Celestyal Discovery is a smaller, refurbished cruise ship operated by Celestyal Cruises, a line best known for Greek Islands and Eastern Mediterranean itineraries. Celestyal positions itself as a more traditional, value-focused alternative to mainstream cruise lines, with compact ships, relaxed itineraries, and a simpler onboard experience.

We’ve previously sailed with Celestyal Cruises on Celestyal Crystal, where the overall value and food quality were notably strong, despite the ship’s age. Since then, Celestyal has refreshed its fleet with two newer additions — Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey — both older ships acquired from other cruise lines and extensively refurbished before entering service with Celestyal.

This Celestyal Discovery review is based on our sailing departing from Abu Dhabi, visiting Dubai and Sir Bani Yas Island.

Read our guide What to Do in Abu Dhabi on a Cruise: Port Stops, Before & After Sailing
Read our pre-cruise hotel review of Park Rotana Abu Dhabi

This guide focuses on what Celestyal Discovery is like today — including the ship itself, cabins, food, drinks, service, and, most importantly, who this cruise is likely to suit, and who may want to look elsewhere.

We paid for this cruise ourselves; Celestyal Cruises did not know we would be reviewing it.

Watch our experience below:

Is Celestyal Discovery Worth Booking? (TL;DR)

Good if you want:

A small, calm cruise ship with no mega-ship chaos
A ship that’s been well refurbished and feels more modern than its age
Easy navigation and plenty of quiet seating and lounge space
A destination-focused itinerary rather than onboard attractions

Think twice if:

Food quality matters to you (this is the biggest weakness)
You dislike constant upselling for drinks, dining, and extras
You expect strong value for money compared to mainstream cruise lines
You’re booking mainly for the onboard experience rather than the ports

Our quick verdict: Celestyal Discovery looks the part after refurbishment and has a relaxed, uncrowded feel, but the onboard experience is let down by poor food and a pricing model that no longer feels especially good value. A ship that works for some cruisers — but one many will want to avoid.

What Is the Ship Like?

One of the biggest surprises onboard Celestyal Discovery is how modern much of the ship feels following its refurbishment.

We have sailed on many ships that have joined a cruise line after a refurbishment, like the Marella Explorer, and this is easily the biggest and best we have seen. Most refurbishments focus mainly on replacing carpets and soft furnishings. Here, the whole interior of the ship felt genuinely new.

Public areas are bright, clean, and fresh. For a ship of this size, lounges and indoor venues are large, with multiple bars and spaces to relax in. The ship never felt cramped during our sailing.

Bars and Lounges on Celestyal Discovery

Celestyal Discovery has a good mix of bars and lounges for a ship of this size, and one thing that stood out is how large many of these spaces are. You’re not fighting for seats, and it’s easy to find somewhere quiet to sit with a drink or just relax.

Bars and lounges onboard include:

Star Bar – the main cocktail bar and a central hub onboard, with live entertainment and a wide drinks menu

Martini Bar – a quieter bar with live music

Cafe Nation – an extra-charge coffee shop that also acts as buffet spillover seating

Casino Bar – located inside the casino, with direct views into the gym (an unusual layout)

Nightclub / After Disco Lounge – a retro-styled late-night venue at the aft of the ship

Pool Bar – serving drinks around the pool area during the day

Ocean Bar – an outdoor bar on Deck 7, quiet and ideal for sailaways

Overall, the bars and lounges are one of the ship’s strengths. For a smaller cruise ship, there’s plenty of choice, and the spaces themselves feel big rather than squeezed in. The drinks selection is excellent, including some very elaborate, over-the-top cocktails — but there are no drinks packages, and prices are high compared to on land.

Entertainment and Theatre on Celestyal Discovery

Celestyal Discovery has a surprisingly large theatre for a ship carrying around 1,200 passengers. This is the one area where the ship really shows its age. That said, sightlines are good, and the space feels more substantial than expected for a ship of this size.

Entertainment onboard is low-key compared to mainstream cruise lines. Don’t expect big production shows or headline acts. On our sailing, there was a single production show featuring Cuban dancers.

Casino on Celestyal Discovery

The casino onboard Celestyal Discovery is compact but modern and bright.

