Protests in Cairo

[Royalco]

I am surprised that Oceania has not canceled Marina's scheduled

stops in Egypt on October 3rd and 4th. The attack on the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and Anti-American protests in the streets should be concern for the safety of American tourists. I am on that cruise and I intend cancel my tours and will elect to remain onboard if the ship

does in fact dock in Port Said and Alexandria. The protests may end

in a few days but, as Americans, I feel that we will remain a target

for weeks to come. As disappointing as it will be for me, the pyramids will have to wait until a future time as it is too late to cancel and re-schedule this cruise. I am open for your comments if you think that I am over-reacting.

[Jancruz]

I am surprised that Oceania has not canceled Marina's scheduled

stops in Egypt on October 3rd and 4th. The attack on the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and Anti-American protests in the streets should be concern for the safety of American tourists. I am on that cruise and I intend cancel my tours and will elect to remain onboard if the ship

does in fact dock in Port Said and Alexandria. The protests may end

in a few days but, as Americans, I feel that we will remain a target

for weeks to come. As disappointing as it will be for me, the pyramids will have to wait until a future time as it is too late to cancel and re-schedule this cruise. I am open for your comments if you think that I am over-reacting.

 

I am sure Oceania is monitoring the situation carefully.. FDR is super cautious about his passengers and ships..even if he is making a change it is much to early for anyone at Oceania to confirm anything..be patient, I am sure we will hear from them shortly..lots of time before sailing!!

Jancruz1

[orchestrapal]

I am surprised that Oceania has not canceled Marina's scheduled

stops in Egypt on October 3rd and 4th. The attack on the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and Anti-American protests in the streets should be concern for the safety of American tourists. I am on that cruise and I intend cancel my tours and will elect to remain onboard if the ship

does in fact dock in Port Said and Alexandria. The protests may end

in a few days but, as Americans, I feel that we will remain a target

for weeks to come. As disappointing as it will be for me, the pyramids will have to wait until a future time as it is too late to cancel and re-schedule this cruise. I am open for your comments if you think that I am over-reacting.

 

Oceania will surely make the choice for safety for their guests and cancel Egypt.

More sea days to enjoy the ship, be safe and enjoy!

[doubledobles]

I have two friends who cancelled. This would have been their first Oceania cruise, but they received a letter stating that the ship may or may not dock in Cairo. They decided that since seeing Eqypt was the reason they were taking this cruise, they would not chance it. I can't blame them, the entire middle east is volatile at this time.

[Mexfolkart]

We are set to be in Egypt in November and have no intention of cancelling anything..as volatile as it is there you never know as it could calm down

tomorrow. They do not want to lose tourism again after what just happened. We are hoping it is OK then and we can see the Pyramids..understand that there were no riots out there..just intown at the square. No one will know until just beforehand. Oct 3/4 is a long way away still!!

Sherry

[jpalbny]

We are going in November as well. 2 weeks, half land-based around Cairo, half on a river boat in the Upper Nile. Hopefully, it will be uneventful. Current events are very sad.

 

While we understand people's concern about going there, realize that anything could happen at any time, any place. You'd hardly expect a bombing and mass murder in Oslo, but it happened, 2 weeks before we went there last summer. We certainly wouldn't wander off on our own in Egypt, like we would in say, Italy or France, but we still plan to go.

[JimandStan]

Hopefully, it will be uneventful

 

We certainly hope along with you, but Oceania must be much more proactive than that regarding the protection of a six hundred million dollar asset and the lives of more than two thousand people-

It's not as if she won't be noticed-

 

Hope for the best, expect the worst.

At the very least, you'll have an Egypt story that you'll be able to "dine out on" for YEARS!

[Hawaiidan]

We certainly hope along with you, but It's not as if she won't be noticed-

 

Hope for the best, expect the worst.

At the very least, you'll have an Egypt story that you'll be able to "dine out on" for YEARS!

