Fact Check

Princess Cruises Boycotts Israel

Has Princess Cruises ceased making stops in Israel?

Published June 14, 2010

Claim:

Claim:   Princess Cruises has ceased making stops in Israel.


FALSE


Example:   [Collected via e-mail, June 2010]


Yesterday, 6/2/2010, the Pacific Princess, carrying 700 passengers, canceled a stop at Ashdod, Israel .

Instead, they informed the passengers they would stop in Egypt as an alternative.

Princess is now bowing to pressure and boycotting Israel .

Please pass this on to all Jewish Americans in order to let them know that there are alternatives to Princess.


 

Origins:   On 31 May 2010, Israeli commandos stormed the six-ship Freedom Flotilla in international waters off the coast of the Gaza Strip as it carried some 10,000 tons of aid and up to 700 human rights activists to the Palestinian enclave. In that melee, nine activists were killed and dozens were injured. Hundreds of those being conveyed on the flotilla were jailed and then deported.

The attack on the Gaza-bound humanitarian aid convoy served to heighten tensions in that area of the world. In response to the potential for retaliatory attacks on Israel, Princess Cruises canceled the 2 June 2010 Pacific Princess call on the port of Ashdod, Israel. The 1 June 2010 call upon the Israeli port of Haifa went ahead as scheduled, providing passengers the opportunity for a full day of touring Galilee and Nazareth.

Princess Cruises said of their decision that:



Based on careful review of the situation and information provided by the US State Department and other sources, we were concerned about potential violence in Ashdod in reaction to the incident.

We made the decision strictly in the best interest of the safety of our passengers and crew, to cancel the call in Ashdod the following day.


Azamara Club Cruises also canceled a planned visit to that city, routing its Azamara Quest directly to Haifa rather than making the planned 7 June 2010 call upon Ashdod.

Pacific Princess is scheduled to visit the ports of Haifa and Ashdod at the end of June 2010 during its 12-day Mediterranean East cruise (which departs from Venice on 20 June 2010). The line fully expects to maintain the published itinerary.

Additional information:


Princess Cruises addresses the rumor Statement from Princess Cruises (Princess Cruises)

Last updated:   14 June 2010


Sources:




    Golden, Fran.   "Princess Cruises Cancels Israel Visit."

    AOL News.   2 June 2010.

    Sloan, Gene.   "Princess Cruises Cancels Call in Israel in Wake of Attack on Aid Flotilla."

    USA Today.   1 June 2010.

    JTA.   "Princess Cruises Boycott Tale Is Debunked."

    14 June 2010.


David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.

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