We Took a 7 Night Budget Cruise On a Cruise Line We've NEVER Heard of Before
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- Опубликовано: 30 июл 2024
- Join us as we set sail on a 7-night BUDGET CRUISE with a Cruise Line, not many people have EVER HEARD OF!
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We were shocked and surprised! It was not what we expected at all. We visited two ports in this video - Thessaloniki in Greece and Kusadasi in Turkey. Join us as we enjoy some unique food and adventures!
This video is sponsored by Squarespace.
Thank you to Celestyal Cruises for inviting us onboard. They paid for the cruise, ground transfers, and flights but do not have any control over our content and will not see or approve our content before release.
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00:00 Introduction
00:25 Boarding the Ship
02:35 Junior Suite cabin tour
07:00 Muster Drill
08:10 Celestial Crystal Tour
10:33 About Celestial Cruises
15:00 Buffet Dinner
17:36 Thessaloniki
25:38 Main Dining Room Dinner
29:01 Kuşadası and Ephesus
34:30 7 Couse Greek Tasting Menu
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Hey daisy 😂😂😈💯🔥 love y'all
L⁰
I think the curtain for the mirror is to keep from freaking yourself out in the middle of the night when waking up and seeing your own movement but not immediately realizing it's you.
Ben saying the ship looks good for being 40 years old, me thinking 'ah, from the 60s then', then remembering I am 40 years old and crumbling into dust.
😂😂😂 solidarity ❤️
Well look at the calendar and call me 40-something. I felt the same thing!
😂
OMG same. Yeah I was born in the 80s but shut up, I'm not 40, the year is still 2003 in my mind. 😂
I am 80, still going strong, solo cruiser. We were built to last.
I was on the "farewell cruise" for Celestyal Crystal. It was a shortened itinerary (5 nights instead of 7). Food onboard was good throughout the trip but they ran out of so many drink ingredients by the 2nd half of the cruise that you didn't really have much selection anymore for the premium drinks package. The crew also had really high pressure tactics when it came to trying to get you to upgrade your drinks package or attend the onboard wine tasting. Service was generally okay, if a little slow in the dining rooms and bars, and there were a couple standouts that we got to know really well (shout-out to Aziza!).
Several pre-booked excursions for members of our party ended up being cancelled due to lack of participants (but only the English speaking tours???) and the cruise line was really bad at communicating that ahead of time. All we got was a paper notice in our cabin the day before we were supposed to go saying the excursion was cancelled. The excursions we did go on were fantastic but I credit most of that to the local tour guides, not the cruise line.
The onboard shop closed halfway through our sailing and the crew were boxing things up a couple days before the end of the cruise.
I think Celestyal could have done a lot better making the farewell cruise for the Crystal feel like a celebration but instead it just felt like more of a sad moving party we just happened to be there to witness.
My mother and myself went on our first cruise 2 years ago. She passed away shortly after. I thought I would never go on another cruise. I wanted to preserve that memory but you guys have convinced me to book another one. As soon as there is a local departure Im on it! Thank you!
Your mom would want you to go and enjoy !!
sometimes less is more.... the advantages of small ship cruising getting into more discrete locations & avoiding the loading & unloading bun-fights makes the omission of water-slides & race cart tracks worthwhile. They look great. Thanks for the heads up.
I’d say the Mirror & Curtain is for so if the sun shines in the cabin it isnt reflected straight to if you lying on the bed
Love a smaller ship that doesn’t cost a fortune. How nice! David was eating stuffed grape leaves. So yummy!
You are both so amazing! I have a confession to make. When I became part of your patreon, I saw that you were having a group cruise on The Valiant Lady. I spoke to Walter (Where's Walter Travel) and he told me it's all sold out. I called Virgin, I found a room on your sailing! I adore Walter but I snatched up that room!I know that I won't be able to be part of many of your group cruise activities but I am so hoping to say Hello, to the most amazing travel duo in cruising!
Very smart. I wondered why more people just don't book the cruise even if not in the official group.
What dates, roughly and from where are you sailing?
On the Valient lady.
Stalker
Where's Walter should be able to take over your reservation and have you added to the group rate and charge you any difference unless it's a close in sailing.
What a lovely cruise with so many places to see. Being old school, I'd enjoy an older ship/room without slides and all that falderal in exchange for all those ports and good food. Sounds like this line is a true gem for those of us more into laid back travel.
