Discover the Silver-Moon: Ratings & Maritime News

The cruise ship 'Silver Moon' has taken precautionary measures by modifying its course away from the southern Red Sea due to escalating regional tensions. Scheduled to navigate through the Bab el-Mandeb strait on January 11, 2024, the vessel was set to embark on a cruise journey from Jordan to Oman. In a notice addressed to passengers, Captain Luigi Rutigliano cited a recommendation from the Global Security team for itinerary changes, opting to keep the journey on the northern side of the Red Sea. He informed passengers of this decision based on recent intelligence reports, stating, 'The situation, as you may have read from news reports, is changing daily.' Upon completion of its transit through the Suez Canal on December 31, the 'Silver Moon' was primed for an extended voyage that would take it from the Red Sea to Dubai, India, Southeast Asia, and Japan. The ship is slated to reverse its route in the spring, returning to the Mediterranean in May. Arriving in Aqaba on January 6 with 278 passengers and 408 crew members, the vessel's next cruise was slated to start that same day, featuring stops in Saudi Arabia before continuing through the southern Red Sea from January 10 to 12, concluding in Salalah and Muscat, Oman by January 16. However, on January 10, the ship redirected northward from Saudi Arabia, charting a new course towards Sharm El Sheikh at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, subsequently making stops in Ain Sukhna and Safaga, Egypt. All passengers have been informed they must disembark in Aqaba, where arrangements for onward flights will be made. The anticipated cruise originating in Oman has been officially canceled. Speculation on board suggests that after disembarking its passengers, the 'Silver Moon' may continue through the Red Sea solely with crew onboard, heading directly to Dubai to resume its scheduled itineraries. In spring 2024, the 'Silver Moon' and several other cruise ships are expected to transit the Red Sea as they reposition from Asia or the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean for the summer season. Additionally, several world cruise itineraries are planning to traverse the Red Sea as they complete their journeys back to Europe.