Black Sea cruises- Ukraine/Russia problems

[tahqa]

Russia must have Ukraine ports as they are the only Russian warm water ports to ship their oil. Pipelines must be preserved especially now that Syria is no longer an option. They will not allow these ports to not be Under Russian control.

 

Mini history lesson.

 

Stalin had a vision, very sick vision of control and Eastern Ukraine to it's southern ports were ground zero. Stalin just had the local population removed never to be heard from again. He replaced much of the population with Russians and supported them well for their support of Mother Russia.

 

The last 48 hours these Russian/Ukranians have stormed airports and public buildings in Eastern Ukraine and raised the Russian flag over Eastern Ukrain. Putin is also sabor rattling with military excercises on the boarder with Ukraine.

 

EU and US are calling for calm.

 

Things are far from quiet over there but who knows what will be happening in a few months.

 

Sadly. My $$$$$ is on Rootin Tootin Putin throwing everything he has to keep possession of his Ukrainian ports. He needs his oil $$$$ to pay off his Olympics debt.

 

Not entirely accurate... the Russian port of Novorossiysk is Russia's oil port on the Black Sea. Ukraine is mostly natural gas pipelines going from Russia into western Europe. Russia's big presence in Ukraine is the Black Sea Fleet based in Sevastopol. The saber rattling is over the flow of natural gas through Ukraine and Putin's cold war mentality that Ukraine is a buffer between the Soviets and the West. And don't ever think that Putin is not a Soviet. He's ex-KGB and still carries that mentality.

Anyways, the Black Sea cruises are not until 2015 and hopefully this is all resolved by then. If it isn't then Royal will certainly cancel the current itineraries and do something else as there is no way they will sail until uncertain waters.

Edited March 1, 2014 by tahqa

[Big_G]

I'm pretty sure I would not visit nor patronize a country that is supporting the slaughter of over 100,000 men, women, and children in Syria and just invaded it's own neighbor...but that's just me.

 

 

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[RSLeesburg]

St. Petersburg is way way away from the Ukraine. The when visiting a Russian port via cruise ship probably 99% of the Pax will not be even getting in touch with any regular russian People. You will be on a tour either ship or private organized and those tour guides want your Money, they don´t care to pi$$ you off for political reasons. The only other People you will deal with may be some souvenier vendors and they want our Money as well.

Any conflict in the Ukraine won´t even remotely affect St. Petersburg.

 

 

How would the Baltic cruises be affected by economic sanctions? Assuming the worse and Putin continues forward, if UN, Europe, or US imposed economic sanctions against Russia, would that have any affect on cruises to Russian ports? I am just curious.

 

 

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[tahqa]

How would the Baltic cruises be affected by economic sanctions? Assuming the worse and Putin continues forward, if UN, Europe, or US imposed economic sanctions against Russia, would that have any affect on cruises to Russian ports? I am just curious.

 

 

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If economic sanctions were imposed against Russia then Putin's gov't could stop issuing travel visas to countries that were participating in the sanctions. Or possibly our own countries would start advising against travel to Russia.

 

If push comes to shove the cruise lines will alter their itineraries to avoid areas deemed dangerous.

Edited March 1, 2014 by tahqa

[jbond]

How would the Baltic cruises be affected by economic sanctions? Assuming the worse and Putin continues forward, if UN, Europe, or US imposed economic sanctions against Russia, would that have any affect on cruises to Russian ports? I am just curious.

 

 

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I doubt we would see UN sanctions against Russia, they are one of the five permanent members that have veto power.

[Donut23]

How would the Baltic cruises be affected by economic sanctions? Assuming the worse and Putin continues forward, if UN, Europe, or US imposed economic sanctions against Russia, would that have any affect on cruises to Russian ports? I am just curious.

 

 

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Ethnic Russians in the Crimea (descendants of Stalins Russians) said Ukrainians fired on them. That's all the Big P needed to get the Russian Parliment to authorize military force in The Crimea. How convenient Putin's Olympics are over so he can be a bully with fewer people watching.

 

Rumors are some could boycott the G8 summit in Sochi this summer. Somehow I just don't see Putin crying over this threat.

 

So sad.

Edited March 1, 2014 by Donut23

[Donut23]

Oops, sorry. Duplicate. :-(

 

Send me on that cruise to.......Siberia!

Edited March 1, 2014 by Donut23

[lakelorain]

Well the piece of misinformation that started this whole diversion was posted by someone from Pennsylvania who lives near NY. There is a town of California Pennsylvania, and San Francisco is in California, so I can understand why the geographically challenged would worry.:rolleyes: Why am I reminded of stores in Alabama that sold out of ammo in 2008 when Russia invaded Georgia?

 

I'm not geographically challenged. Majored in International Politics in college and am a certified geography teacher. However, if our government decides to get involved in this conflict through the UN or sanctions, we may not be able to visit St. Petersburg, no matter how far away it is.

By the way, I'm not originally from Pennsylvania. Have lived in 6 states and am currently in South Carolina where we spend the winter. Have traveled, world-wide for business and pleasure. Amen.

Edited March 1, 2014 by lakelorain

[seaofwonder]

Well, we're on a Baltics cruise in August....my thoughts were that Putin could stop issuing travel visas. I wonder what Royal would do, since the ship is multinational. As we've seen in the past, Putin just raises his middle finger....I don't think he'll care too much about tourists. It's all about the posturing.

 

 

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[OCruisers]

Interested in following along on this for what might happen to future cruises and also to because the cruise line employees from the Ukraine with families caught us in all of this.

LuLu

~~~

[The_Big_M]

I'm not geographically challenged. Majored in International Politics in college and am a certified geography teacher. However, if our government decides to get involved in this conflict through the UN or sanctions, we may not be able to visit St. Petersburg, no matter how far away it is. .

 

There's a lot of difference between implying it's automatically affected, to what theoretically, could happen, without mentioning that that's only based on possibility. Lots of things _could_ happen...

 

The Baltics are a long way from the Black sea, and one is directly involved, whereas the other is just one possibility in certain scenarios further down the line.

[Spurschick]

We are already booked to do Northern Baltic in May and have provisionally booked a tour of st Petersburg but I'm already uncomfortable at the thought of getting off the ship there with all this Ukraine stuff kicking off. By getting off the ship it's saying we are ok with Russian aggression and military and economic pressure. A real dilemma as I'm desperate to see the city.

 

Not meaning to sound rude, but St Petersburg is in the north of Russia approx 938 miles north of Ukraine. If any issues were going to arise I Really don't think you would be anywhere near any issues or the ship wouldn't go there.

 

There are few countries in the world where there is not some sort of conflict or danger anywhere in the world if we are completely honest. The most threatened I felt was in the market in Barbados where a market seller tried to snatch my watch off me and wouldn't let go of my arm.

 

Go experience the world for what it is. st. Petersburg is a wonderful city.

Edited March 2, 2014 by Spurschick
Spelling

[Spurschick]

Well, we're on a Baltics cruise in August....my thoughts were that Putin could stop issuing travel visas. I wonder what Royal would do, since the ship is multinational. As we've seen in the past, Putin just raises his middle finger....I don't think he'll care too much about tourists. It's all about the posturing.

 

 

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Given a visa is $160 per person unless on a ship excursion, and even then I expect a fair amount of the excursion cost goes direct to visa pot, and given the number of ships in port I would be surprised if they didn't care about tourists.

[jessicalorene]

Well, we're on a Baltics cruise in August....my thoughts were that Putin could stop issuing travel visas. I wonder what Royal would do, since the ship is multinational. As we've seen in the past, Putin just raises his middle finger....I don't think he'll care too much about tourists. It's all about the posturing.

 

 

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Don't ever under estimate how much Putin loves money. I REALLY doubt travel visas will stop being issues ... as one of the most corrupt governments in the world it would cost him a hell of a lot of pocket money ;)

[seaofwonder]

I see both of your points; however, he has made decisions in the past that negatively affect his citizens without really caring. The example I can think of is when he stopped adoption by Americans.

 

 

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[Spurschick]

Not meaning to sound rude, but St Petersburg is in the north of Russia approx 938 miles north of Ukraine. If any issues were going to arise I Really don't think you would be anywhere near any issues or the ship wouldn't go there.

 

There are few countries in the world where there is not some sort of conflict or danger anywhere in the world if we are completely honest. The most threatened I felt was in the market in Barbados where a market seller tried to snatch my watch off me and wouldn't let go of my arm.

 

Go experience the world for what it is. st. Petersburg is a wonderful city.

 

 

Ukfamily cruisers

I apologize tried editing and adding this but couldn't work out how.

I have reread what you originally stated and apologize for misinterpreting last night. On a safety perspective I stand by you will be fine as you are far away from the conflict depending on where you dock.

 

However when I posted I was unaware of the full extent that Russia are getting involved and the steps they are taking. So I understand you being skeptical of entering and it being viewed as support of the country.

 

Not knowing when you are going maybe review your options and see how the next few days pan out. They will be crucial as to where this is heading.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide

Edited March 2, 2014 by Spurschick
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