Royal Caribbean Will Sail Greece and Cyprus Starting in July 2021

With cruising out of the United States still on hold, cruise lines are starting to ramp up operations elsewhere. After both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity last week announced restarts out of the Bahamas, Royal added more sailings to its restart schedule this week.

Royal Caribbean International on Thursday morning announced that it was bringing Jewel of the Seas to the Mediterranean, with its first sailing kicking off July 10. Jewel will sail out of Cyprus, for the first time ever, sailings 7-night cruises that call on Limassol, Athens, Greece, and the Greek islands of Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos, and Santorini.

Jewel will remain in the Mediterranean until October and bookings for the sailings will open on April 7.

All cruises will operate only with crew and guests who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and guests under the age of 18 sailings with negative COVID-19 results. Royal, in its announcement, said that the requirements “may evolve as they are evaluated on an ongoing basis.”

Travelers must also meet the requirements of their home country and of Cyprus. The most up-to-date policies can be found on Cyprus’ tourism website.

“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, president, and CEO, Royal Caribbean International.

“Cyprus is a beautiful island, and we are thankful to the Cypriot government for their support and enthusiasm in making these incredible itineraries possible.”

 “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. Our history, culture and famous gastronomy, together with our philoxenia, will make memories to last a lifetime,” Harry Theoharis, Greece’s Minister of Tourism, said.