HAL to cancel all port calls to Istanbul for 2016

[leanstostarboard]

Just received this email from HAL regarding our October Konigsdam cruise.

 

"As a result of ongoing unrest in the region and after a thorough review, Holland America Line has decided to cancel all port calls to Istanbul for the remainder of 2016. For your sailing, this means we have replaced our overnight port call to Istanbul with an additional day in Athens, and added port calls to Mykonos and Santorini."

 

I am disappointed but I really cannot complain about the Athens, Mykonos and Santorini substitutes.

[HUNKY]

According to an email received today at 120PM Eastern. HAL has decided to cancel all port calls to Istanbul for the remainder of 2016.

[SeaWatch]

Although it makes sense it is horrible to see the direction this beautiful county ( and the world ) is taking.

[KirkNC]

Amen to that, hard to figure out when it will stop. Glad HAL has gone ahead and called the ball.

[Vict0riann]

We haven't had "the email"!:eek: I wonder if that will affect the Black Sea portion of our cruise...

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

The World Cruise is scheduled to go, Maybe? ?

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Amen to that, hard to figure out when it will stop. Glad HAL has gone ahead and called the ball.

I guess Holland America will substitute some things.

[cinnamon_girl]

It's not just Istanbul that has been cancelled, our August 4th trip on the Oosterdam was supposed to go to Kusadasi and that has been cancelled as well.

 

"As a result of the ongoing unrest in the region and out of an abundance of caution, Holland America Line has decided to cancel a number of our upcoming port calls to Turkey. For your sailing, this means our port call to Kusadasi has been replaced by a call to Rhodes, Greece. To accommodate this change, we’ve rearranged some of our other port calls."

[scm1848]

One of our main reasons for booking this cruise was to spend time with our friends in Istanbul. While I do understand HAL's position, the 2nd part of our 24 night cruise is still calling in Toulon, France, another country under a "state of emergency". I question whether the company succumbed to a touch of Islamphobia from customers, who are probably not demanding that the Toulon port be pulled from the agenda. Personally, I will not stop traveling out of fear of the smallest chance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, including driving to my local grocery store and being killed in a car wreck.

[borasue]

It's not just Istanbul that has been cancelled, our August 4th trip on the Oosterdam was supposed to go to Kusadasi and that has been cancelled as well.

 

We're on the Sept 30th "Greek & Turkish Treasures" sailing of the Koningsdam. We were supposed to overnight in Istanbul, and that has been changed to an overnight in Athens. We're also scheduled for Kusadasi. As of today's email, it remains on our itinerary, but I won't be surprised if it gets dropped, too... saddened, but not surprised.

[Fouremco]

One of our main reasons for booking this cruise was to spend time with our friends in Istanbul. While I do understand HAL's position, the 2nd part of our 24 night cruise is still calling in Toulon, France, another country under a "state of emergency". I question whether the company succumbed to a touch of Islamphobia from customers, who are probably not demanding that the Toulon port be pulled from the agenda. Personally, I will not stop traveling out of fear of the smallest chance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, including driving to my local grocery store and being killed in a car wreck.

How disappointing for you. Not only missing Istanbul but not getting to see your friends there either.

 

I think that a careful analysis of the situations in Turkey and France will reveal a significant difference in the level of potential threat. Even more so when comparing Istanbul to Toulon. The Canadian government's Travel Advice & Advisories for Turkey is "Avoid non-essential travel", while for France it is the lower level "Exercise a high degree of caution".

[Shorex]

One of our main reasons for booking this cruise was to spend time with our friends in Istanbul. While I do understand HAL's position, the 2nd part of our 24 night cruise is still calling in Toulon, France, another country under a "state of emergency". I question whether the company succumbed to a touch of Islamphobia from customers, who are probably not demanding that the Toulon port be pulled from the agenda. Personally, I will not stop traveling out of fear of the smallest chance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, including driving to my local grocery store and being killed in a car wreck.

 

Really? Have you not been following the news? Rather than knee jerk "Islamphobia" how about Erdogan now having the power to suspend HUMAN rights?

 

"Since the July 15 coup attempt, the government has arrested nearly 10,000 people. In addition, over 58,880 civil service employees -- including teachers, university deans and police -- have been dismissed, suspended, forced to resign or had their licenses revoked, accused of being Gulen followers."

 

France is a stable democracy. Turkey is careening toward autocracy and dictatorship.

 

ETA: We have been to numerous ports in Turkey on previous cruises and also have taken dedicated land trips to central Turkey and Cappadocia. We have come to know and befriend many Turkish people. The tragedy that is unfolding now in Turkey is incredibly sad. We worry for our friends and the future of this magnificent country.

Edited July 21, 2016 by Shorex

[DSLibrarian]

Really? Have you not been following the news? Rather than knee jerk "Islamphobia" how about Erdogan now having the power to suspend HUMAN rights?

 

"Since the July 15 coup attempt, the government has arrested nearly 10,000 people. In addition, over 58,880 civil service employees -- including teachers, university deans and police -- have been dismissed, suspended, forced to resign or had their licenses revoked, accused of being Gulen followers."

 

France is a stable democracy. Turkey is careening toward autocracy and dictatorship.

