Israel dropped for the rest of 2011 by Costa

[Goldryder]

Now I am not sure about this one...especially the 'why'. Two very respected news outlets are reporting that Costa have decided to pull out of Ashdod & Haifa this year (along with Tunis & Alexandria).

 

I cannot find out anything on the Costa websites as yet...but this is either a mistake and the news outlets meant Libya and not Israel...or something has gone wrong during a port call by a Costa ship in Israel that has forced the decision on the line to drop the two ports.

 

All very strange.

 

http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/5213-3811-costa-replaces-tunisia-egypt-and-israel-calls.html

 

http://www.cruise-community.com/News-Headlines/Costa-drops-Egypt-Israel-and-Tunisia-calls-in-2011.html

 

I can only think that something has gone wrong in one of the Israeli ports for them to have been dropped so suddenly and seemingly without notice.

[katkell]

Glad I went last year, I would be pretty annoyed especially with Israel being dropped, could kind of understand Egypt, but that has settled now, unless they are worried about the sea operations with Libya and increased "traffic" in those areas

[Capricruiser]

It's true! The Costa press office released a press release dated 7 March which indicates the following for Costa cruises for the remainder of 2011 which I translate from the Italian:

"All West Mediterranean 7 day cruises which had port calls at Tunis by the Concordia, Serena, and Magica, will be replaced with calls at Malta, Palma de Maiorica or Cagliari."

"All East Mediterranean cruises which had port calls at Alexandria, Haifa and Ashdod will have these calls replaced by calls at Limassol, Cyprus, or Rhodes, Greece, or Marmaris, Alanya, or Antalya, Turkey."

"Costa confirms their intention to keep the recently published 2012 itineraries with their Egypt, Tunisia and Israeli port calls."

This is in a press communique at the bottome of the home page of the Italian Costa website. Looks like it's going to be a different 2011 in the Med!

[starjumpr]

Now I am officially annoyed. I am supposed to be leaving on 4 April for a Holy Land Tour for my honeymoon on Costa. They have already canceled a stop in Egypt (For a very good safety reason) but now they are going to cancel a stop in Israel! I specifically booked this cruise for the stops in Israel and Egypt…. and have not heard of any GOOD reason why they should cancel the stops in Israel. If I wanted to take a Greece/Italy cruise I would have signed up for one. I believe it is time to have my TA call Costa and figure out what is going on.

[Goldryder]

Something must have happened for the two ports to be dropped like this....they do not drop ports without a really good reason.

 

I have noticed in recent weeks...well since it all kicked off in Egypt...that when Costa ships are in Israeli ports the webcams on the ships are turned off.

 

Maybe Israel are causing a problem cos Costa have reinstated the Red Sea ports and dropped out Eilat (which was their Red Sea substitute port).

 

I cannot help but think it has something to do with the regional problems....afterall it doesn't take much to upset the Israeli authorities, something as minor as a row on the quayside could spark off a no call situation.

 

Very sticky....but at least the ports of Marmaris & Alanya aren't too bad as replacements at such short notice, it could be two extra sea days instead.

[Goldryder]

Actually...come to think of it...last year I believe Princess had problems with Haifa & Ashdod. Something to do with the permission to berth, pre-arrival instructions for the ports had changed. I think it caused alot of aggro for the cruise line due to the Israeli authorities wanting passenger information too far in advance of the arrival and something to do with military escorts into the ports.

 

From what I can remember the authorities put so many hurdles in the way of cruise ships that a few lines backed out last summer cos they decided it just wasn't worth the hassle.

 

I am positive there were problems last year with Haifa & Ashdod....could even have been passport/nationality difficulties too.

 

Maybe someone else with a better memory can chime in on this, but I am 99% certain this has happened before with these two ports.

[Capricruiser]

The Gaza mess in June 2010 caused a few cruise ships to cancel calls at Ashdod. Maybe this is what you're remembering Ally?

[Goldryder]

The Gaza mess in June 2010 caused a few cruise ships to cancel calls at Ashdod. Maybe this is what you're remembering Ally?

 

hmmm...maybe had something to do with it last year, Haifa was also dropped off itineraries too.

