30th November 2015. Celestyal Cruises today announced it has completed the installation of 43 new balconies on the Celestyal Crystal: 26 new balconies were added to cabins on Deck 6 and 17 new balconies were added to cabins on Deck 7. Eight of the ship's existing balconies were refurbished and extended.

The fitting of the balconies was completed in the Athens' port Piraeus ahead of the start of Celestyal Crystal's season sailing around Cuba, which commences on 18 December 2015. All of the balconies were installed over a period of 20 days in tandem with other hotel upgrades and the completion of technical maintenance. Following the refurbishment, the Celestyal Crystal now has 43 balcony junior suites, eight balcony suites and two imperial balcony suites: in total 53 of her suites now have balconies. Each balcony extends 1.4 meters from the ship's bulkhead; the length of each balcony is between 2.8 meters and 5.8 meters.

“These balconies are part of an extensive refurbishment programme to continually elevate the quality of our brand and to ensure we are delivering a positive passenger experience on all of our vessels,” said Kyriakos Anastassiadis, CEO of Celestyal Cruises. “We hired expert Greek shipbuilders here in Piraeus to complete the necessary work on the Crystal, and the level of craftsmanship is further proof of the quality of maritime construction available in our country. We are tremendously pleased with the results.”

Celestyal Cruises has invested €20 million on overall upgrade programmes cross its fleet in 2015. Other work includes the refurbishment of 21 junior suites, nine suites and the remaining 227 outside cabins on the Celestyal Olympia, as well as a number of upgrades to the public areas. All the cabins and the public spaces on the new Celestyal Nefeli will be freshly decorated ahead of her first sailing with Celestyal Cruises in May 2016.

“The current work being undertaken in Piraeus marks the commencement of the second phase of our investment program,” said Pythagoras Nagos, Vice President of Sales for Celestyal Cruises. “We are committed to the continuous upgrade of the Celestyal fleet and excited about the improved décor and comfort we will be able to provide to our cruisers going forward.”

Celestyal Cruises has seen a 20% increase in passenger numbers, as compared to 2014: in 2015 the company transported a total of 129.731 passengers for a total of 516.000 overnight stays by foreign passengers.

Get a better view of Cuba - Christmas cruises still available
Escape UK winter and celebrate Christmas in Cuba onboard the newly refitted Celestyal Crystal, where guests can experience authentic Cuban food and entertainment as well as view from the new balconies as they sail around the island in 7 days. Celestyal's midsized ship is able to access smaller ports to showcase the best of Cuba on a unique itinerary, including the palm-fringed beach Maria La Gorda – a new port for the 2015/16 season as well as the historic Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba for the UNESCO World Heritage-listed El Morro Castle. Diving fans will love the new stop at Maria la Gorda in Cuba's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on the Guanahacabibes Peninsula, for a day of diving or snorkelling among the coral reef. The itinerary also includes two full days in the colourful capital Havana.

Departing from Havana on 21st December, the 7 night cruise costs from £712. Visit yourcubacruise.com for more information.

For more information contact Elen Thomas on elen@slcrepresentation.co.uk or 020 7438 4606

About Celestyal Cruises
Celestyal Cruises is the only home porting cruise operator in Greece and the preeminent cruise line for the Greek Islands and Turkey. Two of the company's ships, the “Thomson Spirit” and “Thomson Majesty,” are under charter to Thomson Cruises of TUI AG. Since 2011 Celestyal Cruises has been a member of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), a worldwide cruise industry alliance that promotes a safe, secure and healthy cruise ship environment.

Celestyal Cruises' new brand, Cuba Cruises, provides passengers with an authentic Cuban cruise experience, the best of Cuba on impeccable eight-day voyages. The Celestyal logo evokes the sea, the sun and the wind. It reflects the company's commitment to its Hellenic roots, and to supporting the economy and preserving the environment of each destination it visits. For more information, please visit CelestyalCruises.com.