In Light of Tunisia Events

[localady]

We're going back to Istanbul and Kusadasi in June and while we'll pay close attention to the situation we don't have any particular concerns right now. We may have a slightly different view......the only place we've been attacked or were in danger was at work right here in the US in the Pentagon on 9/11.

 

I think we all have to make personal decisions on travel. I loved Istanbul and Kusadasi very much. In my current personal situation, I'd not be comfortable traveling there at this time, but my situation differs from yours.

I wish you and your wife a wonderful trip, both cities rank among my best travel memories to date. :D

Edited March 21, 2015 by localady

[sail7seas]

I don't think there is a 'right or wrong'. For those who say they will not be kept from traveling, I applaud you. For those who say, I don't want to risk the worry, fear, concern you are absolutely right.

 

We don't know anyone's story. The hale and hearty 40 something year old childless couple has one set of concerns and not others.

 

The young parents of six year old twins likely has all together different viewpoint.

 

How about the 60 something year old widow who traveled with her DH for over 40 years and now has to either travel alone or not go? Does she have concerns the young 'uns cannot understand?

 

Please don't be overbearing to those who say they will travel or to those who say they likely will not.

 

JMO........

[Priya2]

I don't think there is a 'right or wrong'. For those who say they will not be kept from traveling, I applaud you. For those who say, I don't want to risk the worry, fear, concern you are absolutely right.

 

We don't know anyone's story. The hale and hearty 40 something year old childless couple has one set of concerns and not others.

 

The young parents of six year old twins likely has all together different viewpoint.

 

How about the 60 something year old widow who traveled with her DH for over 40 years and now has to either travel alone or not go? Does she have concerns the young 'uns cannot understand?

 

Please don't be overbearing to those who say they will travel or to those who say they likely will not.

 

JMO........

Well said 😌

[take us away]

To those saying hat they wouldn't go to Russia, may I ask why? I am not aware if any particular risk there for a sensible tourist!

 

May be more politically related due to Putin than safety-related - just a guess.

[Folk Singer]

I'm certainly not interested in going to those areas, not with all that is going on.:eek:

 

 

I have no intention of going here either.:(:(

[GregnChris]

HAL has cancelled Tunisia stops in May. Will consider further changes as trips approach.

 

Here is the HAL announcement:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Simple.action?requestPage=Tunisia_Port_Cancellations_150321&himage=no

 

Greg

[Despegue]

Ok, some people really have no clue what they are talking about here, claiming they would not feel safe in Istanbul or Turkish resorts is just absurd and is in fact fear mongering.

No matter what sort of "situation" one is in, objectivity and sense of reality instead of getting on the hysteria train must prevail.

 

Touristic Turkey is safer than any major city in the USA. And that is a fact.

 

Claiming that the whole ME and Africa is unsafe for " Americans" is equally ridiculous and those claiming this have clearly never been to Africa or the ME.

Oman is maybe the Safest country in the World, Qatar is cirtually crimeless, as are the Emirates.

 

Most of Africa is Christian, including fantastic countries like Namibia, Zambia, Botswana etc...

 

Greetz,

Despegue

Based in Saudi Arabia, and visiting on a regular basis all these "unsafe places" and strangely feeling safe, as does my crew, company and Government.

[dpeeps87]

As most have stated the sad state of the world is that any area of the world can be prone to terrorist attacks. Even here in Australia where we feel safer because we are more isolated we have recently had a terrorist attack in one of our major tourist areas.

 

I will be heading to Paris and then through the Mediterranean on a cruise in July for the first time. We will be visiting Istanbul, Kusadasi and Ephesus and I wouldnt call it bravado but im not worried. Having travelled to many places if you are cautious and aware of your surroundings you can normally avoid trouble most of the time.

 

Things like what occurred in Tunisia and Paris are isolated events for tourists and you would have to be VERY unlucky to ever be caught up in such a horrific situation. Its not that its impossible but I would rather see these beautiful places then let myself be intimidated by those who wish to do evil out there.

 

I'd be lying if I didnt feel just a little more cautious before visiting these places but not enough to ever stop me from enjoying seeing our beautiful planet

[mame42]

What is your "fear factor" in light of the tourist shootings in Tunis? Even if you aren't going to that region, we all know travel is increasingly risky all over the world. I don't want to stop travelling and let terrorists win, but I must be aware of the risks. What's your outlook?

 

Absolutely none... As a single (divorced/widowed) woman of a certain age (over 70), I have no dependents (or pets); my children and grandchildren are well established in their own lives.

 

I think my then 12 year old son said it best when asked by a reporter how he would feel if his sister, one of the first female graduates of USMA, came home in a body bag. His reply... "I would know she died doing what she loved (flying a helicopter)."

[Folk Singer]

HAL has cancelled Tunisia stops in May. Will consider further changes as trips approach.

 

Here is the HAL announcement:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Simple.action?requestPage=Tunisia_Port_Cancellations_150321&himage=no

 

Greg

 

Thank you for the link.:(

[cruisemom42]

I think my then 12 year old son said it best when asked by a reporter how he would feel if his sister, one of the first female graduates of USMA, came home in a body bag. His reply... "I would know she died doing what she loved (flying a helicopter)."

 

Slightly OT, but jeez, what a terrible question to ask a 12-year-old!!

[carken47]

I spoke to my HAL cruise consultant today about the stop in Tunisia in the fall. HAL has only cancelled those stops through May, but not in the summer or fall at this time. He said they are giving any feedback or concerns of their clients to headquarters so I would encourage anyone with concerns to call HAL and voice them. If a stop in Tunisia would stop you from taking a trip tell them. The last thing they want is people cancelling when final payment is due.

