Royal Caribbean cruise ship evacuated Americans from Israel

A Royal Caribbean International cruise ship helped evacuate U.S. nationals from Israel on Monday.

The line’s Rhapsody of the Seas vessel had been sailing in the region but canceled its itineraries in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

“Now, with enhanced safety precautions in place, our ship is providing free passage, including accommodation and food, for Americans in the region wishing to leave and find safer ground,” Jason Liberty, president and CEO of the line’s parent company Royal Caribbean Group, said in an email to employees that was shared with USA TODAY.

The evacuation was conducted in partnership with the U.S. State Department, Liberty said. The U.S. Embassy in Israel said in a security alert Sunday that boarding would begin in order of arrival on Monday at 8:00 a.m. local time, and the ship would sail from Haifa to Limassol, Cyprus.

The Rhapsody of the Seas ship can accommodate more than 2,400 passengers, according to Royal Caribbean’s website.

“Each traveler must be a U.S. national or the immediate family member (spouse/partner, children under age 21) of a U.S. national and have a valid passport,” the alert said. The embassy said travelers would be responsible for arranging their own accommodations and travel from Cyprus, but that chartered flights were also being arranged.

“This has truly been an incredible effort as our teams worked tirelessly over the past week to make this mission possible,” Liberty added in the email. “My heartfelt gratitude goes out to all involved and especially to the ship’s officers and crew for their unwavering support of this call to serve others in the midst of unimaginable tragedy.”

Escaping from Israel: U.S. families take tumultuous flights home after Hamas attacks

Many cruise lines changed itineraries following the conflict, in some cases suspending stops in Israel altogether. The State Department has an advisory in place for the region, warning against travel to Gaza and urging travelers to reconsider going to Israel and the West Bank.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Royal Caribbean cruise ship helps evacuated US nationals from Israel