Turkish Ports At Risk

[53flygirl]

TC my husband and I will be on the explorer next year that will go to many of the same ports that you will be visiting shortly. Please share any tips or comments that you encounter. I also really hope they don't stop going to these ports because we won't have much to visit in that case!

 

We too will be on this cruise with Irishwitchy and I look forward to all the posts from TC and others . Really curious about the new cruise terminal area in Istanbul. Since there is always something happening around the world these, I am not too worried about the ports this far out:)

[JPR]

The Oceania Riviera skilled both Alexandria and Port Said in June, due to terrorism concerns.

I had to cancel a great El Alamein tour (included a visit to the Alexandria Library) booked for 12 passengers! At least we had been to the pyramids, Aswan, and Luxor years ago...

[RachelG]

The Oceania Riviera skilled both Alexandria and Port Said in June, due to terrorism concerns.

I had to cancel a great El Alamein tour (included a visit to the Alexandria Library) booked for 12 passengers! At least we had been to the pyramids, Aswan, and Luxor years ago...

 

How far ahead did they let you know of the cancellations? And what did you do instead?

[Zqueeze1]

TC2: I'm not worried much either since anyone foolish enough to want to mess up The Boss' cruise will face her wrath. She will dispose of the threat Sicilian vendetta style. She packed her super girl outfit along with my poodle one just in case.

Z and TB

[JPR]

RachelG:

 

Unfortunately, we were told just 4 days before the cruise. They substituted Alanya, Turkey (excellent beaches, Roman temple and town fortress lookout) and Limassol, Cyprus (a dud). Many passengers were upset that they didn't add a night in Haifa, since we arrived there on a Saturday. (We spent the day touring the Ba'hai Gardens, a small art museum, the Arab Quarter (best felafel in town!) and a small indoor mall that was open).

[Travelcat2]

JPR - which port did they cancel 4 days before the cruise? We have two Egypt ports (Cairo and Alexandria) and are also going to Antalya, Turkey and Limassol, Cyprus. It sounds like we won't find out for another week or so. Thanks for the information.

[Portolan]

is port capacity.

 

Cancelling ports perceived to be risky on short notice requires finding other ports in the vicinity which are not fully booked. My impression is that the number of cruise ships is expanding much more quickly than port capacity so that's why you can end up at an obscure port rather than an extra night in a more prominent port.

 

That said, since our October/November cruise (Istanbul-Dubai on Voyager) has port calls in a tumultuous part of the world, we are hoping for no changes to the itinerary since there are no good/easy alternatives.

[Travelcat2]

JPR: Sorry for asking a question that you already answered -- I missed your previous post!

[JPR]

Let me know if you make it to Egypt. We also lost Tunisia (much earlier, after the Bardia Museum was hit by terrorists). And we had one bomb scare after leaving Chania, Crete (captain told us after the ship had been thoroughly searched and nothing found) and the hull was checked by divers before we departed Malta. So much fun with extremist murdering crazies out there!

[RachelG]

Well, it sounds like we will have an interesting time no matter what.

[islandhalls]

Well, we made it to Izmir and we are now in Istanbul, but the stop in Lesbos was disturbing, according to those who went ashore (we did not.) We were told the town was unsanitary, with human excrement on the streets. There were refugees that had been rescued when their boat was sinking, and there were altercations with the local authorities. Many guests are quite upset they were not warned about the conditions ashore. We dined with an officer earlier in the cruise who told me the refugees would not be where we were going. We were in the Observation Lounge while we were sailing away and there was a small boat approaching Lesbos and filled with people, most agreed it was more refugees. I felt so .... I don't know, sad and uncomfortable being in such luxury. My husband and I agree we will find an appropriate charity to donate on our return home. The ship is scheduled to return on Monday, I will be staying on board.

[Travelcat2]

Very disturbing, as is the article linked in post #7 of this Oceania thread http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2255729

 

Perhaps Regent will rethink this port stop as it is scheduled to go there again in a couple of weeks. Oceania has a planned stop in Lesbos on September 8th.

Edited September 5, 2015 by Travelcat2

[alainciao]

We'll, this certainly a bad situation. Not for us on the Mariner but for the unfortunate refugees fighting for their lives. We board tomorrow. How about we CCers get together at the observation lounge after the safety drill and develop a plan to give something to these people? Can we take one port's budget ans somehow get it to someone who can help these people? For crying out loud, let's try something! After the safety drill! I don't want to skip this port. I want to do something however little in the grand scheme.

[RachelG]

They need to find an alternate port and quickly. The original port on our cruise was to be Patmos, followed by 3 days in Israel. Then they changed it to Lesvos with 2 days in Israel, and 2 in Egypt. But I didn't cancel because I figured it would be fine (even though the reason I booked was the stop in Patmos and the 3 days in Israel).

 

Now I am mad, not because they changed it in the first place, because who could predict that far ahead what would be happening, but because they are not being proactive in fixing the situation. ... And I don't just want another sea day. I did not book this cruise for sea days. If I wanted those, I would book a trans Atlantic at a lower price point.

 

And of course, it is too late to cancel.

[Travelcat2]

We'll, this certainly a bad situation. Not for us on the Mariner but for the unfortunate refugees fighting for their lives. We board tomorrow. How about we CCers get together at the observation lounge after the safety drill and develop a plan to give something to these people? Can we take one port's budget ans somehow get it to someone who can help these people? For crying out loud, let's try something! After the safety drill! I don't want to skip this port. I want to do something however little in the grand scheme.

 

Although I would like to skip this port, I would love if the port fees that were going to be paid to the port were somehow given to the organizations helping the refugees.

