As of: January 21, 2024, 7:20 p.m
By: Victoria Krumbeck
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Holidaymakers must expect the cancellation of their Red Sea cruise.
Trips are canceled due to security concerns caused by the Houthi attacks.
Bremen – The Israeli war in the Gaza Strip is having a strong impact on shipping.
Because the Houthi rebels in the Red Sea are increasingly attacking foreign ships, some shipping companies have canceled their planned spring cruises.
The safety risk for passengers is too high.
Many shipping companies are monitoring the current situation and checking whether a trip through the Red Sea or the Suez Canal is possible.
Red Sea cruises: cancellations for travelers
The Swiss shipping company MSC Cruises announced that it would cancel three Grand Voyages that were scheduled to take place in April.
Affected are a 24-night cruise on the MSC Splendida from Durban (South Africa) to Genoa (Italy), a 21-night voyage on the MSC Opera from Dubai (UAE) to Genoa and a 23-night voyage on the MSC Virtuosa from Dubai to Southampton, the company announced in a statement on January 17th.
This allows passengers to reorient themselves in advance.
This was different on an MSC cruise, which was changed the day before departure.
An MSC cruise ship.
The trips through the Red Sea planned for the spring were canceled due to the Houthi attacks.
© Felix Schlikis/IMAGO
“The safety of passengers and crew is always our top priority.
Without alternative routes, there was no other option than to cancel these trips,” the statement said.
The ships are supposed to sail directly to Europe without passengers and bypass the west coast of Africa to avoid sailing through the Red Sea.
In addition, numerous shipping companies have had to adjust their cruise plans due to the attacks by the Houthi rebels.
For example, the cruise ship “Silver Moon” from Silversea Cruises.
Instead of ending the journey in Muscat, Oman, as planned, the ship headed to the Greek port of Piraeus, as the
Daily Port Report
wrote.
Shipping companies cancel trips through the Red Sea: “Safety is an absolute priority”
Other companies are facing the decision to cancel cruises in the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal.
According to the British
Telegraph
, decisions are pending for P&O Cruises' Arcadia and for Azamara, Cunard and Hollan America Line ships planning to transit the Suez Canal in March or April.
“The safety and well-being of guests and crew is our absolute priority,” said a spokesman for P&O Cruises, who confirmed that the shipping company was monitoring the situation daily with the relevant authorities.
The Norwegian cruise company Fred Olsen Curise Lines said it would stick to its previous schedules and implement an emergency plan in the event of increased risk.
Because of the Houthi attacks, numerous shipping companies have stopped or restricted traffic through the Red Sea and are diverting ships.
The situation in the Red Sea has been tense since the war broke out between Israel and the Islamist Hamas.
Since October 2023, the Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi militia has repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea that are allegedly connected to Israel.
In response to the Houthi attacks, the US and Britain launched a full-scale military strike on Houthi positions in Yemen.
(vk)