Weeks are cruise ships with German holidaymakers not covered by the Gulf of Aden mileage. Before the pirate threat in the waters between Somalia and Yemen, which has a travel warning from the Foreign Office there, the shipping companies have not capitulated.
Most companies adhere to these tours and dates noted. Among the sellers, the trips by the international troops guarded waters of the Horn of Africa remains in the program have included Aida Cruises, Dolphin Cruises, Phoenix Reisen, Transocean Tours and Costa Cruises. The Deilmann Reederei with television Traumschiff “MS Deutschland”, the region has so far not from the planned route is deleted – the next visit, however, until April 2011.
The fact that it rides through the Gulf of Aden has increased security measures, like to emphasize the lines. What they are, they say, but not – for security reasons. Another decision taken MSC Cruises. The Italian shipping company sends the MSC Sinfonia, “a ship for up to 1700 passengers, the West African coast in the autumn of 2009 is over Morocco, Senegal and Namibia to South Africa and in April 2010 on the same path back. Originally they were transporting to Africa’s east coast trips planned. For the western route was the company “because of the events decided, says Germany’s CEO, Falk-Hartwig Rost said in Munich and a pirate attack on the” MSC Melody “in April, well ahead of the mainland coast in the Indian Ocean was off.
That not more companies follow the example of Africa’s west coast and dodge, is located on the very long-term planning of cruises, which often has up to the year 2011 ranges. To avoid the Suez Canal and to circumnavigate Africa, would apply to vessels with Dubai as a destination to journey time extensions of approximately 30 days, says Sibylle Zeuch by the German Travel Association (DRV) in Berlin.
“The schedules and travel plans of the customers would totally confused.” The question of route changes had therefore not made, explain Hansjörg Kunze Aida Cruises in Rostock and Ralph Steffen, spokesman for Costa in Germany Neu-Isenburg. Still another way to date Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Tours Plan & Partners gone: Both lines have ships in the recent past only with the crew through the Gulf of Aden let go. So were the passengers of the “MS Europa” of Hapag-Lloyd in April on his way to Cyprus in Oman and the Yemen disembarked again placed on board the ship. The shipping company wants to continue to do so: “We do not drive with passengers through the Gulf, while the situation has not changed,” says Hapag-Lloyd spokeswoman Negar Etminan. The next trip through the Gulf, however, until April 2010 when the “Europe” from Dubai to Malta is underway.
Plan Tours & Partners on the other hand, let the ocean vessel “Vistamar” not yet in the region to return. Unlike MSC and Hapag-Lloyd has been with the company from Bremen such a route in the coming winter but not even planned. Instead, there should be only in the 2010/11 season again twice by the Gulf of Aden go. The plan has now changed Tours. You have quite the concern that “something happened,” says CEO Oliver Steuber.
Other shipping lines to assess the situation is not so. “We have a stable demand for these trips,” says Aida spokesman Kunze. “It comes at rebooking or cancellation requests, but are a few exceptions,” adds Heinz-Herbert Hey, the boss of dolphin cruises. “No major cancellations or transfers” is also Costa: The “culturally very interesting trip to Dubai is enjoying high popularity German guests. Transfer and cancellation requests for the vessels “Amadea” and “Albatross” confirmed – without an order of magnitude to call – even Krumper Benjamin, Phoenix Travel’s Managing Director in Bonn. About route changes under consideration would be in his house is not.
The passengers know well informed about the pirate risk, says the DRV: Each vendor handed when booking travel instructions from the Foreign Office. And speak for themselves – as well as Defense Minister Franz-Josef Jung, who has twice criticized, that more cruise ships in Gulf of Aden are present. The travel company was not well received. “We are delighted with the federal government in contact,” says spokeswoman Zeuch DRV. For details of these discussions, it does not betray.
The Foreign Office has a travel warning for the Gulf of Aden issued. It states: “Prior to the coasts of Somalia and its neighbors as well as in adjacent waters is still a very high risk of pirate attacks and capture. Meanwhile, ships are also deep in the Indian Ocean to the Seychelles, Madagascar and in Kenya and Tanzania attacked and hijacked. ”
Elsewhere, we read: “In November 2008 was a super tanker on the high seas off the coast of Kenya-Somali pirates hijacked. It is thus not excluded that also other large vessels, including cruise ships, in the focus of the pirates could have. “
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Aug 17 2009