Istanbul Update - cancelled port

[TheBozzies]

Were also on this cruise and are more than happy with the change in itineraries! Can't be easy to reschedule so close to arrival. Sad we are not going to see Istanbul but hopefully another day. Just hope Turkey doesn't suffer the woes of Tunisia and Egypt :(

[Underwatr]

"...Most travel insurance plans include coverage in the event of a terrorist attack, said John Cook, president of travel insurance comparison site QuoteWright. Typically, attacks within 30 days prior to a city on an insured itinerary trigger a provision allowing travelers to cancel and receive a full refund..."

copied from http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article86722352.html#storylink=cpy

Since the ship will no longer call on Istanbul, that clause would no longer apply to QV passengers.

[Salacia]

Since the ship will no longer call on Istanbul, that clause would no longer apply to QV passengers.

 

Isn't that a bit ironic - if Istanbul was still on the itinerary, passengers who had travel insurance with a terrorism clause could cancel and get a refund. No doubt there are insurance companies out there who are very happy with the cruise lines that cancelled stops in Istanbul.

[Teresa Price]

Sorry but what comes first your safety or your wish to visit somewhere? I have been to Istanbul many times on cruises and whilst it is lovely I wouldn't dream of going there at the present moment. TBH I'm not even happy about Kushadasi [sp].

 

It is very unfair to expect Cunard to allow you to cancel your booking because of this change. Read the small print - we have missed plenty of stops including Tunis over the years due to weather or terrorism.

 

Cunard can't re arrange the geography of the Med. to suit your tastes. Go and enjoy and feel safe.

 

Teresa

PS sorry totally selfish forgot about the poor people of Turkey who are suffering all round.

Edited June 30, 2016 by Teresa Price
forgot Turkey

[carlmm]

Sorry but what comes first your safety or your wish to visit somewhere?

 

Sorry, this is not the question. "My safety" is my concern. So far there is no govermental order against visiting Turkey and I would really prefer Cunad to deliver the service I bought from them.

I can understand if somebody changes his individual plans (or just "would not dream of going there at the present") due to his individual concerns but please do not deny others the right to get what they bought a long time ago (e.g. to fulfill one of their "dreams".)

 

It is very unfair to expect Cunard to allow you to cancel your booking because of this change.

It is not bad weather, is not an official order, it is not a destroyed port, it is not the breakdown of infrastructure or public services - it is a business decision.

 

PS sorry totally selfish forgot about the poor people of Turkey who are suffering all round.

 

Indeed our thoughts and prayers may be with the people suffering from the terrorist attacks as well as from business decisions like this.

[Dorset Cruiser]

Cunard are damned if they do cancel Istanbul, and damned if they don't cancel Istanbul and God forbid there is a terrorist attack either at the port or on a passenger excursion. There is a recognised very real threat of further terrorist activity in Istanbul and I for one accept that Cunard felt it right to change the itinerary.

 

 

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[goodsailors]

It took us three attempts to visit Istanbul, the first was cancelled after 9/11 when Celebrity pulled all their ships from Europe so our cruise was cancelled by the company and we got no compensation. On the second occasion Princess cancelled a call to Istanbul after a bomb attack (much smaller than the terrible attack on the airport) it was replaced with a visit to Rome, again no compensation. Although we were disappointed we never thought about cancelling even although Istanbul was a main reason for taking the cruise as we totally understood the company's thinking behind the change. We eventually managed to visit the city aboard Queen Victoria on her maiden year. Yes it is a wonderful place to visit and am so glad that we eventually did but I would never complain about a cruise company for changing a port due to safety reason either the safety of the passengers or the safety of the ship or both.

 

As others have said if someone is desperate to visit Istanbul then they should use another means to go there which are less likely to be changed or cancelled and allows them to make the decision to visit or not. Everyone knows when you book a cruise you are in the hands of the cruise company as to whether they change the ports of call as they wish.

 

A final point it is a great shame that Istanbul and its people are suffering as they are and the effect this lack of tourists will have on the country.

[sogne]

Its not just one day in Istanbul though. The itinerary was day one & day four cruising through the Dardanelles, with two days in Istanbul.

 

The 7 day cruise is going to be quite lacking going to the other ports which are no where near as far. Huge cost saving by Cunard there!

 

I very much doubt if saving money was the principal motivation in cancelling calls to Istanbul.

[Csardas]

They've changed the itinerary and the shore excursion lists but are not showing any to buy for the two substitutes. All that before an email or call to the passengers.

I got a bland, generic (grammatically inaccurate throughout) response to my Facebook post which didn't address my query re transfer.

Not impressed with Customer Service.

[Csardas]

Sorry, meant to add that this was on the VP.

[stacey82]

Yes they have updated the VP, but all the info for Thessaloniki is actually for Genoa!

[Csardas]

Such professionalism.

[babs135]

Cunard has the responsibility of not just one or two individuals in their care, but 2000+ and I would have thought that in this (sad) case 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one'.

 

Imagine the outcry if the ship docked in Turkey and there was an incident. People would be screaming 'blue murder' that they had been placed in a dangerous situation.

 

Damned if they do and damned if they don't as has been said.

