Stepping on board Celestyal Journey in Doha, Qatar, I was excited—and honestly a bit curious—to see what this unusual-for-me itinerary had in store.
While I had done plenty of research, this was my first experience cruising with Celestyal Cruises and my first time sailing in the Middle East. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect of either!
As you may have read in my trip reports, the sailing kicked off on a high note and kept pace throughout the week.
What I thought might feel overwhelming ended up being relaxing, refreshing, and different from your typical cruise experience.
If you’re unfamiliar with Celestyal Cruises, they specialize in mid-sized ships sailing immersive itineraries in the Greek Isles and the Middle East.
Some aspects of the cruise were familiar, while others were completely different. From the moment I boarded, I began taking notes to fill you in on both.
Now that I’m back home, here are 11 observations from my seven-night cruise aboard Celestyal Journey:
1. A Throwback to Simpler Cruising
Boarding Celestyal Journey felt like stepping back in time… in a good way.
With a guest capacity of 1,258 and a high guest-to-space ratio, the ship offered a simpler cruising experience, reminiscent of days when cruise lines weren’t trying to pack as many guests as possible onto a ship.
The ship’s layout was pretty straightforward. It featured one deck for most of the bars and lounges, with others dedicated to staterooms, spa treatments, and outdoor areas.
2. Plenty of Space
Thanks to the lack of crowding, there were plenty of spaces to stretch out and relax. It took looking at the manifest to see there were over 1200 people on our sailing because it felt like half that most of the cruise.
Whether you wanted a quiet spot to read or a place to gather with a few friends, both were plentiful. Personally, I enjoyed working from the Cafe Nation, conveniently located alongside the atrium on deck eight.
3. Fun Staff
The bar and lounge staff, especially JD and Kevin at the Martini Bar, were the kind of crew members you wind up remembering years later.
Their genuine friendliness and creativity—such as inventing “The Bitcoin” cocktail following our conversation about cryptocurrency — made their venue a must-visit each evening before and after dinner. The conversation was always fun at the bar, even if it wasn’t for a cocktail.
Another highlight was the talent show, during which the crew showed an astonishing variety of talents, from singing opera to doing a little magic.
It was one of those weeks where you hated to say goodbye, because you felt as if a genuine connection had been formed throughout the trip.
4. Adventurous Shore Excursions
My first real exploration of the Middle East was exciting, thanks to the excellent shore excursions.
There was the exhilarating 4×4 desert safari, capped by a beautiful sunset viewing. Or the beautiful boat trip through the scenic fjords of Oman, complete with dolphins coming up to the boat and swimming in crystal-clear waters.
And it’s not every day you find yourself atop the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It’s safe to say that relatively few people get to experience all of those and more in a single week!
5. Plenty of Relaxing Outdoor Areas
Unlike crowded mega-ships, Celestyal Journey’s pools and outdoor decks felt spacious and relaxed.
Chairs were always available, service around the pool was attentive, and food venues like the Greek deli and the Fig and Honey smoothies and ice cream spot were an added poolside bonus.
The best part: I didn’t see one deck chair hog the entire week thanks to the limited number of guests and the abundance of seating areas.
6. Solid Dining Options
The food on board was consistently good. Breakfast featured plenty of hot and cold options, lunch offered simple but tasty choices, and dinners—including specialty venues like the speciality steakhouse—were solid.
Surprisingly, my favorite meal of the entire trip was had in the main dining room, where I chose the cut of steak for an additional upcharge.
7. Impressive Spa and Thermal Suite
Unexpectedly impressive, the ship’s spa and thermal suite occupied a larger-than-expected space on deck 12, complete with state-of-the-art gym equipment. Although I took photos of the gym, I did not step foot in it once with workout clothes on.
I also received my first-ever massage during this sailing.
I chose the Indian Head Massage, which was so relaxing I fell asleep during the 30-minute session. Shoutout to my awesome massage therapist, Stephanie!
It’s worth mentioning how nice it was not to be bombarded with sales pitches before and after the massage, which happens all too often on mainstream lines. After a relaxing treatment, that is the last thing you want.
8. Entertainment and Nightlife
As regular readers know, I’m generally not all that big on sitting through shows while on a cruise. But I have to say that here, the onboard entertainment was surprisingly enjoyable.
Most performances were engaging enough that I stayed for a bit — which is saying a lot for me! Meanwhile, lively music in various venues and roamed musicians and entertainers brought energy throughout the ship.
Events were always jumping in the Martini Bar, Blue Bar, and Cafe Nation during the evenings. And as the night went on, things would get kicked up a notch or two at the top-deck Horizons Bar, the perfect spot to end any evening at the very top of the ship.
9. Decent Wi-Fi
Though equipped with Starlink, the onboard Wi-Fi wasn’t a powerhouse. Sometimes, the signal would be strong and steady, while it was spotty at others. Since we had a daily port, I often relied on my international data plan.
Anyone planning to work remotely during their cruise needs to be aware of this. You should be prepared to tether occasionally from your cell or hotspot. Though the built-in data usage tracker helped me manage the situation.
To be fair, they also have several all-inclusive options that include internet, so if you’re worried about using up a 6-gig package, you can always opt for the all-inclusive fare that also includes the internet package.
On the flip side, if you have an international data plan, the 5G data speeds in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar were blazing fast. In Abu Dhabi, a speed test clocked it at 198 Mbps (2x faster than my house or studio).
10. There Is No Ship App
Remember how I said that in some ways, this was like stepping back in time?
Well, the time we revisited was when cruise lines didn’t have apps, and we had to rely on paper planners, which were distributed daily. But on a smaller vessel, this system worked fine.
There was an app to download, but it wasn’t functional. There could be many reasons behind this, like having an international clientele using various app stores. Updating everything could be like herding cats.
11. Plenty of Charm
Despite its age — it was originally launched in 1993, sailing as Holland America’s Ryndam — the ship’s classic cabins, traditional dining, and quirky features combine to create a distinct character that adds charm to the entire experience rather than detracting from it.
Having cruised Holland America Line a lot, I loved seeing the many photos, stone statues, and whimsical lighting around the ship, like a lamp with duck feet.
Final Thoughts of Celestyal Journey
Celestyal Journey isn’t a ship that competes directly with mega-cruise lines. You would be doing the brand a disservice if you tried comparing Celestyal Journey to something like Celebrity Apex or Norwegian Bliss.
That is not its competition, nor is it the audience they are trying to serve.
Instead, it offers a nostalgic, relaxed, and authentic cruising experience perfect for those who want to explore the region in a comfortable environment with knowledgeable guides.
This cruise line is worth considering if you like off-the-beaten-path excursions, mid-sized ships, personable service, and few to no sea days.
I’m already looking at Greek Isle itineraries because often, you get to hit two ports in one day, and I want to explore as much of this earth as I can while I’m still here.
