Details revealed about the Celestyal Journey
Celestyal Cruises plans to debut its refurbished and renamed ship on Sept. 2 on a round-trip seven-day sailing out of Athens.
Originally named the Ryndam and built for Holland America Line in 1994, the renamed Celestyal Journey is undergoing a $21 million refurbishment. When completed, the ship will include the line’s first penthouse suite with a private terrace and 148 balcony suites (120 Junior Dream suites and 28 Grand Dream suites).
The 1,260-passenger ship is the third in Celestyal’s fleet. The Journey will have seven specialty dining experiences, including a private chef’s table and live cooking demonstrations. Restaurants include Fig & Honey serving Greek cuisine, Smoked Olive serving Mediterranean bites, Grill Seekers for everything grilled and Pink Moon with an Asian menu.
The ship will have eight bars and lounges, including a champagne bar called Fizz Club and a wine cellar called Grapevine Wine Cellar. Piano music will be played at Blue Bar and Lounge.
The Celestyal Journey will offer what the line calls “The Sozo Experience,” a deck inspired by an ancient Greek tradition of wellness of mind, body and spirit. The deck will have panoramic ocean views, a fitness area with a dedicated fitness instructor, tennis and basketball courts and an outdoor jogging track. The deck also has a sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi as well as a relaxation area called the Dream Den.
The Journey will have other open deck areas, including one deck reserved for suite guests and one pool with a retractable roof.
All Dream suite guests will have access to The Beach Club, a secluded outdoor space with ice cream stations and juice corners. Grand Dream suite guests will have access to a priority check-in counter at the concierge desk, expedited embarkation, express luggage delivery and assistance with unpacking. A dedicated concierge will be available in the exclusive Compass Lounge to assist Grand suite guests with individual service requests.
Entertainment will include The Amphitheatro, a live lounge show viewable from two decks. The ship will also have a Kids Club arcade.
The ship also has two conference rooms for meeting and incentive groups.
Lee Haslett, the line’s chief commercial officer, said he plans to offer travel agents in-person ship visits, fam trips and training to expand their product knowledge.
The Journey will take over the Celestyal Crystal’s program with its seven-night Idyllic Aegean itinerary visiting Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion (Crete), Santorini, Mykonos and Milos.
Guests currently booked for the Celestyal Crystal after Sept. 1 will be contacted by the line and re-accommodated on the Journey.
The ship sailed for Holland America Line from 1994 to 2015. It later sailed for P&O Cruises Australia then was acquired by Cruise & Maritime Voyages in 2019 before it was purchased by Celestyal.
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