Celestyal Journey

Celestyal Journey is the larger of Celestyal’s two ships, joining the Greek line in 2023 after earlier careers with Holland America, as Ryndam, and P&O Australia. Her Holland America roots show in a classic, mid-sized layout, with a two-tier dining room at the stern and plenty of open deck space. Celestyal gives her a distinctly Greek personality, with Greek cuisine, Greek music and dancing, and crew who share their culture with guests. She specializes in Greek islands and Eastern Mediterranean itineraries from Athens, calling at places such as Mykonos, Santorini and Crete, and has also sailed in the Arabian Gulf in winter.

Best for: Travelers who want an affordable, culture-rich Greek islands cruise on a comfortable, classic ship.

Celestyal Cruises is a small Greek cruise line specializing in short, port-packed sailings around the Greek islands and Turkey from Athens, with a distinctly Greek atmosphere, cuisine and crew. Its single fare includes meals, Wi-Fi, soft drinks during the day, port fees and gratuities. It suits travelers who want to see several islands in three to seven nights without a big-ship experience, less so those wanting resort-style ships.