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Middle East Violence Effects Cruise Itineraries


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http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4989

 

"The recent upsurge in anti-American sentiment and protests as well as the fatal attack at the U.S. Embassy in Libya has forced two cruise itinerary changes, but more could be coming.

 

Holland America's Ryndam, which was scheduled to dock September 14 in La Goulette (Carthage), Tunisia, will visit Sardinia, Italy, instead.

 

And Royal Caribbean, "in an abundance of caution," has canceled Mariner of the Seas' September 18 overnight call on Alexandria, Egypt. Instead the ship will visit Sicily, Italy on September 16 and Valletta, Malta on September 17.

 

Though the U.S. State Department has not issued any Travel Warnings or Alerts, the embassies in seven countries advised Americans to be vigilant, the Associated Press reported. The warnings, posted by U.S. embassies in Armenia, Burundi, Kuwait, Sudan, Tunisia, Zambia and Egypt, don't report any specific threat.

 

Representatives for other cruise lines said they are monitoring the situation overseas."

 

Should cruise companies give passengers the opportunity to cancel their cruise when ports of call, which were the major reason for the cruise, like Alexandria (Pyramids), are cancelled, in these kind of situations?

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The Cruise Line Contracts allow them to make changes no matter what the reason. However, this is is certainly an example where for because of safety concerns they have made changes.

 

keith

 

Yes, I know that, Keith, but you have to feel for the passengers who have dreamed of a trip of a lifetime to places, like the Pyramids.

 

I asked the question, because I was able to get a full refund for all components of a planned visit to Thailand, because our Government (and other Governments) advice, at that time, was "Not to travel to Thailand". Without that government advice, if I cancelled because of safety concerns, I would have lost all my prepaid money.

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I'm on a cruise that is departing in about 25 days and one of the stops is Casablanca. I'm hoping its not cancelled as I'm looking forward to visiting it. However, Morocco doesn't seem to be plagued with the troubles that seem to affect these other areas.

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I would still exercise extreme caution anywhere in that part of the world . Tunisia used to be a very French civilized place but look whats happened recently ....Any new development could change things rather quickly I think its time to spend $$$ elsewhere

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Its not just the Middle East , or East versus West.

Cruises , or for that matter any travel itineraries , can be disrupted by politics.

We had a call cancelled to Gibraltar once because England and Spain were having a "tiff".

Some cruise calls for next season are in doubt re Falklands and Argentina.

 

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We are heading that way next May on the Mariner of the Seas and should RCL choose for our safety to change our ports of call in that region the gratitude for keeping us safe and sound will far out weigh the disappointment of us not seeing the Pyramids... cheers Shiona

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True Islam is against violence, but history will show that any religion or political view can be turned into violence. Think about the past 100 years, WW1 WW2 Korea Vietnam Ireland. This board is about people coming together who love life. We are all from different backgrounds, so for goodness sake, lets forget prejudice and politics on this board, and just get cruising, remember the cruise lines are only thinking about our safety!

.Barb.

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In May this year we cruised from New Orleans to Singapore via the Middle East. Cairo was having a lot of uprising over their government at the time. Royal Caribbean cancelled all ships tours that involved visiting the Museum which is right next to the main Tahrir square where the protesting was taking place. We had booked a private tour on a coach with 32 of us. Our Tour Leader, whom we had to trust had spoken with the Museum who said they could get us in safely, and this is what they did. However, I have to say I was extremely nervous inside the museum listening to the the fury of the protesters outside. There were thousands of them and they were so fired up.

Thankfully all went well, we shared the museum with only one other group of 8 plus ourselves so that was a bonus. The guards on every tomb were armed as were the police and guards outside. Buildings next to the Museum and the Souvenir shop attached to the museum had been attacked at a previous protest and were burned and damaged.

 

As I write this now I am so pleased I did get to the Museum, saw King Tut and the other wonders of the Egyptian world, and the Pyramids.

However, I've since I wondered if our Travel Insurance would have covered us if something had happened due to the political unrest they were having at the time....

 

I have a feeling you would not be covered by your insurance if there was an advisory not to travel to that city or country.

 

I really hope it all clears up for those looking forward to cruising the Middle East because it is a fascinating part of the world and well worth the visit.

