Mediterranean Unrest

With the recent tragedy in Nice, the airport bombing and coup-attempt in Turkey and other incidents of unrest in the general vicinity of the Med, who is considering postponing or cancelling their upcoming Med cruise?

Just Curious. I'm not, by the way.

It is still safer than most of the USA with its almost weekly shootings and random gun attacks!!

Turkey has not been on Regent's itinerary throughout 2016.

Sadly if you tried to only visit 'safe' locations, few places would be left in this turbulent world.

No. I'm still going. Italy, albeit not France or Turkey. I think Turkey will be unsettled for a few days, but then probably settle down, although it's still a target for terrorists of course.

How about Israel, Egypt or Jordon?

How about Israel, Egypt or Jordon?

I would go to Israel or Jordan in a heartbeat. Much more leery of Egypt. Even when I was there in the "good times" it is one of the few places in the world I felt uncomfortable.

It is sad about Turkey and it seeming turn towards fundamentalism. I always preferred Turkey over Greece. Glad I got to travel there many times in the past but I wouldn't go until think really settled down; years.

j

I would go to Israel or Jordan in a heartbeat. Much more leery of Egypt. Even when I was there in the "good times" it is one of the few places in the world I felt uncomfortable.

We're considering a return visit to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. We noticed a significant decline between our visits in 2005 and 2009, despite the new visitors center, etc. It has to be so much worse for the locals in the tourist industry now.

We'd also like to go back to Petra and spend a few days. Wouldn't worry about heading there in the slightest.

No. I'm still going. Italy, albeit not France or Turkey. I think Turkey will be unsettled for a few days, but then probably settle down, although it's still a target for terrorists of course.

I can understand Turkey... things will calm down from the current event quickly, but the overall level of unrest there will escalate before it gets better.

But France? I think the Nice incident will be viewed as a "one-off" and Paris has a much better grip on Security now.

Sad events for sure.

I'm currently booked on the Explorer in October with stops in Greece and Egypt before disembarking in Israel. I have no plans to postpone, instead I am looking forward to the trip.

Still going, though it is Italy, not France or turkey.

Like Rachel, we have many fond memories of Nice and Istanbul....Of course the issue deserves discussion and attentiveness. Very sad and scary times...But as in all things in our lives, we like to live fully and enjoy, or said another way.... "we choose to dance while we can"!!! So on we go, eyes open, hopeful for a safe trip.

FWIW, the Nice atrocity appears to have been the one-off work of a severely mentally ill Islamist rather than one directed by ISIS or another Islamist group.

FWIW, the Nice atrocity appears to have been the one-off work of a severely mentally ill Islamist rather than one directed by ISIS or another Islamist group.

Oh no, they are recruiting off the Internet and this has been discussed in the media. Unfortunately we do have radical Islamics living among us all over the world. Pretty scary. If this keeps up it will curtail travel.

but we are older and have had a good life..3 kids, 8 grands and 5 great grands, so we have booked about 20 days in 2017 on the Explorer. We would rather go down together than separately. For that, I am not sure FDR wants to put his new ship in danger. We will roll with whatever.

but we are older and have had a good life..3 kids, 8 grands and 5 great grands, so we have booked about 20 days in 2017 on the Explorer. We would rather go down together than separately. For that, I am not sure FDR wants to put his new ship in danger. We will roll with whatever.

You are so right, Caroldoll. We feel exactly the same way. Unless travel is banned to a certain area, our plans won't change. In April, we had the opportunity to cancel a Uniworld cruise due to the Brussels attack but went ahead ( and even departed from Brussels airport on the first day it reopened-not pretty). And, I was stuck in the Middle East while on business for a week during the Benghazi incident in 2012. All harrowing experiences, but not deterrents to enjoying what we love to do....travel. Looking forward to the Explorer Miami to LA cruise in December.

Speaking of Danger: Greetings from South Beach, where the streets are extremely dangerous when the bars close. The people who get drunk are the same idiots who drive that way. We won't cancel a trip unless its destinations are specified in State Department advisories. Cruise lines are very sensible and we do not protest their decisions. Our next trip is the Miami to Barcelona TA on Explorer in March and we are looking forward to it.

Mary

We are on that same cruise. Looking forward to meeting you. We have also booked a super long one on The Explorer in Sept/October 2017. That is, if they continue to leave ships over there. Things are not 'lookin up!

We are also on the TA next March. And we depart from Nice on Wednesday. We are past of the group that will not allow terrorists to scare us.

We are on that same cruise. Looking forward to meeting you. We have also booked a super long one on The Explorer in Sept/October 2017. That is, if they continue to leave ships over there. Things are not 'lookin up!

Yes, I saw that on the roll call. Looking forward to meeting you, as well. Looks like the cruise is fully booked with only wait lists in all categories.

I am hoping for a change from Acapulco though.

I would be much more concerned to travel to France than Turkey today.

The Nice incident was not a one off but a 4th attempt to cause as much death as possible.Extremely well planned and by more than one man..Previously only a few people got killed so didn't make the international news.

France has not yet got a grip on its security.It appears overwhelmed,Huge efforts for the euros football,yet they allow cars and lorries along a promenade with thousands of people.many major events cancelled in France in the last 48hrs..

It is so tragic that our children are growing up in such difficult and deadly times.

Safe travels wherever you are heading....🙂.

We were in Nice Airport yesterday where there were several visible guards carrying what appears to be automatic weapons. Their presence made us feel safer than in other airports we were in the past couple of weeks.

I agree one shouldn't change their plans (Turkey, it will be awhile until they get it together). It's wrong that things have to happen, but it does happen all over the world. I was to be on one of the planes that when in the World Trade Center, but was really lucky that my office needed me back at the office early. So I came home the day before the flight-that wasn't a good feeling for awhile, but I still travel. And now that I'm retired I look forward to many trip ahead. You never know what the next day will bring.

Rick

It is still safer than most of the USA with its almost weekly shootings and random gun attacks!!

Turkey has not been on Regent's itinerary throughout 2016.

 

Sadly if you tried to only visit 'safe' locations, few places would be left in this turbulent world.

Don't believe everything you see or read in the UK media or any other media for that matter. I am American and have lived in several states and cities in the United States my 52 years of life and have never seen a gun pulled out in public, I have never seen a person shot in public, I have never seen a stabbing in public, I have never seen a person killed in public, I have never been in a building or area evacuated because of a bomb or terrorist threat.

With that said, I would not hesitate to not visit the Mediterranean region because of propaganda driven media here in this country or any other country for that matter painting a picture of doom and gloom. Just my opinion.

LastChamp62 -

+1 Gold Star!

I was wondering/waiting to see if someone was going to respond to that post, and you did! Thanks!

I have visited the Med several times with in the last few years and seen huge changes in the areas. It made me quite sad to see the influx of refugees. I visited Turkey the day after a terror attack in Taksim area several years ago and then again about a year ago. Heartbroken in the changes in such a short time. We were manhandled in the Spice Market more than once by refugees begging. We were lucky our guide was with us.

We were in Lesbos/Mitilini Greece during an Independence parade and the pride of the residents was spectacular - the entire island participated. We recently saw the same area on the news - filled with people living in the streets and the way of life there changed forever.

While I am not curtailing travel, I would think twice about the locations we would visit now. We are changing how we think about places we have visited and are more cautious about where we want to visit.