More cruise lines have joined MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises in replacing scheduled visit to Tunis with alternative ports nearby.
In the wake of last week’s museum shooting, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Star Clippers, AIDA Cruises and Holland America Line have all opted to cancel their own calls in Tunisia for the time being.
P&O Cruises World Cruising, Cunard and Celebrity Cruises said they were taking advice from security services on the matter.
CLIA UK & Ireland says none of its members had planned to visit Tunis “for the foreseeable future”.
However, not all cruise lines have opted to follow the same path, with Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Princess Cruises saying they were in the process of monitoring and reviewing the situation but had not yet changed its schedules.
The two lines directly impacted by the terrorist act – MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises – have both announced alternative ports to take the place of Tunis.
For Costa, the change will affect voyages on three ships for at least the remainder of this year – Costa Fortuna, Costa Favolosa and Costa neoRiviera.
Different voyages will now call at Barcelona (Fortuna & Favolosa), Tarragona (Favolosa), Trapani (neoRiviera) or Malta (neoRiviera) instead of Tunis.
MSC has axed Tunis for the rest of the 2015 northern summer.
Instead of Tunis, MSC Splendida will now call at Valletta; MSC Fantasia at Palma de Mallorca; MSC Preziosa at Cagliari and MSC Divina shifting Valletta a day early and heading then to Corfu.
Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises executive chairman said he hoped Tunis could return to the line’s schedules at a point in the future.
Crisis teams for both lines have reached the ships which suffered passenger losses, offering assistance to all onboard as well as facilitating contact with family.
Holland America Line has added ports in Sardinia in place of Tunis for MS Eurodam & MS Zuiderdam.
