Why HAL dropped Turkey - breaking news and travel warnings

[OlsSalt]

As most are probably aware there was a fatal terrorist attack against the Russian ambassador in Istanbul today.

 

But looking at the US Embassy website for Turkey, there have been travel warnings in virtually all major tourist spots in the entire country over the past year. It is sadly unfortunate this country today has become too much of a travel and cruise port risk: https://tr.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/security-and-travel-information/

Edited December 19, 2016 by OlsSalt

[sail7seas]

As most are probably aware there was a fatal terrorist attack against the Russian ambassador in Istanbul today.

 

But looking at the US Embassy website for Turkey, there have been travel warnings in virtually all major tourist spots in the entire country over the past year. It is sadly unfortunate this country today has become too much of a travel and cruise port risk: https://tr.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/security-and-travel-information/

Since this post. It has been announced the Ambassdor, sadly has died. The shooter was killed by police.

Edited December 19, 2016 by sail7seas

[Sequim88]

We got switched from Amsterdam to Oosterdam in August precisely because HAL dropped Turkey and moved O to Alaska route for 2017 summer season. It was already dicey enough there with the coup going on. Unfortunate for history buffs for sure.

[OlsSalt]

Correction -my error; The Ambassador was killed in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, not Istanbul.

[easyboy]

I guess it may take a longer time before Turkey is put back as a cruise port.

 

 

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[ger_77]

It is just such a volatile situation over there; at this point we are happy we had the chance to visit Turkey when we did and have many wonderful memories of the country and it's people.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[cruisemom42]

It's very sad indeed. Most cruise lines (if not all) have now dropped Turkey from their cruise plans for the next year at least. I'm hopeful it won't be a 'forever' situation...

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry to hear about the killing.

We are certainly glad that we did so many wonderful land and cruise vacations in those areas years ago.

[iancal]

Istanbul???

 

The Russian diplomat was apparently shot during a speech in an art gallery in Ankara.

 

Ankara is the capital of Turkey.

 

Cruise ships would find it challenging to dock in Ankara there since it is not a port city.

Edited December 19, 2016 by iancal

[OlsSalt]

Istanbul???

 

The Russian diplomat was apparently shot during a speech in an art gallery in Ankara.

 

Ankara is the capital of Turkey.

 

Cruise ships would find it challenging to dock in Ankara there since it is not a port city.

 

My error, I corrected it later. See also other Turkish cities in the embassy warning. And now as we speak Berlin and Zurich added quickly to the potential lists .....

 

BTW, anyone with a keen interest in ancient history and two port days in Istanbul would reasonably try to get to the outstanding ancient civilizations museum in Ankara. http://www.transanatolie.com/english/turkey/in%20brief/museums/amm/anatolian_civilisations_museum.htm

Edited December 19, 2016 by OlsSalt

[RocketMan275]

Istanbul???

 

The Russian diplomat was apparently shot during a speech in an art gallery in Ankara.

 

Ankara is the capital of Turkey.

 

Cruise ships would find it challenging to dock in Ankara there since it is not a port city.

 

Good point but there's nothing to prevent the terrorists in Turkey from traveling to the port city.

[sppunk]

Istanbul???

 

The Russian diplomat was apparently shot during a speech in an art gallery in Ankara.

 

Ankara is the capital of Turkey.

 

Cruise ships would find it challenging to dock in Ankara there since it is not a port city.

Costa might try ...

[OlsSalt]

Costa might try ...

 

(Ouch).

 

Just saw a Michael Palin travel video about "New Europe" where he travels overland ... by ship .... in Poland - as their way of getting from one water way to the next at higher elevations.

 

It is a kick to see this "ship" traveling through the corn fields on tracks and pulleys before dropping into the next channel of water.

[iancal]

Neither Istanbul or Ankara is on our list at the moment.

 

But if we go to Greece in late Sept/Oct we will cross over from Rhodes and tour along the Turkish coast to Antalya.

[TAD2005]

Istanbul???

 

The Russian diplomat was apparently shot during a speech in an art gallery in Ankara.

 

Ankara is the capital of Turkey.

