We Took a 7 Night Budget Cruise On a Cruise Line We've NEVER Heard of Before 

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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.

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

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.

Love a smaller ship that doesn’t cost a fortune. How nice! David was eating stuffed grape leaves. So yummy!

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!

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.

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.

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!

So nice to see you on a ship of that size. No huge crowds! The food & the crew seems lovely.

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! ☺️

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 😂.

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!

I’m sold guys, this cruise looks great. The joys of sailing with 6000 other people are lost on me and Celestyal looks perfect.

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.

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!.

We did a greek cruise as our very first cruise and me and my wife, loved it so much! We love Greece

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!🤩

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.

If you ever feel like stopping cruise reviews, I would watch your reviews of restaurants. Love your assessment of food!

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!

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.

Maybe the mirror curtain is there to not reflect any light as you sleep

I'm so happy I worked on ships years ago and got to visit some of these places. Sad to hear this beautiful ship will be scrapped. Such a crying shame.

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.

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!

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!

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.

Well throw me on the floor and call me a rug! I’ve never had a Greekgasm but now I want to 🤣🤣🤣

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 ❤❤

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.

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.

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

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 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!!

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!

How enjoyable to go to ports and have it be so reasonable to buy food, drinks and other items for so cheap!! Live that! ❤️❤️

I loved this cruise so much! Everything about it was different and more adventurous than the other cruise lines.

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 😊❤

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

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.

Hi guys, that looked so much fun and better on the smaller ship. Food appeared to be really tasty and again something different 👍

What a phenomenal video. Thank you Ben and David for taking us along with you. It was simply fabulous!

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. ❤❤

I think the cover for the mirror is to prevent the reflection of light from hitting your face in the morning...

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. ❤️

This video made me want to go Greek, for all the wonderful looking food. I felt full around 23:44

When I saw that curtain I actually thought that maybe it was covering a connecting door. Connecting doors always freak me out.😁

Thank you for this video! It is so refreshing to look at smaller cruise lines with different itineraries.

Wow this looked like an amazing cruise to take all that good greek food!!!

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!!

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!

Dolmadas. Vine leaves with meat inside.

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 sailed on Celestyal Crystal in 2017 when the experience was a little more inclusive. It was a fantastic itinerary and a great trip, but the ship and experience were very much oversold as luxury. Some of the escorted tour companies package Celestyal with land trios, and i gathered from other passengers they expected a lot more from the cruise portion of their trip. That said, it's quite the multicultural experience and was fun. Instead of a ship full of English speakers, there were many countries and languages represented. The most impressive part, hands down, was how our Cruise Director could seamlessly go between seven spoken languages without taking a breath. Always beware with included excursions because the entire ship will be going for the most part. It takes a lot of time to sort people into their trour groups/buses. If you have the budget, private or small group tours are the way to go. I wouldn't hesitate to travel with Celestyal again, but now I'm more prepared for what to expect.

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.

Fabulous -- thanks for doing something SO different. The Greek people know how to make coffee, unlike the swill Starbucks sells.

I love your cruise vlogs . You are very talented . Btw , Ben , when you show your card maybe blur your last name . It's better to keep some privacy . Just an advice 😉 I discovered your channel in my recommandations recently, can't stop watching your videos. You're so passionate about the boats, it's a delight to watch your vlogs 🎉

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.

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.

I believe a mirror facing the bed brings bad luck or negative energy. Some even say it’s easier for spirits to crossover.

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 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.

Kudasi looks absolutely gorgeous. It's definitely on my bucket list.

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.

Thank you so much for reviewing these type of cruises-I’m very much interested in a Med cruise where I have very little “sea days” and far more port time

I quite literally snorted out loud when hearing "You FETA be ready for this one."

The leaves are called Dolmas their stuffed grape leaves with rice and herbs inside I like the ones with mint to the flavor and they're usually packed in olive oil when you get Them in a can

Glad you said it was a baby crying - I couldn't tell actually though it was a cat!! LOL

Looks like a fantastic cruise For me its about the service and food, I could care less about things like massive slides, having 5000 guests on board and over priced specialty restaurants.I was on a trip to Turkey a few years back and loved it. Ephesus was also I high light for me and we also had a private guide which is the only way to do it. Brings it all alive for you and creates the experience

Ben cracked me up when he said his spirit would leave through the OTHER mirror because only one can be covered 👻

Celestyal is so underrated ! We are trying the Journey next year to see how it has changed with the new ship 🎉

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...

Definitely going to look into this cruise line when I visit Greece!

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.

The video literally was deciding factor in my parents booking a cruise with this company. Thanks for giving such detailed experience with such charm!!!❤

According to some superstitions, a mirror that reflects the bed can cause a person to have nightmares. This is because of the belief that when we sleep at night, our souls leave our bodies. If a soul sees its reflection in the mirror, it gets startled or frightened which causes nightmares. So people who believe this superstition cover a mirror that reflects the bed when they go to sleep at night.

My wife & I did a 10 day Greek cruise/tour in 2002 & loved it! The cruise was only 4 days, on now defunct "Royal Olympic Cruise line", a small 500 ft. long, but very well equipped ship, that went to 2 Greek islands a day! Greece is or at least was, a very low cost travel destination, but if, as Ben says, they're charging 60 Euros each, for a meal, I'll have to pass!

I am also baffled by that curtain. Never seen that before. 🤔

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.❤

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.

This is the kind of ship I prefer. I like the older smaller ships and the classic designs. So much more cozier. I feel like you get lost in the mega ships.

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...

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.

So funny when you said your spirit would leave the other mirror 😂🤣

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.

What a great experience! Thanks for another excellent, informative and fun video! You guys are terrific…

Great choice for someone that loves photography, and wants to photograph that part of the world. Camera 📸 ❤

This is the first cruise ship I ever sailed when she was sailing as the MS Leeward with Norwegian Cruise Lines!!

@ 15:32 - Those are stuffed grape leaves and either dolmas or dolmades in Greek. It's not easy to get a good one when dining out. Haven't had them in years because no one in my house likes them except for me. Too much work for just me, but I do like them.

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!!

I honestly thought he bought all those carpets after having that beverage haha! ...and the face thing at the end of the video is just hilarious

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!

Thanks guys for another delightful review! I would take this cruise in a heartbeat. My late husband and I went on 12 cruises, the first around 35 years ago, and I have always been more attracted to smaller vintage/retro ships rather than the mega-monstrosities that are the current rage. I was only recently introduced to you guys by an old friend and I am hooked!!

Thank you for showing a tour of Turkey. My husband works for the US Government and we were not allowed to tour Turkey. (I don't fully understand why.) It was wonderful to see the rugs being made. They look beautiful. There is something quite charming about smaller ships.

I’ve been wondering if you guys have visited Kusadasi, so glad to see this. It’s mind boggling!

Wow.. I never knew about this cruise line. Seems to be very cost-effective and who doesn't love Greece and Greek Islands! 👍