Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas will homeport in Rome and sail through the eastern Mediterranean for the summer season.

Debuting in November 2020, the cruise line’s Quantum Ultra-Class ship will be the first in the fleet to combine longer stays in every destination along with overnights in popular Mediterranean cities and beach destinations.

Summer sailings will commence in May 2021 and will include seven-, nine- and 12-night itineraries to Santorini, Mykonos and Athens (Greece); Ephesus and Rhodes (Turkey); Naples (Italy); Heraklion, Crete; and Haifa and Jerusalem (Israel).

Passengers will enjoy maximum time onshore, with longer days (up to 15 hours at every port) and overnight stays – including two full days docked in Athens and Naples on both the nine-night Greek Isles and 12-night Holy Land sailings – included in the itineraries.

“Odyssey will set the standard for delivering unforgettable European adventures, on which holidaymakers will cruise to an exceptional combination of destinations that are in a league of their own as well as the most popular ports in the Eastern Mediterranean,” said president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, Michael Bayley.

“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.”

Odyssey of the Seas will sail from Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean for her first season, before continuing her inaugural year in Europe. Odyssey will return to Fort Lauderdale in November 2021 for a second winter, sailing the same combination of itineraries.

Odyssey of the Seas will feature some of the latest technological innovations at sea including SeaPlex, the largest indoor space for recreational activities at sea, and a reimagined Adventure Ocean kids programme and teen lounge with gaming consoles, music and movies.

Bookings for the summer 2021 sailings are now open.

For more details on Odyssey of the Seas, visit royalcaribbean.co.uk.