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Istanbul Cancelled July 17 sailing

WhiteRockCruiser01
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WhiteRockCruiser01

WhiteRockCruiser01

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Message from HAL:

"After a thorough review in light of the recent tragic attack at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, Holland America Line has decided to cancel our port call in Istanbul on this sailing. In order to accommodate this change we will also cancel our call to Mytilene, Nisos Lesbos, Greece. However, we are pleased to add new calls to three charming ports in Greece.

 

Thu Jul 21 Piraeus (Athens), Greece 08:00 18:00

Fri Jul 22 Mykonos, Nisos Mykonos, Greece 08:00 18:00

Sat Jul 23 Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey 07:00 18:00

Sun Jul 24 Rhodes, Nisos Rhodos, Greece 08:00 18:00

Mon Jul 25 Iraklion, Crete, Greece 08:00 17:00

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red919

red919

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This is quite an itinerary change and very hard on passengers who not only booked becasue of the overnight in Istanbul but will also have to scramble to cancel and rebook private shore excursions so close to departure date, especially as other cruise lines cancelled soon after the actual airport bombing incident.

 

Will HAL offer refunds to passengers who chose to cancel?

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Despegue

Despegue

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We are on this sailing, and although I understand cancelling Istanbul, they have waited far too long with this, while there have been no changes in security briefings for IST since 01 July.

 

Obviously, this will make lots of people having to book ship excursions due to lack of time to organize on their own.

 

I just arrived from my month-long duty in the Middle East, and now can spend the bloody whole night trying to find my family still some nice days on the new destinations. Not a happy camper.

 

By the way, zip, nada compensation offered.

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GeeQuu

GeeQuu

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I'm extremely dissapointed and very upset they claim terror as reason for cancellation.

The new ports added are some of the worst places to add on for me.

Was very much looking forward to Istanbul and now I can't even cancel on travel insurance since the official reason is terror threat.

Cowardly to wait this long to cancel and our first cruise experience is off to a very bad start.:mad:

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mek

mek

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Well it appears HAL is dammed if they do and dammed if they don't. A few weeks ago people were up in arms because some lines were still stopping in Istanbul and now people are unhappy because the cruise line is looking out for their safety and changing the ports of call.

 

Be happy you are safe and alive. I imagine the people involved in any recent terrorist attacks would gladly trade places and have to deal with your problems.

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Heartgrove

Heartgrove

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Well it appears HAL is dammed if they do and dammed if they don't. A few weeks ago people were up in arms because some lines were still stopping in Istanbul and now people are unhappy because the cruise line is looking out for their safety and changing the ports of call.

 

Be happy you are safe and alive. I imagine the people involved in any recent terrorist attacks would gladly trade places and have to deal with your problems.

 

Well said.

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Despegue

Despegue

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I have to recall my previous comment.

 

Military coup currently ongoing in Turkey. Very sketchy information, but night curfew in major cities and blockades of strategic bridges are being reported.

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Cruiz'nBaers

Cruiz'nBaers

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I would salute HAL for cancelling Turkish ports. Sounds like a very dangerous situation to me. Inconvenient in regards to privately booked shore excursions, but it's safety first. Sadly, I may never see the Blue Mosque. Because of terrorism, I'm afraid that many places I long to see are no longer safe. Sad for everyone.

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scm1848

scm1848

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We, too, will probably never see it. We spent 2 days there in 2102, and, long story made short, missed it due to the Hop On Hop Off bus confusion and limited time.

 

At that time, we spent a wonderful day and night with our friends from Istanbul that we had met in 2011 on a HAL Panama Canal cruise. We booked our current 24 day Eurodam Cruise, partly because we could spend another 2 days/1 night with them. Sadly, that will probably not be happening now. I'm glad we got to see Ephesus on that trip, as well as Gallipoli (Canakale in Turkish) while we drove through western Turkey in a rental car. What welcoming people.

 

". . . and I say to myself, what a wonderful world". If only we could all enjoy it.

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OlsSalt

OlsSalt

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Well it appears HAL is dammed if they do and dammed if they don't. A few weeks ago people were up in arms because some lines were still stopping in Istanbul and now people are unhappy because the cruise line is looking out for their safety and changing the ports of call.

 

Be happy you are safe and alive. I imagine the people involved in any recent terrorist attacks would gladly trade places and have to deal with your problems.

 

Amen, particularly for to those complaining who chose to book private excursions- the chances you take when you do that.

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CaveDiving

CaveDiving

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I'm extremely dissapointed and very upset they claim terror as reason for cancellation.

The new ports added are some of the worst places to add on for me.

Was very much looking forward to Istanbul and now I can't even cancel on travel insurance since the official reason is terror threat.

Cowardly to wait this long to cancel and our first cruise experience is off to a very bad start.:mad:

 

...And you were expecting WHAT!!! You think HAL should risk the safety of the cruisers? I think NOT!!!

 

Scott & Karen

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sapper1

sapper1

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I'm extremely dissapointed and very upset they claim terror as reason for cancellation.

The new ports added are some of the worst places to add on for me.

Was very much looking forward to Istanbul and now I can't even cancel on travel insurance since the official reason is terror threat.

Cowardly to wait this long to cancel and our first cruise experience is off to a very bad start.:mad:

 

I think that HAL should have been given advance notice of the impending

coup d'état. I have a feeling you would agree. :rolleyes:

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3rdGenCunarder "Live from...." Rare

3rdGenCunarder

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Posted (edited)
I would salute HAL for cancelling Turkish ports. Sounds like a very dangerous situation to me. Inconvenient in regards to privately booked shore excursions' date=' but it's safety first. Sadly, I may never see the Blue Mosque. Because of terrorism, I'm afraid that many places I long to see are no longer safe. Sad for everyone.[/quote']

 

I know what you mean. I think some of my bucket list will never get crossed off. I know people say "oh, just go, you'll be OK." But I'm a timid traveler.

 

Like you, I think HAL was right to cancel those ports--especially in light of what happened last night. I know passengers are disappointed, but the cruise lines take safety very seriously.

 

For the people whose independent travel must be reorganized, imagine doing that on the scale of a cruise ship. It isn't easy for them to do when all the cruise lines are scrambling to find alternate ports. And it isn't just finding a port with an available berth. It's also recalculating routes and timing (and fuel consumption if they have to go farther/faster than expected). No cruise line WANTS to change itineraries. They do it when they HAVE TO.

Edited by 3rdGenCunarder
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3rdGenCunarder "Live from...." Rare

3rdGenCunarder

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Just to be correct here,

 

The cancellation of Istanbul happened several hours BEFORE the attempted coup, at a time when there was no changed security briefing for Istanbul since 01/07/16.

 

Hardly matters, because for sure they'd have cancelled the port as soon as the news about the coup broke.

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cruisemom42 Great Review Rare

cruisemom42

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Hardly matters, because for sure they'd have cancelled the port as soon as the news about the coup broke.

 

I think it matters in the sense that people are being taken to task for complaining when at the time they posted no one knew about the coup.

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