MSC Cruises has revised its cruise routes in the Eastern Mediterranean due to the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
“For future MSC Musica cruises, port calls at Haifa will be replaced by Rhodes, Greece (October 18 and 25) and Marmaris, Turkey (November 1),” the company said in a press release. Another liner, MSC Sinfonia, will call at Istanbul instead of Haifa, and will also adjust the route: Rhodes will be replaced by Piraeus (Athens), and instead of Izmir in Turkey, tourists will be shown Limassol in Cyprus.
“The safety of our passengers and crew is always our top priority and we have reviewed the itineraries of MSC Sinfonia and MSC Musica to offer an alternative for cruising during the winter season,” commented Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises.
In total, the changes affect 11 future cruises for MSC Musica and MSC Sinfonia between October 15, 2023, and January 6, 2024. The ships will then continue on their scheduled routes from Buenos Aires, Argentina (MSC Musica) and Genoa, Italy (MSC Sinfonia).