Israel dropped for the rest of 2011 by Costa

[dizzy1948]

For those who may not be able to get out - it has been advised that you take a pack of cards and play snap or "happy family's"

[Goldryder]

To think we have all this whining to put up with til the end of the year....gorden flipping bennett...I really wish the moaning minnies would just give it a rest.

 

Flogging dead horses, the lot of them.

 

Most have not even got on the flipping ship yet...sheesh...hopefully they will get barred from boarding so those who actually WANT to enjoy their holiday in peace can do so without having to listen to whining all day long :rolleyes:

[dizzy1948]

I empathise with their situation - nothing worse than finding the "ideal" cruise and it being torn to shreds - but hey - been there done that - and dealt with it. So my concern drawer is rather empty - and for sure the ships crew will be dreading everything - and I have been on ships where people have gone all out to make the crew uncomfortable - and heard talks of fancy lawyers that have come to nothing. It's all in the small print. Never heard yet of one "case won" . So hopefully - whilst all this is upsetting for all concerned - you are not alone just because you are travelling Costa - have a check what is happening with other cruise lines. And Ally - we shall continue to read and monitor. AND NO -NONE OF US WORK FOR COSTA.

[Goldryder]

I empathise with their situation - nothing worse than finding the "ideal" cruise and it being torn to shreds - but hey - been there done that - and dealt with it. So my concern drawer is rather empty - and for sure the ships crew will be dreading everything - and I have been on ships where people have gone all out to make the crew uncomfortable - and heard talks of fancy lawyers that have come to nothing. It's all in the small print. Never heard yet of one "case won" . So hopefully - whilst all this is upsetting for all concerned - you are not alone just because you are travelling Costa - have a check what is happening with other cruise lines. And Ally - we shall continue to read and monitor. AND NO -NONE OF US WORK FOR COSTA.

 

Hey dizzy.....I agree, I feel so bad for the crew aboard Pacifica, they DO NOT deserve to listen to this lot going on, and on, and on and bout something none of them have any control over.

 

Having seen the disgusting behaviour on my cruise last year from people like these, it really did make me ashamed to see them.....nowt more than spoilt little brats who cannot get their own way...it is truly sickening.

 

There are at least 7...yes 7...threads about this silliness now...for crying out loud, what was wrong with adding the moans to this one single thread and not spreading doom & gllom all over the Costa section.....that would be way too much to expect :rolleyes:

 

Incidently, dizzy...I hope that you have a lovely cruise, you'll be gone by the time I get home. Enjoy the R&R matey & I shall look forward to reading about your exploits when I get back :)

[Eyris]

Hey dizzy.....I agree, I feel so bad for the crew aboard Pacifica, they DO NOT deserve to listen to this lot going on, and on, and on and bout something none of them have any control over.

 

Having seen the disgusting behaviour on my cruise last year from people like these, it really did make me ashamed to see them.....nowt more than spoilt little brats who cannot get their own way...it is truly sickening.

 

There are at least 7...yes 7...threads about this silliness now...for crying out loud, what was wrong with adding the moans to this one single thread and not spreading doom & gllom all over the Costa section.....that would be way too much to expect :rolleyes:

 

Incidently, dizzy...I hope that you have a lovely cruise, you'll be gone by the time I get home. Enjoy the R&R matey & I shall look forward to reading about your exploits when I get back :)

 

 

The Costa board is really depressing me! I have to go elsewhere to actually be excited for my trip!

 

Back to listening to Rick Steves' Audio Tours for Rome...

[nezbleu]

perceptions! why would we?? go and make crews life hell?? i have never laid eyes on you or you witnessed any behaviour of mine - how dare you compare my or my families behaviour to anything you witnessed ever. you have made this personal - no need for your strange behaviour, totally out of order. stop behaving like a school mam. you are deliberately insinuating - i have yet to board the ship and i have never had any intention of making life hell for anyone. nowt as queer as folk!!

[tjandluke]

If they cancel all the ports on my upcoming cruise. I will be disappointed but will still enjoy the 14 days of bliss, relaxation, not having to make a decision more difficult that which cocktail to try next and which pool to dip my toes into.

