Cruise Lines Exit Israel
By Anne Kalosh
Cruise ships immediately retreated from Israel when the violence broke out there, and a growing number of lines have already dropped calls well into 2024.
Beyond just skipping ports like Haifa and Ashdod, operators are revising entire itineraries.
Windstar Cruises, for example, shifted Star Legend to the western Mediterranean this winter.
Traveler cancellations are being reported in the wider region, including Nile River cruises in Egypt.
Record Season Had Been Forecast
Before the conflict, both Haifa and Ashdod projected record cruise seasons, and construction had begun on Israel’s first dedicated cruise terminal in Haifa.
Besides the 312-passenger Star Legend, among the small, Quirky-sized ships that had been scheduled to call at Haifa this year were CroisiEurope’s 128-passenger La Belle des Oceans, Noble Caledonia’s 120-passenger Hebridean Sky and Grand Circle’s 95-passenger Clio.
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Windstar’s New Winter Cruises in Europe
Windstar revised Star Legend’s entire December to April season, and postponed its Middle East launch until November 2024.
Instead, “With a ship in the Mediterranean, we saw an opportunity to offer guests a legendary winter season in Europe,” Windstar President Christopher Prelog said. Star Legend’s new cruises will carry passengers during a time of fewer crowds and easier access to museums, cultural events and historical landmarks.
This provides more chances to engage with locals, for example, at winter festivals and Christmas markets.
The new itineraries include major destinations such as Barcelona, Nice, Livorno (for Florence and Pisa), Marseille, Monte Carlo and Civitavecchia (Rome).
Windstar Cruises’ Star Legend will be spending this winter in the western Mediterranean instead of the Middle East. * Photo: Windstar Cruises
Barcelona-Civitavecchia To Take Up Slack
Sixteen weeklong Star Legend cruises will sail between Civitavecchia and Barcelona, with overnights in Civitavecchia, Barcelona and Monte Carlo, and day calls at Livorno and Marseille. The last of the new Mediterranean series is an eight-night cruise from Rome to Piraeus (Athens) visiting the Amalfi Coast and Greece.
A Christmas holiday sailing can be booked as an eight- or nine-day cruise, the latter including New Year’s Eve.
Windstar passengers will be able to participate in winter experiences such as holiday markets and ice skating in Nice; Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica and Trevi Fountain excursions in Rome; and Florence’s spectacular Light Festival, among others. Carnival celebrations in Spain and Italy take place in late February.
Nile Cruises Affected Too
The tragic events in Israel came at a time when Viking had just opened early bookings for its 2025 Nile River cruises in Egypt, citing strong demand. The line has been enlarging its Nile fleet and Viking Sobek, a sixth vessel, is due to enter service in 2025.
Viking’s public relations agency did not respond to questions about whether travelers are expressing concerns about going to the region.
However, during Lindblad Expeditions Holdings’ recent third quarter earnings call, management mentioned “heightened Egypt cancellations.”
Lindblad operates Nile cruises on the intimate Oberoi Philae and Sun Goddess.
Lindblad Expeditions is experiencing heightened Egypt cancellations. Here, Abu Simbal. * Photo: Pixabay_Loretta Rossiter
Red Sea Impact?
Red Sea cruises have been rising in recent years but are now likely to be impacted by long-haul travelers’ jitters.
In Jordan, the Aqaba Cruise Terminal was inaugurated in January this year.
And Saudi Arabia has begun to entice cruise ships to its Red Sea port of Jeddah and other destinations as part of the government’s Cruise Saudi initiative to diversify the economy withe tourism.
One of the small ships visiting recently was Swan Hellenic’s 192-passenger SH Diana, which called at Yanbu, Baridi Island and Jeddah in October.
Swan Hellenic’s SH Diana alongside at Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. * Photo: Cruise Saudi
RELATED: John & Sandra Nowlan review the SH Diana.
Cruise Saudi is even partnering with Aman Resorts to build a sumptuous, 50-suite super-yacht.
Only time will tell how the Israel situation plays out, but for now there are many uncertainties about Middle East cruise travel.
Saudi Arabia’s effort to attract cruise ships may be impacted by the situation in Israel. Here, a traditional night souq in Yanbu. * Photo: Cruise Saudi
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HEIDI SARNA
