Any update on Bali port closing

[Merriem]

Hello Merriem

 

 

People ignore valid government warnings and then cry when they get into trouble

 

The Australian Government says:

 

Visitors to Indonesia, particularly to tourist locations such as Bali and Lombok, should be aware of the specific risks from crime, and from drink-spiking and consumption of alcohol adulterated with harmful substances such as methanol. Tourists may also be exposed to scams and credit card/ATM fraud. There has been an increase in reports of violent crime in Bali. Be aware of your surroundings and conscious of the potential risks of crime (see under

Safety and security for more information).

 

Petty crime, such as opportunistic theft, is common in Indonesia. Thieves on motorcycles may snatch handbags and backpacks from pedestrians. Tourists may be exposed to scams and confidence tricks in Indonesia. Legal disputes are common regarding the purchase of real estate including land, houses, holiday clubs and time share schemes.

 

 

Visit Australia and New Zealand and the Pacific Islands all nice peaceful places where visitors are welcome .....:D

 

We love Australia and have booked another trip for next year. I do not personally care for any of Indonesia ..once was enough. Leaving in a couple of week for a second trip to the Galapagos. I totally agree with you. Indonesia is not safe!

[Merriem]

We seem to have gotten somewhat off topic. The OP asked for ANY UPDATE ON BALI PORT CLOSING - not on whether or not you recommend that port.

 

Does anyone know the status of the negotiations between Celebrity and the Indonesian authorities?

 

Hi, I hope Celebrity does the right thing and skips the place. The safety of the passengers and crew in my opinion are a priority with them!

[sandyss]

The reason given by Celebrity for canceling the Indonesia ports for the current cruise was LEGAL and ETHICAL concerns - not safety.

[VK3DQ]

The reason given by Celebrity for canceling the Indonesia ports for the current cruise was LEGAL and ETHICAL concerns - not safety.

 

Which we read between the lines and meaning that Celebrity are not willing to pay the requested bribes to do business in Bali

 

Corruption is endemic in Bali , you can be jailed for smoking in the wrong place and it will cost you a large bribe to get out of jail ... for many reasons the place is not safe , especially for US Citizens -- The police set up entrapments with plain clothes officers selling drugs and then asking large bribes for you to be released

 

 

Its not a place you should be even considering visiting ....:eek:

 

Thats the point why Celebrity should not call there ....

 

 

Regards

John

[hamrag]

The reason given by Celebrity for canceling the Indonesia ports for the current cruise was LEGAL and ETHICAL concerns - not safety.

 

It was indeed! However, the most recent ship review post by "allypally49" suggests it may have been more to do with a norovirus outbreak, and therefore the requirement to advise Indonesian authorities about the number of sick passengers. The difficulty I have with that explanation is that the decision was taken the final day of previous cruise.....but there may have been B2B cruisers sick, or a requirement to declare a deep cleanse of the ship and previous cruise numbers of sick.

 

Having said that, the excellent posts by "needtobespoiled" on various related threads do not mention anything about such outbreak, although did say that they had to leave the ship for the deep cleanse! We all know that the cruiselines do not always tell the full story!;)

Edited December 6, 2014 by hamrag

[aussi cruiser]

We are on Century Jan 11th Sydney to Singapore and are due to arrive in bali same day as Millennium. We hope they resolved the problem as we will be departing Darwin on the 19th and arriving bali the 22nd followed by another two sea days then arriving in Singapore on the 25th, if we miss bali we will be 5 days at sea as there's no much between Darwin and Singapore. So we hope the problem is resolved.We have not heard anything from Celebrity.

[Merriem]

Do you really want to go here?

 

Since 2005, Indonesian police and security forces have disrupted a number of terrorist cells, including Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), a U.S. government-designated terrorist organization that carried out several significant bombings from 2000 to 2012. In 2002, Indonesia suffered its worst terrorist attack, when more than 200 foreign tourists and Indonesian citizens were killed in Bali’s nightclub district. In 2003 and 2005, deadly car bombs exploded outside hotels and resorts frequented by Westerners in Jakarta and Bali, and outside of the Australian Embassy in Jakarta in 2004. In 2009, JI-affiliated elements bombed two Western hotels in Jakarta, killing nine Indonesians and foreigners and injuring over 50, including six U.S. citizens. Despite police having arrested more than 900 individuals on terrorism-related charges since 2002, extremists in Indonesia continue to demonstrate a willingness and ability to carry out violent attacks with little or no warning.

