should cruise lines stop visits to Russia?

[SeaBands]

It would show that we don't support Putin's involvement in shooting down the airliner.

[holacanada]

Hello Seabands,

 

I totally agree with your proposal. Unfortunately the cruise company will not see the thing in the same way. Money is the reason. These cruises in the Baltic Sea to visit St Petersburg among other more expensive than a cruise in the Caribbean and they make a lot of money with these stops. River cruises are also very popular in Russia. Should convince European companies to follow the trend and cease to operate cruises in these places.

 

My deep sympaties to families who have lost one of their members.

I can only deplore the fact that Holland America has not attempted to present his condolences to the many citizens of the Netherlands (on their website for exemple). There is even a victim who came from the town of Volendam…

R.I.P

 

Holacanada

Edited July 21, 2014 by holacanada

[Fouremco]

While boycotting some small Caribbean port might have a noticeable impact on the country, I doubt that stopping cruises to Russia would have any effect on its economy or its politics. International sanctions, including those of the USA, have had little effect to date, and cruise lines aren't going to change that.

 

As an individual, you can choose to cancel or not book a cruise to Russia as a symbolic gesture, but don't expect HAL or other lines to follow suit.

[Tampa Girl]

Hello Seabands,

 

I can only deplore the fact that Holland America has not attempted to present his condolences to the many citizens of the Netherlands (on their website for exemple). There is even a victim who came from the town of Volendam…

R.I.P

 

Holacanada

 

 

How do you know that HAL hasn't?

[Randyk47]

After two Med cruises I promised Mrs. K our next cruise would be one that included St Petersburg. As it has turned out she's barred from visiting Russia now because of her job with government. Kind of takes the decision out of our hands. So much for that promise......:o

[holacanada]

How do you know that HAL hasn't?

 

 

I look at their website three days ago. This barbarian act occured five days ago.

If they do, bravo ! But a little bit late isn'it ?

 

Holacanada

 

 

Holacanada from Quebec City

[sail7seas]

After two Med cruises I promised Mrs. K our next cruise would be one that included St Petersburg. As it has turned out she's barred from visiting Russia now because of her job with government. Kind of takes the decision out of our hands. So much for that promise......:o

 

You take no blame for 'delaying' your promise, Randy. But I am sure you know that. :)

 

Hopefully, there will be a time in the future when you both will enjoy St. Petersburg.

 

I would not voluntarily visit Russia right now.

[Krazy Kruizers]

After two Med cruises I promised Mrs. K our next cruise would be one that included St Petersburg. As it has turned out she's barred from visiting Russia now because of her job with government. Kind of takes the decision out of our hands. So much for that promise......:o

 

 

Sorry that you can't keep your promise to Mrs. K -- but there is always hope after she retires. That might even be a good retirement gift for her.

[Fouremco]

I look at their website three days ago. This barbarian act occured five days ago.

If they do, bravo ! But a little bit late isn'it ?

 

Holacanada

 

 

Holacanada from Quebec City

I imagine that there are many more suitable media by which HAL can express its condolences than to put a notification on its commercial website that the average Dutch citizen doesn't read on a daily basis.

[Randyk47]

You take no blame for 'delaying' your promise, Randy. But I am sure you know that. :)

 

Hopefully, there will be a time in the future when you both will enjoy St. Petersburg.

 

I would not voluntarily visit Russia right now.

 

Oh I don't take any sense of responsibility at all, more a disappointment than anything. Kind of like Egypt that's been off limits to us now for several years though admittedly I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have gone there even if the government hadn't barred Mrs. K. Kind of the same thing with Russia right now.

[sail7seas]

Oh I don't take any sense of responsibility at all, more a disappointment than anything. Kind of like Egypt that's been off limits to us now for several years though admittedly I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have gone there even if the government hadn't barred Mrs. K. Kind of the same thing with Russia right now.

 

 

 

It gives you something special to look forward to hopefully enjoying in the future. Your travel bucket list will continue with the goal of one day seeing those special places. I am so grateful now that DH and I traveled as much as we could while we could. :) Of all the decisions we made in our life together, traveling at every opportunity is high at the top of the list.

 

[Lizzie68]

I believe every sanction possible should be imposed - and if that includes stopping cruise ships going there and spending money, then yes.

[serendipity1499]

I look at their website three days ago. This barbarian act occured five days ago.

If they do, bravo ! But a little bit late isn'it ?

 

Holacanada

 

Holacanada from Quebec City

 

I imagine that there are many more suitable media by which HAL can express its condolences than to put a notification on its commercial website that the average Dutch citizen doesn't read on a daily basis.

 

Completely agree!!! I also see no reason for expressing condolences on HAL's WEB site!! I agree most Dutch Citizens & Citizens of any other countries would never see HAL's commercial WEB site.. There are more appropriate ways for HAL to extend their condolances..

