Are Cruise Ships Still Going To Israel?

The Israel-Hamas war has led to several cruise lines canceling port calls in Israel, with some cruise lines removing all Israeli ports of call from their itineraries. Royal Caribbean Group (RCL.N) is removing Israel from its 2024 itineraries due to the ongoing conflict. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH.N) is also making changes to its 2024 itineraries, canceling stops in Israel due to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Azamara, a small vessel cruise line, confirmed with Cruise Hive that two of its vessels will not be sailing to Israel in 2023. Governments are warning against travel to Israel, and cruise ships are being advised to avoid the country indefinitely. However, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings became the first major cruise company to cancel all port calls in Israel through 2024.

MSC Cruises, a Swiss-Italian global cruise line, is the first major cruise company to say it was canceling all port calls in Israel through 2024. The possibility of changing ports is part of the cruise contract that every passenger signed, and for a 2025 cruise, the ships will stop at Mykonos, Greece instead of Israel.

The Royal Caribbean Group is making changes to its 2024 itineraries, canceling stops in Israel due to the Israel-Hamas war. No cruise ship will be going to a dangerous war zone, but they will switch ports areas. Cruise ships will only change ports areas closer to sailing.

Are cruises to the Middle East being cancelled?

Sailings on Marella Discovery 2 between 1 November 2024 and 30 April 2025 have been cancelled and impacted customers are currently being contacted by their booking agent to discuss options.

These options include being able to rebook with a £200 per person reduction or receive a full refund.

“We can confirm due to the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea area we have made the difficult decision to cancel our Asia and Middle East programme,” a spokesperson for the Tui-owned line said.

Are tours being cancelled in Israel?

In light of the ongoing conflict in southern Israel near the border with Gaza, and changes to international travel advice for visiting Israel, we are cancelling all tours departing from or travelling to Israel up till and including Saturday 30 November 2024.

The FDCO advice for Israel has changed and hence holidays will not be departing as planned. Options available to travellers who have yet to depart, (up till 30 November 2024) are:

1. If travelling on a multi-country tour keep the same holiday arrangements but exclude the Israel section from the end of your tour. A credit note will be provided for the Israel section of your tour, and you may like to use this towards extending your stay at the Dead Sea or Amman or for arrangements in another country i.e. Turkey. Any remaining balance will be honored as a credit note which can be used for any tour, any destination valid till 31 December 2025.

Is Royal Caribbean going to Labadee again?

We have suspended all visits to Labadee fleetwide through September 2024, and we continue to monitor the situation with our Global Security & Intelligence team. Please know that the safety and comfort of our guests are always our highest priority. We are committed to keeping you informed, and itinerary modifications are being communicated directly to guests ahead of their sailings. Please check back for any potential changes. Thank you for your understanding.

Where do cruise ships dock in Tel Aviv Israel?

Haifa Port Haifa Port-The Cruise Terminal.

Is it possible to travel to Israel right now?

Reconsider travel due to terrorism and civil unrest. The security situation remains unpredictable, and U.S. citizens are reminded to remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness as security incidents, including mortar and rocket fire, often take place without warning.

Updated to reflect U.S. government restrictions on travel to Northern Israel, and information for U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents and qualifying immediate family members seeking assistance in Gaza.

• Gaza due to terrorism and armed conflict
• Northern Israel within 2.5 miles of the Lebanese and Syrian borders due to the rising tensions between Hizballah and Israel

• Israel due to terrorism and civil unrest
• West Bank due to terrorism and civil unrest

Are there any cruise ships going to Israel?

The cruise lines that go to Israel include Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Princess Cruises, Holland America Line (HAL), Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Oceania Cruises.

Jerusalem (Ashdod) (Photo:John Theodor/Shutterstock)

Cruises to Israel allow you to visit multiple religious sites such as the Western Wall and Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the country’s capital, and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. You can also experience the natural wonder of the Dead Sea, which contains so much dissolved salt that the water is denser, making your body feel lighter and less dense.

The best time to cruise to Israel is during the spring and fall when temperatures are moderate, unlike the summer which comes with intense heat. In addition to port stops in Israel, many cruise itineraries include ports in locations such as Haifa, Aqaba, Limassol and Alanya. Whether you have a cruise line you’re loyal to or are looking to try out a new one, there are multiple cruise lines that go to Israel, including Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Princess Cruises, Holland America Line (HAL), Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Oceania Cruises.

Is the war in Israel affecting cruise ships?

Shipping through the Red Sea has been a focus of escalating conflict in the Middle East and now flow-on effects are being felt throughout another multi-billion dollar industry.

Cruise ship companies are starting to cancel or amend trips through the Red Sea and Suez Canal followinga string of attacks on shipping by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

In the Red Sea,attacks by Iran’s Houthi allieshave successfully disrupted container shipping, supposedly to show support for Palestinians in Gaza.

Are cruises being cancelled to Israel?

The October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas led to a number of lines canceling port calls (see below), while the latest attacks on cargo vessels in the Red Sea in early 2024 has led to cruise lines canceling itineraries in that region.

We will keep tabs on the situation as it develops, but if you have a cruise booked in this region it is best to reach out to your cruise line for all the latest information on changes and cancellations.

(May 8, 2024) Seabourn Cruises announced modifications today to Seabourn Sojourn’s 90-day Grand Africa voyage that is scheduled to depart roundtrip from Barcelona on November 30, 2024.

Are cruise ships stopping in Tel Aviv?

At this point, no cruise lines are going to Israel.

You really wouldn’t want to be in Israel right now. I have friends in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and they tell me they hear bombs dropping around them almost constantly. Choose a more peaceful Christmas vacation and say a prayer for all those innocents ( on both sides) impacted by hate.

Yes, sadly, lots of questions and uncertainty in the Middle East. Not certain what happens next, how long things are bad and how widely, if and if, things spread.

From the Reuters newswirethis morning, they had this headline:”Travelers put off holiday trips to Middle East as Israel-Hamas war rages”with these highlights:”Travelers are canceling or postponing planned vacations to the Middle East and North Africa due to fears of the Israel-Hamas conflict worsening, and as touring companies have also altered itineraries and canceled flights. Travel operators say the war isaffecting demand for travel to nearby nations including Egypt, Jordan and Turkey. ‘We are seeing clients cancel cruises like an Egypt Nile river cruise as far out as December 2024 due to concerns with the war,’ said Todd Elliott, CEO of Orlando, Florida-based Cruise Vacation Outlet, a travel agency.”

Is it safe to travel to Israel at the moment?

Overall security situation We continue to advise reconsider your need to travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories overall due to the volatile security situation, including the threat of terrorism, armed conflict and civil unrest. Rockets have been fired at Israel from Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.