Celebrity Cruises is taking extraordinary steps to keep its Galapagos customers safe. Silversea is canceling a cruise in the Red Sea. From South America to the Middle East, political unrest continued to keep the cruise industry—and the travel advisors who sell its products—on their toes last week.

Celebrity, last week, issued an advisory asking guests booked on Galapagos cruises on Celebrity Flora, Celebrity Xploration and Celebrity Xpedition to not arrive in the country until the day before their sailing.

c, the pre-departure arrival point for many guests, is considered its most dangerous, as its ports have become a hub for drug smuggling. Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa has declared a state of “internal armed conflict” and imposed a nationwide state of emergency and nighttime curfew after a wave of gang violence in which armed men interrupted a live TV broadcast and took more than 100 prison staff hostage.

Lindblad Expeditions has cancelled two cruises in the region that were scheduled to sail on January 12 and 13, National Geographic Endeavour II and Islander II “out of an abundance of caution,” and noting a “lack of clarity” regarding air travel. Celebrity Cruises is taking extraordinary steps to keep its customers safe. Silversea canceled a call in Manta, Ecuador, on Silver Nova, which is sailing a 71-day roundtrip sailing around South America, and Azamara canceled a stop as well. Intrepid and G Adventures posted travel alerts on their websites informing travelers of the 60-day state of emergency and noted they are monitoring the situation carefully.

Celebrity issued an advisory asking guests booked on Celebrity Flora, Celebrity Xploration and Celebrity Xpedition to not arrive in the country until the day before their sailing.

In a letter sent January 10, Celebrity stressed that cruises are not cancelled But, guests who feel uncomfortable can cancel their bookings with a full refund and have the opportunity for price protection on future voyages when they book a new cruise before 2025. Celebrity Cruises also will reimburse guests for any fees they incur for changing their inbound flights.

Guests who are sailing on the three ships will be housed at the new Holiday Inn, in a secure area near the airport, and are asked not to leave the hotel. Celebrity staffers will escort guests as they transfer to the hotel and on to their flights to Baltra.

All pre- and post-cruise excursions in Ecuador have been suspended.

“Any Celebrity pre- or post-cruise packages in Ecuador will be cancelled and refunded, as these will no longer take place. For independently purchased pre- or post-cruise purchases, we recommend you cancel these, and we will review refund requests,” Celebrity Cruises said in the letter.

Celebrity says it is closely monitoring the situation and may still cancel cruises if the situation deteriorates.

Mariscal Sucre Quito International Airport in Quito and José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil remain fully operational, but American Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines all have canceled some flights, and American, Delta, LATAM and United have issued waivers for travel to the country.

In the Middle East, meanwhile, trouble in the Red Sea and Yemen has more cruise ships scrambling to find alternative routes.

After making changes to the itinerary of the last sailing, Silversea last week canceled Silver Moon’s January 16-26 sailing of the Silver Moon Muscat-Dubai itinerary and is “in the process of informing affected guests and their travel agents of the reprotection options. Our global security team continues to closely monitor the situation in the region and will make any additional changes if required,” a spokesperson told TRO.

The cruise was scheduled to visit several destinations in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrein, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Affected passengers will receive different compensations, including refund of the fate of the cancelled cruise portion, and Future Cruise Credits (FCCs).

But the January 26-February 11 sailing remains scheduled, as are future voyages.

MSC Cruises, meanwhile, has rerouted MSC Poesia’s 115-day world cruise, which now will circumnavigate Africa instead of passing through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea.

It’s been a record-breaking year in the travel industry—but as 2023 nears an end, travel advisors who sell the Middle East are wondering about the possible fallout of the Israel/Hamas War. Some already are feeling the pinch as suppliers shift itineraries, customers try unsuccessfully to cancel—and travel advisors and their commissions are caught in the middle. Again.

“I have been fighting with Regent since they announced my clients would not be going to Israel and Egypt—which was the whole reason for their trip—and put Greece in its place,” says Samantha Hamilton at Ultimate Vacations. “My clients have already been to Greece and have no desire to go back Read the rest of this entry »

Tour operator Goway is expanding its Middle East travel options with the launch of travel products in Qatar. Goway has long been a supporter of Qatar Airways and is excited to extend its offerings to include vacation packages throughout Qatar, one of the world’s emerging destinations.

Goway is ready to help travelers explore this oasis on the gulf with a range of travel products, including city tours of the rapidly-growing capital, Doha, which combines historic charm with man-made islands and towering skyscrapers that befit a rising star of the 21st century. Travelers can go dune bashing through the desert and visit the inland sea of Khar al Adaid, or relax along the country’s pristine beaches, including at the resorts and waterparks of Abu Samra. Qatar is also an ideal stopover option, which takes advantage of the many air routes of Qatar Airways, one of the world’s leading luxury airlines. Travelers can stop over for a few nights in Qatar en route to vacations in the Maldives, South Africa, Kenya, and Egypt, among other leading destinations.

It’s the perfect time to launch travel ideas to Qatar as the Arabian nation prepares for its time in the spotlight during the 2022 FIFA World Cup this fall. Both the Canadian and American national teams have qualified, making Qatar even more attractive to North American travelers this fall.

“Travel to the Middle East has been a strength for Goway over the past few years, including during the pandemic,” says Moira Smith, VP of Africa & Asia at Goway. “Thus, it’s only natural that we add Qatar to our portfolio of Middle East travel products. It’s a destination that offers cultural highlights in addition to some remarkable natural landscapes. It’s also hosting the World Cup this fall, which adds to the appeal. Add in the fact that travelers can see Qatar on a stopover to other fabulous destinations around the world with Qatar Airways and you’ve got all the makings of a new classic travel experience with Goway.”

Since 1970, Goway has been providing unforgettable travel experiences to Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Idyllic Island destinations, Central & South America and Europe. Today Goway is recognized as one of North America’s leading travel companies for individuals, families, and groups to select exotic destinations around the globe. Goway has offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Manila, and Sydney, Australia.

To learn more about Goway’s product line to Qatar, visit goway.com