Impact on Israel cruises?

[gordylad]

we are due to sail in September but this puts another issue on the table 

 

Jerusalem crisis: Pleas for calm as violence escalates

 

Countries worldwide have appealed for calm after days of unrest spiralled into retaliatory attacks by Israel and Palestinians.

The US, the European Union and the UK have urged Israel and the Palestinians to lower tensions as soon as possible.

The violence escalated on Monday night after Palestinian militants fired rockets towards Jerusalem.

In response, the Israeli military launched air strikes against militant targets in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian health officials in Gaza said 22 people, including nine children, had died in the strikes. Israel's military said at least 15 members of the Hamas group that rules Gaza were among those killed.

Hamas had threatened to strike after hundreds of Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police at a holy site in Jerusalem on Monday.

[BigAl94]

4 hours ago, gordylad said:

we are due to sail in September but this puts another issue on the table 

 

Jerusalem crisis: Pleas for calm as violence escalates

 

Countries worldwide have appealed for calm after days of unrest spiralled into retaliatory attacks by Israel and Palestinians.

The US, the European Union and the UK have urged Israel and the Palestinians to lower tensions as soon as possible.

The violence escalated on Monday night after Palestinian militants fired rockets towards Jerusalem.

In response, the Israeli military launched air strikes against militant targets in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian health officials in Gaza said 22 people, including nine children, had died in the strikes. Israel's military said at least 15 members of the Hamas group that rules Gaza were among those killed.

Hamas had threatened to strike after hundreds of Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police at a holy site in Jerusalem on Monday.

You're unlikely to get many comments for fear the thread could become political.

 

There is always the potential for cruise ports of call to be altered due to civil unrest anywhere in the world. All cruise lines will monitor the situation and react accordingly. The Middle East has unfortunately a history of flare ups and we were concerned in the run up to our last visit however fortunately things settled down and we had no issues. It is a volatile area.

[vermonter16]

I hope things settle down.  Planning for a trip there in September!  

 

[Orator]

In the past I booked 3 cruises that Included Israel and one time we actually made it. It was a wonderful experience. One time the stop in Israel was cancelled two days prior the scheduled visit when unexploded missiles were found at the port in Haifa. The tour companies told Celebrity that they wouldn't be available for touring and that it was unsafe for Celebrity to visit at that time. There was a virtual rebellion on the ship. One passenger yelled at the Captain in the theater that the Captain didn't want to go to Israel because he was  an anti Semite. A group of Baptists left the ship to fly to Israel and rejoined the ship later.

With Israel you don't know for certain until the ship actually docks.

[dani negreanu]

2 hours ago, BigAl94 said:

You're unlikely to get many comments for fear the thread could become political.

It is a volatile area.

 

1 hour ago, Orator said:

With Israel you don't know for certain until the ship actually docks.

 

Unfortunately, that's the case. Planning for the best, preparing for the worst.

[Orator]

16 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

 

Unfortunately, that's the case. Planning for the best, preparing for the worst.

Stay safe!

[TeaBag]

We are scheduled to be there Jun 2 next year.  Hopefully things will be calmed down by then, as this will be our only chance to see Israel. I can't believe a passenger yelling at the Captain.  Do they not know the Captain is ultimately responsible for his passengers and the ship?

[Orator]

5 minutes ago, TeaBag said:

We are scheduled to be there Jun 2 next year.  Hopefully things will be calmed down by then, as this will be our only chance to see Israel. I can't believe a passenger yelling at the Captain.  Do they not know the Captain is ultimately responsible for his passengers and the ship?

The HD told me that the passenger was put off the ship at the next stop.

[CalTexCruiser]

2 hours ago, Orator said:

 One time the stop in Israel was cancelled two days prior the scheduled visit when unexploded missiles were found at the port in Haifa. The tour companies told Celebrity that they wouldn't be available for touring and that it was unsafe for Celebrity to visit at that time. 

Did celebrity swap out another port, or did it become a sea day?

 

our sep Apex cruise has three days in Israel ports and I’d hate to spend three extra days at sea

[Orator]

3 minutes ago, CalTexCruiser said:

Did celebrity swap out another port, or did it become a sea day?