 

Cruise ships would find it challenging to dock in Ankara there since it is not a port city.

 

A cruise ship, docked at Kusadasi or Istanbul, full of American and European tourists is a very vulnerable target. Remember the USS Cole, docked in Yemen in 2000.

[Tom O.]

A cruise ship, docked at Kusadasi or Istanbul, full of American and European tourists is a very vulnerable target. Remember the USS Cole, docked in Yemen in 2000.

 

The Cole wasn't even docked, it was at anchor, and still was the target of terrorists even though the Cole was heavily armed.

[sail7seas]

Achile Lauro............... passenger, cruise ship

 

. U SS Cole. a military vessel.

[HokiePoq]

It's very sad indeed. Most cruise lines (if not all) have now dropped Turkey from their cruise plans for the next year at least. I'm hopeful it won't be a 'forever' situation...

 

Yes, this is very sad. I think HAL held out longer than most before pulling out. We had a bucket list land tour plus X cruise this fall that we had to cancel, not so much because of the cruise, but because of Ankara. After 100 died in an attack there, we could not go on the land tour. I think the land tour was altered in the end, but we were not sorry to have canceled and switched to another tour/cruise. This is becoming all too frequent...first Tunisia (where our stop on NCL was canceled before the terror attacks killed cruisers from other lines) , now Turkey. And today's news from Berlin does not speak well to the future of Christmas Market river cruises.

[cruisemom42]

Yes, this is very sad. I think HAL held out longer than most before pulling out. We had a bucket list land tour plus X cruise this fall that we had to cancel, not so much because of the cruise, but because of Ankara. After 100 died in an attack there, we could not go on the land tour. I think the land tour was altered in the end, but we were not sorry to have canceled and switched to another tour/cruise. This is becoming all too frequent...first Tunisia (where our stop on NCL was canceled before the terror attacks killed cruisers from other lines) , now Turkey. And today's news from Berlin does not speak well to the future of Christmas Market river cruises.

 

Oh I wouldn't write Germany off just yet. France has had more terrorist attacks in the last couple of years but although tourism is down, it continues.

 

(Personally, I'd probably be willing to visit Turkey right now if opportunity presented, but I can see that cruise lines need to be careful with their multi-million dollar investments and with the safety of thousands of passengers -- so they generally err on the side of caution....)

[Sir PMP]

"And now as we speak Berlin and Zurich added quickly to the potential lists ....."

 

And you can add Jordan (Petra) to it also....

[OlsSalt]

Oh I wouldn't write Germany off just yet. France has had more terrorist attacks in the last couple of years but although tourism is down, it continues.

 

(Personally, I'd probably be willing to visit Turkey right now if opportunity presented, but I can see that cruise lines need to be careful with their multi-million dollar investments and with the safety of thousands of passengers -- so they generally err on the side of caution....)

 

Agree, this is a time for low-key, non-group personal travel in any these countries. We have had our own share of lone terrorist attacks here too in the US. Which is one way of getting a perspective about traveling to any location that has also had this type of activity.

 

I remember my own two trips to Pakistan as some of the most delightful travels in my life. Yet on paper, one could be seen as crazy even thinking about going to Pakistan as a tourist today. Or Jordan, again lone agent troubles in a highly visible tourist spot - again a beloved country and so wonderful to visit.

 

Yes, I see the pattern. And I am sorry for that. Just glad I was able to see so many of these places in depth at another time. Still kicking myself for missing the chance to visit Syria and Palmyra during that brief respite a few years ago.

[sail7seas]

Achile Lauro............... passenger, cruise ship

 

. U SS Cole. a military vessel.

 

 

 

achille Lauro - Wikipedia

[wales4ever]

The UK FO site has travel warnings for most of the world. But still most murders happen in the US...

[jm485]

The UK FO site has travel warnings for most of the world. But still most murders happen in the US...

 

 

 

The murder rate in the US - alarming as it is - is unrelated to terrorism, so I'm not sure what this post has to do with the topic ...

[ski ww]

I'm glad we did Turkey & the Black Sea when we did. That part of the world is going to have problems for the next couple of years before they get that mess in the middle east sorted out, too bad.

Allan