Holland America Line?has replaced calls at Port Said and Alexandria due to the state department warning to defer non-essential travel to Egypt because of?unrest and violent clashes during the political transition.?Avalon Waterwayshas cancelled its river cruises in Egypt through September, ?given the current unstable situation in Cairo.? Avalon, which previously cancelled operations through August, said it will continue to?monitor the situation.
Holland America said the Noordam?s 11-day itineraries departing Aug. 15 from Athens and Aug. 26 from Istanbul will visit Ashdod (Jerusalem) and Haifa (Tel Aviv, Nazareth), Israel, instead of Port Said and Alexandria. The ship?s 11-day cruise departing Athens on Oct. 20 will instead visit Haifa and Limassol, Cyprus. The Rotterdam?s 10-day cruises departing Athens on Oct. 31 and Nov. 20 will visit Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey, and Limassol, Cyprus. And the Prinsendam?s 14-day cruise from Athens on Oct. 28 will call at Rhodes, Greece, and Katakolon (Olympia), Greece. The order of ports visited may also have changed. Affected travel agents and guests are being notified.
The two companies said they will continue to monitor the situation. ?And should there be further changes or developments, we will reach out to our travelers and their agents to ensure we provide enough time for alternate arrangements, as necessary,? Avalon said. There has been unrest in Cairo in recent weeks while undergoing a political transition. A particularly violent clash last week killed 50 people.