Credible Threats to Public Squares and Docks in Istanbul and Antalya

A new travel warning was issued for Istanbul today by the Consulate General of the United States. The tourist dock area was specifically warned.

Emergency Message for U.S. Citizens: Credible Threats to Public Squares and Docks in Istanbul and Antalya

April 9, 2016

The U.S. Mission in Turkey would like to inform U.S. citizens that there are credible threats to tourist areas, in particular to public squares and docks in Istanbul and Antalya. Please exercise extreme caution if you are in the vicinity of such areas. For your personal safety, we urge you to monitor local media.

http://istanbul.usconsulate.gov/sm_040916.html

Hello Steve,

Please be assured that safety is our number one concern. Our team is constantly monitoring the situation.

Our next calls in Istanbul are July 2017, and then October 2018.

Should a change in itinerary be deemed prudent, booked guests will be advised.

Hello Steve,

Please be assured that safety is our number one concern. Our team is constantly monitoring the situation.

Our next calls in Istanbul are July 2017, and then October 2018.

Should a change in itinerary be deemed prudent, booked guests will be advised.

I understand Bonnie. I appreciate your response. I feel Azamara is more guest concerned than her other two sister lines. Your position and actions appear to reinforce that. The X blogger only cuts and pastes responses from their web site like a bot. :eek:

One person on our July 22, 2017 roll call out of Istanbul reported this morning receiving an email changing the embarkation port to Athens. However since your offices are closed today, my TA hasn't been able to confirm. I haven't received the email yet. The web site and booking entry haven't been updated online yet either.

Thank you for all you do in customer relations. I am so looking forward to our first AZ cruise. Wish it were sooner now.

Hello Steve,

Please be assured that safety is our number one concern. Our team is constantly monitoring the situation.

Our next calls in Istanbul are July 2017, and then October 2018.

Should a change in itinerary be deemed prudent, booked guests will be advised.

Tragedy at the Istanbul Airport today. Im sure all the lines will reassessing the safety of Turkey as a destination in any form.

Any speculation about whether or not Ephesus will be dropped? Izmir and Bodun have warnings out which surprised me as they are busy resort and commercial areas. A few years ago we went to Ephesus from Izmir port.

Too late to edit:

I did a little fact checking after the above post that was written after reading an article elsewhere. I am not finding a warning for Bodrum. The situation in Izmir is that the US government has removed family members from there. https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings/turkey-travel-warning.html

Well now Celebrity has posted a notice on the top of their web site, "We are monitoring the situation." So glad they publicly got on the "monitoring" bandwagon.

But what does "monitoring" really mean?

The terrorist activity has only been increasing in and around Istanbul. How many more "monitored" events targeting tourists are needed before Azamara decides to alter the embarkation port?

We were so looking forward to our first Azamara Quest sailing next July but I am afraid we're going to have to cancel if the embarkation port isn't changed soon. As we get closer to sail date, good cabins on other ships get booked and prices rise so we probably won't have time to wait long for Azamara to finally make a decision. We're not last minute planners.

Sorry Bonnie, nothing personal.

I think it's safe to say that Azamara are way more cautious than other lines even ones in the same group as can be seen from this article http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=6769.

Our 29th August 2016 cruise that was scheduled to embark in Istanbul was changed back in April to Piraeus even though we had booked our own flights and hotels Azamara covered all of the cost of making changes. So I think you can be confident that Azamara will make the necessary change if it's deemed that there is any risk, so I would expect that decision to be made sooner rather than later.

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You have to feel for the Turkish people. They are really stuck between a rock and a hard place. Not only do they have the ISIS style terrorists but they have the Kurd separatists as well.The decline in tourism is hurting the economy which only makes things tougher as well.

As tourists we have to define our own line for how far we are willing to go in order to see that splendid country and at what point we become uncomfortable. As for me, I am still willing to go to Ephesus this year; I am not willing to go to Istanbul this year. Next year things could be really different. I am not willing to say no to Istanbul for 2017. However, I am not going to judge those who are reluctant to commit to Istanbul for 2017.

You have to feel for the Turkish people. They are really stuck between a rock and a hard place. Not only do they have the ISIS style terrorists but they have the Kurd separatists as well.The decline in tourism is hurting the economy which only makes things tougher as well.

 

As tourists we have to define our own line for how far we are willing to go in order to see that splendid country and at what point we become uncomfortable. As for me, I am still willing to go to Ephesus this year; I am not willing to go to Istanbul this year. Next year things could be really different. I am not willing to say no to Istanbul for 2017. However, I am not going to judge those who are reluctant to commit to Istanbul for 2017.

