Red Sea Attacks and Ongoing War Lead to More Canceled Cruises in Middle East

Table Of Content

• Resilient Lady's Australia-Europe repositioning itinerary (via Suez Canal) changed to an Around...
• Bookings on Crystal Serenity ship's World Cruise 2026 open on March 19th
• Virgin Voyages Reroutes Resilient Lady's Repositioning Voyage
• Cruise Port schedule, live map, terminals, news
• Port Tawfik Mosque
• Celebrity, Holland America Line and Celestyal Drastically Alter Itineraries

Once in the Mediterranean, the ship will stop in Barcelona, Malta's Valletta, and Santorini before arriving in Athens (Piraeus). Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to be a useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more.

Resilient Lady's Australia-Europe repositioning itinerary (via Suez Canal) changed to an Around...

In a letter to passengers, Cunard said the changes were being made for the safety of passengers and crew aboard the company's flagship. 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 cruise industry has had to reroute and cancel cruises as a result of violence in the area.

Bookings on Crystal Serenity ship's World Cruise 2026 open on March 19th

The new line is parallel to Port Said and effectively lowers canal transition times. It allows vessels to sail in both directions and increases the containership traffic. Repositioning cruise ships through Suez Canal provides a range from “affordable luxury” to really cheap big-sized ship travel deals. Not to forget this is a unique opportunity to enjoy cruising to exotic destinations at some of the market’s best rates. The single-lane waterway features passing locations in Great Bitter Lake and Ballah Bypass.

Virgin Voyages Reroutes Resilient Lady's Repositioning Voyage

Note that cabins continuing to Sydney or Melbourne from Europe are booked usually six months in advance. The present, 101-mile-long Canal took 15 years to build, was completed in 1869 and shaved a mere 7,000 miles off the journey from England to India. It is the second to cross the Isthmus of Suez - the first was constructed in the 5th century BC and was in use until the 8th century. On September 17, 2022, SCA issued new resolutions increasing the transit tolls in 2023 by 15% for all ship types, excluding only dry-bulk carriers and cruise ships (tolls increased just 10%).

Best Deals to Suez Canal (Passage), Egypt

The ship doesn’t stop during your time in the Suez Canal, but you can opt for shore excursions at the ports before or after your journey. For the period December 2020 through May 31, 2021, SCA-Suez Canal Authority reduced by 48% the transition tolls for VLCCs and ULCCs (Very-Large- and Ultra-Large Container Carriers) with DWT-deadweight tonnage 250,000+ tons. Transit fees for cruise ships were also halved if the vessels dock for min 48 hours in at least 2 Egyptian ports.

Some brands, like Princess, are re-routing ships away from the conflict areas and opting to travel around the horn of Africa. Others, like Costa, have elected to sail ships empty through the Suez Canal en-route to their spring European cruise seasons. In its statement, Virgin Voyages said that passengers on the former legs of the original repositioning voyage will have guaranteed spots on the new sailings at no additional cost and a price protection commitment in place. Cruisers also have the option to receive a future cruise credit based on their paid balance or a full refund. Choose a Freighter Cruise from AU$4600 for 23 days through the Suez Canal.

The second lane will decrease waiting hours from 18 to 11 hours and increase the cana;'s capacity from 49 to 97 vessels a day. The Egyptian Armed Forces participated in the project by digging the new canal and tunnels, and also protecting the location from terrorists. The October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas led to a number of lines canceling port calls (see below), while the latest attacks on cargo vessels in the Red Sea in early 2024 has led to cruise lines canceling itineraries in that region. On February 24, 2016, a new Suez Canal shipping lane was inaugurated by the canal’s authority.

Port Tawfik Mosque

The southern entrance to the Suez Canal, Suez Port is a bustling trade port where some of the largest ships in the world converge before setting off on their voyage through the Canal. Our cruise ship was followed by an armed vehicle for the first half of the journey but we didn’t notice it until another passenger pointed it out. After passing under the Mubarak Peace Bridge, the Suez Canal splits into two channels. This is to enable traffic to travel southbound and northbound without having to stop to let ships pass. This is going to be the busiest day of your cruise with people out on deck watching the ship pass through the canal. Some passengers booked on itineraries in the region, however, are making alternate plans.

Red Sea Attacks and Ongoing War Lead to More Canceled Cruises in Middle East - Cruise Critic

Red Sea Attacks and Ongoing War Lead to More Canceled Cruises in Middle East.

Posted: Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Celebrity, Holland America Line and Celestyal Drastically Alter Itineraries

Port Said is the fifth largest city in Egypt and was built purely because of the Suez Canal. You can view the city on the starboard side of the ship transiting southbound (port side, northbound). You don’t have to fly into Egypt in order to witness this man-made marvel. Instead, sail through the Suez Canal on a cruise that visits Greece and the Middle East. As you cruise, you’ll enjoy views of the Sinai Peninsula and the Nile Delta from a unique vantage point. “We were due to visit Israel, Egypt and Jordan next April but spoke to TA this afternoon about canceling."

When deciding what to pack for a cruise to the Suez Canal, keep in mind you’ll be visiting both desert and Mediterranean climate zones during your trip. Pack clothing in fabrics that will breathe easily in both humid and dry heat. You’ll also want to bring light and airy layers that keep your arms and legs covered, since you’ll be traveling through countries where modesty is expected when it comes to clothing. Still, don’t forget your bathing suit, since your time in Greece and Italy may include some blissful beaches. You’ll cruise to the Suez Canal on an itinerary that includes Dubai, Greece, and the Suez Canal, or the Arabian Sea and the Suez Canal, in either April or November. Choose a cruise that departs from Dubai and sails to Rome (via the port of Civitavecchia) or Athens (via the port of Piraeus), or an itinerary that travels the reverse route.

It doesn't contain any locks system as seawater is flowing through it freely. In general, north of Bitter Lakes, the canal flows south in summer and north in winter. MSC is offering passengers the option to move to a new sailing or cancel for a full refund. The line becomes the third cruise operator to fully pull its ships out of the region due to the ongoing conflict. On November 8, 2017, Suez Canal Authority, SCZone and DP World (Dubai-based corporation) signed a partnership agreement to develop an integrated industrial-residential zone at Sokhna. A joint venture company was established between SCZone and DP World (51 to 49).

Affected departures include Celestyal's "Three Continents" voyages sailing aboard Celestyal Journey on October 21, 28; November 4, 11, 18, and 25, 2023. “We were on tour of Galilee region at Jordan River when we were all recalled to the ship,” writes CNSJ on Cruise Critic’s Holland America Line message boards. “Awaiting last passengers to return so we can depart for sea as soon as possible. Three days in Holy Land has become three hours…obviously this is beyond HALs control. A Windstar spokesperson told Cruise Critic, “Windstar staff are contacting all booked guests with an offer to move their sailing to a 2024 date. Other destination options being offered aboard Windstar’s ships are Caribbean, Tahiti, Costa Rica and Panama.