Israel traveling

[Back to school]

Concern for traveling for Israel? 

[IAcruising]

My guess is it isn't going to be an option.

[Back to school]

Specific NCL Epic for November 10.

[IAcruising]

Zero chance of going to the Israel ports, in my opinion. No way this is going to be resolved in month. I believe it's going to get much much worse.

 

[kitkat343]

Highly unlikely.  Cruise will most likely be rerouted due to significant safety concerns.   

[steamboats]

As far as I see the Norwegian Gem should have been in Haifa today but has a day at sea on her way to Limassol, Cyprus.

 

steamboats

[highSeas22]

Unbelievable question 

[Sheila127]

3 hours ago, Back to school said:

Specific NCL Epic for November 10.

I am due to fly to Tel Aviv on 20th November to board NCL Epic! 6 weeks away!  No way is this going to happen! Believe will be rerouted maybe starting from Limassol! So sorry for the people there, absolutely horrendous!

[Back to school]

3 hours ago, Sheila127 said:

I am due to fly to Tel Aviv on 20th November to board NCL Epic! 6 weeks away!  No way is this going to happen! Believe will be rerouted maybe starting from Limassol! So sorry for the people there, absolutely horrendous!

November 20 embark/embarking (not November 10).  Maybe Athens or Istanbul?

[Sheila127]

1 minute ago, Back to school said:

November 20 embark/embarking (not November 10).  Maybe Athens or Istanbul?

There is a whats app group for this cruise! Someone is suggesting it would be a logistical nightmare to rearrange thousands of flights from Tel Aviv to another airport! Office will open fully tomorrow so hopefully we may hear something this week!

[ontheweb]

No cruise is going there any time in the near future. I hope we do not hear the same complaints as when all cruise lines rightfully cancelled all port stops in St, Petersburg.

[Sheila127]

3 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

No cruise is going there any time in the near future. I hope we do not hear the same complaints as when all cruise lines rightfully cancelled all port stops in St, Petersburg.

I certainly won't be "complaining"!

[cruiser2015]

1 hour ago, Sheila127 said:

There is a whats app group for this cruise! Someone is suggesting it would be a logistical nightmare to rearrange thousands of flights from Tel Aviv to another airport! Office will open fully tomorrow so hopefully we may hear something this week!

A nightmare it may be.

But what's the alternative?

Perhaps less of a nightmare due to the season.

[richmke]

Move the two Israel ports to Egypt.  Rest of the itinerary can stay the same.

[kitkat343]

Just now, richmke said:

Move the two Israel ports to Egypt.  Rest of the itinerary can stay the same.

I think some of the above posters are noting that some cruises originate in Haifa.  Everyone who was originally scheduled to fly into Tel Aviv might have difficulties flying into Egypt or Greece or wherever the cruises get rerouted.  It's unfortunate, but there's nothing anyone can do since it is completely unsafe for tourists to visit Israel right now.

[ontheweb]

6 minutes ago, kitkat343 said:

I think some of the above posters are noting that some cruises originate in Haifa.  Everyone who was originally scheduled to fly into Tel Aviv might have difficulties flying into Egypt or Greece or wherever the cruises get rerouted.  It's unfortunate, but there's nothing anyone can do since it is completely unsafe for tourists to visit Israel right now.

Yes, it is really going to be difficult for any cruise line with a port stop in the near future to find alternate ports. And they will be competing with each other to obtain those ports. And rescheduling the embarkation port if it was to be in Israel will be a real nightmare for both the cruise lines and their passengers. I wonder what policies will be adopted concerning passengers who may now wish to cancel their cruises.

[richmke]

I get that Haifa is an embarkation / debarkation port. Unless they cancel the cruise, they have to figure that out. Cairo is a major city nearby where they may be able to rebook flights. Two ports are about 60 miles from there. That would allow NCL to keep the rest of the itinerary unchanged. 

 

My air is through NCL, so that is on them to figure out too. I wonder if they can increase the air fare.

Edited October 8, 2023 by richmke

[richmke]

11 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

 I wonder what policies will be adopted concerning passengers who may now wish to cancel their cruises.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, any cruise with a stop in St Petersburg could be canceled with a full refund. In general, if they change the itinerary, you can cancel with a full refund.

[itsnotjustme]

10 hours ago, Back to school said:

Specific NCL Epic for November 10.

Highly unlikely in my opinion.

 

We just made our first visit to Israel in August, fortunately missing this conflict.  Now we need to get to the western Pacific in case China does anything to make that area unfit for cruising.

14 minutes ago, richmke said:

In general, if they change the itinerary, you can cancel with a full refund.

Under the ticket contract, they can change the itinerary at will and are not required to provide a refund.

[Traveling Fools]

Azamara has cancelled port calls in Israel and is in the process of finding replacements.

[Asawi]

28 minutes ago, richmke said:

In general, if they change the itinerary, you can cancel with a full refund.

Not really. They can make pretty substantial changes without allowing for free cancellation. Maybe with this being such an extreme thing happening they may be more leniant but only time will tell. Hopefully in teh next few days for those booked!

[sailingships]

3 hours ago, Traveling Fools said:

Azamara has cancelled port calls in Israel and is in the process of finding replacements.

Along with every other cruise line going into those ports for the next few months. The Gem was supposed to go to Ashdod and Haifa a few times in Oct and Nov. Also Turkey and Egypt The Epic has been mentioned too. Because of the difficulty in arranging other ports in such a short time, some of the cruises might be cancelled. 

[kitkat343]

2 hours ago, sailingships said:

Along with every other cruise line going into those ports for the next few months. The Gem was supposed to go to Ashdod and Haifa a few times in Oct and Nov. Also Turkey and Egypt The Epic has been mentioned too. Because of the difficulty in arranging other ports in such a short time, some of the cruises might be cancelled. 

I think I read of some Baltic cruises that visited Ukraine being rerouted to Greece when the hostilities broke out there (can't remember which line).  The Med might have open ports since (I think) this is their shoulder season (but given the weather in recent years I'd imagine more tourists will eventually consider switching to the fall/spring longer term).  The cruise lines will do whatever they can to avoid cancellation altogether, and we will see to what extent (if any) the cruise lines choose to reimburse passengers or let them cancel.

[Go2SeaTheWorld]

4 hours ago, sailingships said:

Along with every other cruise line going into those ports for the next few months. The Gem was supposed to go to Ashdod and Haifa a few times in Oct and Nov. Also Turkey and Egypt The Epic has been mentioned too. Because of the difficulty in arranging other ports in such a short time, some of the cruises might be cancelled. 

Yes, we're on the Epic sailing from Haifa for 11 days on 11/20, 11/21st all day in Jerusalem excursions, before heading to Cyprus, Rhodes, Patmos, 2 stops Turkey, Athens, ending with usual 3 stops in Italy. Anxiously, though patiently, waiting to hear from NCL.

[fin]

The Gem cruise in Nov 22 starts in Turkey, which has an active war to the north, a smaller war to the east, and Syria and Iran to the south.  The US has recently shot down a Turkey drone.  Egypt police just shot some tourists and their guide.  The USN is sending in an aircraft carrier.  Is there a chance the entire Istanbul to Rome cruise will be cancelled?