Red Sea attacks lead MSC and Silversea to cancel sailings (updated)

Recent attacks on commercial ships by Yemen's Houthi militants led to these decisions. Maritime trade continues to be disrupted, with some vessels taking a longer east-west route via the southern tip of Africa to avoid the Suez Canal. 

MSC Cruises 

The move affects MSC sailings from South Africa and the United Arab Emirates to Europe. These include MSC Splendida’s 24-night voyage from Durban, South Africa to Genoa, MSC Opera’s 21-night sailing from Dubai to Genoa, and MSC Virtuosa’s 23-night cruise from Dubai to Southampton. 

MSC Cruises said there were no viable alternative itineraries. 

The three ships will deadhead to Europe, sailing around the west coast of Africa with no ports of call on their journeys to their respective European homeports for the summer 2024 season.  

Passengers booked on the three repositioning cruises are being contacted directly or through their travel agent, and can transfer to a future grand voyage of a similar duration for free.  

Alternatively, they can rebook on any other cruise, with either a partial refund or additional payment for the price difference, or receive a full refund with no cancellation fee.

None of the company’s other ships are affected.

Silversea

Silversea cancelled Silver Moon’s voyages between Muscat and Dubai, scheduled from January 16 to January 26, and Dubai and Mumbai, scheduled from January 26 to February 11. Affected passengers and their travel agents have been informed of the reprotection options. ‘The voyage between Mumbai and Singapore, scheduled between February 11 and February 29, is currently scheduled to proceed as planned,' stated a Silversea spokesperson. 'Our global security team continues to closely monitor the situation in the region and will make any additional changes if required.’  

Azamara, Cunard, HAL itineraries unchanged 

Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam is scheduled to sail in the Red Sea in mid-April, as part of its 2024 Grand World Voyage. So far, the programme remains unchanged, but the line continues to monitor the situation.

A HAL spokesperson told Seatrade Cruise, ‘Our global security team is closely watching the situation in the region. We will continue working in consultation with global experts and authorities to make decisions that prioritise safety, including adjusting our itineraries if necessary.   

‘For now, our itineraries remain unchanged and are scheduled to operate as planned…’ 

Cunard, scheduled to operate in the Red Sea during the same period, is also sticking to its plans, but ‘monitoring the situation on a daily basis.’ A spokesperson said, ‘...Should we decide to change the itinerary based upon our own assessment of the situation or on the basis of advice given by authorities such as the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, for example, we will inform guests of the revised itinerary and any other impact on the cruise, as appropriate.’ 

Azamara is ‘closely monitoring the situation'and will provide our guests with any itinerary updates if necessary.’