Distressing Development: Luxor

Excerpted from this morning's Washington Post, "Multiple suicide bombers targeted Egypt’s famed Karnak temple in the ancient city of Luxor on Wednesday, marking the first attempt by Egyptian militants to strike the country’s already fragile tourism industry.

Egypt’s Interior Ministry said two attackers were killed and a third was wounded in a foiled “terrorist attack,” but gave no other immediate details.

At least one bomber was able to detonate his explosives inside the temple, part of a complex started 4,000 years ago and built over many centuries, Egyptian security officials told the Associated Press.

The state-run Al-Ahram newspaper reported two civilians were killed and one policeman was injured.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in Luxor, about 300 miles south of Cairo on the Nile River."

A perfect example as to why Oceania is canceling ports in Egypt. Better safe than sorry. :):)

Are they canceling all stops in Egypt for the next five years at least? They should be if they are concerned about passengers' safety. Or will they continue to sell these cruises and then cancel the ports after final payment when people cannot back out without losing their money?

Are they canceling all stops in Egypt for the next five years at least? They should be if they are concerned about passengers' safety. Or will they continue to sell these cruises and then cancel the ports after final payment when people cannot back out without losing their money?

Is that what you advocated for New York City on 9/12/01?

Is that what you advocated for New York City on 9/12/01?

Good point.

So why would you even sign up for a cruise that stops in Egypt? I want to see this country very much but until things settle down in the Middle East, I will take my Oceania cruises elsewhere.

So why would you even sign up for a cruise that stops in Egypt? I want to see this country very much but until things settle down in the Middle East, I will take my Oceania cruises elsewhere.

Because we're risk-takers. (We are not on an O cruise that stops in Egypt, we are going on a Nile cruise.) We have decided that the risk is acceptable and the benefits of going now are great.

Of course, if this situation in Luxor deteriorates in some way, we can bail out.

Is that what you advocated for New York City on 9/12/01?

Well thank goodness there has not been a repeat of 9-1-1 in NYC or anywhere in N.A.

There really is no right answer to go or not. Everyone has their own risk tolerance. I would really love to see the place however I am afraid to go at this point. If I was 38, not 68, I guess I would. I think the safest way to go is on a ship as if you feel in danger you can get back on and if things turn bad quickly the ship will skip the port. I have lived in NY my whole life. When they opened up downtown after 9/11 you could see the fear on people's faces going down there, fear knows no boarders.

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... I would really love to see the place however I am afraid to go at this point. If I was 38, not 68, I guess I would....

It's the fact that I am 67, not 37 that I think I'm ready to go. Time is a-flitting, and what do I have to lose? If I was 37 I'd have family responsibilities to think about.

How sad for the people of Egypt! I was there in November for two days while on a Voyage of Discovery cruise.

One of the days we were able to visit Karnak, Luxor and the Valley of the Kings without any issues (other than very aggressive vendors!).

The economy in that area is suffering terribly. A beautiful 5* hotel all but empty except for our small group for lunch and a handful of European tourists. The Nile cruise ships were tied up 3 abreast all along the shoreline......some literally rotting where they were moored.

Everyone (other than those pesky vendors) was incredibly wonderful. Our tour guide said she used to do 4 or 5 tours a week, now she does one every two weeks if she's lucky.

The people there are very poor and rely desperately on tourism to live. It's a very said situation unfortunately.

No word on whether O will cancel our next cruise in April stop their. I have asked O what are their intentions. I would not be happy to see the cancellation 2 months before the cruise since private tours have been arranged already at the previous/later ports. (generally O would extend the Aqaba port to 2 days and add an extra day in Haifa).

The "threat" of similar acts is not going to magically disappear.

Are they canceling all stops in Egypt for the next five years at least? They should be if they are concerned about passengers' safety. Or will they continue to sell these cruises and then cancel the ports after final payment when people cannot back out without losing their money?

Totally accurate observation. Will they ever be truthful or will they continue advertising a product they have no intention of honouring?

Well thank goodness there has not been a repeat of 9-1-1 in NYC or anywhere in N.A.

So Boston bomber, doesn't count? Come on folks its is all over the world. There are folks that do terrorist things everywhere. You have to be hyper vigilant wherever you go. It is something that keeps us alive everyday, in NYC, Boston, or Bear country in the woods of North NJ or the wilds of Alaska or Glacier National Park. We are going to Egypt this fall. I will post about our river cruise when we get back.

