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| Egyptian Sphinx - Courtesy Azamara Club Cruises |
Middle East Protests
Impact Cruises
Once again cruises to Egypt and Tunisia are being rerouted to avoid any potential security risks to passengers, ships, and crew.
A wave of anti-American unrest swept through the Middle East on the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attack. Uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia were sparked by the inflammatory anti-Muslim video, and there was further unrest Thursday outside the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, where protesters had scaled the walls Tuesday.
The fatal attack on the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and three other Americans has prompted the deployment of two warships to the area.
Cruise lines are closely monitoring the situation and two changes have already been announced. We will update this article with additional details as they become available. Consult with the individual cruise lines if you are traveling to this region.
Latest Changes
Silversea has cancelled Silver Cloud's September 30 visit to Tunis, Tunisia, replacing it with a stop at Gozo Island in the Maltese archipelago.
Oceania's Marina will no longer visit Alexandria on October 3 or Part Said on October 4. Instead the ship will add Antalya, Turkey and spend an extra day in Ashdod, Israel on October 4.
Azamara Club Cruises
Azamara Quest's scheduled stop in La Goulette (Carthage), Tunisia on October 31 wil be replaced with a full-day visit to Minorca in the Balearic Islands on November 1.
Protests in Egypt
September 20, 2012 Royal Caribbean International continues to closely monitor the situation in Egypt. At this time, Royal Caribbean has not changed the itinerary of any upcoming sailing that includes a port call to Egypt. We will continue to closely monitor the situation in Egypt and will contact guests or their travel agents should we make any modifications to upcoming itineraries. The safety and security, of our guests and crew members is always foremost in our minds. |
Protests in Egypt
September 13, 2012
Royal Caribbean International is closely monitoring the protests currently taking place in Egypt.
In an abundance of caution, we have decided to cancel Mariner of the Seas’ next port call to Egypt. Mariner of the Seas, which departs Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, on Saturday, September 15, will no longer call on Alexandria, Egypt, on Tuesday, September 18. Instead, the ship will now call to Sicily (Messina), Italy, on Sunday, September 16, and Valletta, Malta, on Monday, September 17.
We will continue to closely monitor the situation in Egypt and will contact guests or their travel agents should we make additional modifications to upcoming itineraries.
Holland America Line
Holland America's Ryndam, which was scheduled to dock September 14 in La Goulette (Carthage), Tunisia, will visit Sardinia, Italy, instead.
Cunard Line
Cunard's Queen Elizabeth will skip its scheduled September 15 call in Alexandria and replace it with a visit to Rhodes on September 16.
Celebrity Cruises
Protests in Egypt
September 20, 2012
Celebrity Cruises continues to closely monitor the protests currently taking place in Egypt. At this time, Celebrity Cruises has not cancelled any port calls to Egypt. We will continue to closely monitor the changing situation in Egypt and will contact guests or their travel agents should we make any modifications to upcoming itineraries.
September 13, 2012
Celebrity Cruises is closely monitoring the protests currently taking place in Egypt. At this time, Celebrity Cruises has not cancelled any port calls to Egypt. We will continue to closely monitor the changing situation in Egypt and will contact guests or their travel agents should we make any modifications to upcoming itineraries.
Travel Warnings & Alerts
U.S. State Department has not issued any Travel Warnings or Alerts, but the embassies in seven countries advised Americans to be vigilant. U.S. embassies in Armenia, Burundi, Kuwait, Sudan, Tunisia, Zambia and Egypt, posted the notices but don't report any specific threat.
Useful Links:
U.S. Department of State - International Travel
When traveling in a foreign country, it is wise to know about the location of U.S. Embassies
U.S. Embassies (Websites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions)
State Department's travel registration website - register travel with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate
U.S. Embassies (Websites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions)
State Department's travel registration website - register travel with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate
State Department’s Country Specific Information
