It’s clear that cruise lines expect the Suez Canal, Red Sea and the Holy Land to be too conflicted to risk sailing around for a long time to come. How long? Even newly announced 2027 World Cruises are steering far away from the entire Middle East.
Winter world circuits that traditionally cross the Pacific to Asia and then to the Persian Gulf and the Suez Canal to get to Europe are shifting focus to South America, the Pacific and Africa. Meanwhile other globe-spanning itineraries that can last for months without repeating a port are setting sights on the Arctic and even the Great Lakes.