Royal Caribbean International highly anticipated cruise ship Odyssey of the Seas will be sailing from Israel this summer season. Residents of Israel will be the first guests to set sail on Odyssey during its inaugural season which will start in May 2021. The ship will offer Israeli holidaymakers a combination of 3- to 7-night cruises, from Haifa, to idyllic isles and destinations in the Mediterranean, visiting Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos and Athens, Greece and Limassol, Cyprus.
According to the statement, Royal Caribbean will be the first cruise line to offer fully vaccinated sailings, from Israel where both crew and guests above the age of 16 will be vaccinated against COVID-19. Details on the additional health and safety measures to be implemented by Israel and Royal Caribbean will be announced at a later date.
Following this announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "Thanks to the millions of vaccines we have brought, I am proud that Israel will be the first country in the world to launch Royal Caribbean's new flagship. Royal Caribbean's decision to come to Israel is a significant expression of confidence in our policy. This is an important economic, touristic moment for the State of Israel," Israel is a global model of success. We will continue our program – the 'green passport' – so that we can get out of the COVID-19 virus in peace. Just as we made Israel the world champion in vaccines, we will make it the world champion in economics and tourism in the post-Corona era."
"We are thrilled to debut Royal Caribbean cruises from Israel with our newest and most innovative ship, Odyssey of the Seas. Israeli travelers will be looking to get away, relax with total peace of mind, and enjoy the travel experiences they are missing dearly; and that is what we do best," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "Sailing from Israel is an opportunity we have had our sights on for quite some time. We greatly appreciate the government of Israel for their collaboration and confidence in us to deliver memorable cruise experiences to their residents, and look forward to delivering on that promise aboard our newest ship – the first 'Green Island' at sea."
