Cruise Industry

Celestyal offers Arabian Gulf cruise incentive for travel advisors ahead of winter season

Celestyal has introduced a sales incentive for travel advisors, offering the chance to win a complimentary Arabian Gulf sailing as the company prepares for its third consecutive winter deployment in the region.

The programme applies to bookings made between January 1st and March 31st, 2026. Advisors will receive one entry into a prize draw for each Celestyal cruise booking made within the qualifying period.

Eligible reservations include itineraries in the Arabian Gulf, Eastern Mediterranean, and Adriatic, with group bookings counted toward the promotion, although tour operator bookings are excluded.

The selected advisor will receive a seven-night Desert Days sailing for two people in a junior suite, along with roundtrip flights.

A large cruise ship sailing on a calm sea under a partly cloudy sky.
Celestyal Journey is homeporting in Doha for the 2025/26 season

Departures are offered from either Doha in Qatar or Dubai in the United Arab Emirates with calls in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, as well as Sir Bani Yas Island, a wildlife reserve off the coast of the UAE. The voyage also features two full days and an overnight stay in Dubai.

The initiative comes as the current Arabian Gulf season concludes in March and is intended to encourage sales for the upcoming 2026/27 winter programme while giving agents an opportunity to experience the product directly.

“We think this is a fun way to reward our trusted advisor partners for selling Celestyal and to help them better understand our premium casual brand,” said John Diorio, Managing Director and Vice President of Business Development for North America, Celestyal.

“We hope one lucky winner will get to experience our unique Desert Days seven-day itinerary firsthand,” he added.

Alongside the seven-night sailings, the 2026/27 winter season will also include shorter three-, four-, and seven-night Iconic Arabia itineraries departing from Abu Dhabi.

View of a coastal city skyline with modern skyscrapers under a cloudy sky, featuring a large flag in the foreground and water in the foreground.
Abu Dhabi, UAE

Ports of call on those voyages include Doha, Khasab in Oman, Dubai, Sir Bani Yas Island, and Ras Al Khaimah.

The company also plans to expand its shore excursion offering with smaller group tours, including excursions through Ras Al Khaimah’s desert areas and mountain villages, with visits to camel racing facilities and local farms.

The programme will further include two Formula 1-themed sailings, each lasting a week, combining extended port stays in Doha or Abu Dhabi with access to race weekend schedules while visiting regional ports.

Ahead of the winter deployment, Celestyal will also operate two repositioning voyages from Athens to Jeddah in November 2026. The seven- and eight-night sailings will call at Port Said and Safaga in Egypt, Aqaba in Jordan, and, on selected departures, Kusadasi in Türkiye, en route to the Arabian Gulf.

The incentive programme forms part of a broader effort to maintain sales momentum for the cruise line’s Middle East operations as the company continues seasonal deployments in the region.

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