Editor's Note: Last week, we published the first story in our two-part review of Celestyal Cruises' Celestyal Journey. Because this is a brand that not all U.S. travel advisors are familiar with and we've been asked for more detail by many, our first story covered basics about the Crete-based brand, its hefty destination focus, the ship's history of service, shore excursions at two Adriatic ports, and details about onboard accommodations including our Grand Dream Suite. Now, this second article examines the dining options, bars, lounges, activities, entertainment, enrichment and our overall perspective of this boutique, mid-sized ship.
If clients sail on Celestyal Cruises' 1,260-passenger Celestyal Journey' in the eastern Mediterranean, they'll discover a boutique, mid-sized ship with a robust dining portfolio. So, when hunger pangs strike, it's good to know that three restaurants are complimentary for all guests.
Those include Thalassa, the main dining room; Taverna Casual, the buffet restaurant; and Greek Deli Corner, serving koulouris (Greek bagels), gyros and other regional treats.
Structurally speaking, Thalassa looks quite different than what I recall when I dined here for my first ocean cruise in 1998. Back then, the ship sailed as Holland America Line's Ryndam, and it did so for many years. Then, the ship repositioned to P&O Australia, a sister Carnival Corporation brand.
Celestyal tells me that P&O made structural changes including lowering the ceiling in the restaurant. Yet, today, it remains an attractive, comfortable and elegant dining space. Nicely dressed tables and sea views from certain tables are among the pluses.
Overall, Thalassa’s cuisine was tasty, and I appreciated the level of choices that guests have. For appetizers, entrees and other dishes, the line also lists allergens. As a result, one of my tablemates asked if a particular dish could be made in a “gluten free” version. That was immediately tackled by the chef.
Service in Thalassa was prompt and friendly. I loved seeing several dozen dining room servers, restaurant managers, chefs and other galley crew members create a festive, entertaining break during one evening service. They circled the dining room swinging and swaying to energetic music. At the same time, they swung napkins in circles above their heads. Presto, they were soon joined by a few diners eager to join the fun, conga-line celebration.
What's good to know about Thalassa? While most dishes are included in the guest's cruise fare when dining at this main dining room, there are typically a few Chef’s Gourmet Suggestions at an added charge.
Those include grilled beef tenderloin (25.95 euros) and surf and turf, a grilled beef filet and lobster tail (49.95 euros). I ordered the surf and turf: it was attractively presented and quite tasty.
While dining at Thalassa one evening, I couldn't help recalling one hoot of a memory. I had dined in this main dining room during my first cruise in 1998. Twenty-seven years later, I chuckled in flashing back to "Dutch Night," not a surprising offering given Holland America's Dutch heritage.
In fact, check out the photo of me (at right) posing with a dining room crew member in the Ryndam's main dining room. Can you imagine looking out over the entire dining room to see everyone wearing these hats? It was pure fun.
Specialty Dining
That Dutch Night was a specialty dining experience in and of itself back in the day. Today, though, when it's time for a specialty restaurant experience on Celestyal Journey, guests can make reservations for dinner at several specialty restaurants.
For instance, I dined twice at Grill Seekers, which offers a la carte pricing. It was a fabulous experience from start to finish.
One nice element is that the maître d’ or server will first bring a “meats” case to the table. That way, guests can see all the cuts of meats and the portion sizes before making a decision about what to order.
Among the delicious entrees are American Wagyu Sirloin, Irish Angus Tomahawk Ribeye, Nigerian Jumbo Shrimp (see above) and either Caribbean or Canadian lobster. I'd say that the entrees are a cut above and prepared to the guest's preferences.
If dining at Grill Seekers, it's definitely good to bring a hearty appetite. But that said, go ahead and splurge by ordering the tasty Mediterranean Antipasto Platter (17.50 euros per person) dish. While it's an appetizer, it's a lot of food even for individual portions. Or, a full table of guests — say six, eight or 10 people — might, as we did, ask the server to have one large tray prepared for the entire table (see our photo above).
What could be improved? Pink Moon is an Asian-inspired eatery offering starters, ramen and noodle bowls, stir fry and lo mein choices, rice, and desserts. I made a point of telling the server that I wanted my Asian entree quite spicy. Instead, it arrived bland. While multiple bottles of different sauces or flavorings were on each table, I'd like to see a bit more of an elevated experience here.
