The Greek cruise industry is showing signs of dynamic growth, with the launch of new ships that upgrade Greece’s tourism product, while contributing to the strengthening of local economies.
The new acquisition of the Greek company Celestyal Cruises, “Celestyal Journey”, with a capacity of 1,260 passengers, was recently presented in the port of Piraeus with the participation of high ranking officials.
The cruise ship was originally built by Holland America Line, under the name ‘Ryndam’, and operated cruises in Australia when it was acquired by Celestyal in 2023.
It will travel to Greek destinations, while also visiting ports in Turkey and Egypt.
It has 630 cabins, of which 150 have a private balcony.
“The acquisition and launch of our new cruise ship is an important investment not only for the company but also for Greece,” Celestyal’s CEO, Chris Theofilidis, commented.
Referring to the financial footprint of Celestyal Cruises in Greece, he said that it reached 136 million euros last year, of which 46 were operating costs (payroll of the company’s employees in Piraeus, port fees and local promotion campaigns).
He also pointed out that another 90 million euros was given to the local economies.
Theofilidis pointed out that the company’s new cruise ship has state-of-the-art water ballast systems and scrubbers that reduce the ship’s gas emissions by 85%.
He pointed out that Celestyal has recently invested in human resources by building its own sales teams in key markets.
“I am sure that the Celestyal Journey will help boost the shipping sector by hosting many travelers from all over the world and strengthening the Greek economy,” Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Christos Stylianidis, underlined.
