Azamara Latest Cruise Line to Announce Summer 2021 Restart in Greece

(12:26 p.m. EDT) -- Azamara has become the latest cruise line to announce it will resume operations from Greece this summer.

Azamara Quest will restart cruising August 28 from Athens and will offer five back-to-back country-intensive voyages and one Mediterranean sailing. Each itinerary will be seven nights, with a total of 18 late-night stays in port, including Santorini, Rhodes and Heraklion.

The line is mandating all passengers and crew be fully vaccinated, joining a growing list of cruise lines demanding the same.

Azamara joins eight others basing itself in the Eastern Mediterranean this summer.

"Over the past year, our team -- ship to shoreside -- continued to connect with our guests and travel partners," Azamara President Carol Cabezas said.

"Our biggest takeaway is the desire everyone has to sail again, and we are excited to share that we can finally make this dream come true.

"There's no better way to return to service than in a country Azamara knows best, Greece."

She paid tribute to tourism minister Harry Theoharis, who has been in instrumental in getting lines back to the country; the local government and port authorities.

"We're looking forward to welcoming Azamara and its guests in Greece in August," Theoharis said.

"We fully support the line's return to cruising in the Aegean waters, and we are sure that all of its passengers will have unique experiences in our beautiful destinations."

Royal Caribbean Group sold Azamara to Sycamore Partners earlier this year. Two months later it expanded its three-ship fleet to four, adding newly named Azamara Onward.

Cruises on Azamara Quest will open for booking May 11.

Separately, all cruises aboard Azamara Journey and Azamara Pursuit will be suspended until September 2021. Current Azamara Quest sailings through October 2, 2021 are also suspended, except the ones above.