Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, both parts of the Royal Caribbean Group, will operate a series of cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean this summer.

Celebrity Apex will commence a series of seven night cruises from Athens on 16 June that include calls at Mykonos, Rhodes and Santorini, Greece; Limassol, Cyprus; and Haifa and Jerusalem, Israel. The sailings will open for booking on March 30 and the cruises will operate through to September.

“Celebrity Apex will sail with all crew and guests above the age of 18 vaccinated against Covid-19, and those under the age of 18 with negative PCR test results. The announcement comes just days after Celebrity Cruises announced its Caribbean comeback with 7-night summer cruises departing from St. Maarten also beginning in June,” Celebrity Cruises said in a statement. 

Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean International will offer seven night cruises departing from Limassol, Cyprus. "Starting July 10, Jewel of the Seas will call Cyprus home for the first time and sail to the picturesque shores and ancient ruins in Cyprus, Greece and the Greek Isles through October. 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,” Royal Caribbean International said.

Earlier this week Royal Caribbean announced a series of sailings from Bermuda onboard Vision of the Seas.

Phptos: above, Celebrity Apex, below, Jewel of the Seas