Celestyal adds Saudi and Jordan to...

Sailings between Abu Dhabi and Athens to include four new ports and a return to Egypt

Celestyal will visit Jordan and Saudi for the first time and call in at four maiden ports as part of four 14-night 'repositioning cruises' ahead of its winter 2025/26 season in the Arabian Gulf.

Aqaba in Jordan, Jeddah in Saudi, Muscat in Oman and Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt join the enhanced itineraries on the journey between Athens and Abu Dhabi, with Celestyal returning to Egypt after a two-year hiatus.

This move comes as the cruise operator sees "unprecedented demand" for its regional sailings, including the Iconic Arabia itinerary, which was recently updated with Ras Al Khaimah as a new port of call.

Bookings were 27% above target for its maiden season in the Arabian Gulf, which saw the ship homeport in Doha, Qatar, as part of a three-year partnership with the country.

During what is Celestyal's 10th anniversary year, 2025 will be "bigger than ever", promises Lee Haslett, Chief Commercial Officer at Celestyal. This includes "extensive renovations across our fleet and an expanded programme featuring two new countries, four new ports of call and a long-awaited return to Egypt."

The new 14-night 'Ancient Athens to Amazing Abu Dhabi' itinerary will be available across both Celestyal ships, which can each accommodate up to 1,360 passengers.

Celestyal Journey will depart Athens on 22 November 2025, calling at Port Said, Sharm El Sheikh, Aqaba, Jeddah, Muscat, Dubai and arriving into Abu Dhabi on 6 December 2025 in time for the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.

She then departs on her 'Desert Days and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix' sailing on 7 December 2025 taking in the race weekend before embarking on the first 'Desert Days' itinerary of the season, which have been recently updated with and additional stops in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha and a stop in the UAE northern emirates RAK.

Desert Days itinerary visits Dubai

Celestyal Discovery will depart Athens on 28 November 2025 charting the same course but with an additional call at Kusadasi in Türkiye, arriving into Abu Dhabi on 13 December 2025. She will then sail the new three-, four- and seven-night 'Iconic Arabia' itineraries.

The returning 14-night Amazing Abu Dhabi to Ancient Athens cruises will see Celestyal Discovery depart on 6 March 2026, with Celestyal Journey leaving Abu Dhabi on 21 March 2026.

All four repositioning cruises can be booked in segments between four and 13 nights. Prices start from US$339 per person on a four-night voyage and US$1,029 per person on a 14-night cruise including meals, soft drinks, WiFi, port fees and gratuities.

The cruise industry is booming in the region, with Dubai becoming a key port, attracting world-class operators, 187 ships and more than 280,000 passengers in 2024, according to Dubai Customs.

Celestyal cruise to visit Egypt's Sharm El Sheikh

Also benefitting thanks to Cruise Arabia alliance is Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, the latter welcoming a record number of cruise ships in 2024, representing a 104% hike in visitors.

Aroya Cruises, Saudi Arabia’s first-ever homegrown cruise line, launched its cruises in December 2024, with Arabian Gulf sailings stopping in Dubai, Dammam, Muscat and Bahrain part of the offer.

Explora Journeys has unveiled its inaugural Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula itineraries, with the first departure aboard Explora II scheduled for December 2026. The Middle East voyages include visits to Jeddah in Saudi, Dubai in the UAE and Salalah, Khasab and Sur in Oman.

For more information, visit www.celestyal.com

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