Celestyal Crystal

The 1980-built (as Viking Saga) and 2025-scrapped (as Sun Bright) cruise ship Celestyal Crystal (fka "Louis Cristal") was initially designed as cruiseferry/Ro-Pax vessel (Viking Saga/1980-1986), being ordered and owned by Rederi Ab Sally. Following a major drydock reconstruction in 1992, it was transformed into a megayacht-designed luxurious cruiser. Until 2023, Louis Cristal/Celestyal Crystal was owned by Louis Group (1935-founded) and operated by its subsidiary and travel brand Celestyal Cruises (2014-rebranded from Louis Cruises).

The vessel (IMO number 7827213) was last Liberia-flagged (MMSI 636025195), named SUN BRIGHT and registered in Monrovia. Before 2020, it was Greece-flagged (MMSI 240695000) and registered in Piraeus.

History - construction and ownership

After a fire damaged the entire superstructure in 1990 (during drydock reconstruction), the burnt-out hull was used as the basis of the brand-new cruiseferry Sally Albatross. The diesel engines were kept from the original ship. The hull was lengthened by 13 m (43 ft), and the passenger capacity increased by 452 berths. The rebuilding cost USD 140 million.

The vessel briefly served Sally Cruise Line (as Sally Albatross) before grounding and partially sinking in the Baltic Sea in 1994. After salvage and a second reconstruction (at INMA La Spezia/Industrie Navali Meccaniche Affini), it started operations for NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line (as MS Leeward) in the Caribbean. The ship also served Star Cruises (as Superstar Taurus) and Silja Line (as Silja Opera).

In 2007, Silja Opera was sold to Louis Cruises, and (as Louis Cristal) it was deployed in Europe/Mediterranean and the Caribbean. In 2014, Louis Cruises announced the launch of the authentic Greek travel brand "Celestyal Cruises".

In 2023, Celestyal Crystal was replaced with Celestyal Journey and left the fleet. Crystal's last voyage departed from Piraeus on August 26th. The 5-day itinerary visited Thessaloniki (Aug 27th), Kusadasi-Ephesus (Aug 28th), Milos Island (Aug 30th) and Mykonos Island (Aug 31st).

The ship arrived for a lay-up in Port Lavrion on August 31st (2023). Starting on September 2nd (2023), Celestyal Journey took over Crystal's schedule through December (2023).

In the end of March 2025, Celestyal Crystal was sold by Master Shipping Inc (a brokerage company) to a UAE company. Reportedly, the new shipowner intended to resell it for continued operation (as a cruise vessel) or repurpose it as a hotel ship. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Between Aug 2024 and Apr 2025, the ship was registered as/named NEW DAWN. In May 2025, its name was changed to "Sun Bright" and its registry from Malta (MMSI 229001000) to Liberia.

Celestyal Crystal's shipowner was the company CRISTAL TRADING OPCO LLC. New Dawn's registered owner was The West of England Shipowners.

On May 10th (2025), the 45-year-old ship arrived in Duqm Port (Oman) for bunkering and on the same day left for India's Alang Shipbreaking Yard to be beached and dismantled for scrapping.

Decks and Cabins

Celestyal Crystal staterooms (476 total) include 59 Suites (53 with step-out balconies), 313 oceanview staterooms (including the 6x Window Suites), 163 interior. The ship has no standard balcony cabins. There are also 6 wheelchair-accessible cabins. Because of the vessel's old design, staterooms as sizes and types vary greatly. The total number of cabin categories is 12.

All Celestyal Crystal cabins as complimentary amenities offer private bathrooms (WC-toilet, shower), smart HDTV, phone, radio/alarm clock, electronic safe box (in the closet), individual air conditioning. All cabin decks are interconnected via 4 lifts (passenger elevators).

Wheelchair-accessible cabins (for disabled passengers) are located on Deck 5. They feature wider doors, accessible bathroom (ramp), wooden floors. All Suies are with refrigerators (mini-bars). Suite balconies extend by 5 ft / 1,4 m from the ship's bulkhead. Veranda lengths vary between 9-19 ft (2,8-5,8 m).

The boat has 10 decks, of which 9 are passenger-accessible and 6 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Olympus Restaurant is the main dining room onboard Celestyal Crystal. It is complimentary, features Greek cuisine specialties, and also has a dinner a la carte menu. The MDR restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner Thalassa Bar serves the restaurant's outdoor seating area and also offers traditional Greek coffee. The L-shaped Amalthia Restaurant is a buffet-style restaurant open for breakfast and lunch, with waiter service for dinner (between 7:30-9:30 pm). The breakfast menu includes hot food choices, yogurt, cereals, and juices. There is a 4-course dinner menu with starters, soup/salad, main dishes, desserts. Other dining options include the Olympus Restaurant, Leda & Aura (casual dining).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Passengers might also enjoy a huge array of facilities and diverse onboard activities, all with the relief of a modern and sophisticated cruise liner. The Muses Lounge is a 2-deck high theater/main show lounge with tiered seating and a dance floor. The grand-style entertainment program offers live music and dance shows, as well as a magician and acrobatic performances. The Casino (gaming bar lounge served by the Eros Bar) offers gaming tables and several slot machines. There is also a video arcade and a small library.

The conference room Symposium hosts lectures, seminars, corporate meetings and conferences at sea. Eros Lounge & Bar is the Wi-Fi spot and offers live band music performances and large-size TVs for live sporting events. Other Lounges & Bars include Horizons Bar, Thalassa Bar, and Helios Pool Bar. Celestyal Crystal also has a Wellness Center, Sana Beauty Center, sauna, gym, two swimming pools, Jacuzzi, medical center, Internet area, duty-free and travel value shop (Agora), photoshop.

Itineraries

MS Celestyal Crystal itinerary program was initially based on 3- to 8-day Greek Islands cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean (Aegean Sea) leaving from homeports in Turkey. During winter, the ship operated in the Caribbean Sea on Cuba cruises out of homeports Havana (Cuba) and Montego Bay (Jamaica). The cruise embarked from Havana every Monday, and from Montego Bay - every Friday. Transatlantic crossings were offered on relocation voyage (RepositionCruises.com) between Europe and the Caribbean. The Caribbean cruise program was operated for 2 years (2016 - 2018).

Since 2018, the cruise liner's itinerary program is in the Eastern Mediterranean with roundtrips from homeport Piraeus-Athens. Next tables show the 7-day itineraries as call ports and port stay times (arrival/departure).

7-day "Idyllic Aegean" itinerary

7-day "Eclectic Aegean" itinerary

7-day "3 Continents" itinerary (Holy Land cruise)

For the Christmas holidays (December 2019 - January 2020), the liner included in its "Holy Land" (Cyprus-Greece-Turkey-Israel) itinerary also two Egyptian ports - Port Alexandria and Port Said.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, the Celestyal ship Crystal was paused for two years (March 2020 through April 2022), restarting on April 18th from Lavrion. The 7-day itinerary "Iconic Aegean Cruise" visits Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Rhodes, Heraklion, Santorini.

Louis Cristal was chartered by Cuba Cruise Line (Canada-based company) and operated the first-ever Cuba cruises (7-day Havana roundtrips) during winter 2013 season (read more in the ship's Wiki section).