[Pamela1]

We'll, this certainly a bad situation. Not for us on the Mariner but for the unfortunate refugees fighting for their lives. We board tomorrow. How about we CCers get together at the observation lounge after the safety drill and develop a plan to give something to these people? Can we take one port's budget ans somehow get it to someone who can help these people? For crying out loud, let's try something! After the safety drill! I don't want to skip this port. I want to do something however little in the grand scheme.

 

That is a very noble gesture alainciao. I hope your fellow passengers help you out. It is a desperate situation for all and i'm sure every little will help.

 

Pam.

[gnomie1]

This hits very close to me and my family because in 1939, these were my parents and their families trying to flee Hitler. For those not aware of history, many countries (including the USA) closed their borders to the refugees, which resulted in the deaths of millions. It is through the kindness of strangers that my parents (who were children at the time) and a few members of their families were able to flee and set up a new life, eventually settling the the United States. What deeply disturbs me right now is that Americans seem to be completely ignorant to what is going on in Europe with regard to the migrants - there is so much that we can do to help.

 

gnomie :)

[Pamela1]

This hits very close to me and my family because in 1939, these were my parents and their families trying to flee Hitler. For those not aware of history, many countries (including the USA) closed their borders to the refugees, which resulted in the deaths of millions. It is through the kindness of strangers that my parents (who were children at the time) and a few members of their families were able to flee and set up a new life, eventually settling the the United States. What deeply disturbs me right now is that Americans seem to be completely ignorant to what is going on in Europe with regard to the migrants - there is so much that we can do to help.

 

gnomie :)

 

 

That's a great post gnomie, the kindness of strangers makes a huge difference in peoples lives.

 

Pam.

[RachelG]

This hits very close to me and my family because in 1939, these were my parents and their families trying to flee Hitler. For those not aware of history, many countries (including the USA) closed their borders to the refugees, which resulted in the deaths of millions. It is through the kindness of strangers that my parents (who were children at the time) and a few members of their families were able to flee and set up a new life, eventually settling the the United States. What deeply disturbs me right now is that Americans seem to be completely ignorant to what is going on in Europe with regard to the migrants - there is so much that we can do to help.

 

gnomie :)

 

But as far as I know from history, your ancestors weren't rioting or throwing rocks at the people trying to help them. While I am sure that most of the refugees are simply trying to flee a bad situation, there is a not insignificant minority who are trouble makers and potentially terrorists who are coming in hoping to slip in with the massive wave. That is why the authorities are trying establish registration and some sense of order.

[Pamela1]

But as far as I know from history, your ancestors weren't rioting or throwing rocks at the people trying to help them. While I am sure that most of the refugees are simply trying to flee a bad situation, there is a not insignificant minority who are trouble makers and potentially terrorists who are coming in hoping to slip in with the massive wave. That is why the authorities are trying establish registration and some sense of order.

 

I'm pretty sure Oklahoma won't be bothered with these tiresome refugees any time soon and it must be a real inconvenience for you to have to stay on your luxury ship whilst these desperate people fight to survive. Really hope your cruise isn't too hampered by this bothering nuisance.

[RachelG]

Wow, Pamela, that is kind of rude. I suspect that you are not aware that Oklahoma and Arkansas took a huge number of refugees from Vietnam and Cambodia at the end of the Vietnam war.

[Pamela1]

Wow, Pamela, that is kind of rude. I suspect that you are not aware that Oklahoma and Arkansas took a huge number of refugees from Vietnam and Cambodia at the end of the Vietnam war.

 

I'm not aware of every single state or country that has helped out in the past 50 years and i'm comfortable with that. My point is however, that we are facing another crisis now and we all need to step up and help out irrespective of how history has painted us. It is all about putting ourselves in others shoes and responding to the belief they have in us. I can't imagine how i would feel in their situation but i would know that their are compassionate people still out there.

[Travelcat2]

Before this thread spins further out of control, perhaps we should remind ourselves that what we individually choose to do is our own business and, IMO, has no place on a cruise thread. Suggesting that people on CC do not know what is going on in Europe or what has happened in history is simply insulting to everyone. There are no doubt that many charities are helping -- perhaps those of you that wish to help should check out the websites.

 

Perhaps I should not have suggested Regent donate port fees if they decide to cancel Lesbos. My posts today have really been about two passengers' (my DH and I) not wanting to visit Lesbos. This was based on photos in the article linked above as well as the post from the Mariner after visiting Lesbos.

 

Back on subject...... The Mariner is now in Istanbul. I am looking forward to reports from Zqueeze1 and others in terms of what they observed and experienced in Istanbul since we will be there a week from Tuesday. Although their cruise is Istanbul to Istanbul, the itinerary is quite different than ours. Hoping that everyone arrived safely and will have a great cruise!

Edited September 5, 2015 by Travelcat2

[poss]

Well said, Travelcat2.

[RachelG]

I totally agree, travelcat2. The cruise starting now in Istanbul was also supposed to visit Lesvos. Before all this fussing started, I was awaiting the reports of those on that cruise to decide whether we should just do our own thing there (which we definitely won't do now) or take the only tour offered. that was it.

 

Now, there are reports of the island being overrun by a large influx of refugees which is way more than they can manage. The mayor is asking for help, and for a state of emergency to be declared. They are desperately trying to keep order. I have seen the pictures and read the reports on other sites.

 

I am not unsympathetic at all, and don't understand why my comments are construed as such. But adding a whole cruise ship full of passengers to the mix is not going to help the situation. Regent needs to come up with an alternate plan.