Several Cruise Lines Cancel Scheduled Stops in Russia, Ukraine
Several cruise lines have altered or canceled scheduled sailings that included stops in Russia and Ukraine due to the ongoing war.
According to Reuters.com, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced all of its brands—which includes NCL, Oceania and Regent—with sailings scheduled to visit St Petersburg have been altered, with new stops to be announced soon.
Viking and Atlas Ocean Voyages also revealed they would remove St Petersburg from itineraries, with the latter replacing the Russian city with alternative ports in Finland and Estonia this summer.
“With unrest in Eastern Europe, we have adjusted our voyages,” Atlas President Alberto Aliberti said. “Guests will enjoy these unique and rarely visited destinations and immersive shore excursions to take in the rich cultures and breathtaking vistas of the Baltic.”
Regent Seven Seas Cruises was the cruise line forced to change the most stops planned for Russia, which included visits to the Solovetsky Islands, Arkhangelsk, Murmansk and St. Petersburg, as well as Odessa, Ukraine.
Oceania officials said Russian and Ukrainian ports would be removed from 2022 itineraries, while Viking River Cruises canceled all 2022 departures from Kyiv, Black Sea and Bucharest, Romania.
Windstar Cruises has also made adjustments, canceling all sailings and cruise tours in the Black Sea region. The line said it will change its Baltic itineraries to replace calls in St. Petersburg, Russia with calls in a non-Russian port. Guests and travel advisors will be notified of the changes.
“We are currently evaluating itineraries that call in Russia in 2022, which will require modifications,” a Viking spokesperson told Cruise Critic. “When necessary changes are made, Viking Customer Relations will notify all impacted guests and their travel advisors.”
Princess Cruises is modifying itineraries on 24 cruises to avoid calling at St. Petersburg, Russia. Replacement ports will vary by itinerary, including popular destinations such as Stockholm and Visby, Sweden, and Gdansk, Poland. Princess said it will protect travel agent commission on bookings that were paid in full.
Holland America Line is modifying six cruise itineraries that were originally scheduled to visit Russian ports this year. “We stand for peace and our thoughts are with those who are in harm’s way,” the company said.
Replacement ports vary by itinerary, and the five sailings that would have visited St. Petersburg, Russia, will instead call on Baltic ports such as Riga, Latvia; Klaipeda, Lithuania; and Visby, Sweden, while also adding an overnight stay in Stockholm, Sweden. The cruise that was scheduled to visit Vladivostok, Russia, will instead visit Busan (Pusan), South Korea.
Booked guests and their travel advisors will receive notice of the changes as soon as that process is complete. The cruise line will continue to monitor this situation and make additional changes, if needed.
Sea Cloud Cruises canceled the Sea Cloud Spirit’s calls to St. Petersburg this year, due to the situation in Ukraine. The city had originally been on four Baltic Sea itineraries. Sea Cloud Cruises will develop a new itinerary for the June and July voyages.
Seabourn is modifying six cruise itineraries on Seabourn Ovation that were originally scheduled to visit St. Petersburg, Russia this year. Booked guests and travel advisors on affected sailings will receive updates and specific details applicable to their booking. The new itineraries will be available soon at Seabourn.com.
As a result of the Russian attack, Ukraine State Air Traffic Services Enterprise announced the nation’s airspace was closed to civilian flights and air traffic services were suspended. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) also said airspace within 100 nautical miles of Ukrainian borders could pose safety risks to civilian flights.