It’s not a major feature of the ship and doesn’t dominate the space the way it does on larger cruise ships. There’s a small casino bar and a mix of slot machines and table games, but if gambling is a big part of your cruise experience, this ship isn’t really built around that.

Pool Decks and Outdoor Space

Celestyal Discovery has a surprisingly good amount of outdoor space for a smaller ship, and this is one area where it performs well.

There is a main pool area with a decent-sized pool, although the pool was not heated on our cruise. Depending on season and itinerary, that could be a factor.

In addition to the pool, there are:

Two hot tubs, which were popular and often busy
Sun loungers spread across multiple levels
Additional sunbathing areas on Decks 11 and 12, which are quieter and better for relaxing

Outdoor space is a strong point. Even when popular areas were busy, the ship never felt overcrowded outside.

Food and Dining on Celestyal Discovery

Food is where Celestyal Discovery was let down the most.

There are several dining venues onboard, but across the cruise we found quality and consistency to be a real issue.

Main Restaurant (Talahasa)

The main dining room was easy to use — we walked up, had no issues getting a table, and the service was genuinely excellent. Staff were warm, welcoming, and efficient.

Unfortunately, while the service was excellent, the food itself was not. The menu was limited, quality was poor, and many dishes simply weren’t enjoyable.

Smoked Olive (Suite Dining)

Smoked Olive is the suite dining venue, but the menu is identical to the main restaurant, so the benefit is really just a smaller, more intimate space.

Service remained friendly but was noticeably pushy when it came to selling extra-charge drinks. Food issues mirrored the main restaurant, including:

Dishes arriving undercooked, with one lasagna partially frozen
Meals ranging from acceptable to inedible

Buffet

The buffet is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and was consistently chaotic. Most popular items were placed on one side, creating crowding while other areas sat empty.

It felt overcrowded, loud, and poorly organised, with:

Very limited selection
Basic, low-quality ingredients
Food that often looked unappetising

The only genuinely decent option we found was the gyros on day one. Beyond that, this was one of the weakest buffet experiences we’ve had on a cruise ship.

One positive: the buffet included Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, and Sprite.

Specialty Dining: Grill Seekers

There is a specialty restaurant onboard, Grill Seekers, but pricing was high enough that we chose not to try it. We instead dined off the ship in Dubai, which was far better for a similar cost.

Poolside Grill

The poolside grill offers a basic menu:

Burgers
Fries
Hot dogs
Gyros

Fine for something quick, but not somewhere to expect quality or variety.

Poolside Gelato

There is also a poolside gelato stand, which is an extra charge. We didn’t try it.

Drinks, Pricing, and What’s Included on Celestyal Discovery

Celestyal no longer offers traditional drinks packages.

Instead, guests preload credit onto their onboard account, sometimes with a bonus amount added. While flexible, this system comes with drawbacks:

Drinks are relatively expensive for a value-focused cruise line
An 18% service charge is added to drinks
Unused credit is lost

Tea, Coffee, Juices, Coca-cola, Sprite and Fanta are available free of charge in the buffet.

Service and Crew on Celestyal Discovery

Crew members were friendly, hardworking, and professional. Interactions were warm — especially with families — and staff clearly work hard to deliver good service. We can honestly say they are some of the best crew we have experienced on a cruise ship.

That said, the overall experience felt sales-driven, with repeated attempts to sell premium drinks, lanyards, excursions, or upgrades. This detracts from the relaxed atmosphere many people expect on a cruise.

Cabins on Celestyal Discovery

Cabins are one of the strongest parts of Celestyal Discovery — with an important caveat depending on which category you book.

Grand Horizon Suite - Deck 11

We stayed in a Grand Horizon Suite on Deck 11. These cabins were added during the refurbishment and feel far more modern than you’d expect on a ship launched in 2003.

The cabin was spacious, bright, and well laid out. As you walked in you have plenty of storage.

A little further in, there’s a small seating and TV area, along with a fully stocked mini-bar. Everything in the mini-bar is chargeable, but it’s nicely presented and easy to access.

The cabin sleeps three, with a sofa that converts into a single bed. We were pleasantly surprised by how comfortable it was — it didn’t feel like an afterthought.

