Cancellation of Dubai Dec 2025 cruises

[Elizabethbea]

Explora has now pulled Explora 1 from the Middle east area for Dec-Feb 25/26. No replacement itineraries out yet. For those of us who had back to back from these cruises  on other lines for over Xmas it has really stuffed up ones plans...

[PaulMCO]

At least they gave a years notice.  Obviously the Suez transits for Explora and other lines are in jeopardy for 2025 with safety issues.

[Elizabethbea]

 Paul--it has cancelled even the Dubai cruises which are no where near the Suez. I see other lines eg Crystal is still offering Dubai cruises...

[Poppy45]

Our Luxor November 2025 cruise has also been pulled but Explora have not had the decency to notify me. 

[PaulMCO]

8 hours ago, Elizabethbea said:

 Paul--it has cancelled even the Dubai cruises which are no where near the Suez. I see other lines eg Crystal is still offering Dubai cruises...

They have to go thru the Suez to get to Dubai.  They are not going to around Africa to get to Dubai and even if they did the longer trip would mean your Dubai date would have been cancelled.

[Elizabethbea]

True--but maybe preferable to have planned alternative cruises at the same time as cancelling? The ship will be cruising somewhere.As it is ,those with their cruise cancelled have not been offered any alternative. Also it is usual that when a cruise is cancelled by the cruise line, that the latter offers a 10 or 20% discount off a future cruise--Explora have done nothing.I  was taking a BTB cruise with another line after the cancelled cruise--this has also got to be cancelled ( by me ) as I will no longer be in Dubai in order to take it . The repercussions of a line cancelling a cruise are far more than just not being able to go on the cruise--it affects other cruises as well. 

[PaulMCO]

You just do not flip a switch and plan a new port.  Yes they cancelled and I am sure they will offer alternatives in the next few months.   The cruises from November til March are cancelled.  They will obviously stay in the Med.  Those cancelled include two canal transits.  Mideast safety issues are not going away and would not even book anything for 2026 in that area.

 

 

[Sololux]

When I was looking to book a cruise for 2025 I deliberately avoided any Middle East itineraries due to the geographical instability.  Yes, the content looked very interesting but I considered the risk of material itinerary change as too high.

[Elizabethbea]

 Dubai is perfectly safe --I have friends who live there--no problems at all. Yes I get that the ship has to get there.I hope they don't " obviously stay in the Med". There are only so many Med cruises one can take!

 

 

[PaulMCO]

14 hours ago, Elizabethbea said:

 Dubai is perfectly safe --I have friends who live there--no problems at all. Yes I get that the ship has to get there.I hope they don't " obviously stay in the Med". There are only so many Med cruises one can take!

 

 

Maybe when they get Explora III they can put one of their ships in the region and focus on Asia, ME and Africa.  Agree Med and Caribbean are not the choices for us, also.