Amazing cruise and prices! The food included looked incredible, much less the specialty dining. I love that they can get into ports others can't, stay in port for a long time, port days at a new destination every day and they give you listening devices to hear the tour guide instead of everyone having to pile in close to hear. What a deal! ☺️
The ship itself has an amazing story! Built in 1978 as the car ferry Viking Saga for the Baltic sea (google the ship, you won't believe it's the same ship!) she caught fire in 1990 while in dock! Afterwards she was cut apart and the engines and parts of the hull was used to rebuild it to the shape she has today, christened the Sally Albatross in 1991!
It continues to be a ship with a story.
There have been rumours that Celestyal had sold this ship to a Japanese company, but they recently made an announcement to the contrary. Strangely though, it no longer appears on their website and it seems the Japanese company, Shimizu, doesn't actually exist.
Incidentally, doesn't Albatross seem a rather strange name for a ship? Especially one with such a turbulent history!
Interesting! I love a good (or any, really) boat story 🛥️
I sailed on her when she was with Norwegian cruise lines!
So nice to see you on a ship of that size. No huge crowds! The food & the crew seems lovely.
The reason why you should never put a mirror opposite your bed dates back to ancient beliefs. 'Because of the connection to the spirit world, mirrors have an association with death. The Greeks and Romans used reflections to connect with the underworld,' says Anthony Perrotta from AP Astrology.
This was amazing. Btw, I am puertorican, and we are loud as well, so I found your observations on the loudness of the Greek people quite amusing 😂.
We did a greek cruise as our very first cruise and me and my wife, loved it so much! We love Greece
Awesome video Ben and David. When I visited Kusadasi, the guide explained that in the cold mornings, the ‘masters’ would send their ‘servants’ to go sit on the cold stone to warm the seat for them. The Greek Isles is amazing!
I’m sold guys, this cruise looks great. The joys of sailing with 6000 other people are lost on me and Celestyal looks perfect.
exactly what I'm thinking
'Celestyal looks perfect' - from what you say, it will be perfect for you. As it was for us 😊
1000 is a scary amount of people to me
I did 18 nights with Celestyal last Christmas and New Yeaer. I told the guys in the restaurant how much I missed Filipino food....next meal, and every second day after that, I had Filipino food delivered to my table. This is a fabulous cruise line that surprised the heck out of me!.
That is so lovely! 😊
Crew food includes philipino, indonesean, indian etc.
Thats so crazy I went on this ship when I was 15 with my parents back in 2011 when it was called Louis Crystal! I recognized the carpet in the hallway immediatly and just went to double check in my old pictures😂 Hello from Qc, Canada!🤩
the ship was also originally a boxy cruise ferry but because of a fire was scrapped down to the waterline then rebuilt. so she is still modern. amazing history!
Maybe the mirror curtain is there to not reflect any light as you sleep
If you ever feel like stopping cruise reviews, I would watch your reviews of restaurants. Love your assessment of food!
I was on the Celestyal Olympia last year out of Athens (stopped at 5 ports). We did an ocean view room. The food was good. Very good cruise for the price. I bought 2 Turkish rugs, which were delivered to the US about 8 weeks later. It was a great cruise. Hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did.
We really enjoyed it too!
I’m really not being nosy, but price ways--how is it difference from RC or Princess?
Well throw me on the floor and call me a rug! I’ve never had a Greekgasm but now I want to 🤣🤣🤣
Such a fun cruise! I wonder if the curtain that slides over the mirror is to limit the reflection of the sun from heating up your bed or the rest of the room. It could also limit reflections at night, potentially allowing for better sleep. I could be way off, but worth a thought!
What a fabulous cruise! It`s lovely to do something different, and to explore new places; especially those with such a rich history! The food all looks so good too! Can`t wait to see the rest of the cruise. Love from Vancouver Island Canada
What a great value and a wonderful way to see Greece!!! Love your enthusiasm- it’s infectious ❤ Santorini and Greece in general is on my bucket list!!
I love you guys and want to thank you. I got back from an Alaskan cruise last week that didn't go as planned. I spent a year planning everything. Our excursion for the Glacier and sled dog ride was cancelled because of the weather. I was sick in bed for 2 days so I missed Skagway. Turns out I had Covid. I've been watching some of your videos today and you had me laughing as you always do. Thank you!
