Due to the current market situation as a result of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Celestyal Cruises has reviewed its fleet needs for the future.
After a thorough analysis and careful evaluation, the company has decided to sell the Celestyal Experience ship to continue its activity with the ships with which it operated successfully before the pandemic.
The sale of the Celestyal Experience will provide the company with increased liquidity which, in combination with zero third-party debt, constitutes a solid financial foundation, thus ensuring a successful restart by March 2022.
Celestyal Cruises will continue to operate the Celestyal Crystal and the Celestyal Olympia .
Both ships have undergone significant investment in recent years, not only enhancing the passenger experience, but also aligning with Celestyal’s brand image.
The decision to postpone the growth of its fleet allows the company to focus on regaining its momentum after the COVID-19 pandemic, and when the time is right, it will return to the search for options for expanding its fleet.
The company will contact all those customers with cruise reservations aboard the Celestyal Experience , and they will be re-accommodated at the departures of the Celestyal Crystal ship.
Former Costa neoRomantica, who bought the ship?
With a capacity of only 1200 passengers, the Crystal is the smallest in the fleet. But selling a ship built in 1980 is not that easy, as there are many newer cruise ships currently for sale.
The Greek company finally decided to sell the largest vessel in its fleet, as the Celestyal Experience (ex Costa neoRomantica) found a buyer. Due to Covid-19 crisis, the ship has never been commissioned since leaving Costa’s fleet in July 2020.
Celestyal Cruises citing a need to defer capacity growth and focus on regaining momentum in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Starting March 2022, Celestyal will continue to operate the same sized fleet that has served it well prior to the pandemic.
The buyer of the Celestyal Experience is still unknown, but the names of Ambassador Cruises and Mystic Invest are whispered.
The 56,800-gt Celestyal Experience was built in 1993 by the Italian shipyard Fincantieri, as a sister ship to Costa neoClassica. The ship was refurbished in 2003 – (IMO 8821046)
Source: Cruise Ship Crew/ Cruises-Info.com
