How safe is Turkey from a cruise ship?

[T.O.cruisers]

Has anyone decided to stay on board for the day while your ship is docked at Turkey? Recent posts on the port of call board are suggesting that tourists stay away. I have an excursion booked for the end of May, While I'm not prepared to cancel just yet, I am concerned. What have others done? Could/would RCI cancel the port stop?

[klfrodo]

How safe is Turkey from a cruise ship?

Very safe. Most cruise ships stay in the water and will not try to attack land. ;)

 

Having said that, I just flew through Istanbul and will be doing a med cruise in July. I was disappointed they cancelled the Istanbul stop and changed to a different one. Looking forward to visiting Turkey.

[Alter Ego]

I thought many cruise ships were bypassing Turkey this season and next? It wouldn't surprise me to find that your itinerary has changed at the last minute. I'm sure they are watching the situation closely.

 

If they stop, it is probably safe. I live in a "dangerous" city, so I know that reports and realities aren't necessarily the same. Regardless, even though I know better, I would think twice about going to Istanbul right now.

[Paul65]

The roasted turkey on the Pomodoro menu is pretty tasty, and quite safe.

[Clarea]

The roasted turkey on the Pomodoro menu is pretty tasty, and quite safe.

Excellent!:D

[jagsfan]

I would still visit Kusadasi and Istanbul if I had the chance again. Both places left me with wonderful memories. It's funny how many people in the rest of the world are afraid to visit the U.S. Because of the risk of being shot to death. I live in a wonderful city, but there is a minimum of a killing a day. Most days at least two.

I don't believe your ship would stop where danger is a probability. The liability alone would stop it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[xpcdoojk]

We were in France near Paris when the November attacks occurred. Turkey, is a mess at the moment. Would I go there, probably if I had something booked. That said, if I was looking at booking a vacation, I would probably avoid it. I think Kusadasi would be safer than than Istanbul, but that said the whole nature of Isis is to hit and run, so anywhere is not 100% safe. I said after our last trip to Europe that I will probably downgrade trips to Europe. Have one coming up in a couple of months, but not planning one in the near future after that. Turkey... For me... No way.

 

JC

[Merion_Mom]

The roasted turkey on the Pomodoro menu is pretty tasty, and quite safe.

 

Excellent!:D

 

I am sorry. I disagree. YUCK to turkey, especially on a cruise!

 

:D

[Keith1010]

No one can guarantee whether or not something will go wrong.

 

Some people will stay on the ship.

 

Some people are already canceling cruises with Turkey.

 

It's a personal decision.

 

Keith

[Merion_Mom]

There is a news report today that London is expecting major terrorism activity.

 

Are you going to avoid London?

 

SAS prepare for radioactive dirty bomb in London amid fears of 'spectacular' ISIS attack

 

 

London ready for 10 terror attacks at same time in wake of Paris shootings

 

London police preparing for chance of 10 coordinated terror attacks

[peck]

Yes terrorism is a problem in Europe at the moment not just Turkey, reports just coming in of an explosion in Brussels Airport, but to put things in perspective there are far more shootings in the US everyday, should Europeans stop visiting an increasingly violent US?.

I shall now dive under the table.:)

[Merion_Mom]

Attack today on the Brussels airport.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35869254

[Clarea]

I am sorry. I disagree. YUCK to turkey, especially on a cruise!

 

:D

I was praising the humor, not the turkey.:)

[tustin3]

Depends, Butterball for instance is probably safe; some of the cheaper brands not so safe!:p

[cruisinfanatic]

Yes terrorism is a problem in Europe at the moment not just Turkey, reports just coming in of an explosion in Brussels Airport, but to put things in perspective there are far more shootings in the US everyday, should Europeans stop visiting an increasingly violent US?.

I shall now dive under the table.:)

Where do you get that? Violent crime overall is much lower than just a few years ago and still declining

Edited March 22, 2016 by SeaUs

[ruthnewark]

Speaking as a European, I think it's really really difficult to know which places are safe to visit.

 

I think I conclude that nowhere is safe, and then I decide where I want to visit and where seems safest. Within the UK, there are places which seem potentially unsafe eg London, but there again it wouldn't surprise me if a future attack takes place in a small town like where I live, in a shopping centre or supermarket, where the level of security is potentially lower than in a big city or at an airport. So really I just get on with life.

 

In relation to the Turkey question, I don't think I'd book to go there currently, but it's only a few years since I visited the main places there I wanted to see.

[Artemis908]

I wouldn't go out on my own, but an excursion should be fine. We took an excursion during our Med cruise and the tour guide was great. She also addressed the "elephant in the room" about the safety of the country, terrorism, Muslims, etc. I never felt unsafe, however, people are pushy in the bazaars. It's not much different from walking through Chinatown in NYC or a market in Mexico, people bug you and get in your personal space to buy things and you're expected to barter prices. This made some people in our group very uncomfortable, but my method has always been to go in with a set price in my head for what I am looking for, have small bills so I can give exact change, and be willing to walk away.

 

The reason cruise lines go to Turkey in the first place is to avoid the VAT tax. By going to one country in Asia, they don't have to force passengers to pay for it.

[peck]

Where do you get that? Violent crime overall is much lower than just a few years ago and still declining

 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/26/chicago-baltimore-new-york-memorial-day-shootings

 

The Guardian a well respected english newspaper, granted it is dated May 2015, but highlights the violence in the US.

[Paulxyz2004]

I have to admit from the thread title I was curious why the ships Turkey shouldn´t be safe;)

 

 

I wouldn't go out on my own, but an excursion should be fine. We took an excursion during our Med cruise and the tour guide was great. She also addressed the "elephant in the room" about the safety of the country, terrorism, Muslims, etc. I never felt unsafe, however, people are pushy in the bazaars. It's not much different from walking through Chinatown in NYC or a market in Mexico, people bug you and get in your personal space to buy things and you're expected to barter prices. This made some people in our group very uncomfortable, but my method has always been to go in with a set price in my head for what I am looking for, have small bills so I can give exact change, and be willing to walk away.

 

The reason cruise lines go to Turkey in the first place is to avoid the VAT tax. By going to one country in Asia, they don't have to force passengers to pay for it.

 

I disagree about the ships tours being any safer. If you think about the Istanbul bombing in January it was a Group of tourists that was targeted. The guy with the bom approached the Group and then killed himself and many People within the Group. So it is not necessarily safer to be in a Group organized By the cruiseline.

 

To avoid VAT there is no Need to go to Asia. The ship only Needs to dock in a non EU Country. This Country can still be in Europe.

[Paul65]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/26/chicago-baltimore-new-york-memorial-day-shootings

 

The Guardian a well respected english newspaper, granted it is dated May 2015, but highlights the violence in the US.

 

Highlighting violence in the US, though, doesn't mean that the US is "increasingly violent," as you suggested earlier. In fact, it is true that violent crime is lower overall in the US that it was, say a decade ago. :cool:

 

(Though I do see how someone could get the impression that violence was increasing, based on the article you linked. If you look at actual trends over multiple years, the statistics show the opposite.)

Edited March 22, 2016 by Paul65

[bigeck]

The reason cruise lines go to Turkey in the first place is to avoid the VAT tax. By going to one country in Asia, they don't have to force passengers to pay for it.

 

Very true about the Vat. But, Turkey is actually in Europe.

Ships leaving a Spanish port must stop at a country which doesn't use the Euro or 10% Spanish Vat will be charged on everything during the full cruise.

If you leave from Rome or Venice or other non Spanish ports for example, no vat will be applied.

Edited March 22, 2016 by bigeck

[jagsfan]

Actually, Turkey is in Europe and Asia........