SILVER MOON

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Cruise ship diverted from the southern Red Sea due to tensions

The 'Silver Moon' has become the latest ship to divert away from the southern Red Sea, altering the itinerary for its current cruise and canceling at least one upcoming cruise. The cruise ship was scheduled to begin her transit of the region around the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Jan 11, 2024, on a cruise originating in Jordan and proceeding to Oman. The Global Security team recommended amending the itinerary of this cruise to remain on the northern side of the Red Sea, Captain Luigi Rutigliano, master of the vessel, wrote in a letter distributed to the passengers onboard. “The situation, as you may have read from news reports, is changing daily, and today, we are confirming the itinerary change based on intelligence gathered in the last 24 hours.” The ship had transited the Suez Canal on Dec 31, starting a long program that was to take the ship to the Red Sea, on to Dubai, and then India, and Southeast Asia as well as Japan. In the spring it is due to reverse the course and in May again transit the Red Sea as it travels to the Mediterranean. The ship arrived in Aqaba on Jan 6 with 278 passengers and 408 crew members on board. The next cruise was due to begin the same day. and after stops in Saudi Arabia proceed over three days between Jan 10 and 12 through the southern Red Sea to Salalah and Muscat in Oman, where the segment was due to end on Jan 16. On Jan 10, however, the ship turned north from Saudi Arabia and is now proceeding to Sharm El Shelk at the southern end of the Sinai Peninsula and then to Ain Sukhna and Safaga in Egypt before disembarking all passengers on Jan 16 in Aqaba. Everyone has been told they must disembark in Jordan and onward flights will be arranged. The cruise due to start in Oman is canceled. Speculation aboard the ship was that after disembarking all passengers, the 'Silver Moon' will proceed through the Red Sea only with crew aboard and go directly to Dubai where she would resume her published itineraries. Multiple cruise ships, including the 'Silver Moon', are scheduled in the spring to make the transit of the Red Sea as they reposition from Asia or the Persian Gulf region to the Mediterranean for the summer of 2024. Several world cruises also are scheduled to transit the Red Sea on their final leg as they return to Europe.