Passengers aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship claim their Antarctica-bound voyage was rerouted mid-trip to travel around South America instead, nearly 200 miles off course from the destination they say they booked. The cruise line stated that the ship did go to Antarctica, but instead of heading to Paradise Bay near the mainland, it went to Admiralty Bay, off an island more than 200 miles north of the original Antarctic destination. This incident serves as a reminder that cruise itineraries are not always guaranteed, and experts recommend carefully reading the cruise contract and working with travel advisers as advocates in case of itinerary changes.
Tensions in the Red Sea, particularly due to attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen, have led cruise companies like Royal Caribbean, Carnival Corporation, and MSC Cruises to cancel or reroute voyages to avoid the area. Carnival Corporation has announced rerouting 12 ships across seven of its brands in May, while other brands like Costa Cruises and Princess Cruises have also made itinerary changes and cancellations due to the security situation in the region. These adjustments come after a series of attacks by Houthi rebels on vessels transiting through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, prompting US and UK military strikes against Houthi targets.
Carnival Corporation is rerouting 12 cruise ships across seven brands away from the Red Sea through May 2024, with an expected adjusted earnings per share impact of $0.07 to $0.08 for full year 2024, primarily in the second quarter. Despite this change, the company has not observed any impact on booking trends and does not have any other Red Sea transits scheduled until November 2024.
MSC Cruises has made significant changes to the itinerary of its 121-day World Cruise onboard MSC Poesia, excluding parts of the Mediterranean and the Middle East due to security concerns, bypassing the Red Sea and replacing stops with new destinations along Africa's west coast. Despite the alterations, most original destinations are still included in the itinerary, albeit in a different order, ensuring that guests still have ample opportunities to experience Africa and beyond.