 

Eilat has been kept on the Allegra cruises til the end of the season this year.....which makes me think it is something that only affects the Med ports...Tunis, Alexandria, Haifa & Ashdod.

 

For all four ports to be dropped is extremely unusual...apart from the Greek Islands & Turkey, there are no other ports available...currently Benghazi & Tripoli are out for the count due to problems in Libya.

 

Maybe Israel is objecting to Costa not dropping (yet) the ports in Libya...afterall, you are not welcome mutually in either country if you have the other's stamp in the passport.

 

There has to be something in the relations department tween Israeli authorities (who do move the goalposts on a painfully regular basis) and Costa management.

 

Like I said before, it may have been a bad pilotage experience yesterday when Pacifica was in Haifa...she is in Ashdod today...something triggered this and it will be interesting to see if MSC, Princess and the other lines drop out of Haifa & Ashdod too this summer.

 

Having said that though, it might just be the Israeli's deciding that they do not want cruise ships in their Med ports...which is their perogative.

[G.M.T.]

Princess denied that tehy had dropped Israel visits in 2010:

 

http://www.princess.com/news/article.jsp?newsArticleId=na1109

 

Strange about the Costa annoucment, there has been nothing in the news lately about Israel to force such a decision especially for such a long time.

 

Of course one never knows what perks Costa has received from Turkey for using Marmaris, Alanya, Antalya.;)

 

Ron

[G.M.T.]

...currently Benghazi & Tripoli are out for the count due to problems in Libya.

Maybe Costa will start to give reduced rated for the military (US style).

 

A cruise for 2000 special forces calling at Benghazi, other ports of call open for offer.

 

I have deicded for our next cruise to take my own butler:

 

Ron

[Marian Paroo]

I could ask my travel agent if he knows anything about this.

[Goldryder]

I could ask my travel agent if he knows anything about this.

 

That would be good, since you're there in Israel. There has to be something to have caused this sudden pull out...citing the problems in neighbouring countries doesn't really seem plausible.

[Capricruiser]

Not having anything else to do, about an hour ago I researched the on-line Jerusalem Post and did not find anything, not even in the travel pages.

[Goldryder]

Not having anything else to do, about an hour ago I researched the on-line Jerusalem Post and did not find anything, not even in the travel pages.

 

Oddly enough I searched the FCO and embassy sites too for any updates on Israeli problems to be aware of.....not even the good old BBC has anything to point to as a reason for this change of plan.

 

All very mysterious :cool:

[renopaint]

We are booked on Pacifica in two weeks. I only booked this cruise for Egypt and we were very dissappointed but understood the cancellation. NOw with Israel cancellation , we are going to ports we had never heard of, and I'm beginning to wonder what the final itenerary will be. We wanted to book tours directly, but now I 'm afraid everything is subject to change.

To quote Captain Ron we may be going to that little island north of there called Ted"s.

[Marian Paroo]

By coincidence there was a fellow on breakfast (we are EST +7) talking about cruising -- he said that fewer and fewer ships are stopping at Haifa, because the berths (?) there are too small for today's megaliners.

 

 

He said they prefer Ashdod, but didn't mention anything about cruises not stopping in Israel, just that the Ministry of Tourism is trying to encourage more cruise lines to stop here.

 

He's gonna make the local cruise lines angry. He didn't talk about them at all, but about how when cruising from Italy or Spain, etc. you have to add your airfare to the cost.

[Capricruiser]

The Costa press release is now on the US website as well as the Italian (but hasn't made it to the Australian site yet - didn't check the UK site). Open up the Costa website and it will be at the bottom of the home page as "Press Release" or "Comunicati Stampa" depending on which site you open.

[G.M.T.]

Still nothing on the UK site, but is now on the German site as a press release at the botoom of the page.

 

Again nothing in the news or online about any events in Israel, I think it was a pure profit decision, keeping the ships in the northern eastern Mediterranean (Rhodes, Limassol, Alanya, Antalya, Marmaris). Minimum of sea days so less expense for fuel and more money fom shore excursions.

