Celestyal has confirmed its Arabian Gulf program with the Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery beginning in December of this year, following their maiden 2024-25 program.

John Diorio, managing director and vice president of business development North America at Celestyal, said: “Our maiden Arabian Gulf season firmly established Celestyal as a standout in the region, with exceptional feedback from both guests and our trade partners.”

“Listening to that feedback, we’re enhancing our deployment with two new seven-night Athens-to-Jeddah sailings that highlight even more of Egypt’s diverse beauty, calling at Port Said, Sharm el Sheikh, Safaga, plus Marmaris or Kusadasi in Turkey, and Aqaba before concluding in Jeddah,” added Diorio.

The company said in a press release that the deployment represents a 211 percent year-on-year capacity increase.

As part of its updated deployment plans, Celestyal has amended its two “Ancient Athens to Amazing Abu Dhabi” sailings, departing November 22, 2025, onboard the Celestyal Journey, and November 28, 2025, onboard the Celestyal Discovery.

Two new seven-night Athens to Jeddah itineraries will now operate, sailing from Athens, Greece, on the same departure dates. The Celestyal Journey will now call at Marmaris, Turkey, three ports in Egypt, Port Said, Sharm el Sheikh, and Safaga, concluding in Jeddah.

The Celestyal Discovery will now call at Kusadasi, Turkey, two ports in Egypt, Sharm el Sheikh and Safaga, concluding in Jeddah. Six-night segments will also be available from the Turkish ports, the company added.

The company said that most of the guests who are booked on the original segments departing Athens, sailing to Sharm El Sheik and Jeddah, will be unimpacted; for some, there will be port changes or shorter sailings offered.

Following these departures, both ships will continue their passage from Jeddah to Abu Dhabi, enabling them to arrive in the Arabian Gulf in time to begin the season as planned.

The Celestyal Journey will open the season on December 6, 2025, with an Abu Dhabi Grand Prix celebratory cruise, before operating the seven-night “Desert Days” itinerary for the rest of the season.

The Celestyal Discovery will then join her fleet mate for her inaugural season in the region, departing December 12, 2025, and launching the line’s new three-, four- and seven-night “Iconic Arabia” cruises.