Does anyone know what Abou Merhi Cruises have in mind for Orient Queen (ex Starward, Bolero), which has been based weekly from Beirut? I don't think she can possibly continue this programme.

Also, will Israeli companies be affected by the general unrest, or will they operate as usual?

TUESDAY BEIRUT 17:00
WEDNESDAY PORT SAID 09:00 23:00
THURSDAY LIMASSOL 12:30 17:30
FRIDAY RHODES 10:30 18:00
FRIDAY/SATURDAY MARMARIS 21:30 18:00
SUNDAY ANTALYA 06:00 17:30
MONDAY BEIRUT 20:00

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Also, will Israeli companies be affected by the general unrest, or will they operate as usual?

Thanks for any information on this

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we in Caspi cruises (i'm working in Caspi Cruises)
consider the wide options we've got. there are chances that the the mv Draem will have to be moved out from Haifa and repositioned in Ashdod instead. as for Mano Cruises i think things are normal.

Elad

[ 07-16-2006: Message edited by: joe at travelpage ]

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Originally posted by ahrpd:
With the unfortunate and worrying increase in tensions in the Middle East, Louis Cruise Line and Silversea have announced revised itineraries, cancelling calls at Beirut. Other US and UK operators will no doubt follow suit.

Does anyone know what Abou Merhi Cruises have in mind for Orient Queen (ex Starward, Bolero), which has been based weekly from Beirut? I don't think she can possibly continue this programme.

Also, will Israeli companies be affected by the general unrest, or will they operate as usual?

Thanks for any information on this.

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Given the fears that all-out war is imminent, I think you'll see ships avoiding this region like the plague. Although Isreal is largely unaffected at this point, those operators might be affected as many countries/ports may be hesitant to allow an Isreali ship into their waters.

I feel for Louis as it was just this scenario that lost them a lot of money a few years back on their short cruises from Cyprus, which are ever popular with the N European holidays in Cyprus.

There are plenty of other Eastern Med ports out of the conflict area to enjoy. The losers will be the Israeli Lines as Tim pointed out; they may not be welcome at any other country with the fear of backlash. I hope this nonsense is soon squashed.

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Originally posted by Robertdam:
I'd rather book a safe cruise to Spain and France at the moment.

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I take your point, but how can you predict what 'safe' is in these troubled times?

Am I safe in my hometown of London using the 'tube' each day to work? Am I really safe in New York? An escalation could mean more terrorist attacts on home soil and that could incude any US State.

A cruise ship must be one of the safest vacations of them all.

[ 07-17-2006: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

For as anyone knows, from Lisbon, if you squint your eyes hard enough, you can just see Beirut and even Bagdhad to the East!

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Originally posted by Linerrich:
For as anyone knows, from Lisbon, if you squint your eyes hard enough, you can just see Beirut and even Baghdad to the East!

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Oh dear... Lisbon to Beirut is only 14 miles further than LA to NYC, so pretty close at 2489miles by great circle route. Lisbon to Baghdad is 2971miles, 420 odd miles further than LA to Honolulu.

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Originally posted by Linerrich:
Unfortunately many Americans are geographically-challenged, and may feel that any cruise "over there" meaning the Mediterranean or even Western Europe is too close for comfort.

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That's odd when all American's seem to have Degree's? They obviously do not study Geography as part of it?

I was in Egypt at Christmas and had a great time. I saw hundreds of Brit tourists and three American's.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13902115/

I remember her as Starward and 550+ were a tight fit. It will be an interesting undertaking.

Concerning geography. I would agree many Americans are globally challenged. Then again, America is a VERY large and diverse place. Knowing all of America is a challenge, let alone the world. I have traveled the world, but yet to see the Grand Canyon.

As for 5000+ on the "Orient Queen" - it is not meant to be a leisure cruise, but an evacuation on a refugee ship. QM and QE were also not built to transport 10 000+ people.

And no, I was not expecting they would have shuffleboard.

Still, I do think that when you are bombarded, you want on any ship out.

According to the Portuguese Television the French government has chartered a Greek ferry from LANE LINES/Greece to transport european citizens that wish to abandon Lebanon...If I am correct and from the images I saw the ship in question migth be theM/S Vitsentzos Kornaros.

The ship left for the first time Beirut this afternoon ( 1700 hrs lt) with european citizens, totally full.

From my point of view ferrys are the best option for this type of operations, simply because a cruise ship like the ORIENT QUEEN( I know she was a cruise ferry initialy) does not have prompt facilities _eg.stern/side ramp- like most of the ferries nowadays have...

Do you agree?

A special hello to my big friend Elad,

The Israeli blockade will be opened to allow passenger ships to move people out. This began earlier this afternoon, but no firm numbers have been issued of those who have been moved.

Cyprus is the air destination for helicopter evacuations of persons in Lebanon as well. It is also reported that if Americans want to get out of Lebanon.

The U.S. government will help them, but each citizen who is moved will be "Billed" by the U.S. gov't for evacuation.

Fancy that !! Billing citizens to get them out of a war zone. Isn't that just stoooopid!! But that's the U.S. Gov't for you!!

The U.S. Gov't says that there are so many people to move, over 25,000 citizens that they are overwhelmed by the numbers so hurry up and wait. They are amid a logistical nightmare of figuring out how to move that many people should this escalate further.

The Canadian Government has reported that we also have hired commercial ships to move our people out of Lebanon as of this afternoon, reports came from Ottawa and our Foreign Minister Peter Mackay. But the movement of foreign nationals is slow as logistics are not moving as fast as some would like. But contact numbers are up and running if you know of someone who needs to be moved.

(www.international.gc.ca) for Canadian Citizens.

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:
I was in Egypt at Christmas and had a great time. I saw hundreds of Brit tourists and three American's.

I spoke to the Yanks and they were loving it. They felt that thier fellow countrymen were really missing out.

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:
[QB]

That's odd when all American's seem to have Degree's? They obviously do not study Geography as part of it?

QB]

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