Effects of Red Sea troubles

[helkatred]

23 hours ago, Perigem said:

It feels like they're playing chicken with us, trying to get us to cancel first. There's no way we're going through the red sea, even just from an insurance point of view, so unless they're sailing to Dubai then putting the boat on wheels and going cross country just cancel/modify the trip and tell people. At this point I've lost my flight to Dubai money and my flight home money is like my cruise money back so I can actually have a holiday this year.

Does that mean you have cancelled?  Will VV accept cancellations based on this Red Sea disruption to schedules?  We are on the October return to Athens but it is concerning us even at this point.

[Jamesv281117]

1 minute ago, helkatred said:

Does that mean you have cancelled?  Will VV accept cancellations based on this Red Sea disruption to schedules?  We are on the October return to Athens but it is concerning us even at this point.

I wouldn't cancel anything, if they change/cancel their itineraries it's likely to be accompanied by some incentives if other operators are anything to go by so you could stand to gain something.

[helkatred]

Good advice, thank you. We have our flights booked but accommodation is flexible thank goodness. 

[Jamesv281117]

3 minutes ago, helkatred said:

Good advice, thank you. We have our flights booked but accommodation is flexible thank goodness. 

Nothing has been announced regarding the April voyages which I think is quite late to be honest but you'll also get a good clue from what they do with those for yours in October as well 

[Kiraon]

Our cruise from Doha to Antalya through the Red Sea and Suez Canal starts on March 9, so in 5 weeks. I have already contacted the travel agency several times, but TUI cruises says that the trip will continue as normal. While Carnival Cop. has canceled all cruises, the German TUI cruises are just playing stupid. I am very angry and disappointed.

[helkatred]

5 minutes ago, Kiraon said:

Our cruise from Doha to Antalya through the Red Sea and Suez Canal starts on March 9, so in 5 weeks. I have already contacted the travel agency several times, but TUI cruises says that the trip will continue as normal. While Carnival Cop. has canceled all cruises, the German TUI cruises are just playing stupid. I am very angry and disappointed.

The only thing so that the Houthi rebels appear to be targeting container ships, not cruise ships. 

[Kiraon]

6 minutes ago, helkatred said:

The only thing so that the Houthi rebels appear to be targeting container ships, not cruise ships. 

I don't think those Houthis are reliable people. They also shoot (accidentally) at Russian container ships. And no cruise ships have sailed through the Red Sea since November. Mein Schiff 2 from TUI-Cruises will be the first.

[Perigem]

1 hour ago, helkatred said:

Does that mean you have cancelled?  Will VV accept cancellations based on this Red Sea disruption to schedules?  We are on the October return to Athens but it is concerning us even at this point.

No I haven't cancelled as if I cancel as others have said I'll lose all the money I've spent and if they cancel then there are, usually, compensations made.

[Perigem]

52 minutes ago, Kiraon said:

Our cruise from Doha to Antalya through the Red Sea and Suez Canal starts on March 9, so in 5 weeks. I have already contacted the travel agency several times, but TUI cruises says that the trip will continue as normal. While Carnival Cop. has canceled all cruises, the German TUI cruises are just playing stupid. I am very angry and disappointed.

Oh that's not good.

[Jamesv281117]

1 hour ago, Kiraon said:

Our cruise from Doha to Antalya through the Red Sea and Suez Canal starts on March 9, so in 5 weeks. I have already contacted the travel agency several times, but TUI cruises says that the trip will continue as normal. While Carnival Cop. has canceled all cruises, the German TUI cruises are just playing stupid. I am very angry and disappointed.

Wow that is soon not to have made any adjustments. Some cruise ships are doing the sailing through the red sea empty but as said with the houthis anything is a gamble and any passage at the moment will be tense and risky.

[CountessCookie]

15 hours ago, Jamesv281117 said:

Wow that is soon not to have made any adjustments. Some cruise ships are doing the sailing through the red sea empty but as said with the houthis anything is a gamble and any passage at the moment will be tense and risky.

It is scary to think that those ships still have crew on them. I really hope they all make it through safely.

[helkatred]

I saw that Cunard have re-routed their sailing around Africa with a fairly interesting collection of ports, but Island Princess are leaving Australia and straight across the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, then Cape Town.  Anyone wanting Dubai will have to fly from there.