Sillily? Love it! You're the best!😊
Hi Ben and David. Like you, I've not heard about this cruise line. For the age of the ship it really looked very comfortable. The food both on and off the ship, oh my!! Yummy. Can't wait to see the rest. Certainly a good value compared to other lines. Love the fact you can spend so much time in port. As always, thank you for bringing us along. You are both awesome ❤❤
Thank you Ben and David for reviewing a smaller and unique cruise ship. I think it would be a fun way of visiting more of Greece than the large resort ships.
Having a mirror facing the bed can disturb your sleep, especially if you're sensitive to light. Even if the room is dark, any light reflected off the mirror can cause discomfort and prevent you from falling asleep or staying asleep.
This was such a great video, really enjoyed every bit of it . Going on a Greek cruise is definitely on my bucket list . This looks more Authentic than so many others and good prices . Thanks guys , looking forward to next lot of content 😊❤
I really appreciate how your videos don't just highlight the cruise ship its self, but you also highlight the stops and the food. So well done!! I don't even cruise but LOVE your videos!! p.s. I LOVE greek pastichio, I even make it myself at home. It's the nutmeg béchamel that does it for me.
Guys, your bringing back great memories. We took the Celestyal Crystal about 4 yrs ago and it was the most amazing cruise I've ever taken! Usually loyal to Royal but the size of the Crystal is perfect for visiting the Greek Isles. Hope you both enjoyed it as much as we did!
That's wonderful to hear that you had such an amazing experience on the Celestyal Crystal! Thanks for sharing your positive feedback! 😊🚢🇬🇷🏝️
The ship didn't seem that small to me but I guess compared to the modern mega ships, it is. It looked charming and having less crowd and amenities gave me an idea of what old time cruises used to be. If I'm ever in a position to take a cruise, Celestyal Cruises would be my pick. Thanks for the tour.
I worked on Celebrity cruises which was originally a greek cruise line. Most of our officers and captains were greek. Whenever we would be in the med they would all have their families on board.
Santorini is my favorite port of all the ones I went to over the years.
When i went to Ephesus our guide smartly got us ahead of the crowd and we got some great pics of the library and the arena with nearly no people
Greece has a strong history of shipping in general.
Greece is one of our favorite countries, with Oia on Santorini, one of our all time favorite places to visit. We have been lucky enough to visit 2x, and spend a total of 8 nights. In the evening, it is quieter and the lights make it magical. We also loved visiting Kusadasi, & Ephesus. Have never even thought of Celestial, so finding this very interesting so far. Thanks Ben & David. ❤❤
Ben, I just heard your comment about taking cake from someone’s party that you weren’t supposed to.
It reminded me of one of my funniest travel memories. I was a teenager, and my grandmother, her best friend from kindergarten (Doris,) and my mom and I went on a trip to Italy.
We were staying in this very fancy hotel in Florence. The hotel did not have a cup of coffee in the hotel room, and Doris said she was going downstairs to find a cup of coffee. We went with her.
The hotel said their coffee shop was closed due to a massive High-end fashion show in their ballroom, and they had a huge reception. Because of that, they had closed their coffee shop.
We saw a door by the ballroom, and there were thousands of people inside, every woman was wearing a formal evening gown and all of the men were wearing tuxedos. There were numerous TV networks they are broadcasting. The fashion show as it happened.
Doris looked at us and said, “well, hell. If I can’t get a cup of coffee because they’re having this fashion show, then we’re going to enjoy the fashion show. Come on.” She proceeded to walk right into the fashion show and we followed her. We found some empty chairs when we got inside. Everyone there was laughing at how out of place we looked. Of course I was as well.
Here we were, a bunch of American tourists wearing our T-shirts and shorts, in this formal fashion show. But we sat down and enjoyed the entire show, including celebrating the designer’s birthday when they brought out a gigantic cake.
We left as the show was over, and they had men at all the doors handing each woman a red rose. Of course, Doris, Grandmomma and Mom took a rose each as well. We just followed the entire crowd to the gigantic reception. I’ve never seen so many ice carvings, and massive cakes as I saw that day. And I’ve been to a lot of events.
We ate so much food at that reception. It was just amazing.
And yes, at the reception we found coffee for Doris. Once she had her cup of coffee, it was the end of a perfect night.
Still one of my by far favorite memories of traveling ever.
Just recently discovered you after my first cruise with TUI. I think both of you are amazing. Love the content. Enjoying catching up on what I have missed! Thanks for doing what you do. Love to you both. ❤️
Thank you so much for your kind words and for joining our community! We're thrilled to have you as a viewer, and we appreciate your support. ❤️🚢😊
What a phenomenal video. Thank you Ben and David for taking us along with you. It was simply fabulous!
