Celestyal Brings Egypt Back for Winter Eastern Med Cruises
The winter sailings open for booking on September 1, 2026, three days before the summer 2028 program, leaving cruises bookable through November 2028.
Celestyal will add seven Eastern Mediterranean itinerary options aboard Celestyal Journey for winter 2027-28, bringing Egypt back into its program through an overnight call at Alexandria. The cruise line also has set a 124-sailing summer 2028 schedule aboard Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery, with voyages ranging from three to 14 nights.
The winter expansion comprises four seven-night cruises between Athens and Istanbul and three 14-night combinations under a reworked Three Continents Explorer program. The decision follows consultations with guests and trade partners and comes as Celestyal says bookings for its first dedicated Western Mediterranean winter season are ahead of plan.
Egypt returns to the winter program
Two seven-night Mediterranean Mosaics cruises will depart Athens on Dec. 4 and 18, 2027. The itinerary includes an overnight stay in Alexandria, followed by Limassol, Rhodes and Istanbul.
A second Mediterranean Mosaics itinerary will depart Istanbul on Dec. 11 and 25. It calls at Thessaloniki, Volos, Kusadasi, Heraklion and Athens, with overnight stays in Istanbul and Athens.
Celestyal will also sell the two itineraries as three 14-night Three Continents Explorer voyages departing Dec. 4, 11 and 18. Two will operate round trip from Athens and one from Istanbul, covering destinations in Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt.
John Diorio, Celestyal’s vice president and managing director for North America, said the company consulted guests and some of its larger partners before restoring Egypt to the schedule.
“The feedback was very positive,” Diorio said. “We’re very confident about Egypt.”
Diorio said the overnight call in Alexandria will provide time for excursions beyond the port, including visits to Cairo and the pyramids. He also linked the expansion to cruise capacity moving away from the Middle East and demand emerging for alternative winter Mediterranean programs.
The line’s separate Western Mediterranean winter season went on sale July 1. “We are way ahead of our expectations of bookings,” Diorio said. North American travelers account for 50% of Celestyal’s guests, and the company expects the new Eastern Mediterranean itineraries to draw additional demand from that market.
Celestyal has also introduced its “Uncrowded, Unforgettable, Authentically Med” winter promotion, with seven-night cruises starting at $549 per person.
Two ships cover the 2028 Mediterranean season
Celestyal’s 2028 Mediterranean program will operate from March through November, with both ships sailing round trip from Athens.
Celestyal Journey will operate eight seven-night Heavenly Greece, Italy & Croatia departures. The itinerary visits Kefalonia, Kotor, Bari, Corfu and Katakolo, along with an overnight stay in Dubrovnik.
The ship will also sail 30 seven-night Idyllic Greece cruises, calling at Kusadasi for Ephesus, Rhodes, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos and Milos. A further 16 departures will combine the two routes into the 14-night Mediterranean Icons itinerary.
Celestyal Discovery will concentrate on shorter Greek Islands cruises. Its schedule includes 35 three-night Iconic Greek Islands departures visiting Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Crete and Santorini, plus 35 four-night versions that add Rhodes.
The new winter 2027-28 sailings will open for booking on Sept. 1, 2026, followed by the summer 2028 program on Sept. 4. Diorio said the releases would leave Celestyal with cruises bookable through November 2028, the “largest amount of inventory we’ve had on sale ahead of time in many, many years.”
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