 

our sep Apex cruise has three days in Israel ports and I’d hate to spend three extra days at sea

Several very nice ports, but many passengers are very passionate about Israel and any substitution is not appreciated. Israel for many is "home" not simply a destination.

 

3 minutes ago, CalTexCruiser said:

Did celebrity swap out another port, or did it become a sea day?

 

our sep Apex cruise has three days in Israel ports and I’d hate to spend three extra days at sea

r

[CalTexCruiser]

27 minutes ago, Orator said:

Several very nice ports, but many passengers are very passionate about Israel and any substitution is not appreciated. Israel for many is "home" not simply a destination.

 

Israel for me is a "like to see" not "must see"--I'd rather visit a port without rocket missiles raining from above, although for some I suppose that may add a level of intrigue

 

I've lived through my share of war-torn regions (Saigon during the Vietnam war, Tehran during the revolution and Iran-Iraqi war) and do not need to experience that again

[markeb]

I know I can look it up, but is this a cruise that originates and/or terminates in Israel?  That could obviously complicate things. But it’s also May, and you’re talking September. Things change, sometimes for the better, sometimes not. 

[CalTexCruiser]

4 minutes ago, markeb said:

I know I can look it up, but is this a cruise that originates and/or terminates in Israel?  That could obviously complicate things. But it’s also May, and you’re talking September. Things change, sometimes for the better, sometimes not. 

Originates from Athens.  I suspect they would swap the Israel ports for ports in Greece and Cyprus if it comes to that.

[dani negreanu]

23 minutes ago, markeb said:

I know I can look it up, but is this a cruise that originates and/or terminates in Israel?  That could obviously complicate things. But it’s also May, and you’re talking September. Things change, sometimes for the better, sometimes not. 

The cruises out of Israel and back are for Israeli residents ONLY.

 

[little britain]

2 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

 

Unfortunately, that's the case. Planning for the best, preparing for the worst.

Hey, I think it may have implications for Odyssey... I’m guessing you’re on one of those sailings?

[dani negreanu]

22 minutes ago, little britain said:

Hey, I think it may have implications for Odyssey... I’m guessing you’re on one of those sailings?

 

Odyssey will start sailing beginning of June. Until then I'm sure this unfortunate situation will be behind us.

 

Wars in the Middle East are short...

 

[markeb]

27 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

The cruises out of Israel and back are for Israeli residents ONLY.

 

Thats what I thought. Didn’t have the Celebrity web page up to check the itinerary. 

[dani negreanu]

1 minute ago, markeb said:

Thats what I thought. Didn’t have the Celebrity web page up to check the itinerary. 

 

It's not even an Celebrity ship. It's Royal's Odyssey of the Seas, brand new ship.

[BigAl94]

Situation has worsened a lot tonight https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-57066275

[TeaBag]

2 hours ago, Orator said:

The HD told me that the passenger was put off the ship at the next stop.

Thank you for telling me that.  Way to go HD and Captain.

[odysee]

Booked twice cruise with Israel stops. Last time in Fall 2015 on Celebrity Silhouette.  We never made it due to unrest, terror attacks.  Celebrity changed routing on very short notice and we got 2 days in Athens.  Was not a happy ship with lots of very frustrated and complaining passengers.

 

[dabear]

A few years ago, we were on a X cruise to include 3 days in Israel. It was cancelled at the last minute (I recall 2 days b4 departure) &  X substituted Athens & a Greek Island.  If we had more notice time we would have cancelled the cruise.

Edited May 12, 2021 by dabear

[Germancruiser]

Isreal and the Middle East are powder keg, so nothing is really granted there. I was thinking about a cruise on the new Apex in July- but decided against it - in favor of the Maiden Voyage starting at June19. Now I am even more glad i did so.

[Manchester is blue]

My wife and I would love to visit Israel. I’m sure it is a beautiful place.

I am so sorry for all of the poor people that live in the region and we prey that peace will be restored very very quickly and that the peace will be permanent for all of the people that live there or have families there.

We were considering a holiday in the area until this latest terrible news about the situation over there, but do hope to be able to visit safely at some point in the future.

 

[SeaHunt]

From the Royal board - supposedly Royal's Odyssey of the Seas sailings from Israel have now been cancelled and she is sailing back to the US: