black sea in June

[spikkel]

any idea what's going to happen or are we being resceduled?

kind regards

Annelies

[Reggiefan]

Are you getting any information from your travel agent?

 

I have similar questions about a July Baltic cruise, though my concerns are probably less pressing than yours. I have to believe that Azamara has engaged in serious contingency planning with its Black Sea cruises that will eliminate some ports and add others.

 

And it appears that the arrow is currently pointed in the wrong direction with regard to events in the Ukraine, though I think we will have a better idea in the next few weeks whether the tensions there will subside.

 

Nonetheless, I have to believe that there are few booking Black Sea cruises and that the cruise lines are receiving cancellations for these cruises unless the cancellation deadline has passed.

 

At some point in the next few weeks, the cruise lines are going to have to be a bit more candid regarding their intentions with the Black Sea and even possibly the Baltic cruises. Uncertainty is bad for business. I realize that final decisions have perhaps not been made. But I would think that the cruise lines are close to making to final decisions with the Black Sea cruises and know for the most part what the alternative ports will be if the itinerary in fact is changed.

[Granny DI]

I booked a cruise which included the Black Sea for October on The Ocean Princess. Started reading reports about the region several months ago and got " cold feet". I cancelled the Princess cruise and replaced it with a cruise on HAL with similar itinerary except for Black Sea portion...then bought insurance for flights etc that allows me to cancel for any reason! Don't know what the future holds for that area of the world. We have family in the Czech Republic so know the history of that region very well.

[syam]

I, too, have been considering this cruise, with a 'wait and see' attitude. The Canadian government has posted a 'Travel Advisory' warning against travel to this region. Should Russia take over the Crimea in the next few days, even if it's 'bloodless', for now, that might change as possible resistance develops.

Even if the Advisory is lifted, there may be restrictions on tourism as it has been conducted in previous years. With Russian affiliation, you may have to get a Visa (expensive and not necessarily easy, or even possible, if your country takes an anti-Putin stance), you may not be able to get off the ship in certain ports without them.

There may not be adequate time to put in place provisions for port tours if they have to be as rigidly controlled as in St. Petersburg. And depending on the circumstances, the populace might not be up to entertaining travellers from other lands, especially if they are suffering from economic sanctions.

Perhaps ports will be changed, but I've been given to understand it's the very ones that might be excluded that are the main draw to a Black Sea cruise.

It would certainly benefit the cruise lines to commit to new itineraries soon, or they may be sailing 'emptyish' vessels.

It's a delicate situation....for many reasons. We've seen many fascinating ports around the Med. disappear from itineraries in the past few years. It is unfortunate, but mainly so for the people who struggle for their existence in these places.

Although it sometimes seems otherwise to some people, the world does not exist to amuse us. I'm glad to see the respect and empathy for others expressed in these boards by many.

[Granny DI]

Totally agree. DH worked in Russia and with family in Czech Repulic traveling in that region was a hassle until the last few years. The people of that entire region have endured so much for the last 70+ years.

[pacheco18]

For what it's worth

 

I just got an emotional email response from the guide I used in Crimea last year. He is quite well known on CC (perhaps the most in demand of any private guide in the region) and involved in politics. He poured his heart out to me about the current situation. Priests are being kidnapped, folks are afraid to speak Ukrainian, he has wiped out his Facebook page for fear of retaliation and deletes all emails. He referred to Putin as Putler (Putin + Hitler -- you get the drift)

 

The situation is far worse than the media is reporting. I would be really surprised if any ship goes to Yalta or Sevastopol in the near future.

[Granny DI]

Thanks for the info. I'm very worried for all the former Soviet satellite countries.

[shedridt]

....when you have to get the real news on cruisecritic.com, but thank goodness for it. Thanks for the posting, Laraine.

 

I suspect plans are already being made for alternate ports. We sailed into Yalta 15 years ago & found a 3rd world economy & perhaps it's back to that now. What a shame as this is a beautiful place.

[wripro]

Personally, I would cancel any cruise to the Black Sea. Not only do I not want to support Putin I don't want to supports a cruise line that supports him. If every cruise line canceled all Black Sea and Baltic cruises that would send some kind of message. jmo.

[Granny DI]

Personally, I would cancel any cruise to the Black Sea. Not only do I not want to support Putin I don't want to supports a cruise line that supports him. If every cruise line canceled all Black Sea and Baltic cruises that would send some kind of message. jmo.

 

 

According to our guide in St Petersburg, Putin is the second wealthiest man in the world. He is "former" KGB...he won't care about the boycott because he has money and power...

[pacheco18]

FYI

 

Someone just posted on the Oceania boards that O has cancelled ports in Crimea/Ukraine for its Black Sea cruises and substituted ports in Georgia, Turkey and Romania. That's the limit of the information posted.

[theampres]

thanks for keeping us posted, Laraine - from all sources. would be esp. interested if you hear anything further from Ukrainian guide you had last year. upon your high recommendation, we've booked him for Sept, IF we make it there, that is...

 

thanks in advance for any further info.

Lynn

(will post your latest info. on our roll call - assume that's OK with you)

[shedridt]

You're doing great work by putting your friend's insight out there. I hope he will be safe in sharing his feelings.

 

We are wondering why this information is not out there in the mainstream American press. One shouldn't have to turn to Cruise Critic to get the straight skinny on the real situation in Ukraine.

 

Keep up the good work, & here's hoping your friend will be safe.....

[pacheco18]

thanks for keeping us posted, Laraine - from all sources. would be esp. interested if you hear anything further from Ukrainian guide you had last year. upon your high recommendation, we've booked him for Sept, IF we make it there, that is...

 

thanks in advance for any further info.

Lynn

(will post your latest info. on our roll call - assume that's OK with you)

 

Of course

[nordski]

We are wondering why this information is not out there in the mainstream American press. One shouldn't have to turn to Cruise Critic to get the straight skinny on the real situation in Ukraine.

 

.....

 

Although the "straight skinny" is always in very short supply, you might wish to watch or listen to the BBC, or Deutsche Welle, for a somewhat more European view of this affair, since they, arguably, will experience the most collateral impact.

 

For example, whilst many North Americans make analogies to pre-World War II, some European commentators liken this event to pre-WW I and its dangerous fires of nationalism.

 

At this stage, it's hard to envisage how the Crimea situation will now be changed and the efforts, at present, will center largely on keeping Eastern Ukraine from the same fate.

 

Thus, for those Ukrainians engaged in tourism, both inside and outside Crimea, it's hard to see how cruising, both river and ocean, will not be formally and informally severely curtailed.

 

One would have hoped for better conditions for Ukraine following an exceedingly painful Twentieth Century.

[spikkel]

thanks for all your replays, finally there's a posting from Azamara with an itínary change,

we booked this cruise last June and I asked if there would be some sort of refund because the new ports are not too interesting as the Black Sea and we are booked back to back from the 2nd of June and some ports will be the same

now even 3 days in Istanbul

Annelies

[Sailin' Shoes]

thanks for all your replays, finally there's a posting from Azamara with an itínary change,

we booked this cruise last June and I asked if there would be some sort of refund because the new ports are not too interesting as the Black Sea and we are booked back to back from the 2nd of June and some ports will be the same

now even 3 days in Istanbul

Annelies

 

New itinerary: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2011843