Will we see cancellations soon in Holy Land?

[luv2cruise391]

I am worried about this new crisis in Syria and how it may affect our cruise on the Rotterdam Oct. 31 to the Holy Land. Is anyone out there thinking surely HAL will cancel the cruises soon to this area of the world with all the talk of "bombings" and use of chemical weapons?

I feel so sorry for the people in the area that will possibly affected - don;t mean to sound as if it is all bout ME and a cruise when they are facing possible life and death situations possibly.

[world~citizen]

I am worried about this new crisis in Syria and how it may affect our cruise on the Rotterdam Oct. 31 to the Holy Land. Is anyone out there thinking surely HAL will cancel the cruises soon to this area of the world with all the talk of "bombings" and use of chemical weapons?

I feel so sorry for the people in the area that will possibly affected - don;t mean to sound as if it is all bout ME and a cruise when they are facing possible life and death situations possibly.

 

Too soon to tell.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Hard to predict.

Just keep checking HAL's site for Travel Advisories.

[Typhoon1]

If the bombings begin in the next few days, I'm sure HAL will make some kind of decision as to whether to proceed with those cruises.

[sail7seas]

They handed out gas masks to all the people in Israel today. To see children on the news trying on their gas masks does not make one think cruise ships will be hurrying to ports in Israel. It is all so frightening.

 

Syria threatens Israel will be attacked if Syria is attacked.

 

[pris993]

We have visited Israel many times, both by ship and land.

 

Current news is too early for HAL to make decisions. Israel will close ports if it is dangerous.

 

Really depends on what Syria or Iran do.

 

Israel is simply preparing just in case. We have family who live there.

[luv2cruise391]

Some on my Rotterdam cruise roll acted like I was not "geographically inclined" and seem to think it is NO chance our cruise could be canceled.

I hope for the best,but I personally see not much chance of making a Holy Land cruise any time soon:(

My travel insurance will. Cover if a travel warning is issued 30 days prior, but none have been issued that I see on the travel.state.gov website YET.

[sail7seas]

I seriously doubt your cruise would be cancelled but it could have itinerary changes.

 

[CruiserBruce]

Oct 31 is still, relatively, a very long time from now.

[whogo]

At least some of the cruises to Israel have already cancelled visits to Egypt.

[RollieUK]

I think if the situation in Syria escalates to international military conflict there will be no cruises allowed anywhere in the eastern Mediterranean. Perhaps even western Mediterranean cruises may also be at risk. It will not be up to the cruise lines - they will just not be allowed in the area.

 

There will be a lot of naval vessels in the area and there are air force bases in several Mediterranean countries.

[luv2cruise391]

With air stations in Turkey, Italy and others in the Mid East, 4 US aircraft carriers now in the Eastern Med, etc. I would think they wouldn't need cruise ships sailing around all that!

 

I do realize it is still a ways off, but I am looking at when the best time to cancel would be IF that is what I feel we need to do to recoup the most of our money we have spent on air, precruise and postcruise hotels and a Neptune Suite on a 10 night cruise!

 

I just hope HAL will offer a choice on whether to go on a revised itinerary IF that becomes an option since I would think it would no longer resemble a Holy land cruise which is what I booked and that is the name of the cruise. Our stops in Egypt have already been cancelled and certainly understandably so, but Israel was my MAIN interest. I had no real problem with that and 2 ports were substituted.

 

I hate the thoughts of having to do "battle" with insurance over legal terms on what constitutes civil unrest, acts of war declared or not, etc., etc.

[mamaofami]

It's way too early for HAL to make a decision, if that decision is left up to them. The whole situation is very scary.

 

As far as insurance, unless you have cancel for any reason, if the ship goes anywhere, I wonder if those companies will care which ports it went to? No clue here.:confused:

[CruiserBruce]

I don't think there are 4 aircraft carriers in the Med right now. That would be a huge commitment, doubt we had 4 carriers in the area during the Iraq war.

 

Rather there are 4 destroyer/frigate type ships that surface to surface missile capacity. An entirely different story.

[sail7seas]

With air stations in Turkey, Italy and others in the Mid East, 4 US aircraft carriers now in the Eastern Med, etc. I would think they wouldn't need cruise ships sailing around all that!

 

I do realize it is still a ways off, but I am looking at when the best time to cancel would be IF that is what I feel we need to do to recoup the most of our money we have spent on air, precruise and postcruise hotels and a Neptune Suite on a 10 night cruise!

 

I just hope HAL will offer a choice on whether to go on a revised itinerary IF that becomes an option since I would think it would no longer resemble a Holy land cruise which is what I booked and that is the name of the cruise. Our stops in Egypt have already been cancelled and certainly understandably so, but Israel was my MAIN interest. I had no real problem with that and 2 ports were substituted.

 

I hate the thoughts of having to do "battle" with insurance over legal terms on what constitutes civil unrest, acts of war declared or not, etc., etc.

 

 

As for cancellation, pay close attention to final payment date.

Once that date passes, you will encounter a penalty for cancellation and it will vary by number of days out from sail date that you cancel.

