Viking has canceled its Nile River cruises in Egypt through the end of March as conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran intensifies across the region. The company said it is arranging transportation for guests currently in Egypt and will suspend sailings temporarily.
Other river cruise operators are also scaling back. Avalon Waterways has ceased Egypt operations for the month, affecting its single Nile-based ship, the Farah. Tauck suspended its Egypt land tours, including river cruise segments, with select itineraries tentatively set to resume after mid-March. AmaWaterways paused its Jordan land extensions and Dubai programs through March 31, though it plans to continue its Nile sailings for now, offering penalty-free rebooking options to guests who prefer to postpone.
The pullback follows heightened travel warnings from the U.S. State Department, which advised Americans to leave several countries in the region, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Jordan and Kuwait.
For Viking, Egypt accounts for roughly 2% of overall capacity, though the company has been expanding aggressively on the Nile and previously announced plans to operate up to a dozen ships there next year. The suspension highlights how geopolitical tensions can quickly affect specialized travel sectors such as river cruising, even in destinations that saw strong tourism growth in recent years.