Costa Cancels All Cruise Calls to Egypt and Tunisia Indefinately

[travelbugBOP]

I totally agree with you john39. We are booked on the Luminosa on the same repositioning trip departing Dubai on 21 March and I placed a similar post a week or so ago. I was surprised at some of the responses which fairly much said "tough". I got the distinct feeling that one of the respondents may have worked for Costa!

 

We are going to Europe for two months and could organise our own travel plans if the cruise was cancelled - but we are waiting to see if this is even offered. We are very disappointed at Costa's response to this as far as compensation or refund is concerned. We are yet to even hear what the actual itinerary will be if unrest continues in Egypt. We are hoping that they add another day in Aqaba so that we can go to Petra one day and snorkel on the other. We booked only two months ago and Yemen was still being advertised at that point, which we were excited about, and now that Egypt too looks very unlikely, the cruise barely resembles what we actually booked two months ago.

[john39]

They say in every event in life there are winners and losers. In this case the losers are disappointed passengers who will not receive what they have paid for (not the fault of Costa) and the people in the missed ports who derive income from cruise ship visits. The clear winner, however, is Costa. Not only will they save the port charges on three ports but because they will, consequently, have extra time up their sleeve to reach Savona, they can sail the ship at a slower speed thereby achieving a saving in fuel which, on a ship of this size, would not be insignificant.

[janneke]

I am booked on the allegra for the 21 feb Red sea cruise and was given the option to "repro" on one of these giants of the seas (an "osa" ship or some other big cupboard on its side) for a med cruise, or even a refund, in which case i would loose my train tickets to paris (from brussels). A med cruise this time of the year is not a pleasure (remember what happened to one of the Louis lines cruisers) and a cruise on board of a cupboard style ship does not appeal to me (i am not a fan of the RCI "Allure of ..." or any other funny name of the seas, where you can loose your wife for a week without being charged for matrimonial abuse)

So i decided to stick to the original planned cruise and dropping the egyptian ports is not a problem to me since i have seen all of egypt already anyway.

There is only one day at sea on the new scheme, which is not a problem to me either since i hate days at sea (i get bored then). Only drawback is that we stay too long in two ports only ( who will pay for the extra FULL days in the same port , Costa i suppose? That will compensate for the extra port charges for the partial days in egypt! A full 24 hr day equals three 8 hr days in port) and that some excursions may be different. One must realise that excursions for a boat load of tourists is something that must be planned carefully and well in advance.

The Marina ends cruising here anyway at the end of feb and goes then on its charter to Thailand early march. So there is no savings in fuel cost here!

The Allegra's last red sea cruise of march 28 leaves the region and ends in venice on april 10 and goes to the med on a cruise from venice and continues to cruise to the black sea and in the med afterwards! So i don't see where the fuel savings are when going half speed to Savona??? They have to stick to the planning as described in the costa book.

I realise that some cruisers are disappointed, but let's face it this is far better than getting shot somewhere in egypt (remember what happened in Hatshepsut/Egypt about ten years ago, the shooting!). Costa takes every possible precaution to avoid casualties or even lawsuits, especially when Americans are involved! It is irrelevant who the winner is here in the end, in my opinion there are no winners.

[kasi1979]

Just fyi,

Marina leaves the Red Sea and is going on a 12 day cruise to the canary islands on 22nd February.

[judyzoo]

I'll bet that the Costa Fascinosa passengers who died in the recent terrorist attack at the museum in Tunisia would have been much happier if the ship hadn't stopped at Tunisia.

[canny_cruiser]

I'll bet that the Costa Fascinosa passengers who died in the recent terrorist attack at the museum in Tunisia would have been much happier if the ship hadn't stopped at Tunisia.

 

Whilst I do so agree with your statement, do you realise you have resurrected a 4 year old thread?

[tomvet]

I'll bet that the Costa Fascinosa passengers who died in the recent terrorist attack at the museum in Tunisia would have been much happier if the ship hadn't stopped at Tunisia.

 

THis is the most ridiculous statement I have ever read. THe people have paid very dearly with their lives, afford them the respect to rest in peace. I am sure they had no fear or regrets and were most likely very happy to embark on their shore excursion.

 

What you are talking about ifs? If only the ship ported elsewhere? If only they remained on the ship? If only they booked another itinerary, another ship, another cruiseline, another date?

 

Why torment their families and loved ones with this type of comment? If your use of the words 'I'll bet' trivialises this into some sort of a game.

Edited March 23, 2015 by tomvet

[judyzoo]

Whilst I do so agree with your statement, do you realise you have resurrected a 4 year old thread?

 

Yes, I do. Nonetheless, perhaps passengers who complain about skipping a port -- as they did four years ago -- might stop to think that perhaps there is a good reason.

[judyzoo]

THis is the most ridiculous statement I have ever read.

 

My goodness; you must not have done much reading.

[tomvet]

My goodness; you must not have done much reading.

 

Enough to recognise a ridiculous and disrespectful post!

[dizzy1948]

My goodness; you must not have done much reading.

 

This posting is an old posting - and as you weren't posting at that time - like a number of us where, you have resurrected it - in complete ignorance - and in MHO - for absolutely no purpose whatsoever. Other than, I suspect to try and grandstand on a dreadful event. I have read your posts, and have had a great deal of difficulty in finding any compassionate comment anywhere.

 

Prayers for the family's and loved ones of all the casualties/victims of this dreadful event.

 

If you had "done some reading" you may have thought twice about your opening, and subsequent following, thoughtless comments.

Edited March 25, 2015 by dizzy1948

[AmoMondo]

This posting is an old posting - and as you weren't posting at that time - like a number of us where, you have resurrected it - in complete ignorance - and in MHO - for absolutely no purpose whatsoever. Other than, I suspect to try and grandstand on a dreadful event. I have read your posts, and have had a great deal of difficulty in finding any compassionate comment anywhere.

 

Prayers for the family's and loved ones of all the casualties/victims of this dreadful event.

 

If you had "done some reading" you may have thought twice about your opening, and subsequent following, thoughtless comments.

 

Like

[judyzoo]

You’re misreading my comment, or my intent. I was simply saying that if cruise ships avoid troubled areas, lives might be saved. If that offends you, I’m sorry. I have nothing more to say about it.