Royal Caribbean Confirms 9-Month Cruise Will Not Go Through Red Sea and Suez Canal Due to Middle East Unrest – PEOPLE

Royal Caribbean has confirmed that the Ultimate World Cruise is making a significant itinerary change due to ongoing unrest in the Middle East.

The cruise line confirmed to PEOPLE that it has decided to cancel the nine-month voyage's original itinerary through the Red Sea and Suez Canal in May to keep its passengers and crew members safe. Instead, the cruise is presenting passengers with two alternative itineraries to gauge which route change is preferred among cruisers for the third leg of the voyage.

Royal Caribbean did not confirm the details of the two potential new routes.

Popular TikToker on the cruise,drjennytravels, shared footage from the cruise's town hall meeting on Friday and revealed that the ship will still travel to Dubai and then make its way around Africa in its third leg. However, she said that cruisers have the option to vote on what type of route they want to go on.

She explains in the social media clip: "We are going to Dubai. We also are going to Africa. We are gonna go all the way around the tip of South Africa. The itinerary is not finalized; we actually have two options. One, they're calling the 'Scenic Route' it does more of Africa. And the other is what they call the 'Highway,' which is a lot of sea days and does less stops in Africa."

"We learned that there will be compensation for both options," she continues.

Peter Bischoff/Getty

Royal Caribbean previously told PEOPLE that it was reviewing alternative routes for the Serenade of the Seas.

"The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority, and we are monitoring what is taking place in and around the Red Sea," a spokesperson for the company said in a statement on Feb. 9. "In looking ahead at potential itinerary adjustments, we are currently reviewing alternatives forSerenade of the Seas, which is currently scheduled to transit the Suez Canal in May. Our guests and travel partners will receive an update from us in mid-February."

Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty

Captain Stig, who guided the journey on its first leg around South America, shared an update with passengers about the possibility of major itinerary changes during a send-off ceremony on Feb. 7. According todrjennytravels,the captain said Royal Caribbean would be making an announcement on Feb. 16 regarding the changes.

Rumors that the Ultimate World Cruise could reroute or end early began circulating in January. Royal Caribbean stated to PEOPLE at the time that it would finish its tour of the Americas in February and embark on the second leg to Asia as planned.

Never miss a story sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"The Ultimate World Cruise has given guests the opportunity to see the world in a unique way, and we have loved watching their reactions to this incredible experience," Royal Caribbean's statement said. "This adventure will complete its first segment in February, and we can't wait to kick off the next part of the journey shortly after and begin exploring Asia."

The statement did not mention the third leg of the trip, which was scheduled to start in May and include stops in the Middle East and Mediterranean.

The Ultimate World Cruise is divided into four segments with 160 total destinations. The cruise departed from Miami on Dec. 10, 2023, to weave through the Caribbean and sail down the east coast of South America. The cruise then traveled around Cape Horn and braved the tempestuous Drake Passage near Antarctica; it then made its way up the Americas' west coast and concluded its first segment in Los Angeles on Feb. 11. The Asia portion started the same day and is scheduled to end on May 9.

Here is the original post:

Royal Caribbean Confirms 9-Month Cruise Will Not Go Through Red Sea and Suez Canal Due to Middle East Unrest - PEOPLE