Istanbul bombing

Will Cunard continue to keep Istanbul in its summer itinerary?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36466744

Who knows

UK gov. recommendations haven't changed....yet.

Watch this space. https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey

David.

I certainly hope that Cunard will keep Istanbul in its summer itinerary.

I have specifically choosen my upcoming cruise for the stops in Turkey.

Terrorist attacks should not deter from visiting Istanbul just like they did not do from visiting New York, Paris or London.

Unless the FCO ban travel to Istanbul, I would imagine Cunard will continue to visit.

While cruising the Suez Canal, Cunard recommended not to do excursions. I could imagine that they do the same for Istanbul.

From our experience Cunard has been particularly cautious in such matters. For example, in November 2014 QE dropped La Goulette, Tunis (in favour of Sarante, Albania). We had the chance to remember it when, next March, the attack occurred at the Bardo Museum, killing 9 and wounding 12 cruise passengers of MSC among many others.

Several cruise lines announced earlier this year that they had cancelled calls into Turkish ports, including Regent Seven Seas, Crystal, Oceania, Disney, Norwegian, MSC and Costa. Celebrity has cancelled all overnight port calls.

Whatever the case, our thoughts are with the Turkish people. Let's hope that stability will return to the region as soon as possible.

I was there in February for just a short time. The Kepenski had a metal detector at the entrance.

I had a basic room and was given a bouquet of flowers and a wonderful room with a great view. The poor people are really suffering from the drop in tourism.

It's a city of what, 14 million people. I'd say the odds of gettting caught I. A terrorist attack are way less than the number of pedestrians being hit by cars in Manhattan .

With cruises, we all know we can miss a port, but I think turkey is such a highlight ! I have been to Ephesus twice.

I would add that the chances of getting caught up in a terrorist attack in Istanbul are less than getting shot on the streets of my hometown, Oakland, California. But guns in the US are a whole other story. Anyway, I try to not let terrorism deter my quest to see the world. And I do love Turkey and Istanbul in particular.

I too was concerned so today I contacted Cunard Reservations and currently they have not made any decision not to port in Istanbul. They said they would monitor the situation and if any changes are made to our itinerary (Istanbul end Aug) they would send Emergency Notification. I then asked when might 'the call' be made - it could be just a judgement call of the Captain, which means missing that port and spending it cruising the Med or if done in advance, an attempt would be made to try to make arrangements to re-port somewhere else. Certainly, the longer they wait the less likely of an alternate port. FWIW.

We called at Istanbul on the QE World Cruise this year. Lot’s of folks went ashore, it was a glorious day. Having been there several times, and trying to avoid spending more money:p I stayed on board.There was a terrorist bombing at a downtown police station-some of us heard the boom over the roar of the city-and the sirens. No one from QE was hurt of even aware of the incident PTL! But things seem to be deteriorating in Turkey and who knows what will come in the midst of the Turkish Theater of the Muslim civil war.

I certainly hope that Cunard will keep Istanbul in its summer itinerary.

 

I have specifically choosen my upcoming cruise for the stops in Turkey.

 

Terrorist attacks should not deter from visiting Istanbul just like they did not do from visiting New York, Paris or London.

...or Orlando, Florida.

Madness will not win.

Today, in the face of the hatred in Orlando, I would feel more safe in Istanbul or Paris than in many places in the US. But if I were in Orlando, I would definitely visit a gay club in solidarity.

Will Cunard continue to keep Istanbul in its summer itinerary?

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36466744

I can imagine that question has new urgency tonight.

With deepest sympathy for the victims of the Istanbul Ataturk airport attack - Salacia

Will Cunard continue to keep Istanbul in its summer itinerary?

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36466744

It is a very difficult question. I charter a 747 aircraft every Orlando to take seriously ill and disabled children to Orlando for a 10 day holiday. Do I cancel it because of the recent tragic events there? The answer is - yes I am still doing the trip. I couldn't disappoint all those children.

What a sad world in a way. You never know where tragedy will strike next.

BBC coverage:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36658187

The Australian government today raised the travel advisory for Turkey to 'reconsider your need to travel' (level just under 'do not travel'). For border areas with Syria it has been 'do not travel' for some time now.

It is such a shame this is happening for so many reasons. I found Turkey to be such an amazing place and was fortunate enough to visit five different places there on QE in 2014. I'd love to go back, but it doesn't look likely anytime soon.

The same with Egypt. I have been wanting to go there for so long, but unfortunately it doesn't look like it will be safe enough to travel anytime soon.

The region has so much to offer culturally and historically. I just hope that greater stability comes about so that people can start travelling there again in greater numbers. As pointed out, tourism is the lifeblood of places like Turkey.

I don't know how safe anyone is in most countries outside Australia and Asia.

Between Zika, random shootings here in the US a well as the fact that there is not check needed before entering any US airport and there are hundreds of sitting ducks in the TSA lines,terrorism in Europe.... The list goes on.

It is so sad ! These are tough times. Unlike land travel, the cruiseline will decide and probably err on the side of safety. As an aside, I would travel to Turkey and Turkish airlines is fantastic for the money. They are lovely people, from a tourists point of view and I always learn so much there.

"...Doral-based Carnival Corporation’s Princess Cruises, Cunard Line and Holland America Line are currently evaluating Istanbul stops scheduled for mid-July to August, said spokesman Roger Frizzell. Princess Cruises, which is set to stop in Istanbul next week with its 3,600-passenger Royal Princess, has not yet said if it will move to another port.

Carnival Cruise Line ia also assessing a stop on July 17 to Kusadasi, Turkey, about 350 miles south of Istanbul, Frizzell said.

A Saturday sailing from Istanbul planned for Carnival Corp. luxury line Seabourn will leave from Athens instead, the cruise line said. Four other departures from Istanbul between July 30 and Oct. 22 currently are slated to depart as scheduled..." Copied from

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article86722352.html#storylink=cpy ---Of interest might be information in the paragraphs under the sub-heading "Travel insurance can help"

-S.

Istanbul will be pulled.

I'll be sad if Kusadasi is pulled, as Ephesus is on my bucket list and we're due there in October on the QE.

Istanbul will be pulled.

We are on the QV due in on 18 July.

Think you are probably correct but it will be a shame such an interesting place.

Wonder what could be the replacements?

UK FCO not advising against travel to Istanbul at the moment.