Princess Cruises has been forced to alter its two 2025 world voyages so ships avoid the Red Sea.
The changes have been made “given the ongoing situation in the Red Sea and surrounding area and following extensive consultation with global security experts and government authorities,” according to the line.
Island Princess and Crown Princess will no longer visit the Middle East or Asia and will instead offer new stops in Africa and Europe.
The move to revise the itineraries for the two 2025 circumnavigations come at the same time that sister Carnival Corporation brand Seabourn revised a 90-day Grand Africa cruise this year so the ship Seabourn Sojourn avoids the Red Sea.
The revised Island Princess 116-day sailing from Fort Lauderdale on January 5, 2025 and Los Angeles on January 20 will see the ship sail between Australia and South Africa before resuming the original itinerary starting from Malta on April 9.
Passengers due to depart or join the cruise from Dubai on March 14, 2025, will now embark or disembark four days earlier in Cape Town.
“Booked guests disembarking in Cape Town will be refunded the amount equivalent to four days of the cruise fare and those joining earlier will not incur an added cost to their cruise fare. All these guests will also receive a $300 onboard credit as a gesture of good will,” the company said.
Crown Princess – claimed too be the largest ship to ever embark on a world cruise – is scheduled to leave Auckland on May 31, 2025 and Sydney on June 4, 2025; and sail on a 113-day itinerary to 42 destinations in 22 countries, across five continents.
“This cruise will also bypass the Red Sea and surrounding region, including the transit of the Suez Canal,” Princess confirmed.
“The ship will travel via Africa instead of the Red Sea and Asia itinerary. The fully revised itinerary is currently being finalised and will be communicated shortly.”
Chief commercial officer Terry Thornton said: “A Princess world cruise is truly the voyage of a lifetime and after careful consideration with guidance from global security experts and government authorities, we know our guests will understand and appreciate the change to our upcoming 2025 itineraries to avoid certain areas.
“These global events beyond our control have necessitated these reroutings but we are pleased to continue to ensure these world cruises retain destination-rich itineraries with incredible stops along the west Africa coast and the Mediterranean.”