 

 

No, I do not think it is over-reacting. Ever since the "Arab Spring" almost every country in the region has been the scene of increasing turmoil and violence against Americans, europeans and non muslims . Sadly this is a situation that is building with the emergence of radicals since 9-11.

With the egyptian government in turmoil I would not want to be in any of the regions countrys as you never know what will set off something.

 

Some one in Norway could publish a picture or write somethng that would be deemed an insult.. and pow there you are to take revenge on.

 

I would read the state dept travel warnings which are timely. I would love to visit Egypt, however, I can not ignore the risk. This is not going away and I think the cruise lines/travel are going to risk it.. The insurance folks will demand it.

[WesW]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4989

[Christine Frances]

Canada has a Travel Advisory for Egypt http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/report_rapport-eng.asp?id=79000

 

If we ignored this, all our Travel/Medical insurance would be null & void.

[Hawaiidan]

As I said before, what you did yesterday, last week is moot. This is another day and the current region, let alone a specific country are in a state of instability.

As recently as July Americans were being kidnapped..

Tourist areas are now being targeted by radicals seeking foreign tourists. Not just American, but Canadian, Japanese, Germans, etc

Much of the country off limits to US Govt employees for any travel.. Active terrorist between Luxor and Cairo reported, not to mention the activites of this week.

 

A quick read of the State Dept reports will open our eyes to not just the country but the Region from Syria to Algeria

 

Look, I was in the military and had more than a few try to kill me and my friends on a daily baisis. I know risk, when to take it and when not to..

 

Right now the bad guys are holding all the cards and have a marked deck, I am not.

That is a game a do not want to play; the stakes are too high. Plenty of other places to enjoy that do not pose such a high risk from so many threats. The idea of riding in an armed convoy to see a sight is not all tht appealing to me.

 

I will miss a lot of neat things..but be able to see a lot of other things instead Its a new day and looking foward is not looking good

[Paulchili]

While we understand people's concern about going there, realize that anything could happen at any time, any place. You'd hardly expect a bombing and mass murder in Oslo......

 

Or you can just attend a premier in a movie theater in Colorado - an unfortunate fact of life today :(

[Mura]

Paul is right that the nut jobs are out there and just going to a movie can be perilous.

 

However, if I were booked on a cruise going to Egypt in the near future I think I would either cancel or just plan on some unofficial sea days while in port. I just consider these areas to be an unnecessary risk these days.

 

I heard on a radio talk show this morning a fact that I already knew but wasn't taking into account. That is that the people in these countries -- in fact in most countries -- don't understand at all the concept of freedom of speech as practiced in the U.S. Most of them tend to assume that this movie was sponsored by the U.S. They don't "get" the idea of tolerating the presentation of ideas we don't agree with.

 

We came back from Istanbul on September 2nd and encountered a couple who'd been booked to go to Istanbul but once Syria hottened up they cancelled that trip and went to Prague instead. They were most interested in our comments about how calm everything was in Istanbul. They regretted having changed their plans, but then again we assured them that they would enjoy Prague as well.

 

I had to be dragged to Israel (back in November 2006) just because I'd read of so many problems over the years, and yet we encountered no problems at all ... then. We even went to the borders with Syria and Lebanon ...

 

But when an area heats up, I prefer to exercise discretion. (If we were booked on a cruise to Egypt that doesn't leave for some months, I would wait and see. But I wouldn't want to go there NOW.)

 

Mura

[Paulchili]

There are few guarantees in life - as we all know very well.

One would assume that it will be safer to go to Egypt in the future but that may or may not be true.

We don't know what Egypt will be like in a year (or ten). It could be like Iran is today (not likely, but not impossible either).

We were lucky enough to visit Lebanon and Syria a few years ago - I don't know when, if ever, it will be safe to go there again (or what will be left of those places). We could not have forseen then what is happening in Syria today.

Sometimes you just have to do things while you can; but I understand that this is a personal decision and the comfort level will vary from person to person.

You have to be comfortable with your choice - not other people's choices.

