Celestyal has cancelled eight cruises, including two repositioning itineraries to avoid the Red Sea, over concerns of escalating tensions in the region.
Celestyal Journey’s 14-night repositioning cruise ‘Ancient Athens to Dazzling Doha’, which had been due to depart on 26 October 2024, and its return sailing, ‘Dazzling Doha to Ancient Athens’ on 8 March 2025, will no longer take place.
The ship will instead sail on a 34-night non-commercial repositioning cruise to and from Doha, Qatar, from where it will operate its first Arabian Gulf season.
The revised repositioning cruises are longer, which means the first three scheduled ‘Desert Days’ itineraries, set to depart from Doha on 9, 16 and 23 November will also be cancelled.
For the same reason, Celestyal Journey’s first three 2025 ‘Heavenly Adriatic’ itineraries, set to depart on 22 and 29 March and 5 April 2025, after the ship has returned from the Gulf, have also been cancelled.
Celestyal Journey’s maiden voyage in the Arabian Gulf will now be an amended seven-night ‘Desert Days & Qatar Grand Prix’ cruise, sailing round trip from Doha departing 30 November 2024.
The ship will be in Doha port for the first three days to cover the Qatar Grand Prix, then overnight in Dubai Marina, followed by Khasab, Sir Bani Yas Island and Abu Dhabi.
The next itinerary will be an amended seven-night ‘Desert Days & Abu Dhabi Grand Prix’ cruise, now sailing round trip from Dubai, departing 2 December 2024, with a full day and late-night stay in Abu Dhabi on 8 December, during the Grand Prix.
The rest of Celestyal Journey’s inaugural Arabian Gulf season now comprises nine seven-night ’Desert Days’ sailings departing between November 2024 and March 2025, with the option to embark in Doha, Qatar, Abu Dhabi or Dubai.
Celestyal said travel agents have been notified of rebooking options, commission has been protected and booking system changes will be updated in the next two weeks.
Chief Commercial Officer Lee Haslett said: “We recently announced our full cruise programme through to March 2027 to build simplicity and assurance into our offering.
“In light of the current geopolitical climate in our original path of passage to this year’s winter season, we have decided to operate longer non-commercial repositioning sailings to and from Qatar. Celestyal Journey will continue to proudly homeport from Doha, Qatar from November 2024, for the next three winter seasons.
“We apologise for the inconvenience that today’s cancellation of a small number of our itineraries may have caused.
“Our impacted guests have all been offered alternative cruise options and/or reimbursement. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to our global year-round operation in the Greek islands, Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf, and would like to thank our valued guests and trade partners for their understanding and support.”
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Celestyal Journey’s 14-night repositioning cruise ‘Ancient Athens to Dazzling Doha’, which had been due to depart on 26 October 2024, and its return sailing, ‘Dazzling Doha to Ancient Athens’ on 8 March 2025, will no longer take place.
The ship will instead sail on a 34-night non-commercial repositioning cruise to and from Doha, Qatar, from where it will operate its first Arabian Gulf season.
The revised repositioning cruises are longer, which means the first three scheduled ‘Desert Days’ itineraries, set to depart from Doha on 9, 16 and 23 November will also be cancelled.
For the same reason, Celestyal Journey’s first three 2025 ‘Heavenly Adriatic’ itineraries, set to depart on 22 and 29 March and 5 April 2025, after the ship has returned from the Gulf, have also been cancelled.
Celestyal Journey’s maiden voyage in the Arabian Gulf will now be an amended seven-night ‘Desert Days & Qatar Grand Prix’ cruise, sailing round trip from Doha departing 30 November 2024.
The ship will be in Doha port for the first three days to cover the Qatar Grand Prix, then overnight in Dubai Marina, followed by Khasab, Sir Bani Yas Island and Abu Dhabi.
The next itinerary will be an amended seven-night ‘Desert Days & Abu Dhabi Grand Prix’ cruise, now sailing round trip from Dubai, departing 2 December 2024, with a full day and late-night stay in Abu Dhabi on 8 December, during the Grand Prix.
The rest of Celestyal Journey’s inaugural Arabian Gulf season now comprises nine seven-night ’Desert Days’ sailings departing between November 2024 and March 2025, with the option to embark in Doha, Qatar, Abu Dhabi or Dubai.
Celestyal said travel agents have been notified of rebooking options, commission has been protected and booking system changes will be updated in the next two weeks.
Chief Commercial Officer Lee Haslett said: “We recently announced our full cruise programme through to March 2027 to build simplicity and assurance into our offering.
“In light of the current geopolitical climate in our original path of passage to this year’s winter season, we have decided to operate longer non-commercial repositioning sailings to and from Qatar. Celestyal Journey will continue to proudly homeport from Doha, Qatar from November 2024, for the next three winter seasons.
“We apologise for the inconvenience that today’s cancellation of a small number of our itineraries may have caused.
“Our impacted guests have all been offered alternative cruise options and/or reimbursement. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to our global year-round operation in the Greek islands, Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf, and would like to thank our valued guests and trade partners for their understanding and support.”
The post Celestyal cancels series of cruises to avoid Red Sea appeared first on Travel Gossip.
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