Spring 2009 Itinerary to Bypass Gulf of Aden

Dec. 9, 2008: The Institute for Shipboard Education, in consultation with leading government and non-government international risk assessment agencies, has resolved to reroute the spring 2009 voyage to avoid increasingly uncertain conditions in the Gulf of Aden. Given the recent attempted attack on a passenger ship and additional incidents in the region, we have amended the voyage itinerary to avoid this area of potential risk. The safety of all Semester at Sea participants, visitors, and crew members remains our number one priority and foremost concern.

The spring 2009 voyage will sail a revised itinerary as follows:

• The voyage will depart Nassau, Bahamas and call upon Cadiz, Spain; Casablanca, Morocco (new); Walvis Bay, Namibia (new); Cape Town, South Africa (new); Port Louis, Mauritius (new); Chennai, India; Laem Chabang (Bangkok) Thailand; Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Hong Kong/Shanghai, China; Kobe/Yokohama, Japan; Honolulu, HI; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; and return to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
• A detailed itinerary has been posted. Please note the ports of Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, and Mauritius have replaced the ports of Italy, Turkey, and Egypt. The itinerary from India forward remains unchanged.
• We will continue to closely monitor conditions in the countries of India and Thailand. These countries will remain on the itinerary unless safety conditions require a change.

It is our continued hope that international security efforts to stabilize the Gulf of Aden region will succeed and that we will be able to safely traverse these waters on future itineraries.