Istanbul

[Hows the Serenity]

We are cruising on the Eurodam in May and Istanbul is an overnight port. After this last suicide bomber near the blue mosque is it likely that Istanbul will be bypassed.

Chris

 

 

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[Old As Dirt Mom]

Considering that the attack took place in an area frequented by tourists, and the fact that (as of now) at least 8 of the dead are German visitors, I can assume that there will be some adjustment of cruise itineraries in that region.

[ger_77]

How terrible for all involved. I wonder how many of us on these boards have stood on the very spot where the attack took place? I know we've been there 3 times. Prayers for the innocent victims and their families.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[catl331]

There are two HAL cruises scheduled to visit Istanbul before you, and I suggest you join or read their roll calls to see what happens on them:

 

Prinsendam departing FLL on 11 Mar

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2152107

 

Koningsdam departing Civitivecchia 15 Apr

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2133329

Edited January 12, 2016 by catl331

[Krazy Kruizers]

You can be certain that if all the violence continues, HAL will drop Istanbul to protect their passengers safety.

Besides reading the other Roll Calls, keep watching the news and check HAL's site from time to time for any updates.

[Randyk47]

How terrible for all involved. I wonder how many of us on these boards have stood on the very spot where the attack took place? I know we've been there 3 times. Prayers for the innocent victims and their families.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

 

Count us in as we've also walked that very same area at least three times in the past four years. Our last visit was just this past June. Other than the ever present hawkers trying to sell us something we've never felt threatened and in fact have stayed at the Four Seasons Sultanhamet which can't be more than a couple or so blocks away. Sad. After cruising some 60 days and probably close to 14 days on land in the Med from Barcelona to Istanbul we're taking a more laid back Caribbean cruise this year. We weren't driven away from Europe because of recent events but I can't say there's not a bit of relief we've done so much over there in past four years and are not going back this year.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Randyk47

[sail7seas]

I feel so grateful we did so much travel when we did. I am not a big risk taker particularly that I am now without my DH. It is awful the most recent attack. All cruise lines, including HAL, likely will evaluate the risk/safety factor as the time to decide about certain ports gets closer.

[scm1848]

We particularly booked a Med cruise for next August because it overnighted in Istanbul. We have friends there that we met on a Panama Canal cruise in 2011 and then visited them in 2012 on our way to Africa. If we can't visit with them, we might switch to a cheaper cruise on the Osterdam, rather than the more expensive Eurodam.

[Vict0riann]

There is a thread about this in the Ports of Call forum which has some interesting articles referenced: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2299448

[Daisyloo]

On our news tonight they said it looked like the bomber specifically targeted the group of tourists. That would make me think twice about Istanbul on an itinerary.

[GradUT]

You can be bombed as easily in Paris or Madrid as you can in Istanbul.

 

I would imagine this bombing would only result in increased security in Istanbul making it a safer destination.

[holacanada]

… I wonder how many of us on these boards have stood on the very spot where the attack took place? I know we've been there 3 times. Prayers for the innocent victims and their families.

 

When I left Istanbul after my NA cruise in summer 2010, there was another terrorist act who blow up the same place where I took a cup of coffee two week before. :eek:

So sad bc Istanbul is really a nice city to visit (Bazaar, inside water cistern [Medusa], etc.)

 

Holacanada from Quebec city

Edited January 13, 2016 by holacanada