[nezbleu]

well thats a great attitude and good luck - i hope it doesn't happen to you though. but as a family with two 14 year olds in tow - im sure the appreciation of next cocktail etc will not be enough for them. of course if you are getting same value then thats ok - but if not ..well if i've saved for a holiday with family then i have more than myself to think about.

[G.M.T.]

AND NO -NONE OF US WORK FOR COSTA.

 

This can be quickly changed (on a permenant basis):

 

http://www.bigbustours.com/eng/hongkong/custompage.aspx?id=hong_kong_sightseeing_tour

 

Ron

Ho for the good old days and the galley slaves rowing to the theme of "Michael row the boat ashsore"

[G.M.T.]

If they cancel all the ports on my upcoming cruise. I will be disappointed but will still enjoy the 14 days of bliss, relaxation, not having to make a decision more difficult that which cocktail to try next and which pool to dip my toes into.

 

14 days Oktoberfest.

 

Ron

[G.M.T.]

nowt as queer as folk!!

 

Is that the English version of a Friends of Dorothy cruise?

 

Ron

[G.M.T.]

The Costa board is really depressing me! I have to go elsewhere to actually be excited for my trip!

 

Back to listening to Rick Steves' Audio Tours for Rome...

 

Your cruise coundown clock is certainly not depressing - only 9 days (even less with the hop over the pond) to go.

 

Have agreat cruise.

 

Ron

[tjandluke]

well thats a great attitude and good luck - i hope it doesn't happen to you though. but as a family with two 14 year olds in tow - I'm sure the appreciation of next cocktail etc will not be enough for them. of course if you are getting same value then thats OK - but if not ..well if i've saved for a holiday with family then i have more than myself to think about.

 

 

No I do not have 2 fourteen year olds. BUT I do travel alone with a 6 year old! As there are just the 2 of us- I have to pay full adult fare for him- such as life- no free kids when there are only 2 of you in a cabin. As the only adult in my household I do save for holidays and make sure that I enjoy them. I also think about my child when we travel. He is well travelled and I am perfectly confident that if we had itinerary changes would and could cope extremely well with the changes.

[tjandluke]

14 days Oktoberfest.

 

Ron

 

Now you are talking! Especially with the hope of getting an Ultra package when they finally upload them to other sites!

[Goldryder]

Now you are talking! Especially with the hope of getting an Ultra package when they finally upload them to other sites!

 

I keep looking on the UK site for the ultra to appear....going to go for it on my cruise next year too :)

 

Right now though, I am looking forward to my Pink Panther's aboard Victoria next week :):)

[Eyris]

Your cruise coundown clock is certainly not depressing - only 9 days (even less with the hop over the pond) to go.

 

Have agreat cruise.

 

Ron

 

Nope, nothing depressing about that!!! :D

 

Thanks!

[Capricruiser]

I just saw on the news that there was a huge explosion today at the main bus terminal in Jerusalem with many people wounded. A terrorist attack? Maybe Costa was right in cancelling its port calls!

[happy trailer]

I just saw on the news that there was a huge explosion today at the main bus terminal in Jerusalem with many people wounded. A terrorist attack? Maybe Costa was right in cancelling its port calls!

 

As of now, one person has died of her wounds, with 30 hospitalized, most with intermediate wounds. It was another 'I was almost there' for me.

 

We're all shaken; feeling like the quiet of the past few years had spoiled us.

 

But be clear- there is NO WAY that Costa could have anticipated this.

 

The mayor has announced that Jerusalem's first marathon, with participants from all over the world, will be held as scheduled this Friday.

 

Will I tell you that all will be fine from now on? No- of course not. But, even if cruise lines decide to cancel port stops for a while, land based tourists will still come. That's the way it is- life here goes on. I will say what we always say: Israel always welcomes, cherishes, and protects its tourists. Of course we understand if you decide to postpone your visit. We'll be here, with warm smiles whenever you arrive.

 

In the meantime, sending us warm thoughts and hugs would be appreciated.

 

Ruth

[vakmom]

The March Costa cruises were still going to Israel! Does anyone know if they were there today? Why didn't Costa cancel the March Israel port calls also?????

[Eyris]

As of now, one person has died of her wounds, with 30 hospitalized, most with intermediate wounds. It was another 'I was almost there' for me.

