With tensions in the Middle East as high as ever over the last week due to escalating air strikes between the U.S., Israel and Iran, travelers are understandably worried.
The question on some people's mind has been how will all of this possibly alter cruise ship plans.
A user on Reddit posted, "I have a cruise coming up in a few weeks that goes through Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus. This is my first cruise and I’m feeling uncertain about the current state of things given recent events. What are the odds that my trip gets canceled?"
Geopolitical turmoil is not new to the cruise industry, but this conflict has the world's attention. While this blog has no official standing with the cruise line and we do not speak for them, I wanted to share what to think about as your trip approaches.
Anything is possible, but no changes at this time
In the case of the person that asked the question, a Mediterranean cruise that visits Turkey and Greece is likely sufficiently far away from the conflict that a cruise cancellation shouldn't be a concern.
Short of the conflict expanding into a larger conflict that involves more of Europe, it's my opinion that cruise ships aren't near enough for there to be a change in itinerary.
Royal Caribbean operates no cruises that visit Israel, Iran, or destinations in the Persian Gulf.
It's far more likely that a ship would be re-routed rather than cancelled, and even that is a low chance.
The regions cruise ships visit in the Mediterranean have not been targets of military strikes, and as others have pointed out, it's not a worry at the moment.
"Odds are about zero. Don't sweat it."
"As others have said, odds are zero, unless war breaks out and it affects your cruise regions. If that does happens, they will just reroute to different ports to avoid the conflict."
"Highly unlikely. Relax and enjoy your trip!"
These are all the sort of comments that people had for the original question posed, and I agree with their assessments.
If the nature of the conflict were to change, that would be a different story. But for now, a cruise being cancelled seems unlikely.
Important to remain vigilant
While your cruise may not be cancelled, that isn't to say travelers shouldn't let their guard down.
The State Department has issued new warnings for Americans traveling around the world as the result of the U.S. airstrikes on Iran.
American involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict compelled the U.S. State Department to advise all U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution.
"The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East," the new alert posted on Sunday read.
"There is the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad."
The State Department advised Americans to exercise increased caution globally and to check its specific country advisories, as well as "any recent security alerts when planning travel."
You can consult all of the travel advisories and security alerts on the State Department website.
What's happened with other conflicts
While not apples-to-apples, what we've consistently seen when conflicts erupt around the world is cruise ships simply sail elsewhere.
Last year, Voyager of the Seas was re-routed away from the Red Sea because of concerns there.
At the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Royal Caribbean shifted its ships away from planned visits to Russia.
Royal Caribbean took a two year break from visiting Turkey due to instability in the region, but it still offered cruises that visited nearby Greece.
Every situation is different, but perhaps these examples offer some context.