Travel Alert Ukraine on Web Site

[gordylad]

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TRAVEL ALERT - UKRAINE

Celebrity Cruises is closely monitoring the situation in the Ukraine. Currently, we have not made any changes to itineraries that include port calls to the area. The safety and security of our guests and crew members is always our number one priority. Should we make any modifications to upcoming itineraries, we will contact all guests or their travel agents.

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Obviously starting to cause a concern due to the major unrest within the country. Extreme Russian groups are within far eastern villages and this is causing a lot of issue with the outbreak of a civil war the last thing we want. If this continues it will give Russia a reason to do something rather than sit back and if that happens obviously the West will want to have their say in protecting Ukraine. Lets hope it settles down.

[RickT]

That alert has been on the Celebrity website for a few weeks now. With the first ships destined to dock in St. Petersburg early in May it will be interesting to see what happens.

 

There have been a number of threads on this topic in the Europe Cruise Port section and they have all been shut down when they got too involved in political commentary.

 

I'm booked on an August Baltic Cruise and am waiting to see if we will or won't be stopping in St. P. I'm OK either way. If they decide not to I just hope it will be replaced with extra days in some of the other ports or perhaps an extra port.

[gordylad]

St Petersburg is closer to Finland and Estonia that it is to Ukraine so fingers crossed all will be well

[marco]

We were supposed to go on a Kiev to Odessa river cruise in 3 weeks. It was canx over a month ago. Oceana has substituted ports in Turkey for Odessa and Yalta for spring/summer Black Sea cruisesBut keep in mind, this region is a considerable distance from St Petersburg and much more volatile right now then the Baltic area.

Edited April 30, 2014 by marco

[CaroleLee]

START

TRAVEL ALERT - UKRAINE

Celebrity Cruises is closely monitoring the situation in the Ukraine. Currently, we have not made any changes to itineraries that include port calls to the area. The safety and security of our guests and crew members is always our number one priority. Should we make any modifications to upcoming itineraries, we will contact all guests or their travel agents.

END

 

Obviously starting to cause a concern due to the major unrest within the country. Extreme Russian groups are within far eastern villages and this is causing a lot of issue with the outbreak of a civil war the last thing we want. If this continues it will give Russia a reason to do something rather than sit back and if that happens obviously the West will want to have their say in protecting Ukraine. Lets hope it settles down.

Interesting as Celebrity is publishing 2015 Black Sea cruises.

Carole

[elena7seas]

A friend of mine is from St. Petersburg and is a business person, involved with import/export from Russia to Canada. I was asking her yesterday what she thought would happen regarding St. Petersburg, as we have a Baltic cruise booked for June 2015, with three days planned in St. Pete.

 

She laughed and said, "Is tourism. Is business. Is MONEY. St. Petersburg will be open for you."

 

Now of course, this is simply her opinion, and has no weight whatsoever, but I am hoping she is right. Crimea and the eastern Ukraine are a long way away.

 

I guess what will determine the itinerary, in the end, is what the management at RCI thinks. But I'm guessing if St. Pete is open for business, and local safety is not an issue, RCI will still send ships there. Is tourism. Is business. Is MONEY. :D

[Christine Frances]

A friend of mine is from St. Petersburg and is a business person, involved with import/export from Russia to Canada. I was asking her yesterday what she thought would happen regarding St. Petersburg, as we have a Baltic cruise booked for June 2015, with three days planned in St. Pete.

 

She laughed and said, "Is tourism. Is business. Is MONEY. St. Petersburg will be open for you."

 

Now of course, this is simply her opinion, and has no weight whatsoever, but I am hoping she is right. Crimea and the eastern Ukraine are a long way away.

 

I guess what will determine the itinerary, in the end, is what the management at RCI thinks. But I'm guessing if St. Pete is open for business, and local safety is not an issue, RCI will still send ships there. Is tourism. Is business. Is MONEY. :D

 

Elena Can you please email me? cfhamilton at gmail dot com

[elena7seas]

Elena Can you please email me? cfhamilton at gmail dot com

 

Done! :D

[floridatravelersforlife]

A friend of mine is from St. Petersburg and is a business person, involved with import/export from Russia to Canada. I was asking her yesterday what she thought would happen regarding St. Petersburg, as we have a Baltic cruise booked for June 2015, with three days planned in St. Pete.

 

She laughed and said, "Is tourism. Is business. Is MONEY. St. Petersburg will be open for you."

 

Now of course, this is simply her opinion, and has no weight whatsoever, but I am hoping she is right. Crimea and the eastern Ukraine are a long way away.

