Cruising with Susan Calman makes waves for Celestyal

Friday, May 30, 2025 0

Celestyal has reported a significant rise in trade bookings following the line’s appearance on the latest episode of Channel 5’s hit travel show, ‘Cruising with Susan Calman’.

The episode, which aired on May 16, was watched live by almost 500,000 viewers. Its consolidated number, which also comprises viewers who watched it on catch-up over the following seven days, reached nearly 600,000, and was ranked in Channel 5’s top 10 most watched programmes of the week.

The hour-long episode, part of the show’s fourth series, followed the Scottish presenter as she joined a seven-night Idyllic Greece itinerary onboard Celestyal Journey. Departing from Athens, the 1,260-guest ship called at Thessaloniki, Kusadasi, Heraklion, Santorini, Mykonos and Milos.

During the broadcast, viewers were treated to Susan’s experiences both onboard and ashore, from sampling local delicacies and diving into regional history, to spending time with crew and fellow guests.

Travel agents benefited from the exposure with trade bookings rising by 169%, versus the week before the programme aired.

In addition, Celestyal saw a 1,000% uplift in website visits versus the previous day.

Celestyal is currently marking the episode via a limited-time offer on Idyllic Greece cruises, with prices starting from £399pp. The offer includes port fees, gratuities, meals, soft drinks, Wi-Fi and onboard entertainment, and is valid for 17 departures between June and November 2025, when booked before May 31, 2025.

In addition, Celestyal is rewarding agents with a £50 Love2Shop voucher for every Idyllic Greece cruise booked within the offer period. Agents can claim by emailing their booking confirmation to [email protected].

Lee Haslett, chief commercial officer at Celestyal, said: “We’ve seen fantastic engagement following the airing of Cruising with Susan Calman, with a clear uplift in interest across both our agent partner and online channels. It’s been wonderful to see such a positive response from viewers who were inspired by Susan’s journey onboard Celestyal Journey.

“She really captured the spirit of what makes Celestyal special – from our warm, welcoming crew to the immersive experiences in each port. The Idyllic Greece itinerary blends iconic destinations and lesser-known gems, with full days and late departures that allow guests to explore each place in depth.”