Celebrity Cruises to cruise year-round from Mediterranean in 2023/24

Celebrity Cruises has extended its summer cruise season in the Mediterranean, with plans to sail roundtrip in the region through the winter aboard Celebrity Infinity.

Celebrity Infinity will cruise the Mediterranean from September, 2023 to March, 2024, picking up itineraries sailed by the cruise line through the summer.

Celebrity Infinity will kick off her winter season with 9- and 10-night itineraries visiting the Iberian Peninsula, sailing from Barcelona, Spain, and Lisbon.

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In October, 2023 Celebrity Infinity will homeport in Barcelona, sailing 11- and 12-night itineraries that will feature Morocco for the first time since 2008.

She’ll sail these itineraries through January, 2024 and will then move to Greece in February, sailing 10 or 11-night itineraries calling on three continents, with calls into the Holy Land until March.

“Being able to sail through the Mediterranean all winter will open up infinite possibilities for our guests to satiate their wanderlust, while experiencing new destinations as they Journey Wonder with us,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President & CEO, Celebrity Cruises.

“With these new 2023-2024 offerings, we will continue to reintroduce our guests to the world with itineraries that reconnect them with cultures and experiences that will last a lifetime,” she added.

Celebrity Cruises didn’t cite the current geopolitical uncertainties in Europe, or ongoing concern over COVID-19 as a reason for the decision to homeport year-round in Europe, but the decision keeps the cruise line close to its major source markets in case of flight disruptions.

Celebrity Cruises is among a host of cruise lines that have cancelled port calls to Russia following the country’s globally condemned invasion of Ukraine.

Celebrity Cruises, owned by Royal Caribbean, said it was removing Russian port city Saint Petersburg from upcoming itineraries, adding that it would visit other Scandinavian ports in its place.

Celebrity is now not scheduled to call in Saint Petersburg until at least May, 2023 aboard Celebrity Silhouette and Celebrity Apex.

The reopening of the global cruise industry following the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has seen a number of cruise lines homeporting year-round in one region.

MSC Cruises this year extended its cruise season in the Middle East out of Dubai to include the summer months, with MSC Bellissima picking up the Dubai itineraries sailed by MSC Virtuosa during the winter.