Continuing around the cabin, there’s a compact desk area with a mirror and plenty of power outlets, which worked well for charging devices and getting ready.

This sits opposite the bathroom, which is positioned in the middle of the cabin and separates the sofa bed from the main bed. The bathroom itself is spacious and modern, with lots of storage — more than we expected.

The walk-in shower is very large, with good water pressure.

The shower soaps are unbranded, but the cabin also includes a selection of very nice toiletries from Olive Era, which felt like a nice nod to the cruise line’s Greek roots.

Back in the main sleeping area, the bed was comfortable and can be set up as either a twin or a double. There are power outlets on both sides of the bed, which is always appreciated. A large TV sits directly opposite, with a good selection of international channels.

The balcony was a real highlight. It’s large, wraps around the front of the ship, and offers plenty of space to sit, relax, or lie out comfortably — easily one of the standout features of this cabin.

Comfort and Temperature Issues

Our cabin was extremely hot when we first boarded. It took multiple maintenance visits and several complaints before the issue was resolved. Once fixed, the cabin was comfortable, but it shouldn’t have required that level of effort — especially in a higher-category cabin.

Other nearby cabins were much cooler, suggesting this was an isolated issue.

This cabin also includes two bottles of water delivered daily, along with a small selection of Greek snacks, which was a nice touch.

That said, the upselling doesn’t stop outside the public areas. Inside the cabin, there were lanyards, laundry services, and additional snacks all prominently placed for purchase, which did start to feel cheap.

Junior Balcony Cabin - Deck 11

We also visited a Junior Balcony cabin on Deck 11. These cabins share the same modern design in a more conventional balcony cabin layout.

As you enter, the bathroom is located immediately by the door. It’s compact, but a standard size for a cruise ship and perfectly functional. Lots of shelving space for toiletries and very bright.

The shower was a good size with a glass door and decent water pressure. Toiletries were very basic and unbranded, with no additional products provided, so it’s worth bringing your own.

Moving into the cabin, there’s plenty of wardrobe space and shelving, along with a fully stocked mini-bar. As with the suites, everything in the mini-bar is chargeable.

The bed was comfortable and can be set up as either a twin or a double. There are small reading lights and power outlets on both sides of the bed, along with additional bedside storage. The TV is positioned directly in front of the bed.

The sofa also converts into an additional bed if needed. Opposite this is a desk area with power outlets and a mirror with built-in lighting.

The balcony is smaller than the suite’s but still perfectly adequate for everyday use.

If we were booking again, this is the category we’d choose.

Other Cabin Categories on Celestyal Discovery

Other cabin types appear older and received only a light refresh:

Grand Dream Suites
Balcony Cosmos Cabins
Exterior Cosmos Cabins (Oceanview)
Interior Cosmos Cabins

Compared to the refurbished cabins on Deck 11, these categories feel far more dated in both design and finish. Below is an example image taken from Celestyal’s website to give an idea of what to expect.

Celestyal Discovery vs Other Cruise Lines

Compared to mainstream cruise lines such as Princess, Celebrity, or Royal Caribbean, Celestyal Discovery offers:

Pros

Smaller ship
Calmer onboard atmosphere
Easier navigation
Less focus on entertainment

Cons

Significantly weaker food
Fewer inclusions
More frequent upselling
Less polished operations

Who Celestyal Discovery Is Best For

Celestyal Discovery may suit travellers who:

Prefer small, quiet ships
Prioritise itinerary over onboard experience
Do not place high importance on food
Enjoy a slower, less structured cruise

Who Should Think Carefully Before Booking

You may want to look elsewhere if:

Food quality matters to you
You expect strong value for money
You dislike constant upselling
You’re comparing this to modern mainstream cruise ships

Final Verdict: Is Celestyal Discovery Worth Booking?

Celestyal Discovery delivers a modernised ship, comfortable cabins, and a calm onboard atmosphere. From a visual and spatial perspective, the refurbishment has been successful.

However, the onboard experience is let down by poor food quality, frequent upselling, and a value proposition that no longer feels especially strong. For many cruisers, those drawbacks will outweigh the positives.

If dining is important to you, Celestyal Discovery is difficult to recommend in its current form.

Celestyal Discovery Review: What to Expect Before You Book