Royal Caribbean opens up Mediterranean Sea cruising out of Cyprus
Cruise liner giant Royal Caribbean will initiate its Mediterranean Sea cruising this summer.
By Michael McGrady, Maritime Direct Americas & Pacific Correspondent
MIAMI — Royal Caribbean International (RCI) announced that tourists can now travel through the Mediterranean Sea this summer.
Starting July 10, RCI announced that it is now booking 7-night cruises departing from Limassol, Cyprus, as the seasonal homeport for the Jewel of the Seas vessel.
“Travelers can visit a combination of culture-rich cities and idyllic islands, including Limassol, Athens, Greece, and the Greek islands of Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos, and Santorini,” notes in a press statement.
“I’m delighted to announce our safe and gradual return to Europe. We know how eager our guests are to enjoy a getaway this summer, and these sailings, which include a mix of fantastic destinations and must-visit islands, make for the perfect getaway,” said Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International’s president and chief executive officer.
“Cyprus is a beautiful island, and we are thankful to the Cypriot government for their support and enthusiasm in making these incredible itineraries possible.”
The Deputy Minister of Tourism for the Republic of Cyprus, Savvas Perdios, added that the country is “delighted that Royal Caribbean will call Limassol its homeport for the first time ever.”
“This has been an ambition of ours for many years, and we are thrilled that, finally, this dream has come to fruition,” Perdios added.
Harry Theoharis, the Greek Minister of Tourism, added similar remarks.
“We warmly welcome the announcement of this new itinerary that will give the opportunity to even more visitors to create unique experiences in the Greek destinations this summer,” Theoharis said.
“Our history, culture, and famous gastronomy, together with our philoxenia, will make memories to last a lifetime.”
The Maritime Executive also reports that Royal Caribbean is the first ‘major’ American cruise company to announce restart plans outside of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) jurisdiction.
Maritime Direct reported, too, that the CDC hasn’t budged on reforming its COVID-19 no-sail order.
Royal Caribbean has been vocal in their opposition to the no-sail order.
US-based cruising, including with Canadian cruising, remains extremely restricted for the interim.