 

Jill:)

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You have to admit you took a chance and it worked out for you .however if something had happened and an advisory had been issued you are probably right regarding no insurance cover

IM sure the cruise line will once again put voyages to that region on hold .for the next few months when things settle I.m sure they will go back with enthusiast tourists who want to see these wondrous sites ...ever being mindful that any provocation could result in the same kind of turmoil and therefore be extra vigilant at all times

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You have to admit you took a chance and it worked out for you .however if something had happened and an advisory had been issued you are probably right regarding no insurance cover

IM sure the cruise line will once again put voyages to that region on hold .for the next few months when things settle I.m sure they will go back with enthusiast tourists who want to see these wondrous sites ...ever being mindful that any provocation could result in the same kind of turmoil and therefore be extra vigilant at all times

 

Yes you are right, it was a bit of a chance. Now that I look back I see the whole situation a bit different to the way it unfolded on the day..... maybe that's a good thing otherwise none of us would go anywhere..... ;)

 

Jill:)

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In May this year we cruised from New Orleans to Singapore via the Middle East. Cairo was having a lot of uprising over their government at the time. Royal Caribbean cancelled all ships tours that involved visiting the Museum which is right next to the main Tahrir square where the protesting was taking place. We had booked a private tour on a coach with 32 of us. Our Tour Leader, whom we had to trust had spoken with the Museum who said they could get us in safely, and this is what they did. However, I have to say I was extremely nervous inside the museum listening to the the fury of the protesters outside. There were thousands of them and they were so fired up.

Thankfully all went well, we shared the museum with only one other group of 8 plus ourselves so that was a bonus. The guards on every tomb were armed as were the police and guards outside. Buildings next to the Museum and the Souvenir shop attached to the museum had been attacked at a previous protest and were burned and damaged.

 

As I write this now I am so pleased I did get to the Museum, saw King Tut and the other wonders of the Egyptian world, and the Pyramids.

However, I've since I wondered if our Travel Insurance would have covered us if something had happened due to the political unrest they were having at the time....

 

I have a feeling you would not be covered by your insurance if there was an advisory not to travel to that city or country.

 

I really hope it all clears up for those looking forward to cruising the Middle East because it is a fascinating part of the world and well worth the visit.

 

Jill:)

 

 

Just to clarify my own post. There was no danger at all at the Pyramids when we were there, they are not near the centre of Cairo. So if there were any issues I wouldn't expect them to interfere with a visit to the Pyramids.

Jill

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True ...but some places are a TAD more risky than others

At best at anytime this place...anywhere in North Africa or Middle East ... can blow up at anytime if some group feels insulted or victimized ..and will take it out on whoever happens to be there ..even tourists who just happen to be there

Make sure you are not caught in the crossfire //or anyone else

When I was in Tunisia this summer ..one of the merchants asked me to return and spend time there ...because of family ties to Tunisia ...HOWEVER he said not now and frowned not now ...after ....said he.... Once things get better ...so he knew something was up

I hear it is beautiful ...maybe one day I will return and enjoy the beaches of Tunisia ,the great food and hospitality .....but for now I will stay right here

 

Michele

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I know that for my cancellation insurance to kick in for my trip to Egypt (January 2012) when I was considering going or not going due the situation changing a lot at the time. It had to be Do Not Travel, otherwise if I decided not to go I would not get anything back. However, since, the advisory never never changed I went ahead with my trip and my policy was valid for coverage while travelling. My insurance was with Covermore.

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We're keeping a close eye on developments, especially as they affect cruise itineraries, so check back at cruisecritic.com/news for updates. I'm also booked on a southern Med/Israel cruise next month and keeping fingers crossed :) --

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

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We're keeping a close eye on developments, especially as they affect cruise itineraries, so check back at cruisecritic.com/news for updates. I'm also booked on a southern Med/Israel cruise next month and keeping fingers crossed :) --

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

 

 

Hope all is resolved before next month for you Carolyn.... fingers and toes crossed for you... :)

 

Jilly:)

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Unfortunately, some unreported events in Israel are disturbing. Unconfirmed reports of a big mobilisation of troops connected to the tensions between Israel and Iran over the nuclear issue in Iran have taken place. I hope nothing develops from this and I also hope what I have read turn out to be just an exercise.

 

John

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Unfortunately, some unreported events in Israel are disturbing. Unconfirmed reports of a big mobilisation of troops connected to the tensions between Israel and Iran over the nuclear issue in Iran have taken place. I hope nothing develops from this and I also hope what I have read turn out to be just an exercise.

 

John

 

??????? I have no idea what you are talking about- I am here, in Israel, and I can tell you that there has been absolutely no mobilization of troops. There is absolutely no way that has happened. (And no way to mobilize troops without the general populace knowing about it.).

 

Your 'unreported events' and 'unconfirmed reports' are the figments of someone's imagination. There is not even any sort of mobilization exercise taking place. While we all might be in a state of holding our collective breath, no action is being taken - and no one wants there to be anytime soon.

 

I'd suggest that you refrain from posting such unconfirmed rumors in the future. Surely, they don't serve any useful purpose here.

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Please dont shoot the messenger. I received a copy of an e mail sent by an American citizen to his brother in USA and was quite disturbed by it as was the recipient the E mail.