 

[luv2cruise391]

I meant to say ships that can launch missiles:(

We have already past final payment date on cruise. Boy I wish we had not PREpaid in full:(

Yes, I am afraid insurance will not reimburse if HAL only substitutes ports and does not completely cancel the cruise.

Not much choice at this time but to wait and see.

[Typhoon1]

Itineraries are always subject to change for any reason at the discretion of the company or Captain.

 

Be prepared if it happens.

[Rotterdam]

I live downtown NYC & was preparing to sail to Europe on QE2 ....my home is less than a mile away from the WTC here in Manhattan... as that day unfolded I found myself living in a closed area - no one in or out - no food / water -the fires burning with all the destruction....through the shock of it all we were looking for family & friends that worked in the WTC & area(none of those people were ever found)...so on 12 September I call Cunard( I did have insurance)...after explaining the situation & speaking w/4 Cunard managers / people including one that suggested I walk w/ my luggage out of the closed are(almost 2 miles), hop on a bus & go to Boston where the QE2 was being diverted.

 

After several months w/ the threat of lawsuit Cunard did issue me a credit.

 

The ignorance, stupidity & inhumaneness of Cunard's employees taught me a lesson....never take anything for granted & make sure you have a backup plan.

[Linda&Vern]

I live downtown NYC & was preparing to sail to Europe on QE2 ....my home is less than a mile away from the WTC here in Manhattan... as that day unfolded I found myself living in a closed area - no one in or out - no food / water -the fires burning with all the destruction....through the shock of it all we were looking for family & friends that worked in the WTC & area(none of those people were ever found)...so on 12 September I call Cunard( I did have insurance)...after explaining the situation & speaking w/4 Cunard managers / people including one that suggested I walk w/ my luggage out of the closed are(almost 2 miles), hop on a bus & go to Boston where the QE2 was being diverted.

 

After several months w/ the threat of lawsuit Cunard did issue me a credit.

 

The ignorance, stupidity & inhumaneness of Cunard's employees taught me a lesson....never take anything for granted & make sure you have a backup plan.

WOW ... that's all I can say. :( I'm sad you and for the stupidity of the cruise line attitude. This was not a "business as usual" situation.

[Copper10-8]

I don't think there are 4 aircraft carriers in the Med right now. That would be a huge commitment, doubt we had 4 carriers in the area during the Iraq war.

 

Rather there are 4 destroyer/frigate type ships that surface to surface missile capacity. An entirely different story.

 

 

Thanks Bruce, at the moment, two carriers, USS Nimitz CVN-68 and USS Truman CVN-75 are reported in the North Arabian Sea/Indian Ocean.

There are now five U.S. Navy surface combatants, all guided missile destroyers, reported in the Eastern Med; the USS Gravely DDG-107, USS Mahan DDG-72, USS Barry DDG-52, USS Ramage DDG-61 and USS Stout DDG-55. In addition, a U.S. Navy and a Royal Navy nuclear submarine are reported to be in the Eastern Med

[sail7seas]

I meant to say ships that can launch missiles:(

We have already past final payment date on cruise. Boy I wish we had not PREpaid in full:(

Yes, I am afraid insurance will not reimburse if HAL only substitutes ports and does not completely cancel the cruise.

Not much choice at this time but to wait and see.

 

 

I don't know if this applies to you or not but it is my understanding that if you choose to make final payment before the date it is actually due, you can get full refund without penalty if you cancel prior to the date final payment was due for your cruise.

 

[world~citizen]

I don't know if this applies to you or not but it is my understanding that if you choose to make final payment before the date it is actually due, you can get full refund without penalty if you cancel prior to the date final payment was due for your cruise.

 

 

It would be interesting to see a cruise line NOT give you a full refund under those conditions.

[sail7seas]

It would be interesting to see a cruise line NOT give you a full refund under those conditions.

 

 

I agree. :)

 

[mamaofami]

I live downtown NYC & was preparing to sail to Europe on QE2 ....my home is less than a mile away from the WTC here in Manhattan... as that day unfolded I found myself living in a closed area - no one in or out - no food / water -the fires burning with all the destruction....through the shock of it all we were looking for family & friends that worked in the WTC & area(none of those people were ever found)...so on 12 September I call Cunard( I did have insurance)...after explaining the situation & speaking w/4 Cunard managers / people including one that suggested I walk w/ my luggage out of the closed are(almost 2 miles), hop on a bus & go to Boston where the QE2 was being diverted.

 

After several months w/ the threat of lawsuit Cunard did issue me a credit.

 

The ignorance, stupidity & inhumaneness of Cunard's employees taught me a lesson....never take anything for granted & make sure you have a backup plan.

 

Unbelievable.

[luv2cruise391]

Rotterdam Sept 11 cruiser, I am sorry for your loss and the hassle Cunard gave you!

 

Cooper- thanks for the military/navy update. It does seem to be very impending/serious.

 

I wonder if the HAL ships that were in Ephesus(Kusadasi, Turkey) and Rhodes, Greece today are going to Israel.

 

We will be at 50% penalty on Sept. 4, but I realize we will most likely not have a decision that soon.