Celebrity Cruises’ newest cruise ship, Celebrity Apex, will begin sailing in June for the first time when the vessel begins offering seven night cruises from Athens, Greece.
Celebrity Apex will sail from Athens starting on June 19 through September 2021 and offer two different itineraries. The cruises open for bookings on March 30 and port stops include Mykonos, Rhodes and Santorini, Greece; Limassol, Cyprus; and Haifa and Jerusalem, Israel. The two itineraries offered are:
- Greek Islands and Cyprus – Port stops in Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini, and Cyprus
- Greek Islands and Israel – Port stops in Rhodes, Santorini, Haifa, and Jerusalem
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 seven-night summer cruises departing from St. Maarten also beginning in June.
The company’s return to the Aegean is made all the more special given Celebrity Cruises’ Greek heritage. Founded in 1988 by the Greek Chandris family, the company later became a part of the Royal Caribbean Group.
Celebrity Cruises is still rooted in its Greek origins today, with 70% of marine officers across the fleet, hailing from Greece; over 40 of these are Captains and Chief Engineers, including the Captain of Celebrity Apex, Dimitrios Kafetzis.
“Celebrity Apex is such an exquisite ship and for her to finally begin sailing in the beautiful Aegean, where it all began for our fleet, and after so long away, is incredibly meaningful. I actually can’t wait to finally experience Apex and the Greek Isles this September during my rescheduled 30th wedding anniversary cruise,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. “This is a very special homecoming for Celebrity Cruises made possible with the strong collaboration of the Greek government. I extend my enduring gratitude and wish them well as they celebrate their country’s bicentennial today.”
“I am proud to be welcoming Celebrity Cruises back to its Greek roots on this special occasion of our Country’s independence bicentennial and am eager for travelers to return to the unforgettable experiences of all of our destinations on one of the world’s newest ships,” said Greek Tourism Minister Haris Theocharis. “The positive economic impact that tourism brings to our country cannot be underestimated and I am very happy Celebrity Cruises is playing an important role in rebuilding this important economic pillar.”
Celebrity Apex was completed last spring but after the cruise shutdown. The cruise ship will finally make her debut this summer.
