Celestyal Cruises is all about offering an intimate and fun vacation to the Mediterranean or the Arabian Gulf. They only have two ships, but does that mean they slack on entertainment and good restaurants? Nope. They might not offer as many restaurants as you’d find on a mega-resort at sea - after all, both Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey are mid-size ships - but what they do offer gets the job done and receives some pretty good reviews online.
Want to know more about what you can do onboard and all the restaurants you’ll find? Don’t be shy and hit that Request a Quote button! We’ll be more than happy to get back to you and talk all about what this charming Greek cruise line has to offer.
With that said, let’s get started!
What can you do onboard Celestyal Cruises?
Celestyal Cruises is all about a charming, intimate vacation. Their mid-size ships are just as focused on the onboard experience as they are on the destination. While you won’t find any over-the-top entertainment like roller coasters, ice rinks, waterparks or bumper cars onboard, you will find some solid shows, live music, and much more.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Cirque Fantastic: This is the main show onboard Celestyal Cruises, featuring singers, dancers, and acrobats. As the name implies, it's a great homage to classic circuses and Greek music.
- Art Workshops: Celestyal is all about arts and crafts. You can join the staff for painting and craft lessons, which sounds very relaxing. Who knows, you might even discover a new hobby!
- Casino: Both ships have an onboard casino with slot machines, roulette, blackjack, and poker.
- Fitness Center: Hit the gym so you can eat as much pizza as you want without the guilt. Both ships have a fully equipped fitness center!
- Spa: Need a good massage or some kind of special treatment? Head to the Sozo Spa, available for an additional charge.
- Quiz Nights: Are you good at trivia about sports, world capitals, and pop culture? Try your luck at one of the quiz games in the lounges and have a blast.
- Language Lessons: This one’s really cool! Some staff members teach you Greek or the language spoken at a destination on your itinerary. Learn how to say “thank you,” “hello,” or “please can I have one more piña colada… actually, make that two” in a new language.
- Dancing Lessons: I love dancing, and I love cruise lines where you can dance in the lounges. Celestyal goes a step further and offers dance classes where you can learn the Sirtaki, Kalamatianos, and Hasapiko. Do I know what any of those are? Nope, but they sound like a blast.
- Cooking Classes: Are you a fan of Greek cuisine? You might become one after joining a cooking class, where talented chefs show you how to make dishes featured in the buffet and à la carte menu.
Kids Club onboard Celestyal Cruises
Both Celestyal Cruise ships offer a kids’ club simply called… Kids Club. Not the most original name, sure, but the club is divided into different age groups. Keep in mind that there’s no nursery onboard, and Celestyal Cruises does not provide baby food. Children must be at least 3 years old to join the Kids Club.
- Mini and Junior Clubs: For children aged 3 to 11. These clubs offer a mix of educational and leisure activities. The age group is further divided so that younger kids are placed together, while older children enjoy a different set of activities.
- Teens Clubs: This one is split into two groups: the Young Teens Club (ages 12 to 14) and the Teens Club (ages 15 to 17). Activities here focus more on dancing, gaming competitions, and socializing.
Dining Onboard Celestyal Cruises
Celestyal Cruises offers at least one main dining room (free of charge) and a buffet (also free of charge!) onboard each of their ships. Celestyal Journey features more restaurants than Celestyal Discovery, as it typically sails longer itineraries and can accommodate about 100 more passengers than its sister ship.
There are also specialty restaurants that cost extra on both ships. For those options, booking in advance is always a good idea. We at Famvia can help you out with that.
The food onboard Celestyal Cruises is generally considered pretty good. It’s a mix of international cuisine and Mediterranean flavors, always served with a Greek twist.
Dietary Needs
Celestyal Cruises offers a variety of dishes for both vegetarians and vegans. For passengers with food allergies, Celestyal recommends sending an email to [email protected] at least two weeks before departure with any specific dietary needs. Of course, we here at Famvia can help you with that!
Dress Code
During the day, you're free to wear pretty much whatever you like, though swimwear is not allowed in the dining venues. In the evening, the dress code becomes a bit more refined. Since most guests enjoy dressing up for dinner, it's recommended that women wear dresses or long slacks, and men wear long trousers with a shirt or jacket.
Formal nights - usually one per cruise, except on shorter sailings - are more relaxed than traditional gala nights on other cruise lines. Men can often wear sport coats or tailored shirts, while women typically opt for cocktail dresses or sundresses.
Room Service
Room service is available for an additional fee, and is available from breakfast all the way to 10pm. Do keep in mind that this service may be included for breakfast, lunch, and dinner depending on your room category. The standard room service fee is typically around €6 per delivery.
Does Celestyal Cruises Have a Main Dining Room?
Yes! Celestyal Cruises has a main dining room called Thalassa Restaurant, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Celestyal doesn’t follow a fixed dining schedule - instead, they offer what’s called Flexible Dining or Anytime Dining. This means you can simply arrive anytime between 6:30 PM and 10:00 PM to enjoy your meal. Check out the exact times that the MDR is open once onboard. The MDR is free and included in your base fare, even if there are some menu items that might cost extra.
Both ships also feature a main dining room called The Smoked Olive. The menu here is the same as the one offered at Thalassa Restaurant. The difference? The Smoked Olive is exclusively available to suite guests and offers a smaller, more intimate setting.
Does Celestyal Cruises Have a Main Buffet?
Also yes! The Taverna is the main buffet option onboard Celestyal Cruises, where guests help themselves rather than being served by staff. You’ll find Greek dishes, burgers, salads, paninis, Asian cuisine, and much more. While the buffet isn’t open 24/7, it typically stays open longer than the main dining room.
Does Celestyal Cruises Offer Drink Packages?
The short answer is… no. Celestyal Cruises does not offer a traditional drink package.
What they do offer, however, is something called CelestyalPay. With CelestyalPay, guests can pre-purchase onboard food and beverages in increments of €1,000, €750, €500, €300, €200, or €100 for use on all eligible cruises. It’s essentially a prepaid card that lets you save money by paying for drinks and food in advance.
When purchasing a CelestyalPay, Celestyal will then add a bonus of:
- €250 when purchasing a €1000 CelestyalPay
- €175 when purchasing a €750 CelestyalPay
- €100 when purchasing a €$500 CelestyalPay
- €55 when purchasing a €300 CelestyalPay
- €35 when purchasing a €200 CelestyalPay
- €15 when purchasing a €100 CelestyalPay
CelestyalPay can be pre-purchased up to 48 hours before your cruise departure. It’s also available for purchase onboard the ship, but only on the first day of the cruise. After that, it’s no longer available.
The Best Restaurants Onboard Celestyal Cruises
Pink Moon
- Type: additional cost, South Asian cuisine, Celestyal Journey only.
This South Asian–inspired restaurant serves noodles, ramen, Vietnamese pho, rice sides, braised beef brisket, beef tripe, and other dishes inspired by the region. The food is well-reviewed and is generally considered the best restaurant onboard Celestyal Journey. Guests can choose from an à la carte menu with individually priced dishes or a fixed three-course menu for €40.
Grill Seekers
- Type: additional cost, Steak & Seafood, available on both ships.
Grill Seekers is all about an elevated dining experience. Much like Pink Moon, you can choose between an à la carte menu or a five-course dining menu for €49. The offerings include some of the most delicious steak at sea, along with seafood dishes like Canadian lobster tail and Argentinian Black Angus lomito steak with shrimp.
