How the Israel-Iran conflict is impacting cruises so far

Tensions in the Middle East remain high after the uncertainty of the ceasefire declared by President Trump. Travelers are understandably worried, especially as several countries have closed their airspace, leading to disrupted flight plans. 

With the conflict far enough away from ports in countries like Italy, Greece, and Turkey, cruisers likely don't have much to worry about. That said, cruise operators are remaining vigilant and will make any necessary changes as the geopolitical situation continues to unfold to ensure passenger and crew safety. 

During Carnival Corporation's Q2 earnings call on Tuesday, June 24, C.E.O. Josh Weinstein gave a brief statement about the company's position. 

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"The escalation of the past two weeks, culminating over the last few days, has been swift. While we certainly hope for a quick and peaceful resolution...it has not yet had any discernible impact on our business," he said. 

"This is all unfolding too quickly in real time to try to project how it could impact our future business. Like many others, we will actively monitor the situation over the coming days and weeks to evaluate its potential effects on our business and provide updates as needed."

Carnival Cruise Line's European stint is short. This year, the cruise line has just one ship — Carnival Miracle — based in Europe. She's slated to depart for North America in October. 

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As such, the itineraries are relatively limited. The remaining cruises for Carnival Miracle's 2025 season depart from Dover, England, and Civitavecchia, Italy. 

Carnival Corporation operates other lines with a stronger European presence, including Costa Cruises and P&O. However, no voyages visit Israel, Iran, or other destinations in the Persian Gulf. 

Mediterranean and Northern European ports haven't been targets of military strikes. Although this could change at a moment's notice, there’s no indication that cruise travel to the region is at immediate risk. 

It's not uncommon for cruise ships to be rerouted to avoid conflict

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There's no one-size-fits-all approach to handling geopolitical crises at sea. However, cruise lines are well-versed in making strategic adjustments when necessary to keep passengers and crew members safe. 

For example, Royal Caribbean routed ships away from Russia in 2022 when the country invaded Ukraine during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War. 

Additionally, the cruise line's 9-month world cruise was rerouted to Africa to avoid the Red Sea last year when tensions escalated as a result of the Houthis' attacks. 

Remain vigilant when traveling abroad

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With future European cruises likely okay, it's still more important than ever to remain vigilant when traveling. The U.S. Department of State recently issued a heightened travel warning for Americans traveling abroad, resulting from President Trump's airstrikes in Iran and anti-American sentiment rising globally. 

"The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East," said the State Department in its Worldwide Caution advisory. 

"There is potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution."

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Those with summer plans to travel abroad should review the State Department's website for alerts about specific destinations. For example, the State Department advised that Swedish media reported that Iran "may be pressuring local criminal gangs, including the Foxtrot Network, to carry out attacks in Sweden against U.S. and Israeli interests."

Consequently, they advised Americans in Sweden to exercise increased caution and maintain awareness of their surroundings, especially near the U.S. Embassy.