Gavin Gordon~~Rahul Saha~~Ashley Young~~Jane Scobie~~Komal Raina~~Nicola White~~Ethan Douglas~~Nikolai Hoffmann~~Perrine Meyer
January 22, 2026
Searchlight Capital Partners Acquires Majority Stake in Celestyal Cruises Limited

1 min
AI-made summary
- Searchlight Capital Partners has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Celestyal Cruises Limited, a Mediterranean cruise operator based in Cyprus and a subsidiary of Louis PLC
- The transaction involves Searchlight investing in a new holding company, Celestyal Holdings, to support Celestyal's growth and fleet renewal plans
- Willkie advised Searchlight on the deal, with a team led by partner Gavin Gordon and several other partners and associates.
Willkie represented Searchlight Capital Partners in its agreement to acquire a majority stake in Celestyal Cruises. On November 29, global private investment firm Searchlight Capital Partners announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling stake in Mediterranean cruise company, Celestyal Cruises Limited. As part of the transaction, Searchlight will invest in a new holding company, Celestyal Holdings, to propel Celestyal's growth strategy and accelerate its fleet renewal plan. Celestyal Cruises, based in Cyprus, is a leading cruise operator in the Greek Islands and East Mediterranean. It is a subsidiary of Louis PLC, founded in 1935 as the first travel agency in Cyprus. Searchlight is a global private investment firm with over $9 billion in assets under management and offices in New York, London and Toronto. Searchlight seeks to invest in businesses where its long-term capital and strategic support accelerate value creation for all stakeholders. The Willkie team was led by partner Gavin Gordon and included partners Rahul Saha, Ashley Young, Jane Scobie and Rita Mitchell and associates Amelia Doughty, Komal Raina, Andrew Turnbull, Nicola White, Ethan Douglas, Nikolai Hoffmann and Perrine Meyer.
Article Author
Gavin Gordon~~Rahul Saha~~Ashley Young~~Jane Scobie~~Komal Raina~~Nicola White~~Ethan Douglas~~Nikolai Hoffmann~~Perrine Meyer
The Sponsor