That said, another specialty eatery, Smoked Olive Restaurant, serves up tasty Mediterranean cuisine. One nice perk for Grand Suite, Junior Suite and the Stargazer Penthouse Suite guests is that this dining venue is reserved exclusively for suite guests at breakfast and lunch. Guests in all accommodations can dine here in the evening if they've made a reservation.
Smoked Olive has some unique decor elements too. For instance, at the entry to this eatery, guests will find a large wall displaying famous 20th century Italian actress photos and a parked Vespa scooter.
Another foodie favorite on board is the exclusive Chef’s Table, nestled in its own room. Guests can enjoy a four-, five- or six-course special dining experience at added fees. This is one good option for advisors to suggest to guests who are celebrating a special occasion or for the agency's private, small group function.
In staterooms and suites, guests will also find a small “Dial-Up, Dine-In” note card on a table; the menu items all carry a fee. Guests can order freshly baked sandwiches and Irish Angus beef burgers, between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Or 24 hours a day, they can ask for homemade pizza or a Greek salad. I ordered a tasty Margherita pizza, but I could have also chosen either a Greek Feast or Chicken Caesar pizza; all pizzas are 14 euros.
As clients often ask their travel advisor about any ship’s dress code, Celestyal advises guests in the daily program: “In the dining rooms, most guests prefer to dress up for dinner. Ladies are encouraged to wear a dress or long slacks, and men should wear long trousers with a shirt or jacket. Shorts are not permitted.”
So, when one member of our party who’d been out, got back late and showed up in shorts, he was politely asked to leave and return appropriately attired, which he did. That said, I didn't feel that the evening attire was formal, and in fact, it seemed more on the casual side to me.
Almost a pilgrimage for many guests on board was their individual trek to Cafe Nation, open from 7 a.m. until late at night. I and others loved this venue with comfortable seating plus such coffee drinks as Americano, Cappuccino, Café au Lait, Espresso, Flat White, Frappuccino, Iced Tea and more.
Another popular spot, particularly in the morning, is Fig & Honey. Pop in here to order a takeaway smoothie, or alternatively fresh juice or a gelato.
Bars and Lounges
As for watering holes, the ship has eight bars that are quite attractive in their colors, decor and soft goods. Clearly, they were part of the recent refurbishment.
In particular, I liked the Blue Bar & Lounge on Deck 8. If advisors have a group sailing, it's good to ask the line in advance about setting aside a private area in this bar. Our group experienced that firsthand, and it felt as though it was a lounge just for us.
In addition, Celestyal has developed the Alchemy Cocktail Menu, a creative collection of concoctions. We ordered these almost as much to look at as to taste.
On our cruise, all suite guests were invited to an exclusive event nightly with drinks and nibbles at the Fizz Club on Deck 8.
Onboard Activities
Guests sailing on Celestyal Journey can participate in a full range of onboard activities — everything from Greek language lessons to a salsa dance class, from karaoke to quizzes. They can "Guess the Celebrity," watch a cocktail demonstration, or play bingo, mini golf or ping pong.
Onboard arts and crafts activities included tropical flowers, origami and making Croatian post cards. Food and beverage activities? Guests could watch a Greek cooking demonstration or enjoy an optional “Wine and Cheese Perfectly Paired” activity (24 euros) conducted at Symposium 1.
Celestyal Journey also has a full-service Sozo Healthy Spa. So, I booked a “Luxury Spa Pedicure with Foot Massage” at 62 euros. Seated in a comfortable pedicure chair with a bowl of swirling heated water and minerals pampering my feet, I soaked in great sea views just feet from the spa's wall of glass windows.
This spa consists of individual treatment rooms, a salon, a sauna, steam room, whirlpool and relaxation room. Access to the spa’s sauna is complimentary, while access to the steam room, whirlpool and relaxation room are 9 euros per person daily.
Nearby the spa is the ship’s sizable fitness and wellness area. Frankly, I think it's much larger than expected for a ship of this size. Fitness buffs can work out using a wide range of state-of-the-art fitness machines and equipment, complimentary for guest use.
Plus, there is a large Pilates and exercise area. On one morning, I watched as a fitness instructor led guests in “Body Stretching with Fitness.”
Celestyal Journey has two pools. One is located atop the ship. The other is an all-weather pool under a magrodome. Glancing at that magrodome pool, I immediately noticed a familiar sculpture of leaping dolphins at the pool. Yep, that's a remnant from the ship's Ryndam era.
