US travel warning?

[Estealvarado]

Yesterday the us embassy released a travel warning to us citizens visiting greece to beware of the possibilty of " unprovoked harrasment and violent attacks" against people who could be mistaken for a foreign immigrant.

 

Next year my mother and i were going to take a cruise to greece visiting mykonos,santorini,corfu & katakolon i myself am hispanic many people people think im of middle eastern descent but because of this warning im a bit concerned would i be at risk when visiting these islands?

 

I know some may think this is a ridiculous question but the warning the us embassy put out concerned me

[paul929207]

Most of the problems in Greece have been in Athens. We were to the four ports you list in October and did not see any trouble.

[Estealvarado]

Thank you i assumed it was mostly in athens as well & this cruise doesnt stop there

[paul929207]

Also, when do you go? You just say "next year". Unless it is early, you have a while until final payment is due. You can reconsider as it comes close to final date. Until then, you can usually cancel for little or no cost.

[KirkNC]

Something to watch but you should be ok.

[cruisemom42]

If you are with a group of other passengers (e.g., an excursion), I very much doubt there'd be anyone mistaking you for an immigrant. And most of the spots you mention are mostly tourist destinations. I think it would be low on my list of things to worry about.

[Keith1010]

Thanks for posting this.

 

Keith

[Hlitner]

EGADS! Guess anything is possible but have to put this in perspective. There have been consistent US Embassy warnings to travelers to avoid the demonstrations that have occurred in Athens. The reality is that these demonstrations are usually scheduled, last for part of a single day, and take place in a pretty compact few block area surrounding Syntagma Square (this is a tiny part of Athens). It is common sense to avoid any demonstration anywhere! We ourselves were just in Athens last week and had a delightful day walking around our favorite parts of Monstiraki and the Plaka area. We even ventured over to Syntagma Square where everything was quite normal (no scheduled demonstrations that day).

 

To be real blunt, having been to Athens many times (on both cruises and while spending multiple nights on land vacations) we would reiterate that its a large city and the normal scheduled demonstrations only impact a few blocks (easily avoided by any visitor). The bigger concern for travelers would be the too oft scheduled transportation strikes which can cause havoc if there is one on the day of your visit.

 

Hank

[Estealvarado]

Thats true your right

[Langoustine]

This latest warning appears to be less about the demonstrations and more about neo-fascist groups going after people who are, or look like, immigrants: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/18/opinion/sunday/europes-new-fascists.html?hp&_r=0 This may be taking place in parts of Athens not usually frequented by tourists. Anyone in Athens with ideas about this?

[nick_arch]

US Embassy did well reporting this specific issue.

Not necessarilly because it is a substantial problem but because this is what travel warnings are about.

 

Travel warnings describe the potential nature of a situation, even if this possibility is distant and statistically unlikely to happen.

 

We have to understand that Athens, as any other destination, does accept a large and very diverse number of visitors; and not necessarilly all of them are arriving on a cruise ship for just some hours.

 

They may be, for example, students, in a tight budget, staying in a not that posh area. This report by the US Embassy may apply to them for example.

 

-----------------

 

Athens has some of this problem described. The article is pretty accurate, a bit innacurate in some parts; but more or less describing reality.

 

A spike in arrivals of asulym seeking immigrants gradually from 2002, combined with the fiscal problems created some of this situation, which lately was indeed combined with the election of the extreme right Golden Dawn party in the Parliament with a 7% vote among the voters.

 

Situation described in the travel warning hardly relates to the average cruise ship visitor but may apply for a visitor that stays here for some days and goes out of the touristic center in less crowded areas, perhaps North of Omonoia Sq.

 

Common sense is what always has to be shown in any big city. And if Athens proved to be an absolutely safe place in the 90's it gradually grows in a big city with the problems big cities may have.

 

I 'd still feel safer walking at 1am in most places in Athens, than walking down at 6pm at Houston Str. in NYC.

 

Travel warning does not really apply for the average cruise ship visitor.

 

If i issued a warning i 'd probably report something about pickpocketing ( yes, some people still ride the subway with their wallet in the back pocket, pickpocketing can happen in any place in the world where tourists flock, please do take intense and sensibly expected precautions ) or the strikes ( which seem to have ended by now, after a spike for 6 weeks; strikes are not everywhere nor all the time, they do seem to happen 5 - 6 times a year for 24 hours though ).