Princess Revises 2025 Cruise Routes Amid Red Sea Tensions
Carnival's Princess banner is revising itineraries of two of its cruises undertaking a global voyage next year, amid uncertainties in the Red Sea, the cruise operator said on Tuesday.
The company said the banner's two "2025 World Cruises"—Island Princess and Crown Princess—would no longer be visiting the Middle East and Asia, and instead would offer new port stops in Africa and Europe.
Cruise operators such as Carnival and rival Royal Caribbean are exercising caution as attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi militants on vessels in the Red Sea disrupt shipping in the Suez Canal, the fastest sea route between Asia and Europe.
Carnival had said in March it will probably not be sailing through the Red Sea region for the rest of this year and early next year due to persisting hostilities.
The cruise operator said on Tuesday that Island Princess—which was scheduled to depart from the U.S. in January—would now depart from Sydney in Australia in February and travel via South Africa to end its journey at Malta.
Crown Princess - which is scheduled to visit 42 destinations in 22 countries - will also travel via Africa. However, the company did not provide more details on the full revised itinerary for the ship.
(Reuters - Reporting by Granth Vanaik; Editing by Vijay Kishore)