Cruises in the Mediterranean and Suez Canal

[OzKiwiJJ]

52 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Not sure if it can be done, as it will be absolutely necessary to keep the same 30th April scheduled date for Sydney to keep with flights and accommodation already held by a large number of passengers embarking the world cruise as well as a majority disembark for a shipload at the end of a 35 night cruise around the Pacific. 4 days to go Auckland to Sydney via Brisbane would be more than a challenge, and it also alters the plans of those boarding in Brisbane by 3 to 4 days.

 

I think it is likely they will go to schedule till Brisbane, then head south back past Sydney for a day & service stop in Fremantle, then across the Indian Ocean. It would seem likely that to keep to the date for Dover, Coral will have to have an extra sea day or two in comparison to Island.

I agree. The Brisbane before Sydney is more logical but given a higher percentage of passengers board in Sydney that change ain't gonna happen.

 

Island is overnighting in Capetown, which I can't see Coral doing. Island will still be able to do most of its Med ports but in a different order.

 

Coral's itinerary has a serious focus on Northern Europe so as long as she can get to Cork on schedule there should be no issues with the rest of of the original itinerary ... unless some #%&%#$^& decides to start another war up that way. 

[arxcards]

2 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I agree. The Brisbane before Sydney is more logical but given a higher percentage of passengers board in Sydney that change ain't gonna happen.

 

Island is overnighting in Capetown, which I can't see Coral doing. Island will still be able to do most of its Med ports but in a different order.

 

Coral's itinerary has a serious focus on Northern Europe so as long as she can get to Cork on schedule there should be no issues with the rest of of the original itinerary ... unless some #%&%#$^& decides to start another war up that way. 

Good luck. Hard to know what I would do if we were booked, but would consider cancelling the first half and flying to the UK, then doing a British Isles or European cruise prior to boarding in Dover for the cruise home. I am not sure they will make that a possibility anyway. Oops, that sounds a lot like we are hoping to do in 2025. I hope this will still be an awesome cruise for everyone, as long as the ship behaves this time.

[OzKiwiJJ]

48 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Good luck. Hard to know what I would do if we were booked, but would consider cancelling the first half and flying to the UK, then doing a British Isles or European cruise prior to boarding in Dover for the cruise home. I am not sure they will make that a possibility anyway. Oops, that sounds a lot like we are hoping to do in 2025. I hope this will still be an awesome cruise for everyone, as long as the ship behaves this time.

We'll enjoy it whatever happens. I'd like to visit Mauritius, Capetown and Santa Cruz de Tenerife - they were very low on my priority list so this may give me an opportunity to go there. The Baltics and Northern Europe part of the itinerary should stay the same and that's the other bit we really want (apart from Suez). We're thinking about the Med. for next year, two cruises and some land travel, plus we did a Med. cruise in 2017 so I'm not too fussed about missing those ports. I just want to get on a ship in Sydney then get off it again a few months later having gone around the world on it!

[MMDown Under]

On 10/29/2023 at 11:03 AM, Mareblu said:

Closing the canal would cause havoc for shipping.  So far I haven’t heard mention of it.  Peace in our time🙏🏻

I cruised back from my half a world cruise from

Southhampton on P&O Chusan via South Africa, India and Ceylon, when the Suez was closed.  So shipping lines have experience of the Suez being closed.

[MMDown Under]

Just now, MMDown Under said:

I cruised back from my half a world cruise from

Southhampton on P&O Chusan via South Africa, India and Ceylon, when the Suez was closed.  So shipping lines have experience of the Suez being closed.

In 1970!

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

In 1970!

I think all those involved have since retired.

[MMDown Under]

On 2/4/2024 at 7:19 PM, arxcards said:

I think all those involved have since retired.

Hope they left a desk file! 

[arxcards]

5 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Hope they left a desk file! 

I think they will work it out. After all, ships already travel between Europe and Cape Town, and ships already travel between Cape Town and Asia, Australia, Dubai.