Many cruise ships cancel itineraries due to Red Sea tensions

Many cruise ships traveling through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea have had to change course or turn back due to increased attacks by Houthi forces on cargo ships in the area.

Silversea's superyacht, the Silver Moon, with a capacity of nearly 600 passengers, was on a cruise. The ship was scheduled to sail from Aqaba, Jordan to Muscat, Oman. However, the ship had to change course away from Muscat and return to Aqaba. The trip still lasted 10 nights, arriving on January 16. The next trip from Muscat to Dubai, UAE was canceled because the ship avoided traveling through the Red Sea.

Some shipping lines had to change routes through the Red Sea or turn back. Photo: Alamy

Peter Shanks, CEO of Silversea in the UK and Ireland, said he is arranging flights for guests to return home due to the itinerary change. Each guest will receive $500 and a 50% discount on future bookings. Shanks said he appreciates customers understanding the cruise line in this unfortunate situation.

The Iran-backed Houthis control large swaths of Yemen, including the western coast overlooking the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which leads to the Red Sea. The group began firing missiles at Israel and using drones to attack merchant ships in the Red Sea shortly after the Gaza war erupted in October last year.

MSC Cruises and Oceania Cruises, two global cruise lines, have canceled all trips to Israel, which is located in the Red Sea. MSC also canceled a stopover in Suez, Egypt, home to the Suez Canal, at the start of its 121-day round- the-world cruise in January. Instead, its ships will sail around Africa. A representative of the company said that despite the schedule changes, it will still ensure that guests visit all 50 destinations.

Meanwhile, attention is turning to cruise lines such as P&O Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line and Azamara, all of which have ships currently sailing around the world and are scheduled to stop in Suez in March or April after returning from the Mediterranean.

A P&O Cruises representative said they were updating the situation daily and "will notify passengers if it is necessary to change their itinerary".

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, a luxury cruise line based in the UK, said it has not changed any of its worldwide cruise itineraries, including its Suez Canal sailings in early April. However, the company is in constant contact with stakeholders to assess any risks. In the event that the Red Sea situation becomes more dangerous due to attacks, the company will operate a backup itinerary.

UK-based Cunard and US-based Holland America said they were also monitoring the situation and would inform guests of "any updates as soon as possible".

Travelers who have booked upcoming cruise vacations that will take them through the Red Sea may be subject to cancellation fees, but experts say the current situation suggests that cruise lines are more likely to cancel their cruises before their customers do. Some cruise lines are offering refunds or rescheduling.

Experts say no one is sure how long the conflict in the Red Sea will last or whether it will escalate further. As a result, no one can say for sure whether it will be safe for tourists to book a Red Sea cruise later this year.

Anh Minh (According to Telegraph )

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