Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas Coming to Eastern Mediterranean in 2020

When Royal Caribbean International’s newest ship, Odyssey of the Seas, debuts in November 2020, it will become the first Quantum Ultra Class ship to homeport in Rome and sail through the Eastern Mediterranean for the summer season.

Bookings for Odyssey of the Seas’ summer 2021 Mediterranean cruises opened Wednesday.

Starting in May 2021, Odyssey of the Seas will sail seven-, nine- and 12-night itineraries in the Eastern Mediterranean to dream destinations, including Athens, Greece; Rhodes, Turkey; Naples, Italy; Heraklion, Crete; and Jerusalem, Israel.

As part of the changes to the itineraries for Odyssey of the Seas, passengers will have more time than ever to explore each port of call with longer days (up to 15 hours at every destination) and overnight stays at select stops.

“Odyssey will set the standard for delivering unforgettable European adventures, on which travelers will cruise to an exceptional combination of destinations that are in a league of their own as the most popular ports in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley said in a statement. “With extended stays and overnights, Royal Caribbean is combining amazing itineraries with our game-changing ship to create a truly one-of-a-kind Europe vacation.”

Before heading to the Mediterranean, Odyssey of the Seas will be the first of her class to sail the Caribbean and visit tourism hotspots like Curacao, Aruba, Grand Cayman and Mexico on six- and eight-night itineraries from Fort Lauderdale.

In November 2021, Odyssey of the Seas will return to Fort Lauderdale for a second winter, sailing the same combination of itineraries. Caribbean cruises for winter 2021-22 opened Thursday.