Riviera Travels UK head of trade, Tom Morgan, announced the new 10-night Athens & Greek Islands cruise-and-stay exclusively to Travel Bulletin.
In a brand-first, the trade operator has teamed up with Celestyal Cruises to develop the 10-night cruise-and-stay itinerary, blending a seven-night sailing aboard Celestyal Journey with luxury hotel stays in Athens pre- and post-cruise.
Talking exclusively to Travel Bulletin, Tom explained: "We really wanted to expand into ocean cruising. We see a lot of synergy with Riviera's products and customers wanting ocean cruise option, and wanted to pick an option that fits in quite well alongside our river cruises.
"This product does exactly that. Excursions, flights, transfers are included, it's very much at it's core a Riviera holiday, and the Celestyal ship works really well in terms of size and service. What it's offering fits really well with the product."
Janet Parton, VP of sales (UK, Europe, & Australia) at Celestyal, added: “We are delighted to be working with Riviera Travel in the UK. We are committed to opening up our distribution channels to include key travel partners such as Riviera, allowing them to design packages that address the needs of every travel group.”
Celestyal Journey, penned for launch in September after a recent refurbishment, hosts 630 cabins, seven restaurants, eight bars, and a host of amenities. While on board, guests can soak in the service, and head back on land for guided tours of Kusadisi, Crete, Santorini and Mykonos, and visits to Thessaloniki and Milos.
Tom continued: "We've been listening to feedback from agents and customers, and this kind of product was one we've been considering for a while. We've seen a lot of success with some of our other ocean products, like Star Clipper and the Adriatic yacht cruises, and this is the natural evolution of that, offering new and existing customers who love our other products something different."
Katja Hildebrandt, head of Product River & Ocean Cruise at Riviera Travel, joined in the excitement, explaining: "This new itinerary offers the ideal combination of culture, excursions, independent visits and relaxation... all this while taking in the local coastline via the magnificent Celestyal Journey."
The one- and two-night pre- and post-cruise stays blend five-star accommodation with tours of the Acropolis, Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon, guaranteeing the classic Greece experience.
Tom explained: "We've chosen places that give guests the real Greece experience, but create it in a way where it's not easy to package these things themselves. That's where our expertise come in with the pre- and post-cruise stays and choosing excursions that are really worth it."
Available to book from August 23rd 2023, the 'Athens & Greek Islands' product launch includes a limited-time value add.
"We've managed to secure a brilliant offer; for the first 48 hours of the cruise going on sale, agents can offer their guests a Premium Drinks package, along with €150 in onboard spend per cabin, and up to seven hours of free Wi-Fi included on board.
"We really want to give this product launch the attention it deserves and create some excitement – for the agents, they've got 48 hours to take advantage of a great offer."
Five departures will launch when the product goes live next week, but the partnership may not end there, with Tom adding: "We're certainly talking and looking at potentially extending. Ocean is something that's got real potential for Riviera over the coming years.
"Over the coming months, we'll be training agents, head out on the road and at events, just trying to get the word out there with agents."
