Will sanctions cause St Petersburg to be removed as a Port of Call?

[Korianto]

With Russia's illegal takeover of the Crimean Peninsular from Ukraine, western nations have called on Russia to remove its troops from Crimea, and to return its control to Ukrainain authorities.

 

Because Russian Leaders have not done so, and the fact that Russia has amassed over 40,000 troops along its border with Eastern Ukraine, the European Union, the United States, members of NATO, have all imposed economic sanctions on Russia and President Putin's inner circle.

 

I cannot see any American nor European based Cruise Line not supporting these economic sanctions against Russia. To that end, will the major cruise lines be removing Russian Ports from any of this year's itinaries, until these sanctions have ended?

 

Note: Cruise Lines visit St. Petersburg as well as two ports in Crimea.

 

Personally, I thought the cruise lines should have boycotted Russian Ports beginning last Summer - when Russia passed that horrendous law disenfranchising their Gay and Lesbian Citizens, making it a crime to portray anything related to being Gay or Lesbian.

 

Do you know that law made it possible to arrest Cruise Ship passengers visiting St Petersburg who happened to wear something LGBT related, for example a rainbow flag, or a pink triangle, or a Lambda Greek letter on an article of clothing. I know that a few might say "don't wear those symbols", but you must realize that to LGBT people those symbols represent civil rights, our equal rights, our pride, something that has been fought for over the past couple of decades. To Gay Americans such as myself, a Rainbow flag almost means as much as an American Flag. I am proud to be an American, I am proud to be a Gay American, and no one is going to tell me that I cannot wear a symbol of my pride on my person.

 

I would say to you - would you like to be told you could not wear an American symbol while visiting a Russian port? And by symbol, I mean the American flag, our Eagle, a drawing of the Capital, or the White House, or any State Flag, or any State name, or and pro sport team, any college, etc. There are many symbols that are associated with America - what if we Americans were told we could not wear any of them because they were against the law in Russia? This is how LGBT people feel about their symbols, and why we still question why the major cruise lines are visiting Russian Ports.

 

Maybe now with these EU and USA sanctions put upon Russia, the Cruise Lines will finally stop visiting Russian Ports.

[Danish viking]

Oh no not again :D

 

 

btw is the old thread deleted, I can´t find it.

[Travelanni]

Oh no not again :D

 

 

btw is the old thread deleted, I can´t find it.

 

 

Hope so. It was getting ridiculous and personal. Please don't rise to the bait of this one. Each to their own opinion but this is a forum for the discussion of cruising, not politics

Edited April 10, 2014 by Travelanni

[Danish viking]

I think the first thread was tiresome so I have no intention of bringing this subject up again.

 

With hindsight I should off course not have posted a reply, sorry for that.

[Travelanni]

I think the first thread was tiresome so I have no intention of bringing this subject up again.

 

With hindsight I should off course not have posted a reply, sorry for that.

 

I agree, neither should I but I think we were both stung by the fact that it had come up again! As far as I am concerned, subject best forgotten.

Edited April 10, 2014 by Travelanni

[Korianto]

I didn't see any prior thread, nor read anything about it.

 

If you want, just leave the first part and delete the second.

 

Orr delete thecentire post and I'll repost just the first part, okay?

 

This is important, the cruise lines should not be supporting the russian economy at this time. Would you have supported Hitler when he invaded Poland? I think not.

 

K

[The_Big_M]

Going with your second version - which only relates to the invasion - the sanctions imposed by the US and EU (and elsewhere) are quite limited in nature at this point. They don't relate to trade, or general travel by most citizens, nor many other things.

 

They don't have any obligations on the cruise lines, and indeed it would put the cruise lines themselves at the front line if they were to initiate action themselves. For example, there has been no restrictions by air carriers in travel to and from those destinations.

 

At this point, the cruise lines would only be taking action for their own prudence i.e. to minimise the risk of disruption/complication if things were to escalate.

 

As sad as it is, Ukrainians don't make up a large portion of cruise passenger numbers, so the invasion of that country is unlikely to have much impact on business considerations by the lines.

[Globaliser]

I didn't see any prior thread, nor read anything about it.

It's here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1999665

... the cruise lines should not be supporting the russian economy at this time. Would you have supported Hitler when he invaded Poland? I think not.

This isn't a political debating forum, and it would be as well not to bring these political questions into it, however strongly you think that any particular position is correct and however flimsy you might think the other side's point of view to be.

[CI66774]

OP - this is NOT a political forum. I respect your opinion but that's all it is - your opinion. Please take it to a more appropriate venue.

[hubofhockey]

From another Len, thank you. Travel, technology, and communication all bring the world together. Looking forward to being in St Petersburg this July.