Thursday, 5 December 2024
by BD Banks
If you plan to cruise any time soon (or really any time), it’s a good idea to stay aware of the US State Department’s travel advisories for the countries you plan to visit.
The State Department regularly updates their travel advisories based on current safety and security conditions in each country in order to help U.S. citizens make informed decisions when deciding to take a trip abroad. Travel advisory levels range from Level 1, the lowest warning level, to Level 4, which warns U.S. citizens not to travel to the country due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks.
Related: Warning: 2 things to know before booking a Royal Caribbean cruise
If a significant threat to passenger and crew safety arises in a cruise port, cruise lines will often change their itineraries, but it’s not uncommon for cruise ships to sail to countries where the State Department recommends travelers exercise increased caution.
While many cruise lines have altered Baltic Sea cruise itineraries and avoided sailing in the Black Sea since 2022 due to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, certain European river cruises continue to sail to a port that could be impacted by another ongoing conflict in the region.
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Image source: Oceania Cruises
On Nov. 29, the State Department reissued its Level 2 travel advisory for Moldova, which has a cruise port on the Danube River. German cruise operator Phoenix Reisen’s river cruise ship MS Anna Katharina has planned calls to Moldova’s Port Giurgiulesti on Danube River cruises in 2025.
The State Department’s reissued Moldova travel advisory states:
“Exercise increased caution while traveling to Moldova. This is due to unresolved conflict between the breakaway region of Transnistria and the central government.”
“There have been reports of debris from airborne projectiles landing in Moldova. However, there is no indication that Moldova is being targeted in Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Chisinau airport is operating normally although there are no flights available to or from Belarus, Russia or Ukraine,” according to the State Dept.
While Moldova is listed as Level 2 advisory level, the breakaway region of Transnistria is listed as a Level 3: Reconsider Travel advisory. The State Department warns travelers that Transnistria is a region that is not under the control of the Moldovan government and there is also military conflict in nearby Ukraine.
When the State Department issues a Level 2 travel advisory, the US government isn’t telling you not to travel to the destination. But it does want you to be on alert.
It’s important to read the advisory and follow the department’s advice. The State Department also advises travelers to keep in the mind that conditions in any country may change at any time.
When an advisory is set at Level 3, the State Department advises U.S. citizens to reconsider travel due to serious risks to safety and security. Only at Level 4, the highest advisory level, does the State Department specifically say that U.S. citizens should not travel to the country.
Related: What the US government’s Bahamas travel warning means for cruises
When booking a cruise or departing on one you booked months ago, it’s always a good idea to check the current travel advisories for the destinations your cruise will visit. You can look up the travel advisory for each destination on the State Department website, which also offers an interactive, color-coded world map view.
It’s also important to check with your cruise line for specific guidance they can provide about any ports of call they visit with Level 2 or higher travel warnings. Cruise lines actively monitor the security situations in their ports of call and a country’s travel warning doesn’t always mean a cruise port in the country is unsafe.
Related: Royal Caribbean makes key decision on Labadee, Haiti port
Royal Caribbean has found this to be the case at its private destination, Labadee, Haiti. The cruise line still calls on Labadee despite Haiti’s Level 4 travel advisory. While technically part of Haiti, Labadee is a cruise-exclusive destination far removed from the capital city of Port-au-Prince, which has been plagued by ongoing gang violence.
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