Mideast 2015

Booked Mideast cruise, latter part of 2015, UAE and Israel. I am not concerned, but friends tell me I should be. I welcome any thoughts from others reading this post.

We cruised Singapore to Athens via India and Egypt last year on Seabourn Pride, Seabourn will not go to any ports where there is any chance of a problem.

Your friends mean well, but they are uninformed. Don't let them rain on your parade. No cruise line's insurance company is going to let them dock anywhere near trouble.

The UAE is one of the safest countries in the world. We lived in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, for two years. Israel is in a slightly tougher neighborhood but is still arguably safer than the U.S.

You are orders of magnitude more likely to have emergency health issues than to be involved in a crime of violence or terrorism.

You can (and should) also visit http://travel.state.gov for information about how to register with the embassy, assuming you are a U.S. citizen.

I would not hesitate to visit either Israel or the UAE. Israel and where you will visit continue to remain one of the safest places around the world. UAE is very safe too.

As to decisions as to whether the ship goes to a place in some cases if there is a security threat it is the insurance company that decides. However, there are ones that the insurance company might not deem a threat but the cruise line decides to revise because sales are down due to people's misconception or just concern of an area.

Keith

UAE is one the most homophobic countries.....I won't step foot in such places.

UAE is one the most homophobic countries.....I won't step foot in such places.

I'm sure it will be their loss.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

UAE is one the most homophobic countries.....I won't step foot in such places.

I'm with you Rotterdam. Excellent post.:)

Appreciate the feedback. I am not worried, but was wondering if I should be. Have been to mid-east a handful of times and never had a problem, but this seems to be a new world. Thank you all for assurances. (I appreciate the political concerns, but my query here was limited to safety. If we were to avoid visiting places that have agendas we find offensive and even repugnant, our travel would be limited.)

Appreciate the feedback. I am not worried, but was wondering if I should be. Have been to mid-east a handful of times and never had a problem, but this seems to be a new world. Thank you all for assurances. (I appreciate the political concerns, but my query here was limited to safety. If we were to avoid visiting places that have agendas we find offensive and even repugnant, our travel would be limited.)

Don't worry in terms of safety for the UAE and for Israel.

Have a great cruise.

Keith

When the ****s came for the communists,

I remained silent;

I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,

I remained silent;

I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,

I did not speak out;

I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,

I remained silent;

I wasn't a Jew.

When they came for me,

there was no one left to speak out.

When the ****s came for the communists,

 

Appreciate the Martin Niemoller sermon, but if you truly feel that way about SB visiting Dubai, you would not be sailing SB at all. After all, by sailing SB, you are enriching a company which profits from including Dubai in its itineraries, and thereby endorsing the itineraries that include Dubai, regardless of you not selecting those trips. Dubai benefits, at least economically, by SB including it as a port/destination. If so repugnant to you, then you should not travel SB. But instead you choose to carve out the exceptions to suit your "ideology." That said, your preaching here is hypocritical and any more rhetoric from you is meaningless.

1. Glad you "appreciate" the Niemoller THOUGHT.

2. I have never sailed on SB - check the facts.

3. Your ignorance is appalling.

End of post.

When the ****s came for the communists,

 

Appreciate the Martin Niemoller sermon, but if you truly feel that way about SB visiting Dubai, you would not be sailing SB at all. After all, by sailing SB, you are enriching a company which profits from including Dubai in its itineraries, and thereby endorsing the itineraries that include Dubai, regardless of you not selecting those trips. Dubai benefits, at least economically, by SB including it as a port/destination. If so repugnant to you, then you should not travel SB. But instead you choose to carve out the exceptions to suit your "ideology." That said, your preaching here is hypocritical and any more rhetoric from you is meaningless.

When the ****s came for the communists,

I remained silent;

I was not a communist.

 

When they locked up the social democrats,

I remained silent;

I was not a social democrat.

 

When they came for the trade unionists,

I did not speak out;

I was not a trade unionist.

 

When they came for the Jews,

I remained silent;

I wasn't a Jew.

 

When they came for me,

there was no one left to speak out.

+1! Thanks for the thoughtful and powerful reminder.

Have friends who live in Israel and you will be fine.

As for the posters about the UAE, it is fairly well known that gay crowds gather at the Dubai Mall. UAE is not gay friendly, but according to very dear friends, also not gay phobic when you visit. Happy travels.

1. Glad you "appreciate" the Niemoller THOUGHT.

 

2. I have never sailed on SB - check the facts.

 

3. Your ignorance is appalling.

 

End of post.

 

Wow -- I am surprised your post was not pulled. You're on the Seabourne board so that fact suggests you have sailed this line. Kind of like walking into a bar - everyone assumes you drink.

How is the OP ignorant - because Hobar doesn't "know" you have not sailed this line?? (Not that Hobar needs defending - I've met the Hobar folks.) Hi HoBar -we miss you fun guys.