Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Anyone cruising to Istanbul?

Kiwi Kruzer
 Share

Recommended Posts

Fitzall

Fitzall

Posted
Posted
Media reports today indicate a military coup has taken place in Turkey looks like it is going to be a difficult time for everyone in that country.

Due to go there in 3 wks before Viking cruise ex Athens. Smart Traveller website now says ''reconsider your plans to travel' .... If it moves to 'do not travel' then I guess we change our plans!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MMDown Under Holiday Sharing Rare

MMDown Under

Posted
Posted
Due to go there in 3 wks before Viking cruise ex Athens. Smart Traveller website now says ''reconsider your plans to travel' .... If it moves to 'do not travel' then I guess we change our plans!

 

Yes and you would be entitled to a full refund from your travel insurance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
windsor26

windsor26

Posted
Posted

Having visited Istanbul and Kusadasi 3 times (two with cruise ships) It would be a shame to miss it if still available The people are so friendly and welcoming Shame for them all to suffer for a few rebels But you cannot let terrorist rule your life

Yes be pro active and careful but having been in the Tower of London when the bomb went off from the IRA and in Egypt just after the massacre there as well as just missing other accidents like the Herald of Free Enterprise (we were booked on this the day after it sank) enjoy all you can while you can youj are a long time dead

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Johhno

Johhno

Posted
Posted

I believe the Royal's current cruise has now replaced its port call to Istanbul with Rhodes Island on the 28th July.

 

Interesting to what will happen with our Royal Sept cruise 14day Greece,Turkey & Italy Medley. I presume we will also be going to Rhodes Island.

 

Oh well will just have to wait for the email.

 

 

Cheers

Johhno.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MMDown Under Holiday Sharing Rare

MMDown Under

Posted
Posted
I believe the Royal's current cruise has now replaced its port call to Istanbul with Rhodes Island on the 28th July.

 

Interesting to what will happen with our Royal Sept cruise 14day Greece,Turkey & Italy Medley. I presume we will also be going to Rhodes Island.

 

Oh well will just have to wait for the email.

 

 

Cheers

Johhno.

 

Rhodes Island would be a good substitute.

 

http://www.visitgreece.gr/en/greek_islands/dodecanese/rhodes

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mothballs

Mothballs

Posted
Posted

It is not just Islamic State and the military causing problems in Turkey. There are also the Kurdish people who want their own state separate from Turkey. President Erdogan hates the Kurds so he allowed Islamic State to enter Syria through Turkey in the hopes they would kill the Kurdish people for him.

I was travelling around Turkey last year during the election and many of the young people were worried about the direction the country was heading as President Erdogan wants to go back to the pre Ataturk days before Turkey became a secular country.

Personally I think the world is going to get a lot worse.

Regards Elaine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
avalon007

avalon007

Posted
Posted

Exactly Elaine, people hear coup & think the people instigating the coup are the bad guys. It's Erdogan who has banned opposition political parties, jailed more journalists than pretty much any country on the planet, made criticism of him a crime & wants to bring back the Ottoman Empire Islamist controlled state.

 

Turkey has had several coups over the last 50-60 years or so by the military that see themselves as the guardians of secular democracy in Turkey, each time the government strays back towards a totalitarian Islamic system they step in to retain democracy - but this time it seems they failed & now Erdogan is talking about bringing back the death penalty to do away with the last voices calling for true democracy in the military, government offices & judicial system.

 

A very sad future ahead for Turkey & concerning for us all.

 

The world is going to 'hell in a hand basket' as the old saying goes - shame it's during our lifetime & totally agree it's going to get worse.:(

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Fitzall

Fitzall

Posted
Posted

We'll be in Istanbul 7-9 & 12-14 Aug with 3 nites in the Cappadocia region in between. Unless the Australian Govt website tells us 'Do Not Travel', we'll be there. Using Ataturk airport 4 times .... will report in during our stay.

 

Had communications with our hotels in Istanbul (pretty much everything back to normal - except tourism running around 20% of normal) & Goreme (weekend events never really affected them on face value, but tourism generally down). Pretty much all major airlines now flying back in to Ataturk.

 

We fly to Athens to pick up our Viking Sea cruise on the 14th (previously departing from Istanbul)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Fitzall

Fitzall

Posted
Posted (edited)
Cappadocia is a beautiful part of Turkey. Are you going up in a hot air balloon?

Regards Elaine.

We are. Also doing the Green & Red Tours. And staying in a cave room.

Excited!

Edited by Fitzall
Link to comment
Share on other sites
CruiseCriticAUeditor

CruiseCriticAUeditor

Posted
Posted

Here's the updated info about cruise line cancellations. Only one major cruise line is still stopping in Istanbul; we waiting to see if this decision changes.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7134

 

I would suggest, if you're cruising to Turkey in the next 3 months, check your travel insurance covers you for travelling in countries in a "state of emergency".

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Johhno

Johhno

Posted
Posted

Well its official now.(email from Princess today)

 

ITINERARY CHANGE

Due to continuing security concerns for travelers visiting Turkey, we have made the necessary decision to cancel our call to Istanbul on

Thursday, September 15, 2016. Instead, we will now call to Corfu on Tuesday, September 13. As a result of this change, port order and call times

have been amended.

 

Ok,time to search Corfu and what we can do for the day.

 

End result we are still going on a cruise.

 

Cheers

Johhno

Link to comment
Share on other sites
The_Big_M

The_Big_M

Posted
Posted
https://www.yahoo.com/news/turkey-presses-post-coup-purge-over-7-000-050309118.html

 

Turkey targets media and schools in escalating post coup purge. This is in addition to members of the judiciary (and military).

 

The figures are now at 60,000 government staff dismissed or charged. Plus 35,000 education workers dismissed! Can't imagine that happening in any Western country, where the leader (at best) gets rid of that much opposition, or at worst locks them up.

 

With this many gone, they're losing a whole lot of talent, both in the forces and services, so it makes it even more unlikely that they'll be able to adequately control things in future incidents.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Fitzall

Fitzall

Posted
Posted
Well its official now.(email from Princess today)

 

ITINERARY CHANGE

Due to continuing security concerns for travelers visiting Turkey, we have made the necessary decision to cancel our call to Istanbul on

Thursday, September 15, 2016. Instead, we will now call to Corfu on Tuesday, September 13. As a result of this change, port order and call times

have been amended.o

Bit surprised they took so long .... Must be one of the last few unfortunately. Not considering still visiting Turkey pre-cruise? Looking through Trip Advisor from people on the ground, they seem relatively comfortable.

 

Have friends there at the moment and they're loving it & we'll be there on 8/8.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
Kiwi Kruzer

Kiwi Kruzer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2393653

 

Just to add to this thread...I was reading on the HAL board that all cruises by HAL to Turkey nave now been cancelled. Tourism is way down and Hotels are closing. One poster reported that he checked with his bank about CC card use and was told if he tried to use his card in Turkey , it would be declined..

How sad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Fitzall

Fitzall

Posted
Posted

Have just been in Turkey prior to picking up Viking Cruise ex Athens.

 

No problems whatsoever on using ccards, at least with Australian banks.

 

Can't see why banks would deny access. Really doesn't make any sense. It is still an incredibly busy place and banks would not want to miss their bite of the pie.

 

Incidentally, we felt incredibly safe during the 8 days and the people were warm and wonderful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...