OlsSalt Posted December 19, 2016 #1 Share Posted December 19, 2016 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted December 19, 2016 #2 Share Posted December 19, 2016 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sequim88 Posted December 19, 2016 #3 Share Posted December 19, 2016 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlsSalt Posted December 19, 2016 Author #4 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Correction -my error; The Ambassador was killed in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, not Istanbul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easyboy Posted December 19, 2016 #5 Share Posted December 19, 2016 I guess it may take a longer time before Turkey is put back as a cruise port. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ger_77 Posted December 19, 2016 #6 Share Posted December 19, 2016 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! :) :) :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruisemom42 Posted December 19, 2016 #7 Share Posted December 19, 2016 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... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted December 19, 2016 #8 Share Posted December 19, 2016 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iancal Posted December 19, 2016 #9 Share Posted December 19, 2016 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlsSalt Posted December 19, 2016 Author #10 Share Posted December 19, 2016 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocketMan275 Posted December 19, 2016 #11 Share Posted December 19, 2016 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sppunk Posted December 19, 2016 #12 Share Posted December 19, 2016 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 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlsSalt Posted December 19, 2016 Author #13 Share Posted December 19, 2016 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iancal Posted December 19, 2016 #14 Share Posted December 19, 2016 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAD2005 Posted December 19, 2016 #15 Share Posted December 19, 2016 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Tom O. Posted December 19, 2016 #16 Share Posted December 19, 2016 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted December 19, 2016 #17 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Achile Lauro............... passenger, cruise ship . U SS Cole. a military vessel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HokiePoq Posted December 19, 2016 #18 Share Posted December 19, 2016 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruisemom42 Posted December 20, 2016 #19 Share Posted December 20, 2016 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....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir PMP Posted December 20, 2016 #20 Share Posted December 20, 2016 "And now as we speak Berlin and Zurich added quickly to the potential lists ....." And you can add Jordan (Petra) to it also.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlsSalt Posted December 20, 2016 Author #21 Share Posted December 20, 2016 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted December 20, 2016 #22 Share Posted December 20, 2016 Achile Lauro............... passenger, cruise ship . U SS Cole. a military vessel. achille Lauro - Wikipedia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wales4ever Posted December 20, 2016 #23 Share Posted December 20, 2016 The UK FO site has travel warnings for most of the world. But still most murders happen in the US... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jm485 Posted December 20, 2016 #24 Share Posted December 20, 2016 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 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ski ww Posted December 20, 2016 #25 Share Posted December 20, 2016 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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