Carnival Vista inaugural cruise may 1st Ismir Turkey cancelled

[Iluvtocruise01]

Just got notice Ismir Turkey has been cancelled replaced with day at sea. I understand the concerns but am still disappointed at the cancellation. This was one port where I wanted to go and I based my decision to book partially based on this fact. I hope some of the port fees will be at least refunded. If anyone hears anything else I appreciate it. Guess I'll stick to the Caribbean!

[bobsfamily]

Just got notice Ismir Turkey has been cancelled replaced with day at sea. I understand the concerns but am still disappointed at the cancellation. This was one port where I wanted to go and I based my decision to book partially based on this fact. I hope some of the port fees will be at least refunded. If anyone hears anything else I appreciate it. Guess I'll stick to the Caribbean!

Regardless of wanting to go to this port I would have to agree with Carnival and pass it in today's world... Sorry for the "loss" but look at it this way, you might come back home!

[cruizinisthebest]

The right decision was made. I'm sure your cruise will be fantastic without that dangerous hot spot. Don't even think anymore about it!

[elliair]

The right decision was made. I'm sure your cruise will be fantastic without that dangerous hot spot. Don't even think anymore about it!

 

This is the reason why we stick closer to the US. We've thought about taking a Med cruise but since the last terror attack in Brussels, that cured us of wanting to go. Sure we can get killed in places like Mexico or Cozumel riding a moped, but Carnival and other cruise lines have their reason for avoiding certain ports. I don't think Princess has gone back to Acapulco since beheadings of drug cartel. I don't think any cruise line wants bad publicity of their passengers being targeted or terrorized. I've always thought that it was just a matter of time before something happens.

Edited April 7, 2016 by elliair

[SadieN]

There's a very long thread on the Princess board about this.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[sfaaa]

Avoiding unnecessary risk is not a loss. It's the prudent thing to do.

[Jenna1983]

Right decision was made. I was on a MSC cruise in September that was to call on Tunis in Tunisia but was glad they canceled and replaced with Corfú over a place riddled by two targeted Isis attacks on foreigners.

[riclop]

Just got notice Ismir Turkey has been cancelled replaced with day at sea. I understand the concerns but am still disappointed at the cancellation. This was one port where I wanted to go and I based my decision to book partially based on this fact. I hope some of the port fees will be at least refunded. If anyone hears anything else I appreciate it. Guess I'll stick to the Caribbean!

 

Better safe then sorry.

[Keith1010]

Sorry that it was cancelled but very understandable.

 

Keith

[RuthlessBoss]

I am pretty sure a very very small percentage of Turkish folk want to harm westerners not to mention how many westerners live in its major cities...think twice before tarring one group of people with the same brush.

 

Been there and its lovely, have a friend who has just moved there for good as hes met a Turkish lady.

 

Would I go there on a cruise? Yup...and I would exercise the same caution as I do in my home city.

 

I do think that Carnival's decision was the right one though where public views are concerned. Turkey is a huge holiday location and although holidays are much cheaper Brits are still flying there and back each week at the moment.

 

Although you were trying to sound sensible, the facts to not go there are obvious. You'd be dealing with just a few bad seeds, but that's all it takes when killing becomes their way of thinking and believing.

 

How can you exercise caution like in your home city when the person who looks innocent is standing next to you wearing hidden bombs? Losing their own life is their gift to another life as they believe.

[bobsfamily]

Although you were trying to sound sensible, the facts to not go there are obvious. You'd be dealing with just a few bad seeds, but that's all it takes when killing becomes their way of thinking and believing.

 

How can you exercise caution like in your home city when the person who looks innocent is standing next to you wearing hidden bombs? Losing their own life is their gift to another life as they believe.

Have to completely agree, the view of life and values are so different from what I grew up with I'm not sure there is a common ground....

[Velvetwater]

Although you were trying to sound sensible, the facts to not go there are obvious. You'd be dealing with just a few bad seeds, but that's all it takes when killing becomes their way of thinking and believing.

 

How can you exercise caution like in your home city when the person who looks innocent is standing next to you wearing hidden bombs? Losing their own life is their gift to another life as they believe.