 

Ron

[happy trailer]

Again nothing in the news or online about any events in Israel, I think it was a pure profit decision, keeping the ships in the northern eastern Mediterranean (Rhodes, Limassol, Alanya, Antalya, Marmaris). Minimum of sea days so less expense for fuel and more money fom shore excursions.

 

My thoughts exactly. Everything is calm here in Israel, and I keep bumping into cruisers whenever I'm in downtown Jerusalem in the evening :)

[sidari]

Well according to our Costa details on their site we are still headed for Libya on 25th December ... :eek:

[CtheW0rld]

this is very odd. irsrael has been a 'se of calm' in this crazy chaos going on over there.

[Marian Paroo]

WEll, as one one my fellow citizens said, it's probably a cost issue.

 

And as I said earlier, I will check with my travel agent as soon as he recovers from his jet lag!

[Goldryder]

Since Costa have not done a full list of affected cruises yet, I been digging about on their website....

 

Due to Haifa & Ashdod being dropped, the following Pacifica itineraries appear to apply...

 

March 24, April 4, 15, 26, September 12, 23, October 4, 15, 26, November 6, 17 2011 departures..

 

Civitavecchia

Savona

At sea

Katakolon

At sea

Limassol

Rhodes

Marmaris

Izmir

Piraeus

At sea

Civitavecchia

 

The next cruise by Pacifica, on March 13, does not appear to have been affected...maybe a schedule issue, but not sure (ie the alternates need more time to get ready for a ship her size).

 

Allegra is due into Ashdod on her repositioning to Venice from Sharm, at the moment it remains unchanged. No other ships have been updated as yet.

[Eyris]

Since Costa have not done a full list of affected cruises yet, I been digging about on their website....

 

Due to Haifa & Ashdod being dropped, the following Pacifica itineraries appear to apply...

 

March 24, April 4, 15, 26, September 12, 23, October 4, 15, 26, November 6, 17 2011 departures..

 

Civitavecchia

Savona

At sea

Katakolon

At sea

Limassol

Rhodes

Marmaris

Izmir

Piraeus

At sea

Civitavecchia

 

The next cruise by Pacifica, on March 13, does not appear to have been affected...maybe a schedule issue, but not sure (ie the alternates need more time to get ready for a ship her size).

 

Allegra is due into Ashdod on her repositioning to Venice from Sharm, at the moment it remains unchanged. No other ships have been updated as yet.

 

 

I'm on the April 4th sailing of the Pacifica and we will have the itinerary posted above. I'm actually happy about the changes, wasn't particularly excited for a second call in Israel after Egypt was dropped.

 

If you notice, they dropped our two calls in Israel and replaced it with three new ones: Limassol, Rhodes and Marmaris. Kind of excited that we're going from four days at sea to only three and will get more out of our first European cruise.

 

That said, a lot of the people on the Roll Call for this cruise are pretty disappointed and upset. When I spoke to Costa on the phone yesterday they said they were canceling the Israel ports due to the instability in the region/passenger safety.

 

Wouldn't surprise me if some of the other theories are true, but that would be kind of sad for the passengers' experience to change for money reasons. After all, we paid the fare for a full Med. cruise, not just Greece and Turkey.

[happy trailer]

Wow, there really seems to be some discrepancy between what Costa has posted its site, and what the professionals here are saying. This is what Motib, an Israeli tour guide, posted this morning on a similar thread on the Middle East Forum:

"Costa did not cancel the Israeli ports, on the contrary, Costa added port calls to Israel, and indeed the press release is talking about "MODIFYING". In some case it means canceling in other it means changing dates or even adding dates!

 

Most of the ships mentioned in this release where plan to call Israeli ports only on very few of their itineraries and that was not canceled. One for example – The Alegra – sailing the Red Sea has an extra day in Eilat in the new itinerary.

 

All other ships, mainly the Pacifica and the Mediterranean, are schedule to call Haifa or Ashdod, or both, as it is detailed in all the modified itineraries in Costa's web site. In most cases, instead of calling 1 port for 1 day the call both ports for 2 days,

 

Costa will have more than 70 port call to Ashdod/Haifa until the end of the year according to the modified itineraries!"