Due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas, RCI-Royal Caribbean International has decided to cancel the remaining cruises planned for the region.
This decision followed prior cancellations of select sailings and visits to Israel by the cruise line. In their communication to affected guests, RCI emphasized the growing geopolitical tensions in Israel and cited the need to prioritize the safety and well-being of passengers, crew, and the ship.
Consequently, cruises on the Rhapsody of the Seas, including the 5-night Greek Isles and 6-night Med Highlights itineraries, were cancelled, with the ship eventually relocating to Barcelona, Spain, concluding its cruise season originating from Israel. Guests affected by these cancellations will receive a full refund, encompassing all associated charges and fees, pre-paid packages, gratuities, amenities, shore excursions, flight arrangements made through Royal Caribbean, and pre-purchased Royal Caribbean Travel Protection.
Royal Caribbean was among the early cruise lines to suspend its Israel visits in response to the recent Hamas attack that targeted both civilians and military personnel. Subsequently, several other major cruise shipping companies, including Celebrity, MSC, Holland America Line, Princess, NCL-Norwegian, and others, have also made similar cancellations and have redirected their itineraries to Turkey or Greece.
However, RCI plans to resume its Israel operations in 2024 with Jewel of the Seas, offering 3- and 7-night Greek Isles roundtrips from Israel between August and October 2024. Other RCI ships, such as Odyssey of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas, also have scheduled Israel-visiting itineraries.