Rhapsody of the Seas
The US Department and the State Embassy have initiated the evacuation of US nationals and their families from Israel. Israeli government officials have declared their intention to enter the next phase of their conflict with Hamas, which involves a comprehensive air, land, and sea invasion of Gaza.
For this mission, the cruise ship selected was Royal Caribbean’s “RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS” a vessel built in 1997 with a gross tonnage of 78,878. Before the outbreak of the conflict, it was operating cruises from Israel, which were subsequently canceled. The ship was initially docked in Cyprus but was swiftly dispatched to Haifa for the evacuation.
With a maximum passenger capacity of 2,400 individuals and 1,000 passenger cabins, the embassy stated that they would accommodate around 2,500 people on a first-come, first-served basis.
The US Embassy in Israel had announced that each passenger was allowed a suitcase weighing up to 50 lbs and a small carry-on bag. Pets were not permitted on the journey. Additionally, the embassy reassured the passengers that US consular staff would be accompanying them to provide assistance during the evacuation. Basic amenities such as food and Wi-Fi were available during the journey.
According to AIS data, the ship arrived in Limassol, Cyprus, at 6:00 AM, after departing from Haifa at 4:00 PM yesterday. Regarding onward travel and accommodations from Cyprus, passengers will be responsible for making their arrangements. The US Embassy has also mentioned that several chartered flights will be available to facilitate travel to nearby safe countries.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.
#Royal #Caribbean #Cruise #Ship #Chartered #Evacuate #Citizens #Israel