Princess statement on Egypt

[Cruise Junky]

http://www.princess.com/news/article.jsp?newsArticleId=na1144

[Pam in CA]

Thanks. Without knowing the original itineraries, it looks like they are adding Istanbul for the most part. That's what they did for us in 2001 when we were scheduled to go to Israel. LOVED Istanbul and we were glad we got to go there.

[Cruise Junky]

Istanbul and Petra for the ones doing the Suez. Not too shabby but I'm sure they'll be disappointed people.

[cruisemom42]

It's nice that they are leaving the door open to reinstate the Egypt ports if things should substantially improve.....although of course that makes it more difficult to plan.

[srpilo]

It's nice that they are leaving the door open to reinstate the Egypt ports if things should substantially improve.....although of course that makes it more difficult to plan.

 

 

Unfortunately I don't think any cruiseline will be calling on Egypt for quite a long time.

 

 

 

 

I'm pretty after the scheduled september elections would be the soonest, and maybe not even then... We'll all have to wait and see.

Srpilo

[mytime53]

Thanks. Without knowing the original itineraries, it looks like they are adding Istanbul for the most part. That's what they did for us in 2001 when we were scheduled to go to Israel. LOVED Istanbul and we were glad we got to go there.

 

 

I'm a person who has looked at cruise itineraries just to go to Egypt, so I know I would initially be disappointed, but I would certainly understand the reasoning behind the change. That said, we have visited Istanbul on a cruise (actually embarked there). We basically knew nothing, but the price was soooo right. Anyway, long story short, we LOVED it! We are looking forward to returning to Istanbul. I hope that those whose itineraries are affected can someday get to Egypt (I still haven't made it, and I've been wanting to go for over 40 years), and that they enjoy Istanbul as much as we did.

[caribill]

The Star was already going to Istanbul, but they changed it from one day there to two days there.

 

They also added a day in Livorno and a day in Valletta, Malta.

[Coral]

It was the right decision to make, obviously.

 

Hopefully things work themselves out and it is safe to visit Egypt in the near future.

[paul929207]

I am glad they announced it now. We will be on the Ocean Princess in May and now going to Aqaba, Jordan instead of Safaga, Egypt. This will give us time to plan and find a private tour.

[Georgia Buckeye]

We are on the Pacific Princess May 19th Holyland cruise... I have no problem with the change- however the open ended --- we may go there anyway- is just plain wrong. How do you make plans- especially if they are independent plans- without knowing for certain (weather, war, breakdowns, etc. excluded). Almost like they are trying to insure you only make tour arrangements through the cruise line because that is the only way you can be certain. With everything happening there I am pretty sure that we will not be going to Egypt and don't understand the reason for them not being more resolute.

[Coral]

With everything happening there I am pretty sure that we will not be going to Egypt and don't understand the reason for them not being more resolute.

 

For a May cruise, I agree - you most likely won't be going. But I agree it would be difficult for a November cruise to know what is going on.

 

I guess this is a warning for those who do book private excursions - make sure the cancellation policies when you arrange the tours.

[cruisemom42]

Most private tours will let you cancel within a reasonably short time frame with no penalties, at least in my experience.

 

I doubt Princess is going to wait until passengers are onboard before making such a change. And as pointed out, I strongly doubt Egypt would be back on the itinerary at all in the next 3-4 months.

[Pia1913]

Thanks for posting this. I've already excerpted pertinent parts and posted to my roll calls. We are affected twice; Ocean on 10/15 and Pacific on 11/15. Fortunately it was not Egypt that was important to us, since we finally made it there Spring of 2009 for two weeks. It only took us 20 years to get there.

[Minoushka]

I do not believe the situation which originated in Tunisia and spreading ALL over the Middle East now is going to settle any time soon .I think it best to forget about going there for quite some time I think political issues will Not be resolved for many months perhaps years .To think you can alter a mindset so quickly in a few months is really not very realistic .The people in those countries need time to make the kind of changes we in the west take for granted. In a male dominated society to even consider human rights,women's rights etc will take time.....lots of it Plus I think history can voutch that military rule seldom gives its powers up towards democracy without some kind of power struggle .I'm really not that convinced that their worries are over

Before tourists can consider going back they must be reassured that they will be safe I think THAT will take time ...lots of it

It is unfortunate for the Tourist industry of the region but at this time their priorities should be on their life and turn of events not on tourists

Of course if RAdical Fundamentalists do take over in many of these countries ...I doubt we would be welcome In anycase I KNOW I would not be comfortable going there as a western woman

 

For now we should all just STAY put I really do not like that foreigners are "blamed" for interfereing and instigating trouble ...Also the way some journalists are treated makes me beleive that they should get out NOW .No media coverage is worth so high a risk I also believe WOMEN journalists should leave. People here really need to understand things for WOMEN are VERY different there Do not expect to be treated with respect if you are a woman

 

I think we should all stay away for as long as it takes

[cruisemom42]

I do not believe the situation which originated in Tunisia and spreading ALL over the Middle East now is going to settle any time soon .I think it best to forget about going there for quite some time I think political issues will Not be resolved for many months perhaps years .To think you can alter a mindset so quickly in a few months is really not very realistic .The people in those countries need time to make the kind of changes we in the west take for granted. In a male dominated society to even consider human rights,women's rights etc will take time.....lots of it Plus I think history can voutch that military rule seldom gives its powers up towards democracy without some kind of power struggle .I'm really not that convinced that their worries are over

Before tourists can consider going back they must be reassured that they will be safe I think THAT will take time ...lots of it