[tjncanada]

With respect to those who seem to be taking this lightly we must consider that today's Egypt is very different from what it was a couple of years ago. A personal decision, yes. Things can happen anywhere, yes. But it is clear there is risk in this region, something may happen any time and travelers and the cruise lines need to use their best judgment. Please don't treat this like it is comparable to visiting New York.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[happy cruzer]

I agree with OP that early Oct should be avoided.

 

Nov. maybe. I have friends going then. The husband was already nervous about Egypt before the riots so they will too have to decide what to do.

 

If I were on OPs cruise, I would hope other ports would be substituted NOW. So that passengers could plan and yes, some would start complaining. but in this situation there will be plenty of complaining no matter what the cruise line decides.

[jpalbny]

We certainly hope along with you, but Oceania must be much more proactive than that regarding the protection of a six hundred million dollar asset and the lives of more than two thousand people- It's not as if she won't be noticed-

 

Hope for the best, expect the worst.

At the very least, you'll have an Egypt story that you'll be able to "dine out on" for YEARS!

 

 

Agree, J&S. Two tourists certainly have a lower profile than a cruise ship with two thousand guests and crew. O certainly has to factor in a lot more than the two of us do.

[Mexfolkart]

JP and Chris..we also are on 2 week trip..part Cairo and part cruise..

we fly to Cairo 11/12..Vantage..what about you? Same trip?

Sherry & Kimber

[wripro]

What I don't understand is going on a cruise that visits Egypt and then staying on board for "sea days." Why bother? Just cancel and to a TA where sea days make sense.

[Hawaiidan]

That for some, myself included, I dont get off at every port on every cruise.

In ports that I have no interest in, have been to, or present a "situation" I don't want to risk it.

 

I stay on the ship and enjoy the day in wonderful bliss when ports fall into any of those aforementioned classes.

 

To me I cruise to be on a ship, and enjoy the ship and journey. Ports are like frosting on the cake and incidental to the overall experience; nice but not necessary in the big picture to me... the ship is always more important.

 

I went on a So America cruise of 28 days, and got off at only 3 of the 8 ports because I had no interest in them. The 3 I did I had a fantistic time . Its like going through a buffet... you dont have to take some of everything to enjoy the meal.

In Mexico I stay on the ship too.

[jpalbny]

JP and Chris..we also are on 2 week trip..part Cairo and part cruise..

we fly to Cairo 11/12..Vantage..what about you? Same trip?

Sherry & Kimber

 

Similar dates, but with A&K. Going to Jordan first, then arrive Cairo 11/14 I think. MS Sun Boat III is our river vessel. We'll probably see each other; we may be the only 4 tourists there.

[azevedan]

Similar dates, but with A&K. Going to Jordan first, then arrive Cairo 11/14 I think. MS Sun Boat III is our river vessel. We'll probably see each other; we may be the only 4 tourists there.

 

We did that tour in March (and had a fabulous time). There were 14 of us on the Sun Boat IV for our cruise portion (and only 6 of us on our A&K tour).

[Paulchili]

That for some, myself included, I dont get off at every port on every cruise.

In ports that I have no interest in, have been to, or present a "situation" I don't want to risk it.

 

I stay on the ship and enjoy the day in wonderful bliss when ports fall into any of those aforementioned classes.

 

To me I cruise to be on a ship, and enjoy the ship and journey. Ports are like frosting on the cake and incidental to the overall experience; nice but not necessary in the big picture to me... the ship is always more important.

 

I went on a So America cruise of 28 days, and got off at only 3 of the 8 ports because I had no interest in them. The 3 I did I had a fantistic time . Its like going through a buffet... you dont have to take some of everything to enjoy the meal.

In Mexico I stay on the ship too.

 

With that attitude, why not choose a wonderful resort and enjoy it while saving lots of money :D

Then again, to each their own. :)

[orchestrapal]

With that attitude, why not choose a wonderful resort and enjoy it while saving lots of money :D

Then again, to each their own. :)

 

Better than any resort, large suite, butler and great food with a sea view and ports one can get off at or ignore. (Egypt).... :)

[Paulchili]

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