This ship also has a running track, a tennis court (ask for a racquet from the fitness center) and basketball court.
For those thinking of a multigenerational trip, here are a few tidbits. Yes, this ship has a Kids club for those ages 5-8; a Shark Shack Room for X-box games and Wii games; and an HQ+ Room on Deck 12 aft, home to a mini-disco in the evening for teens. That said, families shouldn’t expect to see any waterpark, thrill slides, or the same types of robust children and teen programs that are the norm for many larger contemporary or premium line's ships.
Again, given Celestyal’s product focus — strongly rooted in the shoreside experience — many families who sail on this ship typically desire to be out and about most days exploring with their kids and teens ashore.
Enrichment and Entertainment
From the enrichment side, I liked Celestyal Journey’s offerings of destination-focused lectures. Guests could head to Symposium 1 on Deck 1 to listen to such talks as “Dubrovnik: Jewel of the Adriatic,” “Kefalonia: Exploring its Spirit and Heritage,” “How the Parthenon Lost its Marbles,” and “Kotor: Exploring Montenegro’s Hidden Gems,” among others.
Musically speaking, talented individual musicians as well as duos and trios performed daily in lounges, bars and other spaces around the ship. For instance, they could be found in Café Nation, Halara Cove and elsewhere. I also liked the down-home feel of a crew talent show in the Martini Bar and Lounge one night with one gentleman wearing a Scottish kilt doing magic and a female crew member dancing energetically across the floor.
And if guests prefer larger, production-style shows or a movie on a big screen, they can also find those in Celestyal Journey’s Amphitheatro Show Lounge. I’d recommend taking in the energetic “Cabaret,” a production of Cirque Fantastique from Canada. Singers and dancers take the audience into the world of Burlesque. Get ready for feathers, diamonds and sassiness.
Among the other shows during my week aboard were “Grand Circus Show,” a spectacular aerobatic show production with circus performers, and “I Have a Dream” featuring the music of ABBA. On one night, again tapping into destination immersion, Celestyal presented “Hellenic Voyage,” a large, traditional Greek party.
High rollers and slot novices alike will find a large onboard casino with table game areas and slot machines. As for smoking, including e-cigarettes, that's only permitted in a designated area of Deck 10 at the Galazio pool and terrace.
Strolling around the ship, we also perused several boutiques/shops, a shore excursion area and the Photo Shop.
Everything Old is New Again
Today, Celestyal Journey sails for a cruise line with strong eastern Mediterranean roots. Given its ownership and headquarters in Crete, it's one line that's proven itself an expert at exploring this area.
When I returned from my trip, a travel advisor who is considering a hosted group trip on the ship, asked me for my rating of the ship itself. As I mentioned in the first article, I rate it 3.5 to 4, using a scale of 5 as perfect. Simply put, it’s a very good mid-sized ship product for the price level. Segment-wise, it straddles the line between contemporary and premium.
Also, the onboard product is warm, welcoming, comfortable in style, and engaging on the service side. Another plus – which puts it closer to a 4 – is the greater number of balcony cabins than the line’s past offering. And the ship's Grand Suites with concierge service are likely to appeal to those seeking a bit more elevated onboard experience but perhaps traveling with other family or friends who are more budget conscious and desire to stay in a lower category cabin.
For me personally, Celestyal Journey sits comfortably between present and past. On the one hand, guests will discover refreshed public spaces and new soft goods, while in another way, they’ll still find some old-school elements or vestiges of the ship’s past.
No, this isn’t the most razzle-dazzle ship ever. No, it’s not the newest. And price-wise, it’s not highly inclusive. Yet, it offers a highly affordable price point, highly desired for some guests.
Parting Thoughts
As my trip on Celestyal Journey was coming to an end, I learned from a colleague on board about a historic etching (the former Holland America logo) that was still visible on a door leading to an outside deck. She led me to it and I smiled in perusing this vestige of the past.
Debarking a day later in Piraeus, I said to myself, "farewell, my friend," as I bid goodbye to the ship while walking off the gangway into the terminal.
But I also now carry positive memories of my most recent sailing on the refreshed Celestyal Journey. It's great to see that my beloved first-time cruise ship seems to have truly found the right home for its next great chapter -- demonstrating that everything old can truly be new again.
For more information on Celestyal Cruises, visit https://celestyal.com/us.
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