Celebrity cancels stops in Istanbul

Just received notification from Celebrity that our October cruise and all from April through October will be skipping Istanbul. the changes are as follows:

Overnight in Athens and stopping in Bodrum Turkey. They added Crete, Greece and took away a sea day. So we gained a port. I have never been to Istanbul and the reason was " this change made by brand leadership"

 

I hope everyone in my group understands and stays with the cruise.

Just received the same message for my August cruise. While I am disappointed, I am fine with the other ports. Never been to the Eastern Med so I am fine with wherever we end up!

Just received notification from Celebrity that our October cruise and all from April through October will be skipping Istanbul. the changes are as follows:

Overnight in Athens and stopping in Bodrum Turkey. They added Crete, Greece and took away a sea day. So we gained a port. I have never been to Istanbul and the reason was " this change made by brand leadership"

 

I hope everyone in my group understands and stays with the cruise.

Just received the same message for my August cruise. While I am disappointed, I am fine with the other ports. Never been to the Eastern Med so I am fine with wherever we end up!

While I would be unhappy to lose Istanbul (we have been 3 times on Celebrity) I would be happy with the substitute of Crete. You did not say which port (we stopped at Souda Port (Chania) on two Celebrity cruises and enjoyed both our days there ALOT. Crete is a stunningly beautiful island and the people are friendly. We did a private tour and enjoyed Chania and its harbor but truly loved getting out into the countryside !!!!!

Just received notification from Celebrity that our October cruise and all from April through October will be skipping Istanbul. the changes are as follows:

Overnight in Athens and stopping in Bodrum Turkey. They added Crete, Greece and took away a sea day. So we gained a port. I have never been to Istanbul and the reason was " this change made by brand leadership"

 

I hope everyone in my group understands and stays with the cruise.

I'll be on the Reflection for a June 2016 cruise. The website still lists the original itinerary calling on Istanbul. Where did you get the info about the itinerary changes for April through October Celebrity itinerary changes?

I'll be on the Reflection for a June 2016 cruise. The website still lists the original itinerary calling on Istanbul. Where did you get the info about the itinerary changes for April through October Celebrity itinerary changes?

There's a discussion on the Celebrity boards -- a lot of people received emails yesterday from Celebrity about the Istanbul cancellation. If you booked with a TA you may not have gotten one.

Here's the discussion: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2283166

I wonder if other lines will follow suit - and if it will eventually lead to cancelling all ports in Turkey. We are booked on a cruise next autumn with 6 stops in Turkey. :eek:

I wonder if other lines will follow suit - and if it will eventually lead to cancelling all ports in Turkey. We are booked on a cruise next autumn with 6 stops in Turkey. :eek:

Apparently the Celebrity cancellation of Istanbul is related to construction in their port area, at least according to Celebrity.

Some of the same cruises are still calling on Kusadasi (also in Turkey) and some are actually adding another port in Turkey: Bodrum.

Apparently the Celebrity cancellation of Istanbul is related to construction in their port area, at least according to Celebrity.

 

Some of the same cruises are still calling on Kusadasi (also in Turkey) and some are actually adding another port in Turkey: Bodrum.

I hope that is the reason. Although then you would think they would just arrange to dock elsewhere! It must be a great disappointment to their passengers.

While I would be unhappy to lose Istanbul (we have been 3 times on Celebrity) I would be happy with the substitute of Crete. You did not say which port (we stopped at Souda Port (Chania) on two Celebrity cruises and enjoyed both our days there ALOT. Crete is a stunningly beautiful island and the people are friendly. We did a private tour and enjoyed Chania and its harbor but truly loved getting out into the countryside !!!!!

That is the port (Chania) we are going to. been there and loved it.

I'll be on the Reflection for a June 2016 cruise. The website still lists the original itinerary calling on Istanbul. Where did you get the info about the itinerary changes for April through October Celebrity itinerary changes?

I received an email yesterday and told to tell my group. I would call Celebrity direct and ask them.

There's a discussion on the Celebrity boards -- a lot of people received emails yesterday from Celebrity about the Istanbul cancellation. If you booked with a TA you may not have gotten one.

 

Here's the discussion: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2283166

That is exactly what happened. The agents received it yesterday and asked to tell their clients. Also had to send back with acknowledgment that it was received. In other words if clients are not told the responsibility lies with the agent. Wish they would have given the real reason. If construction in the port is the problem then all would be cancelling.

That is exactly what happened. The agents received it yesterday and asked to tell their clients. Also had to send back with acknowledgment that it was received. In other words if clients are not told the responsibility lies with the agent. Wish they would have given the real reason. If construction in the port is the problem then all would be cancelling.

Port Construction? Yeah sure! This is an example of political correctness gone amok...and the general decline in corporations telling the truth. Perhaps they are concerned that saying the truth might harm future cruise operations. The reality is that Turkey wants the tourist business (and dollars) so the cruise lines still have a lot of leverage.

Consider Kusadasi (nobody seems to cancelling that port) where they get about 1,000 ships a year....and, unlike Istanbul, and major part of the local economy depends on these ships.

Hank

Port Construction? Yeah sure! This is an example of political correctness gone amok...and the general decline in corporations telling the truth. Perhaps they are concerned that saying the truth might harm future cruise operations. The reality is that Turkey wants the tourist business (and dollars) so the cruise lines still have a lot of leverage.

 

Consider Kusadasi (nobody seems to cancelling that port) where they get about 1,000 ships a year....and, unlike Istanbul, and major part of the local economy depends on these ships.

 

Hank

The well-respected Turkey Travel Planner has this to say about the construction:

"The Karaköy Yolcu Salonu, for decades Istanbul's cruise ship passenger terminal, has been closed, and now all ships use the Salıpazarı docks (map).

In 2015, this whole area will be under construction to develop the new Galataport cruise ship reception area."

http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/go/Istanbul/Transport/salipazari_dox.html

It's entirely possible that the ongoing construction could cut down on the number of berths available to cruise ships at certain times. And Celebrity, being late to the game in Istanbul, may not have the "pull" of some other lines that have been stopping there longer (and more frequently).

All that said, I find it a highly convenient explanation for Celebrity, which cancelled several overnights in Istanbul this past season with little to no reasonable explanation....

We were just there last May 2015 on Celebrity Silhouette. This was our 3rd visit to Istanbul so we were familiar with the port area.

There was construction going on then and the port area was a mess. We were there with 3 other ships. 2 large ones and one small one. When we exited the ship we had to walk FOREVER to one building where EVERYONE was exiting the dock. They had a turnstile system that was new and you had to swipe your sea pass as you went through. Only thing is - 2 out of 3 didn't work. If your sea pass made the little light turn red you were not allowed to exit the port.

Everyone who was not allowed out had to either 1) go back to the ship for a new sea pass (the non-Celebrity cruisers) or 2) to a window to have the sea pass validated (the Celebrity cruisers only). Now, bear in mind that there were thousands involved in this process in a very small area. I believe there were 2 turnstiles. Lots of pushing, shoving and yelling. Especially when some of a group were allowed thru and 1 person was not (in my case my sea pass did not work) One lady was frantic as her kids went thru and she could not….

Luckily I was very close to the window and went thru fairly quickly….. others did not. They finally resorted to using a hand held gun thing to scan the cards……..

As we all know, construction in many foreign countries can be chaotic and take way longer than they should…….

I can easily see how construction could limit the number of ships and that with the situation in the area could cause them to pull out for a period of time.

So maybe it is …. or maybe it isn't.