Silversea Cruises is to resume services in the eastern Mediterranean from June 18 and will require all passengers and crew to be fully vaccinated.
The 10-day round-trip itineraries from Greece will be onboard the line’s new flagship Silver Moon, and will take in calls to destinations including Santorini, Paros, Mykonos and Crete, as well as Haifa in Israel and Cyprus. They will go on general sale from April 15.
The requirement for all crew and guests to be vaccinated will apply to all Silversea sailings globally with the exception of those departing from Australia, which are still under evaluation.
Roberto Martinoli, president and chief executive, said: “Our guests share our excitement for our eagerly-anticipated healthy return to service. In recent months, we have seen the cruise industry resume responsibly in destinations around the world and we are delighted to announce these new inaugural sailings for our flagship.
“Vaccinations will play a critical role in ensuring the health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit, which we prioritise above all else.
“Paired with our science-backed onboard procedures, which leverage on the expertise of the Royal Caribbean Group’s Healthy Sail Panel, vaccinations will enable our guests to travel deep into the world once again, with a renewed sense of appreciation for our beautiful planet.”
He added: “Backed by the Royal Caribbean Group, we have introduced a range of initiatives – including our ‘Cruise with Confidence’ programme and our Covid-19 protections – to enable our guests to travel in superlative comfort and with unwavering confidence.”
Silversea said its return-to-service protocols include enhanced sanitation procedures, increased air filtration, high-quality onboard medical care with state-of-the-art medical equipment and enhanced medical teams on each ship.