U.S./Turkey Turmoil Impact on Cruise/Air

As most have heard by now, the U.S. House has just taken an action that has the Turkish government in an uproar. I am booked on a cruise that embarks from Istanbul in April. I have also booked my own air. While I understand that cruise lines at times cancel a port of call for one reason or another, I've never heard what happens when the initial port of embarkation is cancelled. Do they just change the embarkation point to another port or cancel the whole cruise? What is the impact on air tickets that have already been purchased? While I have insurance for the cruise, it does not cover the air portion. Is it necessary?

Appreciate any thoughts on this. I'm sure others in this situation are wondering the same thing. I remain hopeful that things will be sorted out and the cruises out of Istanbul will not be impacted.

Joe

Why do you think the cruise might be cancelled? Or, are you worried about air landing rights?

It is highly doubtful that Turkey is going to do anything that will directly effect tourists. They MIGHT limit or forbid U.S. flag carriers from landing bu that is very few flights (most tickets you buy to/from Istanbul on U.S. carriers are code-share flights). None of the cruise ships are U.S. flagged.

If there is a problem it will be because U.S tourist cancel or don't book cruises using Turkish ports due to ignorance. A small percentage might do it as a moral stand vis-a-vis the Armenian or Kurdish issue (or perhaps for the politically aware Artilce 301) but if there is a problem it will mostly be due to fear for safety which is EXTREMELY unlikely to be a problem.

Paul

Paul: I was just considering what Norwegian might do in the event of anti-American unrest. Maybe cancellation is unlikely, but sometimes internal issues (be they Armenian or Kurdish or otherwise) can fester into something with larger implications. Witness a cruise we have scheduled for next month that has had an off-again, on-again stop in Casablanca. The cruise lines take precautions based on their belief of what's perhaps safest for the cruising public or perhaps more likely what their insurers will bear.

Thanks for the input. Joe

I am booked on a cruise that embarks from Istanbul in April.

Paul: I was just considering what Norwegian might do in the event of anti-American unrest.

So this is not the time to be worrying about this issue. It'll almost certainly be a non-issue by April. (In fact, it's almost certainly a non-issue anyway.)

Thanks for the response. My questions were not posed out of worry, but just what-ifing. Forgetting about Turkey for the moment, is it a good idea to purchase insurance for self-air, keeping in mind that the cruise itself is already insured? How is this generally handled?

Thanks, Joe

April is six months away. It's an age in politics. Who knows what will happen? NCL certainly doesn't, and certainly won't be announcing any changes unless and until they appear to be necessary.

 

So this is not the time to be worrying about this issue. It'll almost certainly be a non-issue by April. (In fact, it's almost certainly a non-issue anyway.)

Globaliser, truer words have never been spoken. I am sure that the cruise lines will wait for the last minute to cancel a port.

Granted the talking right now doesn't look good for Americans or Westerns in Turkey but this is nothing new. Six months is certainly a long time. Hopefully everything will simmer down by then.

Thanks for the response. My questions were not posed out of worry, but just what-ifing. Forgetting about Turkey for the moment, is it a good idea to purchase insurance for self-air, keeping in mind that the cruise itself is already insured? How is this generally handled?

Thanks, Joe

I usually book my air seperate, on my own. In order to cover the air as well as the cruise, I purchase independent insurance. I usually book through AAA; & they sell TripAssist travel insurance. Often times, TripAssist is cheaper than what the cruise line sells. I came about this revelation quite a few years back when a couple of cruise lines just up & "closed shop" due to financial problems & left a lot of Pax high & dry. Those Pax who purchased trip insurance through those cruise lines were out of luck because the insurance became worthless. I tend to book cruises with lines that are rock solid; but I suppose anything can happen. But I learned a lesson from those unfortunate experiences & changed my way of thinking about trip insurance. Sorry, this was the roundabout way to suggest buying seperate coverage. But I wanted those who didn't know or might have forgotten about those displaced cruisers, that it could possibly happen again. Since Windjammer Cruises just this week "dropped off the radar", I am watching to see what happens to their cancelled Pax.

Becky: Thanks for your ideas. I've been a AAA-er for many years and will take a look at that option. Joe