Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Celestyal and MSC Cruises have notified guests of itinerary changes for cruises sailing through the Gaza strip region.
NCL’s Norwegian Gem, scheduled to stop in Ashdod, Israel, on its 11-day cruise between Rome and Istanbul, skipped its Ashod stops from Sunday, October 8. Furthermore, Norwegian Jade replaced its planned visits to Haifa and Ashdod with stops in Bodrum, Turkey and Marmaris, reported traveldailynews.com.
Princess is not stopping in Israel at this time and is adjusting Island Princess’s “Mediterranean and Israel” sailings in November accordingly, said a spokesperson.
Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam, which was setting up for a 28-day cruise from Rome to Athens that featured the line’s last stop in Israel for the year, will replace a planned visit to Ashdod with Alanya, Turkey, said a spokesperson for the line. The ship will arrive early to planned stops in Limassol, Cyprus, and Rhodes, Greece, giving guests more time to explore.
Oceania’s Sirena’s October 14 Piraeus to Istanbul itinerary, which was scheduled to stop in Haifa and Ashdod for two days, will instead make stops by Santorini, Heraklion and Mykonos in Greece. Following the cruise line’s previous experience when the Nautica’s was docked in Haifa during the start of the war, Oceania has assured passengers it is looking into alternative itinerary options for its Oceania Marina’s cruise scheduled for November 1.
Regent Seven Seas decided to amend its Seven Seas Voyager’s October 3 and 15 itineraries, replacing its stops to Haifa with stops in Istanbul and Cairo instead.
Celestyal Cruises has suspended its stops in Israel, which were part of its award-winning Three Continents cruise, until the end of November when the situation will be reevaluated.
Due to the geopolitical situation in Israel, MSC Cruises has revised a total of 11 future East Mediterranean itineraries for MSC Sinfonia and MSC Musica.
MSC Sinfonia’s future eight 11-night voyages will see Haifa, Israel replaced with Istanbul, Turkey, which also means Rhodes will be replaced with Piraeus, Greece and Izmir, Turkey will replace Limassol, Cyprus.
MSC Sinfonia’s new itinerary will be the Italian ports of Genoa, Civitavecchia, and Messina followed by Piraeus in Greece, Izmir and Istanbul in Turkey, and Heraklion in Crete before the ship returns to Genoa, Italy.
Its 11-night voyages will depart from Genoa on the following dates: October 21, November 1, 12, and 23, December 4, 15, and 26, and January 6.
MSC Musica’s future three seven-night voyages from Piraeus, Greece will see Haifa, Israel replaced with Rhodes on October 18 and 25, and with Marmaris, Turkey on November 1.
The cruise line has started the process of communication with all its passengers and their travel agents affected by the changes. It will also update its website to reflect the confirmed details of the new itineraries to provide maximum clarity for existing passengers as well as for those looking to book future holidays at sea in the East Mediterranean during the winter months.
