The Middle East conflict and your cruise holiday: What you need to know

Unless your cruising directly to, or out of, the Middle East, all cruise lines are still operating normally up until this point.

Even cruises is nearby destinations such as parts of Europe are still operating normally until now, refer to your cruise line to make sure you stay updated on any changes.

So far, the only cruises that have been cancelled have been those that operate directly out of the Middle East, no cruise line has cancelled operations out of Europe or other destinations until now. 

As mentioned, cruise lines that operate in the Middle East, such as MSC Cruises and Celestyal Cruises have cancelled cruises over the short term, and will continue updating guests.

If you have a cruise planned over the next few weeks or months, particularly if you need to fly through the Middle East, you have a couple of options. 

The first is to sit tight for a short period and see how events play out. If your travel is still more than a month away, you have a bit of time to see if things could have returned to normal by then.

If your travel is more imminent, refer to the latest correspondence from your cruise line and airline; if they haven’t got in touch, contact them. 

If your cruise is in Europe and you have a flight booked through the Middle East, you can look at organising an alternative flight route to arrive, and up until this moment, European cruises are still operating as scheduled.

You should try to get in touch with your cruise line, for example, Princess has communicated that it will get in direct touch with those affected by air travel disruptions.

“Air travel disruptions in the region are affecting a very limited number of guests on specific itineraries. For those few cases, Princess is speaking directly with guests and travel advisors to arrange alternate travel options.”

If you do have a cruise that gets cancelled due to the conflict, your cruise line should be entitled to offer you a refund. Cruise lines will often offer a future cruise credit, generally worth more than 100% of your current cruise fare, which you can also opt to take.

At this point, too little is known about how long the conflict will last and what states could get involved to make an informed assessment. A possible short-term consequence could be heightened prices due to rising fuel prices.

Some river lines are sailing in Egypt. But Viking has cancelled around 40 voyages in the region until the end of March.

Avalon Waterways has also cancelled its voyages.

Avalon Waterways, part of the Globus family of brands which has one ship on the Nile River, also said it was “closely monitoring the evolving situation” and had made the “proactive decision” to cancel March departures to Qatar, Jordan, Dubai and Egypt “out of an abundance of caution”.
 
In a statement, a spokesperson said: “Guests and travel advisors on affected departures are being contacted directly and personally.
 
“Impacted travellers are being offered flexible options, including the opportunity to rebook to a future departure or receive a full refund.”

Other lines like AmaWaterways has said their sailings will run as per normal.

“AmaWaterways continues to closely monitor the situation in the region and remains focused on ensuring the safety and comfort of our guests and crew at all times. Our operations in Egypt remain supported and stable. Guests currently in destination have expressed a strong desire to continue their journey, and our March 5 and March 7 Nile River cruises will proceed as planned.

Uniworld has also released an advisory for travel to Jordan and Egypt.

“Due to recent military activity in Iran, airspace over Jordan is temporarily closed, potentially impacting flights for guests booked on the 2nd March Jordan pre-cruise extension. To check the status of your flight, please contact the airline.

“For guests who are currently in Amman, or have not experienced flight cancellations, we will operate the Jordan extension as usual. Tours in Jordan are operating as normal.

“Guests who rebook their flights to arrive in Cairo for the start of our 7th March Egypt program should advise us as soon as possible so that we can assist with an arrival transfer from the Cairo airport to the hotel.

“Please note that our Splendors of Egypt & the Nile program will operate as usual. Our team in Egypt is standing by to welcome our guests to Cairo on 7th March. No changes to the program are expected for the group that is currently there, nor for our upcoming departures.”

“As the situation evolves daily, it’s hard to comment on future outcomes. However, it’s very likely you could experience delays or cancellations if you have booked to fly through the Middle East over the next few months. That being said, in many cases, airlines are rerouting flights to avoid affected airspace, which may mean only minor disruption to your overall trip,” said a 1Cover spokesperson.

“It’s important to keep an eye on your booking, but generally it’s best to wait and see if the airline cancels the flight rather than cancelling it yourself. If the airline makes the change, you are more likely to be offered a refund, credit or rebooking without additional fees.
Travellers should also be aware that most insurers exclude cover for events linked to war or conflict. This means claims related to the current situation are unlikely to be covered. However, unrelated issues such as illness or injury may still be covered, depending on your situation.”

Smart Traveller recommends that Australians do not visit Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, the UAE and Yemen for the time being.

It also recommends reconsidering the need to travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

“Yes. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has placed several countries in the Middle East on its ‘Do Not Travel’ list, with others listed as ‘Reconsider your need to travel’,” said a 1Cover spokesperson.

“This means the Australian Government may have limited ability to assist if something goes wrong. Travellers are being strongly advised to avoid the region and to expect disruption, particularly when transiting through major hubs.”

Get in contact with your insurer as soon as possible. Many are offering free extensions to those affected by the disruptions. Or others may cover for travel disruptions. The best thing you can do in this instance is contact your insurer, and if they won’t cover you, look into other insurers that will cover even though you’re already overseas.

The vast majority of travel insurance policies have an exclusion for acts of war, meaning that you are unlikely to be covered if your travel has been disrupted due to the conflict.

However, the Insurance Council of Australia encourages Australians to submit their claims even if they are unsure of their coverage. Other claims that don’t relate directly to disruptions, such as medical claims, can still be covered. 

If, regardless of how the situation advances, you don’t feel comfortable travelling in the short term, make sure not to cancel your flight. If you cancel your flight, you generally won’t receive a refund, but if the airline has to cancel, you might.

You are unlikely to receive a refund for your cruise, but you can stop your payments or contact your cruise line and see if they would offer a future cruise credit.

To make sure that you can make an informed choice about your travel, check the Smart Traveller page for each country that you are planning on visiting, check for any updates from the cruise line and airline and read the latest news on the situation. 

If you want advice particular to your travel situation, you could also speak with a cruise agent and get advice.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has already opened a 24/7 Crisis Centre which provides consular support to Australians in the Middle East. If you are in Israel, Iran, Qatar or the USA, you can register with DFAT now.

Other ways to get to Europe that don’t involve a Middle East stop include
– Flying through Shanghai (with China Eastern)
– Flying through Singapore (with Qantas, Scoot or Singapore Airlines)
– Flying through Vietnam (with Vietnam Airlines)
– Flying through South Korea (with Korean Air)
– Flying direct from Perth to London or Paris (Qantas)

While the majority of flights are running, in general, if you’re travelling, don’t be surprised by disruptions over the coming weeks.

Delays and cancellations have spread across other parts of Asia, across Europe and more. Even flights that don’t involve any stops in the Middle East can be delayed due to the knock-on effect of other cancellations and delays.

“If this happens, contact your cruise or tour provider as soon as possible. Many are offering some flexibility in response to the situation, including credits, rebooking or refunds where itineraries have been impacted,” said a 1Cover spokesperson.

“That said, this support usually applies only if the cruise or tour itself is disrupted. If your flight is cancelled but the cruise or tour goes ahead, refunds are not guaranteed. In that event, it’s best to negotiate directly with your cruise provider, tour provider or travel agent, depending on your booking method.”

“Airlines will not operate through unsafe airspace and are actively rerouting flights to avoid affected areas. Safety remains the priority. With that in mind, stay up to date with official advice via Smartraveller and monitor updates from your airline or travel provider,” said a 1Cover spokesperson.

“Ultimately, while travel insurance generally excludes losses resulting from war, its value remains indisputable for a vast array of other travel risks. Don’t leave home without it- especially when embarking on a cruise. If things go wrong when you travel, 1Cover is the One thing you need when One thing goes wrong.”