A Middle East cruise as your stopover? Celestyal wants you to consider it

• Celestyal, the two-ship line that usually plies the Mediterranean, is making the Middle East its home for half the year.
• It has agreements to sail to ports across the region – and is now on a mission to convince Australians to trial its itineraries.
• Rich in history and culture, as well as surprising attractions, the line suggests its four-day cruises could even be a stopover break, as so many Australians use Middle East airlines.

Celestyal Cruises, the two-ship Mediterranean line, has been busily building Middle East itineraries and is now targeting Australian travellers with the region’s unique and culturally rich ports.

Lee Haslett, the line’s chief commercial officer, told Cruise Passenger he had noticed a trend among Australians: trialling the line’s short four to seven-day cruises on stopovers when flying with Middle East airlines.

“It’s a good stopover product,” he says. The rise of Middle Eastern airlines and Australians’ desire for longer holidays are behind an interesting idea he is hoping takes off.

He sees a combination of seeing the new Middle Eastern states and using Celestyal’s two-for-one offer to take a shorter four or five-day cruise as a great break for the long trek to Europe.

Celestyal offers a three, four and seven-night inclusive cruise onboard Celestyal Discovery, featuring full days and longer stays in the coastal cities of Doha, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Muscat, the town of Khasab and the island of Sir Bani Yas.

Sir Bani Yas is a revelation – a safari in the desert with all the animals you would expect in Africa.

“You know, you could do a week’s holiday here and pretty much see the whole region now,” he says.

This week, Celestyal signed a new agreement with Ras Al Khaimah, a state in the UAE with a history dating back 7,000 years.

Celestyal has further strengthened its partnership with Qatar Tourism, Visit Qatar and Mwani Qatar. 

Celestyal will double the number of guests it brings into Doha over the next three years, with twice weekly calls during the northern winter season, alongside the existing three-year homeport arrangement.

Last year, Celestyal launched the ‘Desert Days’ itinerary onboard the 1260-guest Celestyal Journey, homeporting from Doha, Qatar. 

The first season saw 14,500 guests sail into Doha, with 10% coming from the GCC and surrounding regions. Haslett says Australians are also booking.

The line will now return to the region with two ships in December this year, and offer twice weekly calls to Qatar.

Celestyal’s seven-night ‘Desert Days’ cruise sails round-trip from Doha, calling at Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, with an overnight stay in Dubai. As part of a two-for-one promotion, prices start from A$2078* for two people on a seven-night voyage, with all meals, soft drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities included. 

In addition, the recently refurbished 1360-guest Celestyal Discovery will join her fleet mate for the next three northern winters, sailing the new-to-2025 three-, four- and seven-night ‘Iconic Arabia’ cruises.

Sailing round-trip from Abu Dhabi, the itinerary includes calls at Doha, Khasab, Dubai, Sir Bani Yas Island, and the first calls at Ras al Khaimah. Prices start from $1018 for two people on a three-night voyage, and $1258 for two people on a four-night cruise, with all meals, soft drinks Wi-Fi and gratuities included. 

Celestyal’s shore excursion program includes ten Qatari excursions that will transport guests to the heart of the state, including tours that explore the cultural icons of the destination, trips that combine high teas, mosque visits and beach stays, and full day excursions curated by the local guides that may include the Falcon Souk, Grand Mosque and luxury boutiques and exceptional local museums.

During Celestyal’s first season the most popular Qatari excursions were ‘The Quest to the Inland Sea’ which gives guests a snapshot of local life before transporting them into the desert and onto the large tidal bay recognised for its national heritage, and a ‘Cultural Journey Through Doha’, which takes guests from Souk Waqif to Pearl Qatar-Island and Katara Cultural village before culminating at Dhow Harbour and the beautiful Museum of Islamic Art.

For more information visit celestyal.com or call 1800 648 737.