Royal Caribbean International is to base a ship in Cyprus this summer.

Jewel of the Seas will sail seven-night cruises from Limassol, starting from 10 July. Itineraries will open for bookings on 7 April.

The ship will call at Athens and the Greeks islands of Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos and Santorini.

The cruises will be available to adult guests who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and those under the age of 18 with negative test results. Passengers must also meet the travel requirements of their home country and Cyprus.

Royal Caribbean president and CEO Michael Bayley said: “I’m delighted to announce our safe and gradual return to Europe.

“We know how eager our guests are to enjoy a getaway this summer, and these sailings, which include a mix of fantastic destinations and must-visit islands, make for the perfect getaway.

“Cyprus is a beautiful island, and we are thankful to the Cypriot government for their support and enthusiasm in making these incredible itineraries possible.”

Cyprus deputy minister of tourism Savvas Perdios added: “We are delighted that Royal Caribbean will call Limassol its homeport for the first time ever.

“This has been an ambition of ours for many years, and we are thrilled that, finally, this dream has come to fruition.

“We have every confidence that Royal Caribbean’s presence in Limassol will be beneficial to Cyprus and, similarly, we are very confident that as a homeport and as a country, Cyprus will live up to the expectations of Royal Caribbean and its guests.”

Royal Caribbean has also announced a summer series of seven-night cruises on board Adventure of the Seas, setting sail from Nassau.

The itineraries, departing from 12 June, include two back-to-back days on Perfect Day at CocoCay, the line’s private island destination in the Bahamas, and a visit to Cozumel, Mexico.

Odyssey of the Seas, the line’s new ship, is also scheduled to sail from Israel for the first time.