With embarkation day behind me, I was eager to explore the Celestyal Journey and get to know this ship better.
Waking up in my comfortable ocean-view cabin and seeing the calm waters of the Arabian Gulf reminded me how different this itinerary is compared to the typical Caribbean cruises I’m more accustomed to.
One advantage of cruising on a midsize ship like the Celestyal Journey is the generous passenger-to-space ratio. Without getting technical, each guest has more space to move around.
There’s something pleasantly nostalgic about classic ships designed for one or two thousand guests, especially compared to modern mega-ships with upwards of 7,000 passengers.
While the bigger ships certainly have their perks, smaller ones like Celestyal Journey can’t be beaten when the itinerary involves numerous ports of call.
Exploring More Public Areas
I spent my morning exploring the ship’s various lounges and public spaces. One area that’s quickly becoming my go-to spot is the Martini Bar on Deck 8.
Bartenders Kevin and JD bring fantastic energy and creativity to their drink-making, always adding a fun twist to their imaginative cocktails.
If you don’t know what you want, they will fix something according to your liking. Watching them create quirky drinks, like cocktails in a test tube, is a sight!
Another favorite spot is the Cafe Nation coffee bar. But if it’s too busy, every bar onboard has a coffee machine, ensuring you’ll never go without your cappuccinos or lattes. They also have typical cruise ship coffee in the Lido buffet, coined Taverna on this ship.
I’ve already settled into a morning routine of grabbing a latte at Cafe Nation (where I am writing this) and getting some work done before disembarking to explore the day’s port. Specialty coffees are included in the drink package, which makes it taste even better.
Checking Out the Food Options
Dining aboard Celestyal Journey feels classic, providing a nice—but not overwhelming—variety of options. As I’ve mentioned, I’m a simple breakfast person, so there was plenty for me.
I enjoyed the buffet for lunch and dinner, visited the main dining room for breakfast, and had a solid dinner at the Smoked Olive specialty restaurant. The Smoked Olive caters primarily to suite guests but will take other guests if available.
While I haven’t experienced other restaurants with extra charges, fellow passengers spoke highly of the steakhouse, which I’ll dine at later in the week.
The Honey and Fig venue by the pool offers fantastic breakfast smoothies, milkshakes, and gelato at affordable prices, at just 1.5 euros.
I’ve already gone four times to get chocolate chip and vanilla ice cream in a waffle cone. (Remember, this is a no-judgment zone!)
When the Sun Goes Down
I mentioned earlier that there’s a wide variety of entertainment around the ship in the evenings. But it’s not just solo performers.
The ship offers a variety of musical performances and acts in the late afternoon and every evening.
So far, some of the shows we’ve enjoyed have been an energetic ABBA tribute, their version of a “hits-through-the-decades” show and a vibrant Latin-themed evening.
A surprisingly large cast is performing these shows, which I didn’t expect on a ship this size.
Regular entertainment aboard Celestyal Journey is popular, offering something for everyone.
Post-show, guests typically disperse to the lounges, stop by Honey and Fig for ice cream, or head to Horizons Lounge and Disco—the ship’s top-deck nightclub, which reminds me quite a bit of Holland America’s Crow’s Nest.
Overall, the nightlife after the evening show is there for the taking but relatively low-key (so far). This is not surprising given that this is port-intensive sailing, and most guests call it a night to get a good night’s sleep before the next day’s excursion.
That’s the beauty of this itinerary: if you want to hang out on the ship all day, you can. Nothing stops you if you want to go on an excursion or explore the port alone. It’s your vacation.
First Port: Bahrain (Khalifa Bin Salman)
Some mornings, we dock as early as seven or eight, while other days, we arrive in the early afternoon.
Docking in Bahrain today offered a captivating start to our port visits. I opted for the
Mosques, Museums, and Meze in Manama shore ex that introduced the region’s rich culture, religion, and historical sites.
Visiting the Al Fateh Grand Mosque was memorable, given its architecture, grand interiors, and informative commentary from our English-speaking local guide, who was very personable.
We also explored Bahrain Fort (Qal’at al-Bahrain), a UNESCO World Heritage site, where our guide’s storytelling beautifully guided us through layers of history dating back thousands of years.
Lunch at a beach resort offered traditional Bahraini cuisine in a local setting, including flavorful dishes like Machboos (the national dish of Bahrain, featuring meat and rice) and grilled seafood.
The tour clocked in at around seven hours — a bit long for me, truth be told, especially given how much we were trying to cover. I have to say the tour guide did a great job packing it all in, and by the end of the day, we were spent!
Also, let’s face it, staying on board the ship wasn’t exactly an option after having traveled 7,000 miles for this bucket list cruise.
Second Port: Dubai (UAE)
Our arrival in Dubai was scheduled for later, allowing us to rest after our busy (and exhausting!) time in Bahrain. With an overnight stay planned, we arranged excursions for both days: 4×4 in the desert and going to the world’s tallest building.
First, we embarked on a desert adventure involving taking 4×4 vehicles into the dunes. We spent about 45 minutes jumping the dunes before witnessing a breathtaking sunset and enjoying a local dinner accompanied by a culturally themed show.
The excursion lasted approximately five hours, and I wished we’d spent more time in the dunes—next time, an ATV excursion is definitely on my list!
The following day, we visited the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. Our excursion began at the pier and took us to the Dubai Mall, which was attached to the Burj Khalifa.
From there, we went up (and up and up) to the observation deck on the 124th floor, offering killer panoramic views of Dubai and the harbor. The Burj Khalifa technically has 163 floors, although the upper levels are mainly used for mechanical spaces.
This was my second visit to Dubai, and it felt great to return to such an impressive city. especially considering that the first time, I was stuck there because my flight was canceled.
Some Celestyal Journey Thoughts
Now that we are several days into this sailing, I can say that I truly appreciate Celestyal’s ability to combine a strong focus on the ports they visit.
The laid-back atmosphere is refreshing, as is hearing concise announcements from the cruise director a couple of times a day, rather than frequent onboard sales or bingo promotions.
Overall, service onboard has been consistently friendly and efficient, particularly the cabin attendants who keep spaces impeccably clean.
Someone is always wiping down the stairwells or vacuuming. I noticed that spa services were offered at a decent discount upon embarkation—a nice perk we took advantage of early on.
I’ve never had a head and shoulder massage before, so we’ll see how that goes!
Wrapping Up
As we reach the halfway point of the trip, I’m struck by the duality of this particular sailing: On the one hand, we’re spending our days exploring exciting, unfamiliar ports and experiencing entirely new things.
But at the end of the day, we return to a ship that offers all the comforts of home… well, if our home featured live entertainment and dinner service.
But more so than on any other trip I’ve taken, I am, for some reason, aware of how much I value the “familiar” even as we’re journeying into the unknown.
Did you miss the first trip report? You can read our initial impressions of Celestyal Journey here.
