Today March 7 we received in our mailbox this letter and I quote.
Many of you have asked about our scheduled calls in Egypt next month, given the uncertainties in thus area. As you likely know Holland,American Line works with many different organizations to evaluate the safety and security of our port visits. Give the increasing security concerns in Egypt the company has decided that out of an abundance of caution we will cancel our remaining port calls to Egypt this spring.
For the cruise it means that we will not be visiting the port of Safaga (Luxor), Sharm el-Sheikh or Alexandria (Cairo) as scheduled. I understand and share your disappointment with this unfortunate situation, but I also know that you understand that the safety of our guests and crew is always our highest priority.
We have been able to arrange alternate port calls in Isreal and Sicily for your enjoyment. The revised portion of our itinerary is as follows:
April 02. Al'Aqabah (Petra) Jordan 7:00 am. To 6:00 pm
April 03. At Sea (Gulf of Suez)
April 04. Transit Suez Canal. 6:00 am. To. 6:00 pm
April 05 Ashdod. (Jerusalem) Israel. 8:00 am. To. 11:00 pm
April 06. Haifa ( Tel Aviv ). Israel. 8:00 am. To 11:00 pm
April 07. At sea. Mediterranean Sea
April 08. Kusadasi. (Ephesus). Turkey. 8:00. Am. To. Midnight
April 09. At sea Aegean Sea
April 10. Piraeus. (Athens). Greece. 8:00 am. To Overnight
April 11. Piraeus ( Athens ). Greece. Overnight. To 4:00 pm
April 12 Katakolon. ( Olympia) Greece 10:00 am. To 6:00 pm
April 13 Messina Sicily Italy Noon. To. 6:00 pm
Please note that any shore excursions you booked for the cancelled ports will be refunded to you an any applicable change to the taxes fees and port expenses related to this change will be posted to your on board account.
I also want to share that we will have some special visitors joining us on April 06. As many of you know each year we host a series of special "President's Events". Along with visiting executives from our Seattle headquarters. This year Stein Kruise, CEO of Holland American Group along with his wife Linda; new Holland American President Orlando Ashford and Gerald Bernhoft, director of our Marinerx Society will be on board for a few days. They had originally planned to board in Cairo but will now sail from Haifa to Athens. To celebrate with you and thank you for being such valued guests, they are also planning Avery special event the evening of April 08'in Kusadasi. It will be an evening to remember. Invitations will be forthcoming in the next couple of weeks.
So there you have it...we are not a it Dissapointed in this at all we have been to all the ports on the 2012 World Cruise. Both Bob and I are looking forward to seeing Israel.
You have to be flexible when you go on a World Cruise. Things can change in a heartbeat.
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