 

I know which option I would prefer.

[Lindypops]

Just found this on cruise critic news page updated 1 july

 

Cunard. Cunard has canceled all calls to Istanbul for the rest of this year. Queen Victoria was due in on July 18 to spend a night in Istanbul, but this will now be replaced by two Turkish ports -- Volos on the 18th July and Marmaris on July 20; and Volos on Aug 29 and Marmaris on Aug 31."

 

Hope we get some comfirmation from Cunard.

 

VP is still saying Volos and Thessaloniki ( with excursions for Genoa ?????)

[TheBozzies]

I think that is wrong as Cunard had Volos and Thessaloniki on their own website now. We are on this upcoming cruise but are still awaiting confirmation! Has anyone had an email or anything off Cunard yet?

[Dorset Cruiser]

I think that is wrong as Cunard had Volos and Thessaloniki on their own website now. We are on this upcoming cruise but are still awaiting confirmation! Has anyone had an email or anything off Cunard yet?

 

Nothing from Cunard or our TA but someone posted on Facebook that he had been emailed by his TA confirming that Volos and Thessaloniki are the substituted ports. Those ports are showing on my CP but it showed details of Genoa and not Thessaloniki.

 

 

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Edited July 1, 2016 by Dorset Cruiser

[BlueRiband]

I'am disgusted by the cancellation.

 

I had chosen my cruise for the stops in Turkey.

 

To read about how Cunard now treats booked customers is even more disappointing, to say the least.

 

So what do you want Cunard to do when a port has civil or political chaos or an environmental catastrophe going on?

[Lindypops]

Cruise critic news was correct

 

VP has been updated overnight it is now

 

July 18th Volos

 

JUly 19th at sea

 

July 20th Marmaris but it is still showing Genoa when you look at excusions

[Grendelsmother]

It's infuriating to lose the ports which were the main focus of a trip;in 2012 almost 50% of our cruise to the Holy Land and Egypt was rescheduled while we were at sea. There was huge disappointment but we prefer to be alive than to be a glossy, western target for a terrorist's delight. Cunard has a duty of care to its passengers, crew, ships and reputation - omitting Istanbul (as others' are also doing) is a "no brainer". It is hard when you've planned and anticipated a trip but the, as yet unknown,pleasures of alternative ports will hopefully prove differently stimulating. We would have been unlikely to discover places such as Termessos or Malta if violence had not occurred. Be open to new pleasures - you may be surprised! And all the delights of the ship will still be yours. We wish you safe travels in this fragile but beautiful world.

[Lindypops]

It's infuriating to lose the ports which were the main focus of a trip;in 2012 almost 50% of our cruise to the Holy Land and Egypt was rescheduled while we were at sea. There was huge disappointment but we prefer to be alive than to be a glossy' date=' western target for a terrorist's delight. Cunard has a duty of care to its passengers, crew, ships and reputation - omitting Istanbul (as others' are also doing) is a "no brainer". It is hard when you've planned and anticipated a trip but the, as yet unknown,pleasures of alternative ports will hopefully prove differently stimulating. We would have been unlikely to discover places such as Termessos or Malta if violence had not occurred. Be open to new pleasures - you may be surprised! And all the delights of the ship will still be yours. We wish you safe travels in this fragile but beautiful world.[/quote']

 

Well said i absolutely agree 🙂

[hihilo]

I'm looking for LOGIC in the posts by those who are so disappointed RE:

the Turkey stop is cancelled.

They say,

" that's the reason/ purpose of my trip".

IF you ONLY wanted to go to Turkey, why did you book a cruise?

Why didn't you book a land tour?

 

I've done a 10 day land tour in Turkey ( 18 mo ago)~~~ it was fabulous.

I've done 1-day port calls, via cruise ships---- its wonderful.

B U T that was then.... this is now.

 

Be thankful you can go on a cruise.....

and be thankful you are safe.

[Dorset Cruiser]

Cruise critic news was correct

 

VP has been updated overnight it is now

 

July 18th Volos

 

JUly 19th at sea

 

July 20th Marmaris but it is still showing Genoa when you look at excusions

 

Why is my cruise personaliser saying Thessaloniki then?

 

 

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[stacey82]

I think the main gripe is being held over a barrel.

 

If you booked a package holiday to a hotel in Turkey, and the travel agent then said 'Oh sorry you are now going to Tenerife! Don't worry, the hotel standard and climate is the same' then you have a right to change/cancel your holiday as it is not what you paid for.

 

It is (in my opinion) incorrect that the same should not apply for a cruise. Regardless of the cruise companies reasons for doing so, there will be some people that agree and some that disagree. As a paying customer for a service, you should have the rights to cancel if that service changes to what you paid for. Yes they cover all this in your t&cs but it is still not right.

[Dorset Cruiser]

Why is my cruise personaliser saying Thessaloniki then?

 

 

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Sorry, sorry - just looked at personaliser and it has changed to Marmaris. Not impressed - would rather stick to the Greek ports. Wonder when Cunard or my TA are planning to contact us over this. Nothing from either of them 😠

 

 

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[stacey82]

My TA still denied that the itinerary was changing yesterday!