 

Extremists may target both official and private establishments, including hotels, nightclubs, shopping areas, and restaurants. Whether at work, pursuing daily activities, or traveling, you should be vigilant and prudent at all times. Monitor local news reports, vary your routes and times, and maintain a low profile. Be sure to consider the security and safety preparedness of venues that you frequent.

 

In recent years, terrorists have targeted Indonesian police stations and officers. In May 2014, pipe bombs were found at a police post in Surakarta. In November 2012, there were various armed attacks on police stations and officers in Central Java, including a bomb found at a police post in Surakarta. In October 2012, two police officers were assassinated in Poso, Sulawesi. Currently, U.S. Embassy personnel travel to Poso is restricted to mission-essential travel that is approved in advance by the Embassy security office.

 

In November 2009, unknown assailants shot at foreigners in Banda Aceh, North Sumatra, an area that was devastated by the 2004 tsunami. The gunfire wounded a European development worker. In the same area, a house occupied by U.S. citizen teachers was targeted and hit by gunfire, but there were no U.S. citizen casualties.

 

Be aware that a real or even perceived offense may generate a negative response from local people. On one occasion, two U.S. citizens in western Sumatra were beaten after they reportedly accused a local man of theft. In the same month, another U.S. citizen in Sumatra was threatened by members of a local mosque when he complained about being awakened from his sleep by the morning call to prayer.

 

Demonstrations are common throughout Indonesia. Common areas for protest activity in Jakarta include both the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle and the U.S. Embassy. While these demonstrations are usually peaceful and police presence is normally sufficient to maintain order, demonstrations have occasionally become large and violent, particularly when involving issues related to religion. In the past, anti-American demonstrations at the Embassy have been sparked by U.S. foreign policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other issues related to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other areas in the Middle East.

 

Localized political violence and civil unrest for ethnic, sectarian, religious and separatist reasons are common in various parts of the country. Religious and ethnic violence have occurred in Central Sulawesi. Papua is home to a continuing separatist movement, which includes a small number of armed Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM) guerillas who have attacked Indonesian government targets and personnel in the Puncak Jaya area of the Papuan highlands. Security forces continue to pursue separatist guerillas there. In the area between Timika and the copper and gold mine of Grasberg in Papua, there have also been over 30 shooting incidents between 2009 and 2014 carried out by unknown gunmen who were targeting security personnel employees, and contractors of a U.S. multi-national mining company.

[tomcruiser1234]

We seem to have some pretty negative reviews on Bali.

 

May stick with the ships tours

 

However can't believe X would go there if they thought it was unsafe

[need2bespoiled]

We seem to have some pretty negative reviews on Bali.

 

May stick with the ships tours

 

However can't believe X would go there if they thought it was unsafe

 

Saying Bali is unsafe as Merrien wrote, is like saying Scottsdale Arizona is unsafe, because Harlem, NY is not safe. You could easily go nowhere in Mexico because there are some parts of Mexico that aren't safe.

 

Demonstrations happen in Hong Kong, Istanbul, and other places X sails. I think you need to look specifically at the locations you're actually going. Security is very high in Bali, especially at hotels, and having actually been there, we felt no less safe then you would in Mexico.

 

I'm far from saying Bali is the ideal cruise port, it certainly isn't and was not our favorite stop, but please be careful about generalizing.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[Merriem]

There is nothing negative about the facts

[need2bespoiled]

There is nothing negative about the facts

 

Who said you were negative. I said you're genralizing about Bali, a very busy tourist destination. That's like comparing Iowa to New York.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[Pushka]

Most of those terrorist incidents took place well away from Bali. But citing those is like saying not to go to New York or Boston.

[The_Big_M]

There is nothing negative about the facts

 

When you only display negative facts, and challenged why you should go there, there can be.

 

Equivalent facts to what you wrote could equally be written to US destinations. Is it unsafe to go there?

[DYKWIA]

There is nothing negative about the facts

 

But many of those facts could be applied to many country's (obviously changing date/ time / number etc)

Spain / USA / UK for certain. It seems not a day goes by without our media in the UK reporting on arrests related to terrorist activities. You say they have arrested 900 on such matters in Indonesia since 2002. In the tiny little UK last year alone about 240 were arrested.

 

Certainly corruption, terrorism, murder, drugs, robbery can be applied to Thailand.

