Does the war between Ukraine & Russia effect your travel plans?

[3red7s]

We are booked for a September trip to Italy, Greek Isles, & Turkey.  Due to the current affairs, we are starting to have some concerns regarding travel into that area.  Does anyone else have the same concerns? or fears?

[Lbicklel]

My upcoming cruise in May is Caribbean and I don’t have any concerns about that at this point. But I am having my doubts about a planned September trip to Berlin. We haven’t purchased airfare yet so we’re just going to sit tight.

[emmas gran]

I think a lot of us are more concerned about crew and their families being affected now rather than a cruise some months off!!

[Ronin23]

4 hours ago, 3red7s said:

We are booked for a September trip to Italy, Greek Isles, & Turkey.  Due to the current affairs, we are starting to have some concerns regarding travel into that area.  Does anyone else have the same concerns? or fears?

Heading to the same region in August, doesn’t bother me at all.

[lv2cruisgrl]

We are doing a few Caribbean cruises this year. So right now no fears, especially since we drive to the port. However I am glad we don't go abroad until next year.

[BigAl94]

 

 

[BklynBorn47]

6 hours ago, emmas gran said:

I think a lot of us are more concerned about crew and their families being affected now rather than a cruise some months off!!

I am in that category. Our Celebrity cruises are in the Pacific, but our 2 trips this year in Europe (3 cruises each B2B) NCL & Windstar will be skipping Russian ports.  I applaud their action and will gladly sail to whatever ports they substitute or even graciously accept a sea day.  

Background to explain my personal perspective:
I have relatives in Slovakia and the Baltic states who remember well 50 years of Russian control. Thay have good reason to be fearful and I do not want to support Putin's war machine in any way.  

 

[TMLAalum]

Next up for us is not until August 2023- a Rhine River cruise from Amsterdam to Basel. 18 months away and I have worries as to what the world will be like then. 

Praying that the reported "peace" talks planned for today between Ukraine and Russia bring an end to this invasion which has us on the precipice of World War III!

[Esprit]

4 hours ago, Ronin23 said:

Heading to the same region in August, doesn’t bother me at all.

We too are cruising to Istanbul and Kusadasi this July from Civitavecchia and aren't concerned in the slightest.

[Salt Lifer]

7 hours ago, emmas gran said:

I think a lot of us are more concerned about crew and their families being affected now rather than a cruise some months off!!

 

I think a lot of us can be equally concerned about the crew and their families and our own safety and financial implications.  It isn't just a one or the other thing. 

 

Our own upcoming cruise is not in in the region so we are not too worried about travel.  But longer out, we are holding off on making any overseas travel arrangements out of caution.  Regarding cruising specifically, I have faith that Celebrity and the other major lines would not do anything to put their passengers, crew, or ships in harm's way and would adjust schedules and itineraries accordingly. They probably are better informed about what is happening than the general public at this point.

 

I pray the peace talks are productive.  Travel aside, there are so many other far-reaching consequences to what is happening now.  I just can't imagine what the people of Ukraine are going through right now.  <Hugs> to anyone here who is personally impacted right now.  😞

[terrydtx]

We canceled our August Baltic cruise and booked the Reflection Italy, Croatia and Greece as a Replacement followed by 14 night Greek cruise with HAL Oosterdam.  Not worried  now.

[TeeRick]

9 hours ago, 3red7s said:

We are booked for a September trip to Italy, Greek Isles, & Turkey.  Due to the current affairs, we are starting to have some concerns regarding travel into that area.  Does anyone else have the same concerns? or fears?

Not really following your train of thought so can you explain further?  Why are you concerned about these countries?  If a major European war were to break out involving any of these countries you mentioned, cruising and travel would be the very least of your worries.   So for me, no, not worried.  I would not have safety concerns for a Baltic cruise either (minus St. Petersburg of course).

[terrydtx]

6 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Not really following your train of thought so can you explain further?  Why are you concerned about these countries?  If a major European war were to break out involving any of these countries you mentioned, cruising and travel would be the very least of your worries.   So for me, no, not worried.  I would not have safety concerns for a Baltic cruise either (minus St. Petersburg of course).