[cruisemom42]

I spoke to my HAL cruise consultant today about the stop in Tunisia in the fall. HAL has only cancelled those stops through May, but not in the summer or fall at this time. He said they are giving any feedback or concerns of their clients to headquarters so I would encourage anyone with concerns to call HAL and voice them. If a stop in Tunisia would stop you from taking a trip tell them. The last thing they want is people cancelling when final payment is due.

 

If it's one thing I'm certain of, it's that the cruise lines will use an excess of caution in determining whether any port is safe. They probably are reluctant to cancel ports too far in advance in case things change suddenly (as they have in Israel from time to time, or even in Tunisia in the past). People can get tetchy whether ports are cancelled too soon and too far in advance just as easily as when ports are not cancelled as soon as some might like.

 

However, HAL and other lines have frequently canceled Tunis over even minor events, so I'm sure they have this port on their radar and will make the best decision possible closer to your actual cruise.

[whogo]

I would happily travel to the Mediterranean at this time and am hoping that recent events will bring the price down on a couple of cruises I have been tracking.

[MMDown Under]

HAL has cancelled Tunisia stops in May. Will consider further changes as trips approach.

 

Here is the HAL announcement:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Simple.action?requestPage=Tunisia_Port_Cancellations_150321&himage=no

 

Greg

 

Seems strange that HAL has only cancelled their Tunisia stops to May, when MSC, which cruises there weekly, has cancelled their stops for the summer season. I'm inclined to trust MSC, a local company, on this decision.

 

For all my personal travel, I am guided by the current Government travel advisory.

[GregnChris]

It seems perfectly appropriate for HAL to cancel the stops in Tunisia in May, and hold off their decision for later visits. It gives them time to assess the situation and then decide what to do with their other stops. Expect them to err on the side of safety for their customers. I expect they will end up cancelling more stops later, but they don't want to jump the gun.

 

Greg

 

Seems strange that HAL has only cancelled their Tunisia stops to May, when MSC, which cruises there weekly, has cancelled their stops for the summer season. I'm inclined to trust MSC, a local company, on this decision.

 

For all my personal travel, I am guided by the current Government travel advisory.

[cruisemom42]

Seems strange that HAL has only cancelled their Tunisia stops to May, when MSC, which cruises there weekly, has cancelled their stops for the summer season. I'm inclined to trust MSC, a local company, on this decision.

 

For all my personal travel, I am guided by the current Government travel advisory.

 

MSC just had 12 passengers killed and 13 injured in the shooting. It is understandable they may not want to return to this port anytime soon, both from the company perspective and in terms of passenger peace of mind.

 

Taking a "wait and see" approach is sensible for a line like HAL that calls into Tunis infrequently.

[carken47]

It's just my opinion but knowing that more than 20 tourists were targeted and killed from 2 cruise ships, in a well known musuem, would be enough for me to cancel a cruise. Anything can happen anywhere but Tunisia has been a major supplier of Isis terrorist fighters and perhaps other cruise lines like NCL have anticipated potential serious problems.

[jankn]

I would not be traveling/cruising to the Middle East any time soon....there are just too many crazies our there who are looking to make a statement and see how much damage they can do and lives they can take ...It's dangerous enough right here at some places in our own country tho.....we cruised shortly after the New Year and heard other say, too, that there were many areas they would not be traveling to in the near future. sad..?.And yes, a cruise ship is like a sitting duck out in the middle,of an ocean....

[sail7seas]

I wish HAL would take one of the ships headed to Europe and leave it in the Caribbean for the summer. I used to love those summer in the Caribbean cruises HAL offered for many years.

[edward01ca]

There are 30,000 deaths per year in the USA from gun use. I don't think the number of deaths in Tunisia are that significant compared to what happens in the USA.

 

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-weisser/guns-nra-doctors_b_5939384.html

[Despegue]

Will those scaremongerers who are claiming that the ME is a dangerous place please educate themselves first before making incredibly ignorant remarks?!

 

There are almost weekly mass shootings in the USA, which, by the way, is also terrorism, yet nobody expects tourists to avoid "Dangerous America"...

 

Large parts of the ME are much safer than any part of the USA. And that is a FACT.

[cruisemom42]

I would not be traveling/cruising to the Middle East any time soon....there are just too many crazies our there who are looking to make a statement and see how much damage they can do and lives they can take ...It's dangerous enough right here at some places in our own country tho.....we cruised shortly after the New Year and heard other say, too, that there were many areas they would not be traveling to in the near future. sad..?.And yes, a cruise ship is like a sitting duck out in the middle,of an ocean....

 

I thought this thread was about Tunisia (which is not in the Middle East....)

[sail7seas]

Will those scaremongerers who are claiming that the ME is a dangerous place please educate themselves first before making incredibly ignorant remarks?!

 

There are almost weekly mass shootings in the USA, which, by the way, is also terrorism, yet nobody expects tourists to avoid "Dangerous America"...

 

Large parts of the ME are much safer than any part of the USA. And that is a FACT.

 

I wouldn't wish to tell that to the loved ones of those killed by terrorists.

 

If people think Dangerous America should be avoided, by all means they certainly should avoid coming to those places they deem too dangerous. We all have choices to make. If you consider America dangerous, does that make you ignorant? If some of us consider the Middle East dangerous, that does not make us ignorant. Decide for yourself where you wish to spend your travel dollars.... that's what we all do.

 

Edited March 25, 2015 by sail7seas

[generichandle]

In a few weeks we will be visiting Morocco. Anyone think I should be nervous

about that?

 

Doug