It is unfortunate for the Tourist industry of the region but at this time their priorities should be on their life and turn of events not on tourists

Of course if RAdical Fundamentalists do take over in many of these countries ...I doubt we would be welcome In anycase I KNOW I would not be comfortable going there as a western woman

 

For now we should all just STAY put I really do not like that foreigners are "blamed" for interfereing and instigating trouble ...Also the way some journalists are treated makes me beleive that they should get out NOW .No media coverage is worth so high a risk I also believe WOMEN journalists should leave. People here really need to understand things for WOMEN are VERY different there Do not expect to be treated with respect if you are a woman

 

I think we should all stay away for as long as it takes

 

Everyone will have a different opinion and will judge the unfolding events differently. I happen to have a less pessimistic outlook based on the facts that Egypt differs in significant ways from many other Middle-Eastern countries, the military in that country has traditionally been a moderating influence, and Egypt's economy relies on tourism.

 

However, no cruiseline is going to put passengers at risk and I'm sure the major cruise lines will not call in to Egypt (at least not Alexandria or Cairo) until the various travel warnings issued by western governments are lifted.

 

Personally I have mixed feelings about the recent events. Clearly, people in all of these countries are saying "No more" to years of hard-line regimes with little concern for human rights. I wish them well. Of course, I am also disappointed -- I had plans to visit Libya and Tunisia later this year. :( I am still planning my trip to Israel and Jordan in a couple of weeks. I'm not worried about Israel, we'll see if we make it to Jordan....

[Rockymountainsparky]

Clearly, people in all of these countries are saying "No more" to years of hard-line regimes with little concern for human rights.

That is what they said about Iran back in the 80's.

[cruisemom42]

That is what they said about Iran back in the 80's.

 

Egypt is not Iran any more than the French Revolution was the American Revolution in the late 1700s.... :cool:

[Georgia Buckeye]

You're right... the people of Iran are much better educated.... and look where they ended up.

[cruisemom42]

You're right... the people of Iran are much better educated.... and look where they ended up.

 

I'm not exactly sure what is meant by your comment. All I am saying is that there are many differences between the situation in Iran in 1979 and the one in Egypt in 2011. Will they end up in the same place? Possible.....but certainly not a foregone conclusion -- or even one that is very likely.

 

In my humble opinion, most people in the West tend to lump ME countries under the same umbrella, but there are vast differences in politics, issues, religious intensity and organization, general mood of the people as relates to current government, economics, strength of pro- or anti-Western feeling, and many other factors.

 

These boards aren't the place for a political debate, so I will refrain from further comment. It's easy enough to find good info regarding the differences in the two situations, if one wants to look.

[wetnwildsm]

Well, I just got the note today that they have deleted the Egypt stop....not unexpected. I also totally understand the move, however, as exciting as this cruise is (we are leaving from Florida), one of the primary reasons we booked it in the first place is the stop in Egypt. As expensive as the crusie is, I don't really want to miss the egypt stop, and end up having to spend another $12,000 in the future to go there. I'm not sure whether Princess will offer refunds, but we are seriously considering cancelling in favor of a different itinerary.

[Cruise Junky]

Well, I just got the note today that they have deleted the Egypt stop....not unexpected. I also totally understand the move, however, as exciting as this cruise is (we are leaving from Florida), one of the primary reasons we booked it in the first place is the stop in Egypt. As expensive as the crusie is, I don't really want to miss the egypt stop, and end up having to spend another $12,000 in the future to go there. I'm not sure whether Princess will offer refunds, but we are seriously considering cancelling in favor of a different itinerary.

 

Are you in the UK? why would you want a refund, why not just cancel. They're all outside the cancellation time frame aren't they?

[persistance40]

http://www.princess.com/news/article.jsp?newsArticleId=na1144

 

So disappointed but prefer to be safe, conagratulations to Princess for making such a decision.

[Pia1913]

Well, I just got the note today that they have deleted the Egypt stop....not unexpected. I also totally understand the move, however, as exciting as this cruise is (we are leaving from Florida), one of the primary reasons we booked it in the first place is the stop in Egypt. As expensive as the crusie is, I don't really want to miss the egypt stop, and end up having to spend another $12,000 in the future to go there. I'm not sure whether Princess will offer refunds, but we are seriously considering cancelling in favor of a different itinerary.

 

If you really want to see Egypt, do as we did and take a land tour including the Nile cruise. We did it in May of 2009; 2 weeks, all Egypt. You were not going to see it all from a cruise ship anyway.

[Artrina]

I don't understand the people who are upset with Princess for not having a definite time to resume Egypt port stops. The country basically has no clear ruler at this point. The elections are scheduled for approx 7 months away - a time in which who knows what can happen. And the fate of the scheduled Sept elections is far from safe and known. The US State Department has issued a travel advisory with no end in sight. If you travel to Egypt and get in trouble there is no easy help to get - and I doubt ANY insurance will cover any problems you have if you travel to a country with a travel advisory in effect. My guess is that P and O would have issues with their own insurance should anything happen to their guests, staff and ships. AND I doubt that the Egypt you would see now if you travel there is the same Egypt pictured on websites, books etc. I hope for the people of Egypt that peace returns soon; it's a beautiful culture and people.

[Gaznjo]

For the Dawn princess world cruise they have cancelled our egypt stop ... we were already going to petra so we have an extra day in istanbul....

 

Disappointed about the pyramids but looking forward to seeing istanbul at night....

 

lets hope the unrest doesn't spread to Jordan...

 

Joanne in sunny Sydney....