locally inspired and sourced cuisine that follows the healthy Mediterranean diet. Among the new dining venues on Celestyal Experience will be a Greek grill & deli. Casual food featuring traditional recipes and locally inspired pizzas prepared in an authentic wood-burning oven will also be on the ship’s menu. Premium tasting experiences featuring acclaimed Mediterranean wines, olive oils, cheeses and other specialties are another new concept.

 

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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