German cruise line passengers to debark to avoid piracy

Responding to “growing safety concerns” due to attacks and threats of attacks by Somali pirates, Germany’s cruise line Hapag-Lloyd will not take its passengers on board the Columbus world cruise through the Gulf of Aden, but will fly the 300 passengers and crew to Dubai instead.

The recent attack on Oceania Cruises’ deluxe ship Nautica in the Gulf of Aden has led to heightened concerns about cruise passenger safety in the area.

The managing director of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Sebastian Ahrens, made an official statement, which read in part: “Our passenger’s safety is our highest priority. As long as the situation is uncertain in the area, and as long [as] German authorities have a travel warning issued, we will not cruise through the Gulf of Aden with passengers onboard.”

Passengers will debark the cruise ship at an undisclosed location, which is likely to be in Yemen – as this is the final port of call before entering the Gulf of Aden. They will then be flown to Dubai, where they will be put up in a five-star hotel.

The flight and accommodation will be provided to passengers at no additional charge. Those passengers who booked on the first 19 days only, which ends in Dubai, can continue with their travel plans from Dubai.

Passengers booked on the full world cruise will board the Columbus once again in Oman.

Thanks to www.cruisecritic.co.uk for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.

www.hl-cruises.com