Celestyal Crystal

Image: AI-generated.

Celestyal Crystal was a cruise ship with IMO number 7827213. Her hull was launched as Viking Saga on December 1, 1979, and she was completed on June 26, 1980. After serving under names including Sally Albatross, Silja Opera, and Louis Cristal, she sailed as Celestyal Crystal. After Celestyal service ended in 2023, she was renamed Sun Bright and Right; the hull was later scrapped in Alang under the name Right.

From ferry to cruise ship

Viking Saga was built in Turku by Oy Wärtsilä and initially operated as a ferry. Following refits, the ship sailed under several names, including Sally Albatross, Silja Opera, and Louis Cristal. During her time with Celestyal, she flew the Maltese flag, with Valletta listed as her port of registry. Celestyal service ended in August 2023. Her last known service was a voyage from Piraeus via Thessaloniki, Kuşadası, Milos, and Mykonos to Lavrion. The hull was later taken to Alang as Sun Bright and Right.

Aegean voyages and Mediterranean itineraries

The weekly “Idyllic Aegean” itinerary published in 2019 was offered as a seven-night voyage from Monday to Monday, departing from Piraeus. The route called at Mykonos, Milos, Santorini, Heraklion, and Kuşadası before returning to Piraeus. The 2020/21 program also included a seven-night “Idyllic Aegean” voyage, with an overnight stay in Santorini and an approximately 24-hour stay in Mykonos. The seven-night “Eclectic Aegean” itinerary also included overnight stays in Istanbul and Mykonos. These published itineraries linked numerous island and coastal ports with extended time ashore and occasional overnight stays in port; they were planned, dated routes.

Dimensions and amenities

The ship was completed in 1980 by Oy Wärtsilä in Turku. For the Celestyal period, the operator published a length of 162 meters for 2022/23; she measured 25.2 meters across and had a gross tonnage of 25,611 GT. The ship had ten decks in total, including nine passenger decks. Her stated maximum speed was 21 knots, with a service speed of 18 knots. Celestyal listed the Crystal's capacity as 1,200 passengers. Amenities included the Leda, Aura, Greek Deli, Amalthia, and Olympus restaurants, as well as a specialty restaurant and a swimming pool.