Israel

[stevenr597]

My wife and I had been scheduled to cruise on the Nieuw Statendam this October which included the Mediteranean and Israel.  With the start of the unfortunate hostilities, Holland American wisely decided to cancel any stops in Israel.  

We elected to take the option to cancel the cruise and to rebook for October, 2025 on the identical cruise.  

But recently we are seeing that tour groups are starting to cancel stops in Israel, even at this early  date.

We would like to know the feelings of the viewership.  Do they believe that Holland America will decide to take no chances, and cut out the Israel segment of this cruise well in advance of the date.  

As an alternative we are considering a cruise around Japan.  

[retird]

It is anyones guess, but things dont look good over there

 

[Live4cruises]

FWIW the Circle Japan cruise is wonderful.  Good luck with a difficult decision. 

[HappyInVan]

1 hour ago, stevenr597 said:

Do they believe that Holland America will decide to take no chances, and cut out the Israel segment of this cruise well in advance of the date.  

 

Yes.

[mcrcruiser]

Imo HAL will not eisj passengers & their ships to  port in any Israel port until there is peace in that region . Thus ,I would encourage the cruise to Japan 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Holland American has also changed the 2025 Would Cruise.

[WriterOnDeck]

I also am booked to go to Israel on the Nieuw Statendam in 2025. I don't have high expectations, but I'm on for five months (late June till late November), so I expect other changes. Many of us on the 2024 world cruise, which changed itinerary to go around Africa instead of through the Red Sea, are wondering even about the 2026 World Cruise (the 2025 has already been changed to avoid the Red Sea).

 

I would expect HAL to decide sooner rather than later. With so many cruise ships in the Med, it isn't easy to find an available port, as most are booked 2 years in advance.

 

Japan also is wonderful, so it's always a good option.

[ski ww]

It doesn't look good in that part of the world, it's any ones guess if or when they will sort things out over there. We are lucky to have been able to see the sights in Israel when thigs were peace full. 

[skurvish]

12 hours ago, stevenr597 said:

As an alternative we are considering a cruise around Japan.  

A group of us did both 2-week cruises around Japan last year. Southern Japan and then Northern Japan. This was mid-March to late April. Not too busy in the ports and a great time for seeing the Cherry Blossoms. We followed those two with the connecting trans-pacific back to Seattle. We all enjoyed it very much.

[cruiser man 60]

Lots of cruise lines have also cancelled Egypt, Jordan and any other stops in the area . Any ships returning from gulf, South Africa etc repositioned around Horn of Africa without passengers.

 

[mikebsxm]

Luckily, we were able to enjoy an overnight tour of Israel last June on the Oosterdam.  This year we booked the Oosterdam in October, 2024 and it has port calls in Turkey and Alexandria, Egypt.   With war escalating in that entire region, I'm hoping that HAL will notify us before final payment date in July if they plan to drop the Egypt port call.  They did cancel the Israel and Egypt port calls for the Dave Koz Smooth Jazz full ship charters for April 30 and May 7, 2024 on the Oosterdam.

[albingirl]

This is all heartbreaking and so miserable.  Oh, to wait for peace.  We pray.

[Mary229]

I am not hopeful.  I am considering cancelling my eastern med cruise for next year.  It might just be better to visit during a more peaceful time.  

[65Mommy]

20 hours ago, cruiser man 60 said:

Lots of cruise lines have also cancelled Egypt, Jordan and any other stops in the area . Any ships returning from gulf, South Africa etc repositioned around Horn of Africa without passengers.

 

We were thinking of a cruise that stops in UAE and Dubai. Are they cancelled too because of the war?

[Caribbean Chris]

3 hours ago, 65Mommy said:

We were thinking of a cruise that stops in UAE and Dubai. Are they cancelled too because of the war?

 

Our friends are currently on the Azamara World Cruise which left Ft. Lauderdale January 6. They were in Oman, Qatar, UAE and Dubai last week.

 

From Dubai on, Azamara’s substituted itinerary began around Africa to Venice with about 27 total sea days and 6 ports (Port Louis, Mauritius; Port Elzabeth, South Africa (drop off only); Walvis Bay, Namibia; Las Palmas, Canary Islands; La Goulette, Tunisia; and Corfu, Greece.

 

From Venice on May 30, their original itinerary resumes, ending in Barcelona on June 9.