Our pleasure!
Hi guys, that looked so much fun and better on the smaller ship. Food appeared to be really tasty and again something different 👍
My wife and I did the Three Continents cruise on this ship in 2019 - just before the world went crazy.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Everything is on a smaller scale and in many ways all the better for it. The cabin (inside) was comfortable, the restaurant was excellent and the service felt more personal. Having all the key excursions included in the price was also a welcome feature (though it looks like they've now changed this to a voucher system).
We've just returned from an MSC Norwegian Fjords cruise and the two cruises are obviously night and day. We enjoyed both - each for what it was. This is something which a lot of cruise passengers seem to forget when commenting on their experience with different lines.
I just booked a Celestyal cruise via a Gate1 itinerary - I'd been questioning the cruise portion of the itinerary before I watched your video. Now I'm taking my mom to Greece, a dream trip for her! Thanks so much for this vid that assured me the cruise line was legit!!
How enjoyable to go to ports and have it be so reasonable to buy food, drinks and other items for so cheap!! Live that! ❤️❤️
How wonderful to see you enjoying one of the last cruises on Crystal! We sailed on her when Celestyal was doing Cuba cruises back in 2017. Love the smaller ship size and the incredible staff. At the end of October this year, we'll be on board Celestyal's newest ship, Journey, on a 3 Continents cruise.
I loved this cruise so much! Everything about it was different and more adventurous than the other cruise lines.
Thanks for sharing! I hadn't heard about this cruise line ever! Glad to know that it exists. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoy your videos. I wish I could go on your cruise group.
It would be awesome to on a cruise with Ben and David!!😊
Thanks for introducing us to this cruise line! Something to think about
You two are so fun and delightful. I love your cruise reviews. Greece, especially Santorini, is on my bucket list. I love cruising. I have definitely subscribed to your channel. Safe travels to you both.❤
That's perfect! Thanks so much! We were looking for a Greek Island cruise that offered docking hours outside of the big cruise ship "Rush Hours" --when everything onshore is overcrowded with tourists.
Omg I loved that , thank you for taking me along.❤
Hi guys, I loved my cruise with Celestyal last April!! It was a bucket list cruise for me! Also loved the separate area for the Suite guests. We had breakfast there in the morning!! Food in the main dining rooms was fabulous! Didn't have a bad meal!!! Would love to cruise there again!
What a great experience! Thanks for another excellent, informative and fun video! You guys are terrific…
This video made me want to go Greek, for all the wonderful looking food. I felt full around 23:44
Oh man, wow!! It is a very amazed! Cannot wait to see more of the videos! Ben and David Thank you so much for this…. I can’t describe how much I am expressive with you both!
More videos are on the way. Thank you for your kind words, and we appreciate your support! 😊📽️🙌
Thank you so much! We are starting to plan a Greece cruise so this is amazing information.
Wow this looked like an amazing cruise to take all that good greek food!!!
I went to Efeze 20 years ago. There were only 4 people there, which was great! It still looks great, though! The last letter of Kusadasi is actually an i without the dot which is pronounced like the first 'e' in were. Love that you are exploring a new cruise ship.
Thank you for a great video! I just might have to think about this cruise line for Greece... looked amazing! Can't wait for the rest of this series...
You're welcome! 😊🚢🇬🇷
Thanks guys! Nice to see the old Sally Albatross/Silja Opera still sailing. But I haven't been onboard since the home port was Helsinki.
Thanks for your great videos.
I remember during the time when Yugoslavia was still intact, Greece and Turkey were the preferred vacation spots for Serbs, a preference that continues today. It was a common sight to see almost every family returning home with freshly acquired curtains and carpets!
Kudasi looks absolutely gorgeous. It's definitely on my bucket list.
Ben and David ...thank you for showing us the Celestial cruise liner. I've never heard of this line but from the looks of it I may have to try it...
Incredible! We sailed on this very ship for our first and second cruise ever when it was the Norwegian Leeward in 1998 to Cozumel and Key West. I thought that the ship looked familiar. We looked it up and sure enough, it was the NCL Leeward. Great little ship. When we arrived on the ship, we were greeted by the crew lined on both sides of the entranceway with white gloves and we were escorted to our room. I shot skeet off the back of the ship. The captain at the time said that they called it the yacht of the fleet. Would be nice to cruise on it again.
