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| PRESS RELEASE |
| CELESTYAL CRUISES SETS SAIL WEST IN 2020; LAUNCHES NEW ADRIATIC ITINERARIES |
| ATHENS, GREECE (April 09, 2019) – Celestyal Cruises, the regional leader for the Greek Islands and Eastern Mediterranean has announced it is taking its award-wining program west in the fall of 2020 for six departures into the Adriatic visiting seven new destinations in Italy, Montenegro, Croatia and Greece. The new Adriatic itineraries will all be onboard the Celestyal Olympia. |
| The itinerary consists of four seven-night cruises departing Venice, Italy on December 5,12,19 and 26 and calling on Corfu and Patras, Greece, followed by Kotor in Montenegro and Dubrovnik and Split in Croatia, with fares starting at $999 per guest. Dubrovnik will also be available for guests as an embarkation port. |
| There will be two positioning cruises, the first on November 30 with a five-night cruise starting in Athens and ending in Venice, calling on Katakolon and Corfu in Greece, Kotor, Montenegro and Dubrovnik, Croatia. Fares for this cruise begin at $659 per guest. A seven-night cruise will also depart on January 2, 2021 from Venice with an overnight stay and ending with an overnight stay in Athens along with calls in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Kotor, Montenegro, Corfu and Katakolon, Greece. Fares start at $839 per guest. |
| All fares include the award-winning Celestyal all-inclusive experience with on-board complimentary drinks, meals, three shore excursions (two excursions on the positioning cruises), on-board shows, port and service charges and gratuities. |
| The highlights of the Adriatic include Venice’s romantic gondola rides and its famed Hanukkah celebrations, stunning views of the Dalmatian coast and charming fishing villages, visits to some of the oldest settlements in the Balkans, the ability to enjoy the riches of some of the most fertile valleys including local wines and olive oil and a chance to experience some of the most magical Christmas markets in Europe and the option to celebrate Christmas and/or New Year’s in the Adriatic. |
| The move into the Adriatic follows Celestyal’s recent launch of its new “Eclectic Aegean” itinerary starting in October, 2019, which takes the line back to Istanbul and introduces guests to Volos, Greece, for excursions to the mountains of Meteora, and to Canakkale, Turkey, for excursions to Troy and Gallipoli. Celestyal also launches its “Three Continents” this December, with five sailings calling at Alexandria and Port Said, Egypt, at Ashdod, Israel, at Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey, at Limassol, Cyprus, and at Rhodes in Greece. |
| “Our new, 2020 Adriatic itineraries, combined with the recent launch of the ‘Eclectic’ and ‘Three Continents’ itineraries in 2019/2020, represents 33 additional weeks of operation, bringing us even closer to our objective of sailing year-round and offering our guests even more choices of destinations throughout the Aegean, Mediterranean and now the Adriatic,” said Chris Theophillides, CEO. ”We are thrilled to be visiting these new destinations at less crowded and congested times of the year to provide our guests with a much better experience and a chance to explore the magical Christmas markets and take a deeper dive into the cultural, culinary and historic treasures that these destinations offer.” |
| For more information about our 2019 and 2020 itineraries, please visit www.celestyalcruises.com. |
| About Celestyal Celestyal Cruises is the main home-porting cruise operator in Greece and the preeminent cruise line serving the Greek Islands and East Mediterranean. The company operates two mid-sized vessels, each one cozy enough to provide genuine and highly-personalized services. The foundation of the company’s philosophy is the ‘destination.’ Every cruise focuses on true cultural immersion, offering authentic, lifetime experiences both on board and on shore wherever its vessels sail. |
| Awards In December 2018 Celestyal Cruises was given the UK Editors’ Picks Award for Best Service by Cruise Critic, the world's largest cruise reviews site and online cruise community. In February 2018 Celestyal Cruises received four Cruise Critic Cruisers Choice Awards: two first place awards, for Shore Excursions and Value, and two second place awards, for Service and Entertainment. |
| Corporate Responsibility Celestyal Cruises is deeply committed to sustainability and ethical business practices. The company actively supports the local communities in the destinations it visits, particularly in the field of education. Since 2015, more than 2000 students on the Greek islands of Milos, Patmos, Samos and Ios have enjoyed a ‘journey to knowledge’, by attending specialized educational programs, initiated by Celestyal Cruises. Additionally, Celestyal Cruises supports cultural NGOs to promote youth entrepreneurship, marine student development and child welfare. |
| ISO Certification The entire spectrum of Celestyal Cruises’ ship management, including technical, hotel and crew management, and offices, are certified in accordance with ISO 9001/14001 standards. The certifying authority is DNV-GL, which is by widely recognized as the biggest and most respected rating agency in the marine industry. |
| Connect with Celestyal Cruises: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn |
| Media Contacts Charles Mardiks, Mardiks PR, chuck@mardikspr.com, ph: 646.283.5273 Frosso Zaroulea, Celestyal Cruises, f.zaroulea@celestyalcruises.gr, ph: +30.216.4009659 |