Celestyal Journey receives dhow escort on celebratory first visit to Dubai

Celestyal Cruises and Dubai have marked the maiden call in the city of the cruise ship Celestyal Journey with a dhow escort, traditional plaque exchange ceremony and a night of celebratory entertainment.

Celestyal Journey docked in Dubai for the first time on December 9th, escorted into port by a fleet of traditional dhows. The ship was also given access to the new Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal, which is joint-owned by the UAE and Carnival Corportation, and is typically reserved for Carnival-owned vessels.

The celebrations continued onboard with a traditional plaque exchange and an evening of entertainment, featuring DJ and performance artist Tinie and the DJ Charlesy, attended by Celestyal Cruises executives and partners at Elevate DMC, local dignitaries, media, influencers, and travel agents.

The maiden call to Dubai forms part of Celestyal Journey’s inaugural seven-day ‘Desert Days’ itinerary, sailing roundtrip from Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.

The itinerary offers all three cities as embarkation ports, and commenced from Doha earlier this week, it showcasing the best of the Arabian Gulf, including Doha, Bahrain, Khasab, Sir Bani Yas Island and Abu Dhabi.

“The dhow escort and amazing celebration onboard Celestyal Journey was a magical moment and the perfect way to start our long-term relationship with this captivating destination,” said Lee Haslett, Chief Commercial Officer, Celesyal Cruises. “Dubai is a truly global city, offering an ideal mix of culture, immersion, and bucket-list experiences for our guests.” 

“We would like to sincerely thank our trusted local partners in the region, Elevate and the local port authority for all of their continued support and collaboration as we showcase this beautiful destination to our guests,” he added.

Celestyal’s inaugural season in the Arabian Gulf is scheduled to run through March 2025, with plans to return to the region for the next three years already announced. Celestyal Discovery will join Celestyal Journey in the region at the end of 2025.

The vessel is set to offer three-night long weekend cruises, as well as a four-night mid-week cruise departing from Abu Dhabi as part of a three-year homeporting deal. The itineraries feature visits to Doha, Sir Bani Yas, Fujairah, Muscat and Khasab.

Celestyal Journey will continue to offer seven-night sailings departing from Doha, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE, respectively.