Is that what you advocated for New York City on 9/12/01?

Apples and oranges. The airlines did not take you to Chicago if the N.Y. airports were closed. They let you cancel and gave your money back. Not Oceania. They took you wherever they wanted. :(:(:(:(

Is that what you advocated for New York City on 9/12/01?

The situation in the entire mid east is and has been getting worse and worse every few months, for years. New York9-11, is and was relative isolated... I mean you could walk in down town Newberg or Albany without any threat. The same cannot be said of almost any city in or outlying regions of Egypt, Lybia, Algeria, Tunisa,Lebanon, and Probably Jordan. ( Isis recently announced they were going to attack tourists/foreigner in Jordan )

Maybe going into south Bronx, Bedford or Harlem at 2 in the morning might come sort of close.... But in the mid east the entire region is like that...there is nowhere to hide..

Without being political, the western world has not one clue or plan as to how

to stop/ protect or defend the Mideast. Meanwhile the Palestine fun loving PLO continues to launch rockets into Israel.

I am not the sharpest strategist or mid expert, however, from the vast collection of information available ,I have concluded that the risk, threats and potential for real personal problem for western visitors far outweigh any personal benefits one might get from visiting anywhere in the entire region..including Saudi and Dubai...

Going to Africa and the mid-east, reminds me of when I met a guy one day, waist deep in the middle of a large pool of quick-sand. I asked what he was doing and he replied. " I am walking across quick sand" To which I replied, (seeing him waist deep and in the midst of it)," well how's it going"

He replied," well so far so good"

Is that what you advocated for New York City on 9/12/01?

Did O cancel any port stops in NY after 911?

And there's a big difference between NY on 911 which came completely out of the blue and Egypt where the situation has been dangerous for years and continues to be so. It doesn't just become dangerous after final payment.

Oceania is getting a bad rap here. IMO they can sell a cruise anyplace on earth that has water to float a boat. It takes people who have the ability to think and make decisions for themselves to book them. Just as conditions in the middle east is no surprise to Oceania it's no surprise to people booking the trip.

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Oceania is getting a bad rap here. IMO they can sell a cruise anyplace on earth that has water to float a boat. It takes people who have the ability to think and make decisions for themselves to book them. Just as conditions in the middle east is no surprise to Oceania it's no surprise to people booking the trip.

 

Sent from my SM-T320 using Forums mobile app[/quot Sorry to disagree with you. Oceania should get a very bad rap for this. Since it is surely no surprise to Oceania than they should know better. They have a much better handle than your average cruiser what the situation is over there. Not right to take our money when they know full well that these ports will most likely be canceled. Almost sounds like bait and switch. This is one of the few times we have anything bad to say about "O" Will continue to cruise and hope they get the message about this. :(:(:(

Did O cancel any port stops in NY after 911?

Are you kidding? There was no Oceania on 9/11. Different company.

Are you kidding? There was no Oceania on 9/11. Different company.

And the irony is that 9/11 was one of the immediate causes of the demise of Renaissance.

Back in 1997 my wife and I vacationed in Egypt. The day after our small group visited the Museum in Cairo, terrorist through bombs into a bus filled with German tourist some of whom were killed. Two weeks after we returned home there was a massacre at one of the sites we had visited. I believe 16 tourist were murdered. As you can see this has been going on a long time. It is a shame because the Egyptian people we met were wonderful. We still consider it the greatest vacation we have ever had. That said, would we do it again? Probably not.

And the irony is that 9/11 was one of the immediate causes of the demise of Renaissance.

So sad, but so true. On the other hand we got a wonderful cruise line out of the demise of Renaissance. A few flaws, but mostly good. :):)

My thoughts on visiting these troubled areas are best expressed as to how I responded to family and friends as we prepared to visit Egypt and Israel a few years ago.

FF: You are really going to Egypt and Israel at this time with all the trouble there?

Me: yes, we are

FF: You are not worried about all the trouble and bombings, etc?

Me: I have some bad news for you. I cannot believe that you have never been told this before.

FF: What is that?

Me: One day, might be today, might be tomorrow, might be 50 years from now. But, one day, you are going to die. If I die in one of these areas where many greats have died before me, then the area was good enough for them to die there, guess it will be good enough for me to die there. Especially since I will be doing something I enjoy doing.

Obviously as I am now posting this, despite I am sure wishes of some you cats, I returned alive and in one piece. Would I return to this area? Give me the boarding pass, I am on my way.