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MSC Cruises Cancels Israel Visits Into January 2024
“One of the main strengths and differentiators in our industry is our ability to reposition our assets, which is what we’ve done with the heightened tensions in the Middle East,” Sommer said. Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam, meanwhile, had already docked in Israel and had sent passengers on tour when the conflict broke out. Replacement voyages for MSC Orchestra and MSC Sinfonia have not yet been announced. Each brand is offering affected cruisers a variety of compensation options, depending on the circumstances and whether their voyages are already underway.
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Cruise lines change itineraries amid conflict in Israel, Palestinians - USA TODAY
Cruise lines change itineraries amid conflict in Israel, Palestinians.
Posted: Mon, 09 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The line has canceled three repositioning ‘Grand Voyage’ sailings in April from South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Europe. MSC Cruises has become the first cruise line to cancel cruises due to the ongoing risks to shipping in the Red Sea. Cunard Line informed guests it will re-route its World Cruise aboard Queen Mary 2, changing a full month of the planned voyage itinerary in order to bypass the Red Sea and Suez Canal in favor of transiting around the horn of Africa. We will keep tabs on the situation as it develops, but if you have a cruise booked in this region it is best to reach out to your cruise line for all the latest information on changes and cancellations. The canceled Israel calls were the last scheduled for any Holland America ship this year. "We are in close coordination with the authorities, and the safety, security, and comfort of our guests remains our utmost priority," Celestyal CEO Chris Theophilides said in a statement sent to TPG.
Additional Israel cruise cancellations
The small vessel cruise line has confirmed with Cruise Hive that two of its vessels will not be making scheduled visits to the country, This includes calls by Azamara Journey and Azamara Pursuit in October 2023. "If for whatever reason a passenger feels unsafe travelling on a pre-booked cruise, cancelling would be subject to the cruise's contract and the terms and conditions," Ms Roy said. Ms Roy said the company knew its ships couldn't pass under bridges following heavy rain, but didn't advise passengers of the change until they arrived ready to board.
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British line Marella Cruises is the latest in a string of cruise lines to adjust itineraries amid the ongoing Red Sea conflict and crisis in the Middle East. Ongoing unrest in the Middle East has led to a series of changes and cancellations to cruise line itineraries, with more lines opting to re-route their Red Sea itineraries, including World Cruises, away from the conflict. Other lines with ships scheduled to visit Israel in the coming weeks include Azamara, Silversea Cruises, Viking, Windstar Cruises and Costa Cruises. Oceania canceled a three-day visit to Israel scheduled for the line's 684-passenger Sirena starting Oct. 17.
Stand in awe at the site of Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River and gaze out over the Sea of Galilee. Israel cruises will take you to ports like Ashdod, the gateway to Jerusalem, where you can walk in the footsteps of prophets and kings; and Haifa, where you can see the beautiful Bahá'í Gardens. You’ll also have the opportunity to take an excursion to see the biblical sights around Nazareth and the tranquil Sea of Galilee. No matter what you choose to do, a cruise to Israel is sure to be an adventure with the luxury amenities and world-class service that Celebrity is known for.
For the winter season, Celebrity Apex will be homeported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offering a variety of 7-night Caribbean itineraries visiting top destinations such as Key West, Belize, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, and more. In May 2024, the ship will again move to Europe for the summer season, this time homeporting from Southampton. The Israel conflict has also impacted broader cruises to the Middle East area beyond just its Israel stops, the company said on its earnings call.
Windstar now plans to launch its Middle East season of sailings from Dubai and Muscat in November 2024, with additional cruises from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Aqaba, Jordan; and Haifa, Israel, into April 2025. Odyssey of the Seas, which TPG named one of the nine most anticipated new cruise ships of the year, isn't new to the disappointment of cruise cancelations. The ship was previously scheduled to sail out of Civitavecchia, Italy (the port for Rome) in May on a series of Mediterranean voyages. Those itineraries were scrapped because of travel restrictions for U.S. travelers to European countries. The cruises out of Israel were an exciting replacement for those who were eligible to sail. With no way to know how long the dangerous conflict in Israel may last, several cruise lines have taken steps to safeguard their passengers by cancelling sailings or adjusting itineraries to remove port visits to the country.
Guests affected by this change are offered full refunds, and arrangements are underway to repatriate Israeli travelers. The MSC Musica, initially scheduled for 7-night Mediterranean cruises, disembarked Israeli passengers in Limassol, Cyprus, who were then transported to Israel on a chartered cruise ship. Celebrity Apex was en-route to Haifa before altering course to dock in Limassol, Cyprus. Passengers on the sailing that departed October 16, 2023 had received notice of itinerary changes that replaced calls in Ashdod and Haifa with stops in the Greek ports of Santorini, Mykonos and Rhodes before the ship continued on to Port Said, Egypt as planned. MSC is offering passengers the option to move to a new sailing or cancel for a full refund.
Explore the ancient sites, cities, and historic ports of the Holy Land on a luxury cruise to Israel with Celebrity. Visit sacred temples, awe-inspiring museums, and natural wonders like the Dead Sea. Enjoy delicious cuisine that blends multiple cultures together with the bounty of the Mediterranean, and take in the breathtaking views of the sea as you do so.
Cruising to Israel is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many travelers and while cruise lines always do their best to maintain original itineraries, the safety of the guests, crew, and ship are always the top priority. Royal Caribbean International has cancelled 7 sailings of Rhapsody of the Seas, which has been homeported in Haifa, Israel. Meanwhile, Odyssey of the Seas has port visits cancelled for Israel on two different sailings. Celebrity Apex, owned by the Royal Caribbean Group, has likewise cancelled port visits to Israel.
A spokesperson said "ongoing attacks on merchant vessels" had forced it to cancel three cruises, including a 24-night cruise from South Africa to Italy and a 23-night voyage from Dubai to the United Kingdom. It's sparked concern for the safety of passengers sailing the popular tourist route, with several major ports located in the area. Windstar Cruises, which was to deploy its Star Legend on its first series of Middle East voyages next month from Dubai, sent a note to passengers on October 16 advising them that their cruises had been canceled.
All were scheduled to make two stops in Israel, in Ashdod and Haifa, according to CruiseMapper, which tracks ship locations and itineraries. With fighting between Hamas and Israel showing no signs of abating, some cruise lines have made the decision to remove all Israeli ports of call from their 2024 itineraries. Luxury line Silversea canceled a 17-night voyage from Mumbai to Athens aboard Silver Whisper, citing the geopolitical situation in the Red Sea region. The vessel, the 2,666-passenger Nieuw Statendam, halted disembarkation, recalled passengers who had already left on tours and headed out to sea by the evening. Celebrity was among the first lines to cancel calls in Israel, rerouting its 2,910-passenger Celebrity Apex away from the country within hours of fighting erupting on Saturday. The ship skipped calls scheduled for Sunday and Monday at Haifa and Ashdod, respectively.
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