Political unrest has been cited by Norwegian Cruise Line for cancelling winter eastern Mediterranean cruises on Norwegian Jade.
The company has pulled 11-day Eastern Mediterranean & Holy Lands and 10-day Eastern Mediterranean sailings from November 26, 2011 to April 11, 2012.
NCL said: “There has been political unrest in the regions visited on these itineraries.
“As a result, we are reducing the number of cruises we offer to this region and therefore, cancelling the above mentioned sailings.
“Norwegian Cruise Line sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused by these cancellations and would like to thank our guests for their patience and understanding. All guests on these sailings are being contacted.”
Passengers are being given the option to transfer bookings to four 10-night Eastern Mediterranean or 11-night Mediterranean and Holy Land sailings operating between 15 October 15 and 16 November 16, or the same itineraries departing between October 20, 2012 to April 17, 2013.
Alternatively they can transfer to any sailing in the NCL fleet by December 31, 2012.
Norwegian Jade will enter a 12-day dry dock on November 26. The ship will then reposition to Barcelona where the line has added 15 nine-day Canary Island sailings between December 8 and April 12, 2012, along with a repositioning cruise to Venice on April 21, 2012.