FORT LAUDERDALE — Celestyal Cruises is preparing to launch its first-ever travel advisory board as part of a broader push to strengthen relationships with travel advisors across North America, while also unveiling new Mediterranean deployment plans and an enhanced rewards program for top sellers.

Speaking during an online media briefing yesterday, June 15, John Diorio, Vice President and Managing Director, North America, said the new advisory board will give travel advisors a direct role in shaping the cruise line’s trade strategy.

“We’re in the process of creating our very first travel advisory board,” said Diorio. “We want their feedback in helping us guide the decisions that we make, whether that’s improving our trade program, communications, itinerary deployment or policy changes.”

The board is expected to include between five and seven advisors – including a few from Canada – representing a range of business models, including independent agencies, host agencies, FIT specialists and group sellers. A formal announcement is expected to be made in the next few weeks. 

“North America continues to be the market that’s driving the company’s business and we’re really looking to double down on that, over the coming months,” said Diorio. “Obviously, the trade business is extremely important to us. The board, along with a few other programs we’re launching over the next couple months, further solidifies our commitment to the trade globally, but also specifically in North America.”

STARS OF EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

Alongside the advisory board, Celestyal recently launched its new Stars of Excellence program, designed to reward the company’s top-selling travel advisors across North America.

The initiative will recognize the top 50 individual advisors based on 2026 bookings. Described as a “race to the Med,”, the program will reward winners with a hosted Mediterranean sailing in spring 2027, featuring premium accommodations, exclusive shore excursions, networking opportunities and a dedicated awards gala.

“I’ve always believed that it’s the individual advisor that drives the business,” said Diorio. “Stars of Excellence is about rewarding them for their amazing effort in sales in the past year. We’re really excited about the feedback we’ve already seen in our private Facebook group.”

The program, added Diorio, coincides with training updates Celestyal launched earlier this year, “yet another way we’re educating advisors on what we have to offer.”

NO RETURN TO ARABIAN GULF, MED SEASON EXTENDED

The cruise line also provided an update on operations following the suspension of its Arabian Gulf program. According to Diorio, there are currently no plans to return to the region.

“The Arabian Gulf was absolutely amazing for us and we’re grateful for our partners in the region for all their support. We had a great season there and would love to go back, but until we can find the right opportunity to return, we’re leaning more heavily into being authentically Mediterranean.”

Diorio said both the Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey were successfully repositioned back to the Mediterranean following regional instability in the Middle East and have enjoyed a strong return to service.

“We’ve had a really, really good start to the Mediterranean season in May and June,” he said. “We’re really kind of back in the groove really, really quickly with our seven-night Idyllic and Heavenly itineraries.”

According to Diorio, summer bookings are looking “really good”, with Celestyal seeing healthy global demand, due I large part to its Iconic sale, now extended until the end of June. The sale applies to all summer 2026 and summer 2027 Mediterranean itineraries and includes a low deposit of US$50 per person.

“The demand that we’re seeing for summer just solidifies that we’ve got a great global distribution system with our travel partners all around the world.”

With the extended Mediterranean season, Celestyal Discovery will sail an extra week with two additional sailings in November before resuming its season a month earlier in March 2027. The Celestyal Journey will also return to service earlier than planned on March 1, 2027, offering four additional seven-night Idyllic Greece and Heavenly itineraries.

NEW WESTERN MED ITINERARIES

Celestyal is also preparing to unveil a new Western Mediterranean program for 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 for the Discovery.

While details have yet to be released, Diorio said the itineraries will go on sale later this month. 

“The Discovery will have two repositioning sailings towards the end of November, and then there’ll be an entire month of these new itineraries throughout December. After repositioning back, the Discovery will have a full season of these new Western Mediterranean itineraries for 2027-2028.”

Adding how the company is really excited about the new itineraries, Diorio said “they really lean even more into us being purely an authentic Mediterranean immersive cruise line.”

Diorio confirmed that both ships will be laid up for a short time. While the Discovery is operating the new itineraries for a month and a half, including repositioning time, the Journey will be laid up. The Discovery will enter seasonal layup thereafter.

“But that’s the last time we’ll have the ships laid up. The Discovery will have a full transition from the Eastern to Western Med, and then back to the Eastern Mediterranean, while the Journey will operate seven-night itineraries throughout next summer,” he said.

“What we are finalizing right now is what the Journey is going to do for winter 2027-2028. That’s something we’re working on for the next couple months, with the goal of launching in September.”

AIRFARE CHALLENGES EASING

While acknowledging that high airfare costs have created challenges for some North American travellers heading to Europe, Diorio said booking trends have improved in recent weeks.

“We’ve heard a lot of commentary from customers who are saying airfare is just keeping them from going,” he said.

However, demand for fall 2026 departures has strengthened and bookings for summer 2027 are already off to a promising start.

“I’ve seen it loosen up in the past two to three weeks for people in North America booking September, October and early November,” he said.

Throughout the briefing, Diorio emphasized that Celestyal’s focus remains firmly on delivering authentic Mediterranean experiences through its boutique ships, destination-rich itineraries and immersive shore excursions. The line combines iconic ports such as Mykonos and Santorini with lesser-known destinations like Milos and Patmos, while leveraging its regional expertise to create authentic experiences ashore. Shore excursions remain a key part of the Celestyal product, with advisors able to earn commission on pre-sold excursions.

“When we think about taking customers to the Mediterranean, I want travel advisors to think of Celestyal first,” he said. “There’s nobody that is more authentically Mediterranean than Celestyal.”

Lead image caption: Celestyal’s John Diorio, Vice President and Managing Director, North America, during yesterday’s online media briefing, June 15, 2026