I agree. Thanks

All of us at Azamara Club Cruises are keenly aware of yesterday's events at the Istanbul Atatürk Airport. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the attack. Please know we are closely monitoring the situation. At this time we have not made any new modifications to any of our upcoming sailings that visit Turkey.

Our decision-making process will always be driven by our concern for the safety and well-being of our guests and crew members.

Should we make any modifications to upcoming itineraries we will immediately contact booked guests and/or their travel agents.

With all do respect, how many more bombings and threats have to be issued before a port is cancelled? I think the way Oceania and others have handled it is the way to go....cancel all Turkish ports until that region is more settled (if that ever happens). I don't want to be booked on something that will be changed down the line.

This is what was posted on the Celebrity web site this morning; Linked top of the page.

"After reviewing all of the available information and discussions with our Global Security team in Miami, we have decided to cancel all of Celebrity Cruises’ upcoming turns in Istanbul, Turkey, and replace them with Athens (Piraeus), Greece."

"This decision was made with the safety of our guests and crew at the forefront of our minds and in an abundance of caution. We realize this may have an impact on your travel plans and our team is working now on available alternative arrangements from this new port of embark and debarkation. We sincerely apologize for the impact on your cruise and will revert throughout the day with more details. We understand how important your vacation is and we did not take this decision lightly."

For 2016 we only have only one visit to Turkey...Kusadasi on 31-Aug.

In 2017 we do have turn-arounds in Istanbul and we have a team actively reviewing these.

I'd respectfully asked anyone booked to give us a few days to review the situation and all voyages including Turkey. It is fairly complicated logistically to make such a change, so we won't have an answer overnight, but please be assured it is something we are seriously evaluating.

On a personal note, I have a travel-writer friend who coincidentally flew out of a secondary airport in Turkey yesterday. Here's a quote from her FB post today "[We are] safe and sound in Italy - but, I would fly back to Turkey tomorrow. Security was tighter when we flew out of Cappadocia yesterday than anything I've encountered in the States...you can never tell when or where terrorism will strike."

Any update on this Bonnie?

They are not going to be able to tell you what's happening until they have all the plans in place. Imagine the flack if they said "we have cancelled these ports but we've no idea where we are going to instead" or" we are going to A" then a few days later "oops A is full we are looking for somewhere else". It's a matter of berths and tides and where can critical provisions be got.

I think one is certain, Azamara would never knowingly go ahead with an itinerary that was putting its guests in danger.

So patience we will all hear soon

As uktog says it's not easy at the best of times and if you think there will be a number of cruise lines going through the same process. Certainly when this years August Istanbul turnaround was moved to Piraeus the first 10 day cruise was changed to a 3 & 7 day cruise presumably for operational and availability reasons. This in itself presents major operational challenges not least dealing with passengers who's holiday plans have been changed.

As we were some of those who's plans were changed Azamara dealt with it in a professional and compassionate manner. Other than that we ended up booking an extra cruise [emoji848] Azamara covered the costs of our flight changes and would have covered the cost of hotel cancellation had we incurred any. Contrast this with posts on the Celebrity forum where there have been comments about those booking there own travel arrangements not receiving anything.

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I have no issue with embarking in Istanbul - if fact I fly to Turkey in just over 3 weeks . I just need to know where to book flights to and if I will be compensated if they subsequently change the embarkation port

I have no issue with embarking in Istanbul - if fact I fly to Turkey in just over 3 weeks . I just need to know where to book flights to and if I will be compensated if they subsequently change the embarkation port

From memory I think the deal was either cancel the cruise and receive a full refund of the deposit or continue with the cruise with up to £350 pp to cover change expenses and $200 OBC per cabin compensation, this was for suite, balcony cabins were I think $100.

Of course there is nothing guaranteeing Azamara repeating this offer but would be surprised if they didn't.

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Our President/CEO Larry Pimentel is answering questions on the Q&A forum.

Today he answered a question related to this thread, posted by Host Andy: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2373490

Hi Bonnie. I am on the Journey August 29th and it looks like we are still going to Ephesus. Do you think that will change now based on the coup? I believe we are scheduled for AzAmazing Evening there as well. Thanks!

Same question here, Bonnie. I am hoping that there is a change and we will not call on Kusadasi.

There is no coup.

It is over. I would think (and hope) that Azamara would assess the situation going forward and not make a decision many weeks in advance.

Hi Bonnie. I am on the Journey August 29th and it looks like we are still going to Ephesus. Do you think that will change now based on the coup? I believe we are scheduled for AzAmazing Evening there as well. Thanks!

Hello golferwife,

I expect the decision will be taken Monday. Our team is studying alternatives. I'll post on this thread as soon as I hear anything.

Thanks Bonnie! Look forward to your response