Cruise lines are adjusting operations amid the Israel-Hamas war – in some cases suspending calls altogether.
Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and other brands have notified guests of itinerary changes for sailings in the region amid other disruptions to travel, including flights.
Airlines have issued waivers to passengers and the U.S. State Department has advisories in place for the region, encouraging travelers to exercise increased caution when visiting Israel and the West Bank and warning against travel to Gaza.
Here’s what cruise passengers should know.
How are cruises affected by the violence in Israel?
▶ Celebrity Cruises: The line’s Celebrity Apex ship is replacing visits to Israel and Egypt with stops in Santorini, Mykonos and Rhodes in Greece and Bodrum, Turkey, on its Oct. 6 and Oct. 16 sailings, a spokesperson for parent company Royal Caribbean Group said. The 10-day cruises sail round-trip from Piraeus, according to CruiseMapper.
▶ Holland America Line: The line’s Nieuw Statendam will replace a planned visit to Ashdod, Israel, with Alanya, Turkey. A spokesperson for the line said the ship would arrive early to planned stops in Limassol, Cyprus on Tuesday and Rhodes, Greece, on Wednesday, giving guests more time to explore.
The ship’s 28-day cruise from Rome to Athens had featured the line’s last stop in Israel for the year.
▶MSC Cruises: MSC Musica will skip its scheduled stop in Haifa on Oct. 12, instead visiting Antalya, Turkey. The ship sailed to Limassol on Tuesday, bypassing a planned visit to Kusadasi, a spokesperson said. The vessel is currently on a round-trip, week-long sailing from Athens, according to CruiseMapper.
Musica will also cancel its planned visits to Haifa on Oct. 19 and 26, replacing them with Rhodes, and a Nov. 2 stop, visiting Marmaris instead. MSC Sinfonia’s Oct. 16 visit to the Israeli city will be replaced with Bodrum.