Celestyal Adds Egypt Overnight to New Winter Mediterranean

Celestyal Cruises is expanding its winter Mediterranean offerings with new Eastern Mediterranean voyages set to begin in December 2027. The company's vice president for North America, John Diorio, stated that bookings for its recently launched Western Mediterranean winter season are already running ahead of expectations.

The new program will feature four seven-night "Mediterranean Mosaics" cruises aboard the Celestyal Journey, sailing between Athens and Istanbul. These itineraries can also be combined to create three separate 14-night "Three Continents Explorer" voyages, updating the line's former Three Continents route.

Itinerary Details and Egypt Return

A key feature of the new sailings is an overnight call in Alexandria, Egypt. Diorio explained during a media briefing that the decision to reintroduce Egypt followed consultations with guests and key partners. "The feedback was very positive," Diorio said. "We're very confident about Egypt." The overnight stay is designed to allow passengers more time for excursions beyond the port, including trips to Cairo and the pyramids. Ports in Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus are also included on the itineraries.

North American Market and Winter Shift

Diorio linked the winter Mediterranean expansion to a broader industry pivot away from the Middle East. "You've seen a lot of cruise lines pivot, ourselves included, now that obviously the Middle East is not available or no one's going," he stated. He believes the demand for alternative winter destinations is present.

North America already accounts for half of Celestyal's guests, and the company anticipates the new itineraries will have strong appeal in that market. The line's first dedicated Western Mediterranean winter program, which went on sale on July 1, is performing better than planned. "We are way ahead of our expectations of bookings," Diorio noted, referencing the short booking window before the first December departures.

Expanded Summer 2028 Schedule

Alongside the winter announcement, Celestyal revealed its summer 2028 schedule. The summer program will consist of 124 sailings across two ships: the Celestyal Journey and the Celestyal Discovery.

The summer offerings include three- and four-night Greek Isles cruises, seven-night voyages visiting Greece, Italy, and Croatia, and 14-night combination cruises. By the end of this week, Celestyal will have cruises available for booking through November 2028. Diorio described this as "the largest amount of inventory we've had on sale ahead of time in many, many years." The new winter voyages with the overnight in Alexandria are now open for reservations.