Royal Caribbean helping US to evacuate citizens from Israel
The company recently cancelled its cruises from Israel but has sent a ship back to assist with evacuations
The US State Department has partnered with cruise line Royal Caribbean to evacuate American citizens from Israel due to the ongoing conflict.
The cruise line was asked to assist after the US Embassy in Israel requested help.
Royal Caribbean Group issued a statement on Monday to confirm their involvement in evacuation efforts. It read: “Royal Caribbean Group is actively assisting the US Department of State in an effort to evacuate American citizens in the area.”
The cruise line’s ship, the Rhapsody of the Seas, was in the area for holidays, which were cancelled due to the conflict. It is now being used to transport Americans from Haifa, Israel to Limassol, Cyprus. The duration of the crossing is around 12 hours.
From there, they will be able to continue their journey to the USA via scheduled or chartered flights. US consular staff will be onboard the ship to assist with onward travel arrangements.
Flights to and from Israel were cancelled by nations globally due to the conflict, but alternatives are available in Europe. White House spokesman John Kirby said that charter flights from the USA to Europe began at the weekend, connecting with scheduled services from major European cities.