 

It's also possible that there were families of HAL employees on the plane...

[cruisemom42]

Absent a significant safety concern (not currently an issue for St. Petersburg; Ukraine ports have already been dropped or changed for most 2014 cruises, I'd imagine), or a government directive, I see no reason HAL or any line should stop port calls in Russia.

 

Let individuals make the choice to boycott, if they wish to do so. I'm sure cruise lines would get the message soon enough if they were having great difficulty filling cabins on Baltic itineraries. For all I know, that may already be happening.

[taxmantoo]

"Should cruise lines stop visits to Russia?"

 

No ifs, and or buts... the answer is one word ABSOLUTELY!

[Mtn2Sea]

We've been wanting to go to St. Petersburg, but not now.

[viajante74]

I agree that this is a sensitive issue, and for that reason, several similar threads have been closed by moderators. Ultimately, people have to make their own decision (unless HAL makes it for us by not stopping in St. Petersburg). As things stand however, I am due to be in St. Petersburg next month and am still looking forward to it. As I said in another thread, whatever issues I may have with Putin or Russian foreign policy in general don't extend to the Russian people, especially those who depend on the tourism industry for a livelihood. Those ultimately, are the people who are most hurt most by any proposed boycotts.

 

Does it feel a bit awkward to be heading to Russia at this point in time? I'd be lying if I said it doesn't. But ultimately this is the problem that exists when one mixes travel with politics - if I decided to boycott every nation on the basis of foreign policy, human rights, religious freedom, or some other issue, I'd end up not travelling at all. And by not doing that, I'd never get to meet the wonderful people that exist in every nation, that have nothing to do with decisions made by their leaders.

[Host Walt]

Reminder. Please limit discussion to the topic; the reaction(s) by HAL to the Ukraine matter. This is not a foreign affairs forum so discussions of the political implications that are not cruise related will be removed.

 

Thanks.

[shrimp56]

... if I decided to boycott every nation on the basis of foreign policy, human rights, religious freedom, or some other issue, I'd end up not travelling at all. And by not doing that, I'd never get to meet the wonderful people that exist in every nation, that have nothing to do with decisions made by their leaders.

Amen!

[chrispb]

No, cruiseships shouldn't stop visiting Russia - at least whilst it's deemed safe.

 

It's up to individuals to decide if they want to sail or not.

[rafinmd]

No, cruiseships shouldn't stop visiting Russia - at least whilst it's deemed safe.

 

It's up to individuals to decide if they want to sail or not.

 

Basically I agree, but would add that there is a choice also if sailing. I have a 2-day visit coming to St. Petersburg. I may decide to treat the visit as 2 sea days. I can imagine a much worse fate than 2 days on an uncrowded Elegant Explorer.

 

Roy

[sandij]

We've had our TA looking for a Baltic cruise that included a stop in St Petersburg, what with the flight times and cost of entry into the country and now this terrible act on innocent people I believe we'll do the Carribean again.

[sapper1]

I don't let a country's politics determine my travel agenda. I cruise to see the world and experience different cultures. I leave my beliefs at home.

 

However, having said that, I do consider the safety factor and I would not go back to St. Petersburg right now. We have been there twice in the last five years and absolutely loved it. I just would not want to be there when Russia got fed up with sanctions by the West and decided to seize a cruise ship in port and detain it indefinitely. I would not feel safe there now.

[LindaM]

I don't let a country's politics determine my travel agenda. I cruise to see the world and experience different cultures. I leave my beliefs at home.

 

However, having said that, I do consider the safety factor and I would not go back to St. Petersburg right now. We have been there twice in the last five years and absolutely loved it. I just would not want to be there when Russia got fed up with sanctions by the West and decided to seize a cruise ship in port and detain it indefinitely. I would not feel safe there now.

 

I guess that could happen. They certainly can't be trusted to do things rationally. Glad we were there, because I would not go again. However,its because I refuse to spend my American dollars there.

[Sow There]

I don't let a country's politics determine my travel agenda. I cruise to see the world and experience different cultures. I leave my beliefs at home.

 

However, having said that, I do consider the safety factor and I would not go back to St. Petersburg right now. We have been there twice in the last five years and absolutely loved it. I just would not want to be there when Russia got fed up with sanctions by the West and decided to seize a cruise ship in port and detain it indefinitely. I would not feel safe there now.

 

We took a Finnair sponsored land tour of Leningrad in January 1984 right after KAL 007 was shot down. We were apprehensive but went ahead with the trip anyway. Nervous? Yup. Unsafe? Nope. We figured that the Soviets had nothing at all to gain by harming innocent tourists.

 

Fast forward to 30 years later. Why would 298 innocent people be intentionally killed by Russia? Dunno, but the incident certainly does not inspire confidence that Russian travel is safe anymore.