Celestyal made its first call to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with a traditional plaque exchange ceremony in collaboration with Cruise Saudi.
The maiden call of the Celestyal Journey, with a capacity of 1,260 passengers, took place on 29 November as the final destination of the new special seven-night cruise “From Athens to Jeddah,” which departed from Athens on 22 November and visited Marmaris in Turkey and three Egyptian ports – Port Said, Sharm el Sheikh and Safaga – before concluding in Jeddah.
Representatives of Celestyal attended the ceremony, including Captain Angelos Vasilakos, along with senior Cruise Saudi executives and port authorities.
The Celestyal Discovery, with a capacity of 1,360 passengers, will also call at Jeddah on 5 December, before joining the fleet for its first season in the Arabian Gulf.
Lee Haslett, Chief Commercial Officer of Celestyal, stated: “It is an honor to celebrate our first call to Jeddah together with our partners at Cruise Saudi, marking the beginning of a long and fruitful cooperation. As the cultural hub of Saudi Arabia and the gateway to its remarkable destinations, Jeddah offers tremendous potential for the cruise sector, and today’s plaque exchange is an important milestone in our partnership.”
Barbara Buczek, Destination Experiences Director at Cruise Saudi, stated: “This maiden call in the Red Sea highlights the strong appeal of the region and aligns with Cruise Saudi’s commitment to developing seamless, high-quality cruise experiences in Saudi Arabia. Celestyal’s extended cruises demonstrate the growing demand for unique journeys in the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf. We continue to work closely with cruise stakeholders to ensure our ports, destinations and shore excursions showcase our culture, heritage and renowned hospitality. We look forward to welcoming passengers from around the globe to discover the beauty of the Red Sea and the richness of Saudi Arabia’s destinations.”
Upon disembarkation, passengers will enjoy Jeddah’s warm hospitality, home to the city’s historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its distinctive Hijazi architecture and vibrant traditional streets and markets.
Both ships will continue their journey from Jeddah to Abu Dhabi for the start of Celestyal’s second season in the Arabian Gulf.
The Celestyal Journey will begin the season on 6 December 2025 with a special cruise celebrating the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, before operating the seven-night “Desert Days” itinerary for the remainder of the season, sailing roundtrip from Doha with calls at Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, as well as two full days and one overnight in Dubai, with prices starting from €349 per person for a seven-night cruise.*
The first departure of the Celestyal Discovery will take place on 12 December 2025, launching the new “Images of Arabia” cruises of three, four and seven nights, roundtrip from its winter homeport in Abu Dhabi, with calls in Doha (Qatar), Khasab (Oman), Dubai (UAE), Sir Bani Yas Island (UAE) and, for the first time, Ras Al Khaimah (UAE).
Celestyal owns two newly acquired and fully refurbished ships: the Celestyal Discovery, accommodating 1,360 passengers, and the Celestyal Journey, accommodating 1,260 passengers. It prioritizes highly personalized services and welcomes over 140,000 passengers annually from more than 130 nationalities.
Cruise Saudi, wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), was established in 2021 to develop and operate a world-class cruise ecosystem in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The company oversees the full value chain, both on land and at sea, from the planning, development and operation of berths and cruise terminals to organizing destination experiences, coordinating shore excursions and supporting ship operations.
Since its inception, Cruise Saudi has activated five cruise ports and gateways in the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf, established AROYA Cruises, the first Arab cruise line, and announced its partnership with the AMAN Group for Aman at Sea, a super-luxury yacht expected to set sail in 2027.
To date, the company has welcomed more than 600,000 passengers from over 120 nationalities aboard 30 cruise ships from 15 international cruise lines, working closely with ministries, regulators and global cruise partners to showcase Saudi Arabia’s cultural, historical and natural assets to the world.
Aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, Cruise Saudi aims to welcome 1.3 million cruise passengers annually by 2035, create 50,000 direct and indirect tourism-related jobs in Saudi Arabia and support the diversification and long-term growth of the national economy and tourism goals.
