FRANK GONZALEZ There will be a requirement for those who want to sail from Israel
Surprising news from Royal Caribbean International: the brand new Odyssey of the Seas, which was only carried over the Ems last week by the Meyer Werft in Papenburg, is to be used in Israel after its commissioning in May.
From Israel, Royal Caribbean International would like to proceed in a similar way as they have being already doing in Singapore with Quantum of the Seas: cruises only for locals, according to a press release from the American cruise giant. The plans include an offer of three and seven night cruises.
The cruises can only be booked by residents of Israel, the trips cannot be booked in other markets, and international travelers are excluded.
An important point for the cruises from / to Israel will be that Royal Caribbean International has already announced that only those travelers who have received their dosis should be carried at this point. The same applies to crew members. According to the information, travelers under the age of 16 are exempt from this obligation. Due to the good vaccination situation in Israel, such a measure is relatively easy for the company to implement.
From Israel, Odyssey of the Seas will complete its maiden season in Greece and Cyprus, the local ports have already issued permits for the project, how long the cruise ship will actually be used here is still unclear, but it could be possible that the new Meyer building will remain there for the entire summer season. According to booking options, Odyssey trips can no longer be booked including October 2021, and various forums have already spoken of the fact that guests have received cancellations over the summer.
It is also very interesting at this point that it will be the first time for Royal Caribbean that one of the cruise ships will be stationed in Israel, CEO and President Michael Bayley said that a position in Israel has been considered for a long time have.