April 06, 2021
(2:30 p.m. EST) -- Luxury cruise line Seabourn became the latest cruise operator to announce plans for a summer restart, with voyages operating roundtrip out of Piraeus (Athens), Greece.
Starting July 3, 2021, Seabourn Ovation will debut a series of seven-day cruises departing from Piraeus that venture out into the Greek Islands. The sailings, which open for reservation April 12, will be bookable as back-to-back sailings of 14-days with different ports of call in each weeklong segment.
It is the second luxury line to announce a restart -- Crystal will restart from The Bahamas in July with Crystal Serenity.
Seabourn says these new sailings aboard the 600-passenger Seabourn Ovation, the first set of port calls will include Agios Nikolaos, Rhodes, Mykonos and Nafplion as well as Limassol, Cyprus. On the second weeklong itinerary, passengers will be able to call on, Rhodes, Thira and Spetsai along with Paphos, Cyprus. Each voyage will also include a full day at sea.
Passengers booking these new itineraries will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with a minimum of 14 days between the final dose and embarkation. Health screening questionnaires, face mask requirements, physical distancing and capacity controls for indoor venues will also be in place as part of Seabourn's health and safety protocols.
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"The entire Seabourn family is truly excited to provide our award-winning travel experience aboard Seabourn Ovation starting again this July in the Greek Isles," Seabourn President Josh Leibowitz said. "We're grateful to the people of Greece for welcoming Seabourn back to the Mediterranean this summer."
"Seabourn has been visiting Greece for more than 30 years and we look forward to welcoming their ships back to our unique destinations this summer," said Harry Theoharis, Ministry of Tourism for the Hellenic Republic. "Tourism is a vital part of our economy and our plans place a priority on health and safety to help restore traveler confidence to all. We are sure that once again all your guests will have the best experiences in Greece creating memories to last a lifetime."
Additional details, such as shore excursions, are still being finalized and will be released later.
Seabourn has become the latest cruise operator to announce a limited restart to cruise operations under enhanced health and safety protocols. Today alone, Norwegian Cruise Line and Viking have announced global restart plans.
Other lines, including Celebrity, Crystal and Royal Caribbean have also announced restart plans in Iceland, Europe and the Caribbean. Sailings have also been announced starting in May from the U.K. for U.K.-only residents.
As with most other cruise lines announcing a restart, Seabourn's new sailings from Piraeus are not affected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's long-standing orders against cruise, as these sailings operate outside of U.S. waters.
Cruise Critic will update this article with more information as it becomes available.
