Celestyal has appointed Brenton Reidy as Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand, effective 17 November. The move aligns with the cruise line’s shift to year-round Arabian Gulf operations.
Reporting to Celestyal Director of Business Development Asia Pacific Jarrod Zurvas, Reidy will work with Ascend Travel Group to lift visibility and strengthen trade partnerships.
Zurvas said the timing reflects the line’s growth trajectory, noting that “with the arrival of Celestyal Discovery in the Arabian Gulf this year, alongside Celestyal Journey, both our ships will be cruising year-round for the first time and this presents myriad opportunities for growth out of Australia.”
He said the business aims to double guest volumes in the Gulf, making Australia a priority market.
Reidy’s industry background
Reidy joins after two and a half years at MSC Cruises and brings more than a decade of trade sales experience across Carnival Australia and Stuba. He is based in Adelaide and replaces Mary Williams, who stepped down after six years.
“It is an exciting time to join Celestyal and I am looking forward to continuing to work with industry colleagues to promote the cruise line in the region.” Reidy said.
“It’s a rare opportunity to be part of a team as it opens up a new destination in a new way and I can’t wait to start immersing in all the wonders of the Arabian Gulf as both Celestyal ships prepare to sail south for the cruise line’s first full year-round deployment in the region.”
How Celestyal’s Gulf expansion resets its Australia strategy
Year-round Gulf deployment shifts the cruise line’s commercial focus, giving agents stable selling cycles and removing seasonal gaps. The addition of Celestyal Discovery adds itinerary depth and allows the line to build a more consistent distribution rhythm across Australia and New Zealand.
The move signals confidence in outbound demand from Australia, particularly for shorter, port-dense cruising supported by strong air capacity. It also creates clearer entry points for wholesalers, OTA partners and frontline agents. Reidy’s appointment restores a dedicated escalation point following Williams’ departure.
Zurvas said the Gulf program “presents an exciting opportunity for key growth markets such as Australia, and Brenton will be pivotal in supporting us during this phase of rapid expansion.” The shift places pressure on the cruise line to manage yield across both its Mediterranean and Gulf products. Reidy’s large-ship experience strengthens the brand’s ability to navigate pricing, co-op and channel strategy.
How Reidy will shape partner engagement across Australia and New Zealand
Reidy’s brief covers direct engagement with existing partners and growth of new relationships. The Gulf program is expected to attract both new-to-brand and new-to-region travellers, giving agents a broader product story.
He said he is “thrilled to be onboard with the original Greek Island experts” and noted that Celestyal’s Aegean heritage remains a strong differentiator. The brand narrative helps agents position the cruise line against mainstream competitors while the Gulf program broadens its relevance.
Ascend Travel Group adds operational structure to Celestyal’s trade activity. Its service capability supports faster mobilisation of training, incentives and tactical campaigns. This enables the cruise line to scale activity without adding internal resource.
What year-round deployment means for yield and distribution
Continuous deployment creates stable inventory flow and reduces peaks and troughs in trade activity. This supports longer-range contracting and sharper yield management.
It also aligns with growing Gulf cruising capacity and strengthens opportunities for airline partnerships, touring add-ons and stopover integration. Predictable schedules give agents stronger forward availability and clearer sales cycles.
Reidy’s role centres on converting these advantages into volume. His success will determine how effectively Celestyal captures share in the region.
KARRYON UNPACKS: Celestyal’s year-round Gulf push recalibrates its distribution model — and Reidy brings the local firepower needed to convert demand.
