WTM 2015: Celestyal Cruises Aims to Get Closer to UK Market, Launches 7-day ‘3 Continents’ Itinerary

Celestyal Cruises, the only home porting cruise operator in Greece, is hoping to attract more British holidaymakers on its cruises through its participation in this year’s World Travel Market, which opened on Monday.

WTM 2015 – Celestyal’s Marios Shekeris, Country Manager, Sales; Sophia Mimidis, Sales Executive; and Frosso Zaroulea, PR manager.

“We are trying to ‘unlock’ the UK market this year as British travellers do come to Greece but they do not prefer cruises”, Frosso Zaroulea, the PR manager of Celestyal, told GTP on the sidelines of the trade show on Tuesday.

According to 2014 figures, North America is Celestyal’s biggest source market, making up 30 percent of bookings, followed by Latin America (22 percent) and Greece and Turkey which accounted for 21 percent of bookings. Western Europe, which includes a small percent of the UK market, makes up 19 percent of bookings.

“We are mainly reintroducing ourselves to the UK market following our rebranding last year as they still know us as Louis Cruises… We are showing our new strategy and positioning in the market as the product we offer has changed completely”, she said.

A Celestyal Cruise journey is a journey deep into Greek hospitality as it contains thematic events that focus on the country’s hospitality, cuisine, wine, etc.

“British travellers have not understood that while on a cruise, they will see other things and also meet other destinations as not only Mykonos and Santorini exist in Greece… We go to islands that are literally unknown to them”, she added.

In order to attract more UK travellers, Celestyal is offering ‘cruise and stay’ packages on its cruises in 2016.

“3 Continents” Itinerary: cornerstone of 2017-2018 winter season

Photo source: Celestyal Cruises

During the WTM, Celestyal announced its first-ever winter cruise program, the 7-day “3 Continents” cruises that will run from Lavrion and call on Antalya, on the Turquoise Coast of Turkey, to Ashdod, Israel, and to Port Said, Egypt.

The inaugural cruise will sail from Athens (Lavrion) on Friday, 26 January 2018 with an end-of-season cruise again departing from Lavrion on Friday, 25 May 2018. The second 3 Continents season commences in the fall on Friday, 5 October, departing from Lavrion, and ends with a final cruise, again from Lavrion, on Friday, 16 November 2018. Embarkation and disembarkation are also available at Antalya.

The Celestyal Olympia, which will undergo refurbishment of its exterior cabins this coming winter, will sail the itinerary.

Celestyal Cruises’ 7-Day “3 Continents” itinerary calls at three continents: Europe (Rhodes), Asia (Antalya, Turkey and Ashdod, Israel), and Africa (Port Said, Egypt). A variety of excursions will be offered in each port.

GTP is an official media partner of WTM London 2015.