Nearly 60 million euros are expected to be state revenues from Jewel of the Seas, according to Royal Caribbean Europe director Christos Karavos, who spoke today to KYPE. He pointed out that more than 100 million euros, the total revenue from the services received or continue to receive the company's cruise ships from our country, such as Anthem of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas. The presence of the latter in the port of Limassol, at the beginning of May, had brought Cyprus to the 5th place in the search on Google, by Americans, as Mr. Karavos noted.
The Jewel of the Seas is located in the port of Limassol from Sunday and tomorrow is expected to return to the berth, after boarding the last members of its crew, who arrived in Cyprus in the last days, while a two-day test cruise is scheduled for July 6-8.
The preparations of Royal Caribbean International and the cruise ship Jewel of the Seas, for the start of seven-day cruises, on July 10, from the port of Limassol, as well as the manager of the passenger terminal DP World Limassol, are also feverish.
According to Mr. Karavos, the eastern Mediterranean was part of the company's plans for the next 3 to 5 years, however, the conditions created by the pandemic led to an acceleration of planning. Among the options Haifa, Piraeus and Limassol, Royal Caribbean chose Cyprus as a base for the cruises of Jewel of the Seas, something that, as the director of Europe noted, is also related to the facilities offered by the Republic of Cyprus to sailors during difficult times of the pandemic.
“We have a very good cooperation with the Government and DP World Limassol, while the Ministries of Transport and the Ministry of Tourism and Shipping have done an excellent job and deserve congratulations,” he added.
The seven-day cruises will start on July 10 and already, said Mr. Karavos, there is a demand from Britain, Russia, Germany and Israel, after cruises from Haifa with Anthem of the Seas were canceled, due to the deteriorating situation in the region.
“If our compatriots embrace us and the season goes very well, there is no reason not to return in 2022 and 2023,” he said, noting that this season will be more “recognizable”.
He added that those interested can contact one of the four travel agencies that the company cooperates with in Cyprus, to be informed in detail about the cruise program, which will include Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini, Piraeus and Chania. of Crete
In relation to the pandemic and passenger safety, Royal Caribbean cruise ships apply stricter protocols than those announced, since, as Christos Karavos explained, one must have completed his vaccination program in order to board and not to board. has a PCR test.
The 800 crew members, he stressed, are fully vaccinated and with the completion of their number tomorrow, they will remain precautionary for 14 days in their cabins and will undergo three PCR tests.
Then, a two-day test cruise is planned, with 600 guests, on July 6 to 8, just outside the territorial waters of Cyprus. The goal, said Mr. Karavos, is to determine the readiness of the ship and the crew, but also the services on land and to take any necessary corrective measures, in view of July 10, the day of the start of the first seven-day cruise.
Among other things, the cruise ship has 13 decks, 1097 rooms, a children's water park, a 1,250-seat theater, a casino larger than the existing Limassol, a large number of restaurants, bars and shops, a gym and spa services, and can accommodate 2,702 travelers. However, due to the sanitary measures taken by the company, its fullness, for the season, will not exceed 70%.
According to Nawaf Abdulla, CEO of DP World Limassol, the choice of the company's cruise terminal in the port of Limassol, as a base by international companies such as Royal Caribbean, confirms that Cyprus is among the top destinations for this year. .
Royal Caribbean's decision to select Limassol as a boarding port for the first time, he added, is an important milestone in DP World Limassol 's effort to restart maritime tourism.
He expressed the assessment that the resumption of cruises will strengthen the recovery effort of the tourism sector, giving a significant boost to economic activity, the hotel industry and local businesses.
Finally, he assured that DP World Limassol is ready to welcome cruise passengers, strictly adhering to all health protocols and instructions, and that it remains committed to providing quality services to its customers and partners.