 

So where can we go? When I last looked there are not too many cruises to Switzerland.

Edited December 7, 2014 by DYKWIA

[claudio]

Im o jan 4 sailing and celebrity tells me to cruise is as scheduled

merriman I think you been watching too many cia movies don't believe everything your govt tells you

[WestLakeGirl]

There was a carjacking in Cleveland, don't go to Ohio

There was a drive by shooting in Omaha, don't go to Nebraska

There was a murder in Minneapolis, don't go to Minnesota

 

There was mosquito borne disease in St. Maarten, don't visit the Caribbean

 

There was noro on a ship, don't take a cruise.

 

You'll get tired jumping to so many conclusions

Edited December 7, 2014 by WestLakeGirl

[chamima]

Which we read between the lines and meaning that Celebrity are not willing to pay the requested bribes to do business in Bali

 

Corruption is endemic in Bali , you can be jailed for smoking in the wrong place and it will cost you a large bribe to get out of jail ... for many reasons the place is not safe , especially for US Citizens -- The police set up entrapments with plain clothes officers selling drugs and then asking large bribes for you to be released

 

 

Its not a place you should be even considering visiting ....:eek:

 

Thats the point why Celebrity should not call there ....

 

 

Regards

John

 

 

We had Bali as a port on our Solstice sailing a couple of years ago.

The tenders started HOURS late because of the negotiations between Celebrity and Bali about what our port fees were to be. It would be ok'd and then rescinded over and over.

We were finally allowed to tender.

We had a private tour booked and I also remember that our driver (recommended on here and on TripAdvisor) had to "pay" someone to watch his car at every stop. He remarked that that's just how things are done there.

As John said above, I think the port closing has to do with Celebrity not wanting to pay the bribes any longer.

[Merriem]

When you only display negative facts, and challenged why you should go there, there can be.

 

Equivalent facts to what you wrote could equally be written to US destinations. Is it unsafe to go there?

 

Go, be safe! Have any of you people been there? I have, and would not go back. Celebrity is in charge, and no doubt they will do the right thing.

 

If you have never been there maybe you need to do some reading about this topic.

[Merriem]

Im o jan 4 sailing and celebrity tells me to cruise is as scheduled

merriman I think you been watching too many cia movies don't believe everything your govt tells you

 

I was there! I wouldn't get off the ship if I went back. To each his own.

[caladezi]

There was a carjacking in Cleveland, don't go to Ohio

There was a drive by shooting in Omaha, don't go to Nebraska

There was a murder in Minneapolis, don't go to Minnesota

 

There was mosquito borne disease in St. Maarten, don't visit the Caribbean

 

There was noro on a ship, don't take a cruise.

 

You'll get tired jumping to so many conclusions

 

Great advice!

[Pushka]

Go, be safe! Have any of you people been there? I have, and would not go back. Celebrity is in charge, and no doubt they will do the right thing.

 

 

 

If you have never been there maybe you need to do some reading about this topic.

 

 

I've been to Bali multiple times, I'd say 8 times for 2 weeks at a time. How many times have you been?

 

It's ok not to like a place. Many people don't. Each to his own. But don't cry safety as a reason.

[need2bespoiled]

Go, be safe! Have any of you people been there? I have, and would not go back. Celebrity is in charge, and no doubt they will do the right thing.

 

If you have never been there maybe you need to do some reading about this topic.

 

I was there last week. I can see how you may get on opinion if you only visit southern Bali, and don't leave the developed parts. There is a lot of history and beauty there and while it is rapidly changing and there was a lot of trash, we are glad we went. I would not rush back if I was looking for a beach stop, but there are many beautiful beach resorts and it was still interesting overall.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[TinaPerth_Australia]

I have been to Bali many, many times and yes there is graft etc and it is part of everyday life. I would be very surprised if the Bali Port Authority took on Celebrity as part of some local minor corruption, has to go higher - just my thought. The higher it goes, the harder to avoid paying. Can sometimes avoid if only a minor official. So I think will be an ongoing problem.

[claudio]

Been to bali heaps of time I even let my 12 yr old son go off on his own while we were in kuta having said that dont like kuta its dirty and full of tattooed aussies

balinese are fantastic though and I never forget how privileged I am to to be able to go there

so just get off the ship and spend some money there

[Pushka]

I wouldn't let my 12 year old go off on their own in Bali. Not going into it here but there is safety and then there are full on risks. Bali is safe but risky behaviour isn't.