Status of Ports on Black Sea

My husband and I are booked on the August 20 sailing on the Azamara Quest which is cruising the Black Sea. With the current unrest in Ukraine, are there contingencies being planned if the cruise can not stop in the Ukraine (or former Ukraine) ports? What about the Russian ports? The cancelation penalties start becoming significant on May 22. Will Azamara have announced contingencies plans before that date?

[quote name='grandmambvg']My husband and I are booked on the August 20 sailing on the Azamara Quest which is cruising the Black Sea. With the current unrest in Ukraine, are there contingencies being planned if the cruise can not stop in the Ukraine (or former Ukraine) ports? What about the Russian ports? The cancelation penalties start becoming significant on May 22. Will Azamara have announced contingencies plans before that date?[/QUOTE]

We are also very concerned about this cruise as we have on going flights booked (and paid) following this cruise. As we live in Australia we hope this will not become an expensive problem?

we too are wondering what to do and the alternative ports might be places we have already visited - we wanted to explore some where new as well as spend a week or so in Istanbul.

We hope that Azamara give some guidance early so that we can look at alternative cruises with them while there is still accommodation available and we can re-schedule leave etc.

We are in the same boat (excuse the pin) but are prepared to wait until just before 90 days as we really do want to visit the ports as scheduled.
Even minor change is likely to see us cancel and wait for next year assuming that everything will have settled by then.
Who really knows. I guess at this stage it is a wait and see.

Unless the situation in Crimea changes dramatically in the next month, we will be canceling our August Black Sea sailing. The five ports in the Ukraine and Russia are THE main reason we choose this particular sailing. We don't believe Azamara can come up with alternative ports that could be nearly as interesting as the five that will probably be canceled. The next presidential election in Ukraine is May 25th which is after our cancellation penalty begins. McDonalds is closing all of its restaurants in Crimea! Small chance Azamara will go there.

[SIZE=3]There is no change to the August Black Sea cruise itinerary as of this date, 4/27/14.
Bonnie[/SIZE]