Seabourn adds Limassol, Paphos to summer cruise programme

Limassol and Paphos have been included in Mediterranean routes to be carried out this summer by Seabourn Cruise Line, the shipping deputy ministry announced on Thursday.

The deputy ministry said this development is expected to have multiple benefits for the domestic tourism, shipping and port industry, but also the wider local economy.

Seabourn Cruise Line, member of the Carnival group, announced the inclusion of Cyprus in its cruise programme for this summer, the deputy ministry said. It added that this became possible after contacts with the company and coordinated efforts by the shipping deputy ministry in cooperstion with the transport ministry.

The company will launch two seven-day cruises starting from the port of Piraeus from the first week of July. The itineraries include stops at the Greek ports of Agios Nikolaos, Rhodes, Mykonos and Nafplio as well as  Limassol and the other includes Patmos, Rhodes, Santorini, Spetses and Paphos.

“As it is known, international cruise ship companies with their recent decisions, have included Cyprus in the world cruise map,” the deputy ministry said. This, it added, “shows that the epidemiological data have been positively assessed, as well as the quality services offered by our country.”

The possibility of changing crews, for which Cyprus responded effectively from the first moment of the pandemic and received praise from the international shipping community, played an important role, as well as the port facilities offered to ships, it said.