MIAMI — With an eye to the future, Celestyal Cruises has unveiled details of its 2021-2022 deployment featuring new ports of call and additional sailings of its most popular itineraries.

Currently bookable and featured in its digital brochure, the 2021-2022 season will include such exciting new ports like Syros, Agios Nikolaos (Crete) and Thessaloniki, as well as additional seven-night ‘Steps of St. Paul’ sailings due to popular demand. Select itineraries have also been amended to allow for more time ashore.

On what to expect for the upcoming season, Celestyal’s Chief Commercial Officer, Leslie Peden said: “For 2021 and 2022 our midsized ships will focus on our most popular, less crowded and award-winning itineraries that showcase the best of Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean. The new undiscovered destinations of Syros, Agios Nikolaos and Thessaloniki will not only provide our guests with outstanding new experiences but they complement the existing itineraries and will ensure guests maximize time ashore.”

Here are some highlights:

ICONIC DISCOVERY SAILINGS (new)

As an amended version of Celestyal’s hugely popular Aegean cruises, these new three- and four-night winter sailings sail roundtrip aboard the Celestyal Olympia from Athens. On both the three- and four-night itineraries, Syros will be introduced as a new destination and a full day in Santorini is also included. In Syros, guests will enjoy an included shore excursion that takes in major highlights like City Hall and the Apollo Theatre. A second included shore excursion will be offered to the ancient city of Ephesus during the ship’s full day stay in Kusadasi, Turkey.

The three-night ‘Iconic Discovery’ starts at US$610 per person/ the four-night itinerary starts at $770 per person. Winter departures for both are from Oct. 25 to Nov. 26, 2021, March 4-11, 2022, and Oct. 31 to Nov. 25, 2022.

Summer mini-break sailings for the three- and four-night ‘Iconic Aegean’ itinerary also start at $10 per person and remains unchanged between March 15 and Oct. 22, 2021, and March 14 to Oct. 28, 2022.

IDYLLIC AEGEAN SAILINGS

On the seven-night ‘Idyllic Aegean’ roundtrip itinerary sailing aboard the Celestyal Crystal from Athens, Heraklion (Crete) will be replaced with Agios Nikolaos (Crete), a picturesque harbour town on the northeastern side of Crete. Celestyal is offering five pre-bookable excursions from Agios Nikolaos.

The seven-night, all-inclusive cruise starts at $1,250 per person and includes departures between April 3 and Oct. 9, 2021 and April 30 to Oct. 8, 2022.

ECLECTIC AEGEAN SAILINGS

Celestyal has amended the Eclectic Aegean itinerary, sailing onboard the Celestyal Crystal, to include more time ashore. Thessaloniki has replaced Heraklion and there is now a full day in Santorini on all departures. The seven-night, all-inclusive ‘Eclectic Aegean’ starts at $1,250 per person and has departures between Oct. 23 and Nov. 6, 2021, April 9-23, 2022 and Oct. 29 to Nov. 12, 2022.

THREE CONTINENTS SAILINGS

On these seven-night sailings˜ aboard the Celestyal Crystal, Celestyal has removed the technical call into Alexandria, Egypt and instead will sail directly from Athens to Port Said to maximize the included full-day excursion to Cairo with a visit to the Pyramids of Giza.

This cruise starts at $1,250 per person, with departures between March 6-27, Nov. 20 to Dec. 25, 2021 with a special New Year’s sailing that includes an extra free night onboard in Athens upon the return, March 5 to April 2, 2022 and Nov. 19 to Dec. 31, 2022 including Christmas and New Year’s departures.

STEPS OF ST. PAUL SAILINGS

Due to popular demand, Celestyal has added extra departures to this special itinerary, which traces the footsteps of St. Paul the Apostle across the Mediterranean. Highlights include St. Paul’s birthplace in Turkey, a visit to the ancient city of Ephesus and a cable car ride to the Acropolis in Pergamon. The seven-night, all-inclusive ‘Steps of St. Paul’ starts at $1,500 per person with departures on Oct. 16 and Nov. 13, 2021, and Oct. 15 and 22, 2022.