Love this adventure - will be looking into their offerings. Also am impressed they use audio boxes, they really help.
Wow.. I never knew about this cruise line. Seems to be very cost-effective and who doesn't love Greece and Greek Islands! 👍
I hope we get to see more ports. Thank you for this video. So far I’m loving it and will consider this cruise line.
New video every Sunday!
When I saw that curtain I actually thought that maybe it was covering a connecting door. Connecting doors always freak me out.😁
I quite literally snorted out loud when hearing "You FETA be ready for this one."
Me too lol
Thank you for this video! It is so refreshing to look at smaller cruise lines with different itineraries.
Definitely going to look into this cruise line when I visit Greece!
We are so excited that you got to visit Greece. I Am greek American and my husband is greek a native. We will definitely look into this ship it looked awesome. You made us laugh when. You were trying our greek quinine.
Looks amazing! Praying for all the people in Greece due to the fires.
Thank you for introducing me to this cruise line. We are planning a European cruise, and we don't need a big fancy ship, because it's really just our floating hotel. We want to see as much of Europe as we can. This is a nice affordable option for us.
I will NEVER complain again that my bathroom needs updating!!🤪
Nice video. Love you guys.
Excellent video. We’ve been waiting for this one. We did this cruise in June 2022. We bought one of those rugs!!
You guys do a great job! Really enjoying your vlogs. I am very excited about Celestyal - never heard of it until a client (I am a travel advisor) requested it. Most of my clients are upscale or luxury travelers but this looks like it could please no matter the client, as long as they want a Greek experience. Thank you!
I’ve been wondering if you guys have visited Kusadasi, so glad to see this. It’s mind boggling!
Very interesting and very informative. So far your port stops look amazing!
Fabulous -- thanks for doing something SO different. The Greek people know how to make coffee, unlike the swill Starbucks sells.
Loved this video, I didn’t want it to end. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve never heard of them either! Thanks for sharing it with us!
I love all the tagging in Thessaloniki. It’s real and shows the character of a place
Loved the video. Just had a look online and their other ship used to be Thomson Destiny, my first ever cruise when I was 6!
I'm old enough to remember cruising/ferrying round he Greek Islands with Olympic (Aristotle Onassis's Line)
This ship is a lovely reminder of those times!
Hope your promotion encourages people to go for this type of cruise! 💖
This was one of your best videos. I laughed so hard at some of your snipits. Thank you for this. Now, I really want to visit.😊
Lovely to see a more affordable cruise thanks.
I think the cover for the mirror is to prevent the reflection of light from hitting your face in the morning...
Very excited you did something different. The food looks amazing. Good value and beautiful scenery. I’m sure you had a relaxing and excellent experience. Thanks as usual guys 😊
We're happy you liked the different content Thanks for your support! 😊🌄🍴
I love it! I have been on a health journey for the last year and my last cruise was a little different, but it was good. I'm glad to be along for the ride with you.
Loved this video. I have been looking for a Greek cruise that focuses on Greece and Turkey rather than the typical ones that include Spain and Italy. I hope there is a part 2 to this one.
Yes, there is a part 2, and it will be coming next Sunday! 😊🚢📅
Another amazing video!!! Beautiful cruise!
I think I have found our next cruise! Oh and the “whispering in Greek” comment 😂😂😂😂😂 too funny!
I'm so happy you enjoyed your cruise. Your vlog has caused me to investigate further for a possible cruise next year.
I love the Greek ports🥰🥰 and nice cabin on this ship!
Back in the late '80's, I won a cruise, for two, with a cruise line I had never heard of before......Home Lines. They had 2 ships, and were soon retiring them to Disney. We went to Bermuda, and had the time of our lives! The cabins were nothing to write home about, but they were comfortable and clean. We got to know many passengers, on board, because it was small. it was the first time I ever has Beef Wellington, and I fell in love. We sailed on Norwegian and Princess, and I can honestly say, this cruise was right up there!! There's something to be said for older, smaller ships!!
Another top-notch vid. Y'all need to put out a book with all of the little sayings. "Well, plop me in a chair and call me seated!" I mean, I'd buy the first copy.
I love this. The ship is great. The price is great. Seems like a great cruise and great price. Looking forward to more. Great info. Thanks and take care.
Such a great video! Recently I have deicide that i am going to travel the world by cruise and i have been doing loads of research. I am so happy that i have found your channel! Totally subscribing!