Cruise lines have begun announcing requirements for immunization for crew members and passengers as the industry looks to reboot during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Insider Wednesday.
Royal Caribbean will set sail out of Israel for the first time this spring. Its newest ship - the Odyssey of the Seas - will have the new vaccination requirement in place.
The cruises will have stops in Mediterranean destinations like Santorini, Mykonos and Rhodes.
Last year, cruise vessels that were halfway to their destinations started facing coronavirus-related disorder as the disease began to spread around the world.
Not long after, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ordered a halt to all voyages.
"Israeli travelers will be looking to get away, relax with total peace of mind, and enjoy the travel experiences they're missing dearly; and that's what we do best," Travel+Leisure quoted Michael Bayley, President and chief executive of Royal Caribbean International, as saying in a statement.
In line with Israel's health and tourism mandate, Royal Caribbean will be the first company to offer fully immunized cruises where both crew and passengers above 16 years old will be inoculated against COVID-19, Royal said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomes the Florida-based cruise line company's latest initiative:
"Royal Caribbean's decision to come to Israel is a significant expression of confidence in our policy. This is an important economic, touristic moment for the State of Israel," he said in a statement, as per Travel+Leisure.
Despite the new compulsory vaccination protocol, the official return of cruising still remains uncertain. At the moment, no major U.S. cruises will be accepting guests until May this year, but companies have been extending the break on sea travel.
