The current situation
At the time of writing (6 March), the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) does not advise against Nile River cruises. It does advise against all but essential travel to some parts of Egypt, but this does not impact most Nile itineraries.
However, following US-Israeli strikes on Iran and the subsequent retaliatory attacks across the region, including in Qatar, Cyprus and the UAE, the conflict continues to evolve. This has introduced uncertainty about travel across the region and beyond.
What does this mean for Nile River cruises?
At present, the majority of cruise lines offering Nile sailings have assessed the risks and are continuing operations as scheduled. A few operators, however, have taken the decision to cancel Nile River cruises. These include Tauck and Avalon Waterways.
Avalon Waterways
Avalon Waterways belongs to the Globus family of brands, which has cancelled all departures to Dubai, Qatar, Egypt and Jordan in the month of March.
Impacted guests have been contacted and are being offered the choice to rebook in future or receive a full refund.
According to a spokesperson for the line, “We recognise that broader travel delays and air disruptions may impact guests travelling to or from other regions, including Australia and New Zealand. Our on-the-ground teams and operations staff are actively supporting affected travellers and working to minimise inconvenience wherever possible.”
Tauck
Following advice from the US State Department and the significant disruptions to air travel, US-based cruise and tour operator Tauck has decided to cancel upcoming itineraries to both Egypt and Jordan. This includes its Egypt: Jewels of the Nile itinerary departing through 15 March.
A spokesperson has said, “We are in direct contact with all affected guests and their travel advisors to ensure they are supported with next steps and are continuing to evaluate future departures on an ongoing basis.”
“Tauck does not operate in areas where we aren’t comfortable travelling ourselves or having loved ones travel. Our Global Response Team continues to monitor worldwide events such as these on an ongoing basis, consulting with outside agencies and our trusted network of partner-suppliers to make informed decisions that put our guests first.”
Viking
Initially, Viking announced it would be cancelling Nile sailings for all of March, but it has now amended its plans and will resume operations.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we temporarily paused our operations in Egypt in early March. The official travel advisories have now been clarified, and the current advisory for Egypt remains the same as it was prior to the start of the recent conflict," a spokesperson has said.
"In consultation with our longtime ground operators in Egypt, we now expect to operate our Egypt voyages as planned beginning 12 March."
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