[Perigem]

"The commander of HMS Diamond, a UK warship that has been part of efforts to protect merchant ships from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea in recent months, described the situation in the region on Tuesday as "fraught".

"Ships in the force are firing on a daily basis," Peter Evans said on Tuesday."

 

This is taken from a BBC article how the hell are they even thinking about putting a cruise ship into the middle of that

[Perigem]

That article is from today 06/02/2024 about things that are happening now. 

I've been considering given this is an active war situation would your insurance even cover you if something happened.

Edited February 6 by Perigem
Corrections

[Kiraon]

This afternoon it was announced that the trans voyage of Mein Schiff 2 (from TUI cruises) through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal has been cancelled. The trip would be from March 9 to 27.

[Jamesv281117]

11 minutes ago, Perigem said:

That article is from today 06/02/2024 about things that are happening now. 

I've been considering given this is an active war situation would your insurance even cover you if something happened.

There's no way the cruise through the Suez is happening as scheduled the question is where they redirect it to and the knock on effects on other voyages. Only know of Costa cruises sailing the ships empty through and then continuing European voyages as planned.

[dgmaso1]

Just heard from a cast member onboard RL…will be circumnavigating Africa.  No other details.  Supposed to be announced this week.

[Jamesv281117]

41 minutes ago, dgmaso1 said:

Just heard from a cast member onboard RL…will be circumnavigating Africa.  No other details.  Supposed to be announced this week.

Interesting, hope is some announcement for the sake of everyone's planning!

[onechaiguy]

1 hour ago, dgmaso1 said:

Just heard from a cast member onboard RL…will be circumnavigating Africa.  No other details.  Supposed to be announced this week.

This seems to be their only option. Now we shall see which voyages are canceled / affected. 

[giraffic]

3 hours ago, dgmaso1 said:

Just heard from a cast member onboard RL…will be circumnavigating Africa.  No other details.  Supposed to be announced this week.

 

This does not make me optimistic about the chances that my May cruise from Athens will still be happening, but hopefully they come out with more information soon!

[aqlollipop]

Right there with you @giraffic  Fingers crossed 🤞🤞 they find a way to do it impacting the fewest number of sailings. I'll be optimistic and hope that at worst, they arrive a few days later in Athens and our itinerary is shortened/adjusted accordingly. Not an outcome I would love, but better than an outright cancellation, maybe...

[onechaiguy]

31 minutes ago, aqlollipop said:

Right there with you @giraffic  Fingers crossed 🤞🤞 they find a way to do it impacting the fewest number of sailings. I'll be optimistic and hope that at worst, they arrive a few days later in Athens and our itinerary is shortened/adjusted accordingly. Not an outcome I would love, but better than an outright cancellation, maybe...

If I were VV, I would cancel Singapore to Dubai and Dubai to Athens. That would give them 28 days to sail around Africa without guests to make it from Singapore to Athens, which I believe would be enough time.

[Jamesv281117]

4 minutes ago, onechaiguy said:

If I were VV, I would cancel Singapore to Dubai and Dubai to Athens. That would give them 28 days to sail around Africa without guests to make it from Singapore to Athens, which I believe would be enough time.

I think that would take approx a month without stopping but they will have to stop regardless of who's on it

[Jamesv281117]

42 minutes ago, aqlollipop said:

Right there with you @giraffic  Fingers crossed 🤞🤞 they find a way to do it impacting the fewest number of sailings. I'll be optimistic and hope that at worst, they arrive a few days later in Athens and our itinerary is shortened/adjusted accordingly. Not an outcome I would love, but better than an outright cancellation, maybe...

If they get to Athens late which is likely and do a shorter cruise I imagine you'd get some decent incentives to sweeten things!

[giraffic]

10 minutes ago, Jamesv281117 said:

If they get to Athens late which is likely and do a shorter cruise I imagine you'd get some decent incentives to sweeten things!

 

Personally, I have more incentives for this booking than I know what to do with. I'm not sure at this point if I'd be more disappointed with a cancellation or a shortened cruise, but the unknown is making me a little extra cranky about things.