Further cruises steer clear of Israel (updated)

Oct. 12 update: MSC Sinfonia's future eight 11-night voyages will replace Haifa with Istanbul, Rhodes with Piraeus and Limassol with Izmir. Sailing dates are Oct. 21, Nov. 1, 12 and 23, Dec. 4, 15 and 26 and Jan. 4.

So, starting Oct. 21, MSC Sinfonia's new itinerary will include Genoa, Civitavecchia and Messina followed by Piraeus, Izmir, Istanbul and Heraklion before the ship returns to Genoa.

MSC Musica's future seven-night voyages from Piraeus, on Oct. 15 and 22 will replace Haifa with Rhodes, while the Oct. 29 sailing will replace Haifa with Mamaris.

Oct. 11: Celestyal updated six of its seven night 'Three Continents' cruises through to end November to temporarily replace the call at Ashdod with Heraklion.

The change impacts the Piraeus departures on Oct. 21 and 28, and Nov. 4, 11, 18 and 25. The round-trip cruises on Celesytal Journey visit Cairo, Heraklion (replacing Ashdod), Limassol, Rhodes and Kusadasi before returning to Piraeus.

Oct. 10: Windstar Cruises changed two Star Legend sailings this month, substituting Santorini and a sea day for calls at Ashdod and Haifa and now operating round-trip Piraeus instead of open-jaw between Piraeus and Haifa.

This applies to Star Legend's Oct. 20 and Oct. 28 eight-night 'Greece & Israel' cruises, which now will visit ports in Greece (Mykonos, Heraklion, Rhodes, Santorini) and Cyprus (Limassol) only.

See also earlier story, 'Cruise lines retreat from Israel as violence escalates (more updates)'