The American who is reportedly an ex US Navy seal has witnessed the movement of troops in the vicinity of Jerusleum along with missile batteries, 3 of which were within sight of his office window. He has never seen anything like this before. I have no idea what is the "norm" in Israel but the US citizen was certainly disturbed by what he has witnessed. He also said that Egypt was building up Armored divisions in the Sianai and does not know the reason for that.

I only pass this along as I feel people should know these things. I only hope it is not true. I have the name of the person who sent the e mail from Jerusalem but in fairness to him I am not disclosing it at this time.

There has been a lot of sabre rattling by Israel over the Nuclear issue in Iran recently and threats to attack those facilities but I do not know anything about the immediate threat of such a thing happening.

I am not scaremongering, just passing on what I perceive as a legitimate source of information from an eyewitness of certain things happening in the vicinity of Jeruselum.

 

John

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Please dont shoot the messenger. I received a copy of an e mail sent by an American citizen to his brother in USA and was quite disturbed by it as was the recipient the E mail.

The American who is reportedly an ex US Navy seal has witnessed the movement of troops in the vicinity of Jerusleum along with missile batteries, 3 of which were within sight of his office window. He has never seen anything like this before. I have no idea what is the "norm" in Israel but the US citizen was certainly disturbed by what he has witnessed. He also said that Egypt was building up Armored divisions in the Sianai and does not know the reason for that.

I only pass this along as I feel people should know these things. I only hope it is not true. I have the name of the person who sent the e mail from Jerusalem but in fairness to him I am not disclosing it at this time.

There has been a lot of sabre rattling by Israel over the Nuclear issue in Iran recently and threats to attack those facilities but I do not know anything about the immediate threat of such a thing happening.

I am not scaremongering, just passing on what I perceive as a legitimate source of information from an eyewitness of certain things happening in the vicinity of Jeruselum.

 

John

 

I am an American citizen living in a suburb of Jerusalem. My terrace overlooks both Jerusalem, and the main highway leading to the entrance of Jerusalem.

 

I can assure you that there has been NO troop movement in the area at all. NONE.

 

I have not seen any missle batteries moved into the area, nor have any been reported - again, these are all thing which would have been reported in the press, and talked about in the street. It is absolutely impossible to move troops or any sort of armament anywhere in the vicinity of Jerusalem without the populace knowing about it. My town is under the main flight path of helicopters around Jerusalem, and there has not been any unusual activity in the air, either.

 

Over the past weeks, Egyptian Sinai has been under attack by local Bedouin, who have teamed up with radical Islamists to attack Egyptian military positons, in an attempt to force the Egyptian government to free their members who have been arrested for a variety of crimes. These attacks have bern widely reported, as has the fact that Egypt is buffing up their military presence in Sinai- this buildup is being done with the approval of various international agencies, including the Israeli government. There is no buildup of Egyptian armored divisions- there is a troop buildup, but nothing on a large scale. I would think that an ex-navy seal would know very well what is going on in Sinai, and endorse Egypt's reaction. Anyone claiming otherwise is scaremongering.

 

Again- I live here. I'm also a US citizen. I am giving you first hand information as someone who is immersed in Israeli life. Your reporting second or third hand information which you cannot confirm is, indeed, scaremongering.

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I am an American citizen living in a suburb of Jerusalem. My terrace overlooks both Jerusalem, and the main highway leading to the entrance of Jerusalem.

 

I can assure you that there has been NO troop movement in the area at all. NONE.

 

I have not seen any missle batteries moved into the area, nor have any been reported - again, these are all thing which would have been reported in the press, and talked about in the street. It is absolutely impossible to move troops or any sort of armament anywhere in the vicinity of Jerusalem without the populace knowing about it. My town is under the main flight path of helicopters around Jerusalem, and there has not been any unusual activity in the air, either.

 

Over the past weeks, Egyptian Sinai has been under attack by local Bedouin, who have teamed up with radical Islamists to attack Egyptian military positons, in an attempt to force the Egyptian government to free their members who have been arrested for a variety of crimes. These attacks have bern widely reported, as has the fact that Egypt is buffing up their military presence in Sinai- this buildup is being done with the approval of various international agencies, including the Israeli government. There is no buildup of Egyptian armored divisions- there is a troop buildup, but nothing on a large scale. I would think that an ex-navy seal would know very well what is going on in Sinai, and endorse Egypt's reaction. Anyone claiming otherwise is scaremongering.

 

Again- I live here. I'm also a US citizen. I am giving you first hand information as someone who is immersed in Israeli life. Your reporting second or third hand information which you cannot confirm is, indeed, scaremongering.

 

That's a bit of a harsh response to 'Johndon' Ruth. You are obviously involved in the Travel industry so you 'want' it to all be OK.....

 

Jill:rolleyes:

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