 

We're all shaken; feeling like the quiet of the past few years had spoiled us.

 

But be clear- there is NO WAY that Costa could have anticipated this.

 

The mayor has announced that Jerusalem's first marathon, with participants from all over the world, will be held as scheduled this Friday.

 

Will I tell you that all will be fine from now on? No- of course not. But, even if cruise lines decide to cancel port stops for a while, land based tourists will still come. That's the way it is- life here goes on. I will say what we always say: Israel always welcomes, cherishes, and protects its tourists. Of course we understand if you decide to postpone your visit. We'll be here, with warm smiles whenever you arrive.

 

In the meantime, sending us warm thoughts and hugs would be appreciated.

 

Ruth

 

So glad to hear that you are safe. Lots of positive thoughts towards you and your country.

 

 

I have to say that I would be very apprehensive if my cruise was still scheduled to stop in Israel in light of this and previous events. I feel a lot safer knowing this will not have to be a concern to me.

[sidari]

MSC .... more cancelations .... http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=4426#

[mbeginner]

As of now, one person has died of her wounds, with 30 hospitalized, most with intermediate wounds. It was another 'I was almost there' for me.

 

We're all shaken; feeling like the quiet of the past few years had spoiled us.

 

But be clear- there is NO WAY that Costa could have anticipated this.

 

The mayor has announced that Jerusalem's first marathon, with participants from all over the world, will be held as scheduled this Friday.

 

Will I tell you that all will be fine from now on? No- of course not. But, even if cruise lines decide to cancel port stops for a while, land based tourists will still come. That's the way it is- life here goes on. I will say what we always say: Israel always welcomes, cherishes, and protects its tourists. Of course we understand if you decide to postpone your visit. We'll be here, with warm smiles whenever you arrive.

 

In the meantime, sending us warm thoughts and hugs would be appreciated.

 

Ruth

 

 

 

We were in Jerusalem and Bethlehem in January, felt very safe. I hope there will still be certain that many tourists visit the beautiful country Izrajel

Lots of positive thoughts to you and your country

[G.M.T.]

Just heard that the woman killed in the Jersuselm bomb blast was British.

 

Sad, very sad when people are killed.

 

Ron

[Goldryder]

Just heard that the woman killed in the Jersuselm bomb blast was British.

 

Sad, very sad when people are killed.

 

Ron

 

Too true Ron.....puts everything into perspective really, doesn't it?

 

Life is way too short.

 

Ruth mentioned that Costa could not have foreseen what happened, maybe not, but the Israeli & Italian governments share information, just like every other government in the world. There is every chance that with the recent rocket attacks, protests and general upheaval across Israel's neighbours, that the Israeli government flagged up POSSIBLE difficulties that other governments needed to know about and act upon as required. Governments share intelligence all the time, especially when Libya went up in smoke, there are bound to be allies (and therefore reprisals) planned or in the planning right across all Arab nations...Israel is stuffed right in the midst of that, so playing safe has got to be better than playing with fire.

 

The Brit killed was just going about their business, waiting at a bus stop.....its always the innocents that pay for an extremist viewpoint. With all due respect to the countries involved, it is safer to stay away than to feed those extremists any extra targets (regardless of nationality).

 

You just do not put tourists in danger...even if that danger is slight...without carefully considering options such as how to keep them safe.

[Capricruiser]

Al Jazzera is reporting the following today:

 

"A series of rockets have slammed into the Israeli port city of Ashdod, just south of Tel Aviv, shortly after Israeli aircraft pounded targets in Gaza, in an escalating conflict that has raised fears of a new war.

Israeli police said on Thursday that long-range Grad rockets fired from the Gaza Strip hit Ashdod and an area north of the Mediterranean port. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The Israeli army has just confirmed that a total of nine rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip," Al Jazeera's Nisreen El-Shamayleh, reporting from Jerusalem, said.

Two of them were Grad rockets, one of them landed in Ashdod, the other one just north of Ashdod - that one is the farthest these rockets have reached since the cross border tension started eight days ago," she said.

Violence along the Gaza border has worsened in recent days."

 

Let's hope there weren't any cruise ships at the port of Ashdod today!