 

Maybe I should explain in detail my thinking:

 

There are highly likely to be 'bad seeds' in my home city (and many others around the world) and its neighbouring ones also. PREVENT (an organisation which encourages public sector workers to report any suspicions of extremism) have made arrests in and around the West Midlands and Warwickshire this year.

 

For those of you stateside, many British cities are incredibly multicultural and the middle of the UK where I live has cities with a big influx of those from parts of Asia. I go to work in a suburb of the city where the community is over 50% muslim coming from Asia and North Africa. I then teach a class which is 70% muslim in a school that has a 50% Pakistani intake. It is important to be aware of your surroundings and avoid large crowds if possible but also to not look at every muslim as a terrorist.

 

So yep....same caution.

 

I think urban dwelling Brits have a certain 'mode' when in cities that some of our other Western friends haven't had to develop. Unfortunately incidents do happen and it is sad that many are needlessly killed. But I feel that in a majority of European cities (bigger risk to Turkey due to its borders) my risk is the same so I will holiday in Europe as usual.

Edited April 7, 2016 by Velvetwater

[BaseballMomof4]

Maybe I should explain in detail my thinking:

 

There are highly likely to be 'bad seeds' in my home city (and many others around the world) and its neighbouring ones also. PREVENT (an organisation which encourages public sector workers to report any suspicions of extremism) have made arrests in and around the West Midlands and Warwickshire this year.

 

For those of you stateside, many British cities are incredibly multicultural and the middle of the UK where I live has cities with a big influx of those from parts of Asia. I go to work in a suburb of the city where the community is over 50% muslim coming from Asia and North Africa. I then teach a class which is 70% muslim in a school that has a 50% Pakistani intake. It is important to be aware of your surroundings and avoid large crowds if possible but also to not look at every muslim as a terrorist.

 

So yep....same caution.

 

I think urban dwelling Brits have a certain 'mode' when in cities that some of our other Western friends haven't had to develop. Unfortunately incidents do happen and it is sad that many are needlessly killed. But I feel that in a majority of European cities (bigger risk to Turkey due to its borders) my risk is the same so I will holiday in Europe as usual.

 

Agreed Velvetwater (holy cow! mark the calendar! hahahaha) I believe Brits do have a different reality these days than Americans do, sadly. While I am saddened at losing the port - I was very much looking forward to a trip to Ephesus and then spending time in Izmir at the bazaar - I also recognize that it is not a great idea at this moment in time. Hopefully there will be a day when we can travel safely to all the places we want to see, but today is just not that day.

[Velvetwater]

Agreed Velvetwater (holy cow! mark the calendar! hahahaha)

 

Haha indeed!

 

From what I have read on CC news Carnival has been the last (or one of) major cruiseline to drop Turkey...which I find surprising.

Edited April 8, 2016 by Velvetwater

[BaseballMomof4]

Haha indeed!

 

From what I have read on CC news Carnival has been the last (or one of) major cruiseline to drop Turkey...which I find surprising.

 

:D:D:D

 

I am disappointed about Izmir, but I totally get it. I think they held out because it was our only non EU stop and they wanted to avoid the VAT.

[Diamond659]

Please do not judge me because i am a Turkish citizen, but i think that Izmir is one of the safest cities in this area. Cancelling a stop to Izmir looks like more psychological than security risc.

I personally feel more afraid while walking around train stations of Rome, Milano or Genova because of drug user homeless people, but never saw any company cancelling their stop on Rome. I have a cruise going to Paris this month, which is a city had several terrorist attacks in last year.

And the main reason companies cancelling their cruises to Istanbul is because of the construction work done in port and not having enough space.

[08Rubicon]

Please do not judge me because i am a Turkish citizen, but i think that Izmir is one of the safest cities in this area. Cancelling a stop to Izmir looks like more psychological than security risc.

I personally feel more afraid while walking around train stations of Rome, Milano or Genova because of drug user homeless people, but never saw any company cancelling their stop on Rome. I have a cruise going to Paris this month, which is a city had several terrorist attacks in last year.

And the main reason companies cancelling their cruises to Istanbul is because of the construction work done in port and not having enough space.

 

Hey no judgment from here--I'd rather stop in Izmir too. Changing our lifestyle because of extremist threats plays into their narrative. The likelihood of anything happening is extremely low and equal to anywhere else throughout the world.

[rexdillinger]

I wish we were still going to Izmir also.