Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas to Homeport in Rome for First Mediterranean Season

(4 p.m. GMT) -- Royal Caribbean has announced that Odyssey of the Seas, its second Quantum Ultra-class ship, will be based in the Mediterranean during its first summer season.

The 4,200-passenger vessel will homeport in Rome for summer 2021, sailing through the Eastern Mediterranean on seven-, nine- and 12-night itineraries that will feature longer stays in ports and overnights in destinations including Athens and Naples.

Odyssey of the Seas, sister ship to Spectrum of the Seas, launches in November 2020, and will spend its maiden season cruising out of Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean before repositioning to the Mediterranean for its inaugural year in Europe.

Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International, said: "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. 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."

The ship will sail on itineraries taking in Santorini, Mykonos and Athens, Greece; Ephesus and Rhodes, Turkey; Naples, Italy; Heraklion, Crete; and Haifa and Jerusalem, Israel. Passengers will spend up to 15 hours in each port, with overnight stays and two full days Athens and Naples on both the nine-night Greek Isles and 12-night Holy Land sailings.

Odyssey of the Seas will feature the line's popular recreational activities, including FlowRider surfing, RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, rock climbing wall, SkyPad bungee trampoline VR experience. It will also showcase the next-generation SeaPlex with the venue's first Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, along with a reimagined Adventure Ocean kids' programme and a teen lounge with gaming consoles, music and films.

Bookings for the summer 2021 season are now open.