 

I guess what will determine the itinerary, in the end, is what the management at RCI thinks. But I'm guessing if St. Pete is open for business, and local safety is not an issue, RCI will still send ships there. Is tourism. Is business. Is MONEY. :D

 

I agree 100%. On the other hand I would not walk around the streets at night wearing USA clothing. Not that most cruisers would do that anyway. Public venues like Catherines Palace are totally safe.

 

The Ukraine is not only emotional but unstable. The cop on the corner in any of the ports could be pro Russian, and anti US. I traveled extensively to Israel during the tumultuous years and even though there was violence, the gov't and law enforcement was stable and strong. Not so in Ukraine.

[mbsilk]

The area was referred to as 'the Ukraine' by the Soviets when it was part of their empire. The current independent country is simply called Ukraine. There are some there who are offended by the colonial appellation. Just a point of information.

[elena7seas]

The area was referred to as 'the Ukraine' by the Soviets when it was part of their empire. The current independent country is simply called Ukraine. There are some there who are offended by the colonial appellation. Just a point of information.

 

Yes, I do know this, and you are correct. It is a point well taken. Many Ukrainians, within Ukraine and without, are very offended by the appellation "the Ukraine". When I think about it, I know better, but when I am not thinking, old habits die hard, I'm afraid. No excuse though, and I will be more careful in future. Thanks for sharing this information with our CC community.

 

My husband is second-generation Ukrainian on both sides. I was hoping to add a side-trip into Western Ukraine after our Baltic cruise, as both sides of his family come from an area 50 miles east of the current Polish-Ukrainian border. Sadly, my research informed me that it is just not safe enough for us to travel there at the present time. This information was obtained from Ukrainians who are still within Ukraine, and who, under better circumstances, would want to welcome travellers, so I'm afraid I will have to take them at their word for the time being.

Edited April 30, 2014 by elena7seas

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

A friend of mine is from St. Petersburg and is a business person, involved with import/export from Russia to Canada. I was asking her yesterday what she thought would happen regarding St. Petersburg, as we have a Baltic cruise booked for June 2015, with three days planned in St. Pete.

 

She laughed and said, "Is tourism. Is business. Is MONEY. St. Petersburg will be open for you."

 

Now of course, this is simply her opinion, and has no weight whatsoever, but I am hoping she is right. Crimea and the eastern Ukraine are a long way away.

 

I guess what will determine the itinerary, in the end, is what the management at RCI thinks. But I'm guessing if St. Pete is open for business, and local safety is not an issue, RCI will still send ships there. Is tourism. Is business. Is MONEY. :D

 

Absolutely! There won't be an uprising in St. Petersburg because it is already a part of Russia. The situation in the Ukraine is completely different and very far geographically removed.

[RickT]

I don't think the issue will be about safety in St. Petersburg. As has been mentioned it is far removed from Ukraine and the hostilities.

 

The most likely issue will be sanctions and travel bans imposed by other countries. As safe as St. Petersburg can be, if travel bans are imposed by NATO countries I would be surprised if Celebrity would ignore them.

 

Ultimately this conflict involves Russia and since St. Petersburg is in Russia there won't be a distinction to say that region is OK and other regions aren't.

[Chunky2219]

I've noticed that several cruise lines are advertising hard to fill ships for Baltic cruises in the near future. Of course, there's next to zero chance of any problem in St P, but maybe there's a bit of a 9/11 effect - scary stuff anywhere in Europe makes people think twice or just head for the Med.

 

There are also some lines who do the Black Sea in September / October, including the ports of Odessa (Ukraine) and Yalta (Crimea, now Russia). It will be interesting to see if the voyages fill up as quickly as they did last year when we were thinking about it.

 

 

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[TroubleT]

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/ukraine-clashes-turn-deadly-dozens-killed-fire-n95916

[Christine Frances]

I've noticed that several cruise lines are advertising hard to fill ships for Baltic cruises in the near future. Of course, there's next to zero chance of any problem in St P, but maybe there's a bit of a 9/11 effect - scary stuff anywhere in Europe makes people think twice or just head for the Med.

 

 

 

There are also some lines who do the Black Sea in September / October, including the ports of Odessa (Ukraine) and Yalta (Crimea, now Russia). It will be interesting to see if the voyages fill up as quickly as they did last year when we were thinking about it.

 

 

 

 

 

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Celebrity seems to be doing ok :). Look at the price of a veranda - Wow

 

 

 

 

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[TroubleT]

Celebrity seems to be doing ok :). Look at the price of a veranda - Wow

 

 

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I didn't notice any price drop. The prices for the Black Sea Cruises are still so HIGH! I wouldn't go there even if Celebrity paid me.