As companies such as Celestyal Cruises and MSC Cruises navigate evacuating guests from the Arabian Gulf, the cruise industry and the travel advisor community are responding to the evolving crisis and adapting as best they can.
“I am immensely proud of how the whole company is coming together with this highly complex repatriation operation,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises. “Our Ship Command and crew have worked tirelessly to ensure our guests are well cared for, and our teams across the globe have worked around the clock to get our guests home safely and in a timely manner. We still have some guests on [MSC Euribia], but we are working hard to secure their safe passage from the region.”
In fact, MSC has paid to help repatriate guests to the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Spain, the United States and Brazil via seven dedicated charter flights. Altogether, the line is assisting more than 1,500 guests to return home from the ship on a combination of charter flights, commercial Emirates and Fly Dubai flights, and government-organized flights.
Celestyal Cruises is making similar efforts, with all of its guests now disembarked from Celestyal Discovery in Dubai and remaining passengers to soon be evacuated from Celestyal Journey in Doha, Qatar.
Industry Response
“Travel advisors play a vital role in helping travelers navigate rapidly changing global conditions,” Zane Kerby, president and CEO of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). “As tensions in the Middle East affect travel throughout the region, advisors are working diligently to keep their clients informed, prepared and connected to reliable sources of information. ASTA encourages travelers to stay aware of official government guidance, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and remain flexible as conditions continue to evolve."
ASTA’s advisory further recommends reviewing travel insurance policies — since many standard plans exclude losses related to war or military conflict — as well as checking additional resources, including travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State and specific suppliers.
Cruise Planners is also monitoring the situation closely and is pleased with how things are progressing, according to the company’s COO, Theresa Scalzitti.
"As events continue to evolve rapidly, our hearts remain with all guests and citizens affected,” she said. “Our advisors are actively assisting any clients whose travel plans have been affected. Our headquarter offices have been in ongoing communication with our suppliers for updates, and at this time, we have not been made aware of any guests who are stranded. We have been very impressed with the way our preferred partners have handled this situation, such as hiring charter flights to bring guests back to the United States safely and actively communicating with travelers on schedule changes.”
We have been very impressed with the way our preferred partners have handled this situation, such as hiring charter flights to bring guests back to the United States safely and actively communicating with travelers on schedule changes.
Scalzitti adds that as travelers have requested adjustments to their plans, Cruise Planners teams have been happy to help and address any concerns.
Advisor Response
So far, the conflict has not had a significant impact on individual advisors’ future business, according to multiple sources.
“Up to this point, we have not seen an impact on new business,” said Danny Genung, owner of Harr Travel. “We do have guests scheduled to fly home through Doha, [Qatar]; Dubai; et cetera; and the airlines and cruise lines have been wonderful in communicating and making those changes to fly elsewhere.”
Meanwhile, requests for Egypt, which has recently been one of his agency’s hottest destinations, have paused. However, Genung says his clients are simply deciding to go elsewhere at this time. For now, he’s sharing with clients that the agency “always defers to the U.S. Department of State for advisories,” and waiting to see how the conflict will affect bookings in the long run.
“I do believe this will have a meaningful impact on travel to the Middle East, and depending on how long it goes on, will disrupt the Suez Canal and possibly Turkey for cruise stops,” he said.
For now, though, nothing has changed in Turkey, where a cruise Genung has scheduled in the coming weeks has not been modified.
Jenn Lee, president and CMO of Travel Planners International and Vacation Planners, says that their supplier partners remain focused first and foremost on guest security.
"We are receiving the same communications from the cruise lines and our tour partners that they are sharing with guests, with the media and on their socials,” she said. “The safety and security of their passengers and crew are of utmost importance.”
Lee adds that as cruise lines end their Middle East sailings for the season, she and her teams are currently focused on helping clients find hotels (if cruise lines or tour companies can't provide them), while also monitoring flights to alert travelers as soon as air space opens and get them swiftly rebooked.
“We aren't focused on rebooking cruises [just yet],” she explained. “From an advisor standpoint, this is no different from other geopolitical crises, and the goal of the travel advisor is to stay informed and keep their clients informed and be proactive.”
