ATHENS — Celestyal is providing some much-needed relief to those impacted by last month’s devastating earthquake in Turkey.

The cruise line has partnered with the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), a Turkish government entity established to coordinate a post-disaster response, to provide blankets and sleeping bags to some of the more than one million residents of Turkey who remain homeless following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake. 

The blankets and sleeping bags were transported onboard the Celestyal Crystal on its first voyage of the season, calling upon Kusadasi, Turkey. The cruise line will also be donating a portion of revenues from shore excursions in Turkey to the relief effort.

Celestyal is one of the few cruise lines that call on Turkey on a regular basis.

“Celestyal has been bringing our guests to visit the city of Kusadasi and the magnificent ruins of nearby Ephesus for many years now. As a result, we have a strong bond with Turkey and its people, and we were devastated when news broke of the horrific earthquake only a month ago,” said Chris Theophilides, CEO.

“A strong part of Celestyal’s DNA is to be responsible corporate citizens of the places we visit and to support the people who call these places home,” he added. “The least we could do is to lend a helping hand to our Turkish friends in need. We can only hope that our donation of supplies will help with this huge humanitarian effort that is so desperately needed in this part of the world.”