 

ETA: We have been to numerous ports in Turkey on previous cruises and also have taken dedicated land trips to central Turkey and Cappadocia. We have come to know and befriend many Turkish people. The tragedy that is unfolding now in Turkey is incredibly sad. We worry for our friends and the future of this magnificent country.

 

Shorex is correct. I received an email from friends in Istanbul this morning. The email said this:

"About 64,000 have been detained, arrested, resigned or fired. Headline in the paper, "Possibility of intelligence about the coup attempt being given several hours before it started." Headline in the paper, "Now the Turkish equivalent of a Seal Team 'missing' in the country."

And now, in these past 2-3 hours, a discussion at the highest realms of the government came up with 'a' major decision. The president has just declared

martial law

for the next 3 months."

[sppunk]

Turkey is a totalitarian state now and not getting any better. Naming intellectuals and all non-state-approved journalism.

 

It'll be years - many - before any tourism goes back. It won't be with their current leader.

[Vict0riann]

Black Sea on the Prinsendam has been changed altogether - I guess they don't even want to sail past Istanbul! Instead more Italian, Greek and Croatian ports. I'm not unhappy with the changes. Better to be safe, and if HAL thinks this is the way to go, I'm all for it!

[KirkNC]

I guess Holland America will substitute some things.

 

Marty,

 

Not sure what it means for the WC but at this point it's hard for me to imagine we will be overnighting as planned. I am leaving those days open planning wise and we will see where the chips fall.

[enjoyinglife]

I would love to go back to Turkey. Was supposed to take our son there within the next year but had to cancel. Right now, I wouldn't go there for any amount of money - it is too unstable. I think the cruise ships are making the correct call by refusing to go.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Sir PMP]

According to an email received today at 120PM Eastern. HAL has decided to cancel all port calls to Istanbul for the remainder of 2016.

 

 

I believe that 2016 and 2017 are now out for stops in Turkey and I don't think it will change, too bad for our favorite stops in Istanbul and Kusadasi...

[Copper10-8]

Prudent move! 2017 WC stop there is still a while off and the situation in all of Turkey will be reevaluated when it gets closer

[Krazy Kruizers]

I feel so sorry for all of you missing Istanbul.

But I do understand HAL's reasoning for this.

Such a shame that our world is a mess right now.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Shorex is correct. I received an email from friends in Istanbul this morning. The email said this:

"About 64,000 have been detained, arrested, resigned or fired. Headline in the paper, "Possibility of intelligence about the coup attempt being given several hours before it started." Headline in the paper, "Now the Turkish equivalent of a Seal Team 'missing' in the country."

 

And now, in these past 2-3 hours, a discussion at the highest realms of the government came up with 'a' major decision. The president has just declared

martial law

for the next 3 months."

 

Thank you for this information.

[Karen NY]

We are on the Eurodamn in late September and just received the email yesterday about not going to Istanbul. We were expecting the cancellation so I'm not too surprized but now we are spending 2 days in Athens which stinks! Lesbos was also cancelled from the itinerary which is good. The substitutions were adding a 2nd day in Athens, Rhodes and Mykonos. We are still supposedly going to Kushadasi but I saw from someone else that another Holland America ship was not going to Kushadasi did anyone hear that this port was cancelled as well?

[Vict0riann]

We are on the Eurodamn in late September and just received the email yesterday about not going to Istanbul. We were expecting the cancellation so I'm not too surprized but now we are spending 2 days in Athens which stinks! Lesbos was also cancelled from the itinerary which is good. The substitutions were adding a 2nd day in Athens, Rhodes and Mykonos. We are still supposedly going to Kushadasi but I saw from someone else that another Holland America ship was not going to Kushadasi did anyone hear that this port was cancelled as well?

 

We've had all our Turkish ports cancelled on one cruise (Istanbul, Trabzon, Sinop and Kusadasi), but not yet on the next leg (Kusadasi and Marmaris). We're waiting to hear about that. In fact our "Black Sea Explorer" will not be going into the Black Sea at all!

[BVsmurfette]

Saw this today:

 

http://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/holland-america-cancels-all-istanbul-calls-through-end-year-57275

 

Looks like July and August Turkey ports are definitely all cancelled.

And they will reassess Kusadasi for Sept and beyond at a later date...

Istanbul cancelled for the rest of year

 

We're on a Sept sailing to kusadasi so guess we have to stay tuned.

[Windy56]

Really? Have you not been following the news? Rather than knee jerk "Islamphobia" how about Erdogan now having the power to suspend HUMAN rights?

 

"Since the July 15 coup attempt, the government has arrested nearly 10,000 people. In addition, over 58,880 civil service employees -- including teachers, university deans and police -- have been dismissed, suspended, forced to resign or had their licenses revoked, accused of being Gulen followers."

 

France is a stable democracy. Turkey is careening toward autocracy and dictatorship.

 

ETA: We have been to numerous ports in Turkey on previous cruises and also have taken dedicated land trips to central Turkey and Cappadocia. We have come to know and befriend many Turkish people. The tragedy that is unfolding now in Turkey is incredibly sad. We worry for our friends and the future of this magnificent country.

 

Well said. My heart aches for the people of Turkey. I fear it will only get much worse before it gets any better.