Europe cruises security

[the english lady]

Once you choose to cruise then you are at risk of not going to the ports advertised. Weather and security are just 2 problems that may arise, that may even apply to Eurostar as well.

 

Exactly what I was going to say. If you cannot accept that a cruise ship may not go to where it says it is hoping to go, then..........................

[Scriv]

I'm with you there. To me the whole point of being on a forum is so that you can do exactly this.

 

At the end of the day you choose to get a cruise to Zebrugge. If you had known that it may cancelled or the port changed (and lets face it the chances of being able to tender to Guernsey are not good this time of year) you would have just opted to get on the Eurostar for half the cost. I know I would.

 

It depends ......

 

I choose to get a short cruise which happens to call into Zeebrugge for Bruges. I choose it for the whole package.

 

Although it would be disappointing not to be able to call into Bruges for reasons out of everyone's control, whether it be the weather or security, I would still enjoy the rest of my cruise holiday.

 

If I wanted to travel to Bruges and be there in a few hours via London or Kent, then I would get the train.

 

But in both cases, if I wanted to go to Belgium at the moment with security alerts in Brussels and if I want to travel in December when any bad weather often happens, I would have to reckon with Eurostar maybe not running either.

 

We know that P&O Cruises - (not to be confused with mini cruises operated by P&O Ferries, by the way) - are advised by the FCO as will be Eurostar in what is a national issue.

 

If I am not prepared for any disruption to my holiday for any reasons like this, I will stay at home. :)

Edited November 26, 2015 by Scriv

[claiream3]

I read this thread with interest for two reasons; one from experience and the other with anticipation.

I'm on Ventura the week after next to Amsterdam and Zeebrugge so I am happy that someone else has similar concerns. However I have my own plan for the day we dock in Zeebrugge and having seen Brugges last year I can at least say I have been there as what sold this cruise for me is Amsterdam. Last week my thoughts were that I will not get off the ship in Zeebrugge. This was during the highest alert level 4. If I chose on the day to not get off the ship I know I will enjoy a day on board in the spa, a formal lunch, a lie in, an early evening drink and plan my day around that accordingly, preferring not to risk anything if I don't want to. Today, I am now thinking I may get off the ship, but I don’t think I’ll decide until the day itself. If the weather is rough I can’t see me going anywhere plus Brugges isn’t the easiest place to get to from the dock. But I have a week or so to decide and will continue to look at advice and the news. If P&O chose not to dock I will go with the attitude that I have been lucky enough to experience Bruges in the past and realise that I was not meant to go again, while being thankful to P&O for taking security into consideration.

 

The experience is that we were on Nieuw Amsterdam a couple summers back on a wonderful Med itinerary to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. One of the ports (tender in Mykonos) we didn’t get to because on the way over the winds became atrocious and while still hot and sunny after several attempts to lower the tenders and change position of the ship it became clear we were not going to see Mykonos which at the time was saddening as it is somewhere we have longed to see but it certainly did not spoil the holiday, it made us realise it wasn’t meant to be that day and we will look forward to going back one day. We understood the captains decision (safety) and moved on, had a drink and planned the next adventure.

 

For P&O to cancel Zeebrugge or wherever else (if all goes to plan in Amsterdam I will be being extra vigilant there too) I am pretty sure it would be down to safety as I’m sure this is not exclusive to Belgium and I am sure we can all see the reasons for that.

Wherever I go I always have a back up plan if original plans don’t come off. I always go with the attitude in life that ‘if its meant to be its meant to be’. So if I’m meant to see Bruges again I will, if I’m not I won’t. And I certainly won’t let anything spoil it, I will just carry on and enjoy the ship or the replacement destination that I was meant to see instead.

Something that's always stuck in my mind was (not directly cruise related) is that I had a trip booked to Egypt a few years back. It wasn't my first choice of destination but was part of a family trip being paid for by the in laws. 18 months before booking it I visited a clairvoyant and she told me various things about my life that she couldn't possibly know. Nine out of ten very true and life changing things have come true since. She told me I was cruising on a long journey (I had Ventura booked from Southampton to Caribbean that summer) and said I would cruise again and again. I have since. Then she mentioned Egypt and said 'hmmm I can see locusts. I want to vomit'. I decided at that moment that if ever my cruise travels took me to Egypt I simply will stay onboard that day. Then the Arab Spring happened and our trip there was cancelled by the holiday company for safety. I've basically learned that I am not to go to Egypt as the powers that be upstairs (my dad died 26 years ago) have decided that and I'm happy with that.

What is meant to be is meant to be!

[Scriv]

Someone on a FB page has had a call from P&O about 20 mins ago to confirm that the Oceana mini-cruise on Dec 5th to Zeebrugge is to stop at Zeebrugge.

[the english lady]

Someone on a FB page has had a call from P&O about 20 mins ago to confirm that the Oceana mini-cruise on Dec 5th to Zeebrugge is to stop at Zeebrugge.

 

unless bad weather blows in!!!;);)

[Scriv]

Yes indeed - hope not after all this for those onboard this weekend, but you always have to be prepared for anything cruising, don't you.