Celebrity Cruises has announced that its new ship, Celebrity Apex, is to set sail for Aegean destinations, beginning 19 June 2021.
Celebrity Cruises announced its return to cruising in Europe today, as company President and CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo confirmed that its brand-new Celebrity Apex, the second ship in the brand’s Edge Series, will make its long-awaited world debut in Greece beginning June 19.
With dreamy seven-night sailings round trip from Athens through September 2021, Celebrity Apex will visit some of the most idyllic destinations in the Mediterranean, including Mykonos, Rhodes and Santorini, Greece; Limassol, Cyprus; and Haifa and Jerusalem, Israel.
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The announcement comes just days after Celebrity Cruises announced its Caribbean comeback with seven-night 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.
“It is such an honour for me to Captain the newest ship in the Celebrity fleet. I have been anxiously awaiting the day when I can welcome our first guests onboard this magnificent vessel and it will be a very proud moment for me to do this in my homeland,”
Captain 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,” 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,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.
“I am proud to be welcoming Celebrity Cruises back to its Greek roots and am eager for travelers to return to the unforgettable experiences of all of our destinations on one of the world’s newest ships.”
Greek Tourism Minister Haris Theocharis
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 sailings will open for booking on March 31.