New Royal Caribbean cruises will sail from Cyprus this summer

The fully vaccinated cruises will start July 10, with calls at Piraeus and the Greek islands of Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos and Santorini.

Bookings open April 7.

Vaccinated crew and adult passengers

At this time the cruises will be available to adult guests who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and those under the age of 18 with negative test results. Crew will be vaccinated, too.

'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,' RCI President Michael Bayley said. 'Cyprus is a beautiful island, and we are thankful to the Cypriot government for their support and enthusiasm in making these incredible itineraries possible.'

Dream come true for Cyprus

'We are delighted that Royal Caribbean will call Limassol its homeport for the first time ever,' Deputy Tourism Minister Savvas Perdios said. 'This has been an ambition of ours for many years, and we are thrilled that, finally, this dream has come to fruition.'

Perdios added: 'We have every confidence that Royal Caribbean’s presence in Limassol will be beneficial to Cyprus and, similarly, we are very confident that as a homeport and as a country, Cyprus will live up to the expectations of Royal Caribbean and its guests.'

The news was also welcomed by Greece Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis, who said: 'Our history, culture and famous gastronomy, together with our philoxenia, will make memories to last a lifetime.'

It's a great day for Greece cruising, with Celebrity Cruises also announcing new sailings from Piraeus starting in June on Celebrity Apex. 

Details on the health safety measures to be implemented for Jewel of the Seas will be announced at a later date.