MSC Cruises cancels months of sailings amid Israel-Hamas war, adjusts others

Nathan Diller, USA TODAY
·2 min read

MSC Cruises has canceled months of itineraries on two ships amid the Israel-Hamas war.

The line scrapped MSC Orchestra’s entire winter schedule “due to the proximity of some ports of call to Israel as well as the number of restrictions in the bordering countries that would have adversely affected passengers’ travel experiences,” MSC said in a news release on Monday. The ship was scheduled to sail the Red Sea from Nov. 8-April 17, 2024.

MSC also canceled MSC Sinfonia’s winter schedule from Nov. 12-April 15, 2024. The itinerary centered on Haifa, Israel.

The line is also making small adjustments to Grand Voyages on MSC Opera, MSC Splendida and MSC Virtuosa, along with a pair of 11-night cruises on MSC Armonia, though the line is still working through the changes and reaching out to guests, according to spokesperson Field Sutton.

The line cited “the current geopolitical situation, travel restrictions issued by local authorities in certain destinations, and various government advisories against travel to certain areas” as reasons for the changes in the release. Passengers booked on impacted sailings can request a full refund or switch to a different cruise of “similar length” without penalty.

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“The safety of guests and crew is always MSC Cruises’ top priority,” the line said. “As this is an evolving situation, the line will continue to monitor the situation and modify ship itineraries if necessary.”

Many cruise lines, including MSC, changed itineraries earlier this month in the wake of the conflict. Last week, a Royal Caribbean International ship also helped evacuate U.S. nationals, transporting them from Haifa to Limassol, Cyprus.

The U.S. State Department has an advisory in place for the region, warning against travel to Gaza and urging travelers to reconsider going to Israel and the West Bank. The State Department also issued a global travel advisory last week, calling for Americans overseas to “exercise increased caution.”

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MSC cancels months of cruises amid Israel-Hamas war