Med Cruises/Refugees

[Purples]

Are any Med cruises being impacted at all by the refugee crisis in Europe? Anything we need to consider. Thankyou.

[Presto2]

Are any Med cruises being impacted at all by the refugee crisis in Europe? Anything we need to consider. Thankyou.

 

The Capt on Britannia told us in July that it is maritime law to help a ship in distress (ours words not his). Basically, if ship comes across a vessel needing assistance it has to help. Not sure where your cruise is going to.

 

:)

[jeanlyon]

Just back from Eastern Med on Oriana. Although I thought we might see something, we saw nothing at all.

[FoxtrotTango]

Are any Med cruises being impacted at all by the refugee crisis in Europe? Anything we need to consider. Thankyou.

 

We were away in the Aegean last month with Oceania cruises (not P & O). Our visit to Mitilini (Lesbos), was cancelled, 'Due to the refugee situation'. Some of the passengers welcomed this and some felt that Lesbos had a double 'hit' (supporting refugees but then losing revenue because of it). There was a lot of discussion among passengers on this point.

Later on in the cruise we visited Bodrum, where we saw lots of exhausted-looking refugees (mostly Syrian, I believe). They were camped out in parks and on other open spaces but didn't approach any tourists that I saw. (The only beggars we saw appeared to be Albanian children, who were quite persistent but fairly few in number).

I think the 'impact' is mostly emotional - it's quite strange to be wandering around on a lovely holiday, in a place where other people are struggling...

Edited October 19, 2015 by FoxtrotTango
word 'are' was missing

[jenny wren]

We sailed the Aegean to Istanbul during September.....Lesbos was cancelled....the only sign of any migrants was on Samos, which is only one mile from Turkey (Kusadasi) and there were several deflated inflatable boats on the quayside and a couple of groups of men with rucksacks....no women or children.....no difference to normal in Kusadasi, Piraeus or Istanbul....or Malta either which doesn't seem to have been affected, in spite of its proximity to Libya!

[Host Sharon]

Just back from Med and Adriatic on Arcadia. I saw a couple of warships patrolling around Sicily and Gib but other than that - nothing. Chatting with the security officer he did say vessels are bound to assist under maritime law BUT that assistance would normally mean standing by and calling in a naval vessel, not taking anyone on board.

[Purples]

Thanks for your replies - will continue with our plans

[Mark-Sheffield]

For the Greek Islands tourism is the main income and the cancellation of stopping at Lesbos is significant for the local economy and i hope the European governments can resolve this desperate situation.