We canceled our Oceania Baltic cruise not out of safety concerns, but because St Petersburg was our primary reason to have booked the cruise 2 years ago. NCL holdings, who owns Oceania, was the first major cruise line to cancel St Petersburg for this year. We are not sure we will ever try to book another Baltic cruise because we are so disgusted by Russia's illegal aggression and the leaders of Russia are now all war criminals and I never want to spend one penny in Russia.

 

Our only other very minor concern, we have is that our Greek cruise on the Oosterdam overnights in Istanbul and Istanbul sits at the entrance to the Black Sea, but so far, no incidents have been reported.

 

We are very concerned for the fantastic Ukrainian crew members we have met on Celebrity cruises, and our hearts go out to them. We met Yulia and her husband in the Retreat Lounge last year on the Equinox and we heard great stories about their homeland and people. Yulia was supposed to have gone home in January to visit her family and if she went, I pray she is safe.

[JoMoKe]

We are also watching - our final payment date is rapidly approaching and have similar thoughts.  Having said that, cruise lines would not be cavalier and enter waters where ship crew and passengers would be endangered.  Turkey was one of the reasons for selecting this itinerary. 

[TeeRick]

18 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

We canceled our Oceania Baltic cruise not out of safety concerns, but because St Petersburg was our primary reason to have booked the cruise 2 years ago. NCL holdings, who owns Oceania, was the first major cruise line to cancel St Petersburg for this year. We are not sure we will ever try to book another Baltic cruise because we are so disgusted by Russia's illegal aggression and the leaders of Russia are now all war criminals and I never want to spend one penny in Russia.

 

Our only other very minor concern, we have is that our Greek cruise on the Oosterdam overnights in Istanbul and Istanbul sits at the entrance to the Black Sea, but so far, no incidents have been reported.

 

We are very concerned for the fantastic Ukrainian crew members we have met on Celebrity cruises, and our hearts go out to them. We met Yulia and her husband in the Retreat Lounge last year on the Equinox and we heard great stories about their homeland and people. Yulia was supposed to have gone home in January to visit her family and if she went, I pray she is safe.

Yeah a Baltic cruise without getting the chance to visit St. Petersburg is very sad.  Glad we had a chance a few years ago.  I would not go now even if a ship was stopping there.

[TeeRick]

3 minutes ago, JoMoKe said:

We are also watching - our final payment date is rapidly approaching and have similar thoughts.  Having said that, cruise lines would not be cavalier and enter waters where ship crew and passengers would be endangered.  Turkey was one of the reasons for selecting this itinerary. 

Most cruises from Europe stop on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey or sometimes as far as in Istanbul.  I don't think in the other Black Sea ports. 

[ncgolferette]

Doing Western Europe in April.   Not letting Putin change my plans. 

[phoenix_dream]

I would have no issues overall in visiting any ports across the pond from us, other than perhaps Russia as regards war concerns.  My bigger hold-up in the fairly near term is Covid related.  Not sure I want to invest in cruises and expensive flights until things are more settled in that regard.  

[LGW59]

11 hours ago, 3red7s said:

We are booked for a September trip to Italy, Greek Isles, & Turkey.  Due to the current affairs, we are starting to have some concerns regarding travel into that area.  Does anyone else have the same concerns? or fears?

Land trip planned to Italy for 30 days in June/July, at this point no personal concerns for us, just obviously very concerned for the people in Ukraine.  As a side note, my husband is planning to meet me in Italy, flying in from China, prior to his return to the US.  He is very concerned, the distance from where he lives in China to Ukraine is approx the same distance from east coast to west coast in US.  

[terrydtx]

2 hours ago, LGW59 said:

Land trip planned to Italy for 30 days in June/July, at this point no personal concerns for us, just obviously very concerned for the people in Ukraine

Between our 2 cruises from Italy and with 9 land days we have 33 days total in Italy and Greece in August.

Edited February 28, 2022 by terrydtx

[Chrissi3010]

13 hours ago, 3red7s said:

We are booked for a September trip to Italy, Greek Isles, & Turkey.  Due to the current affairs, we are starting to have some concerns regarding travel into that area.  Does anyone else have the same concerns? or fears?

We will be cruising to the same places in May. No concerns for that area, but I expect Istanbul as a port of call could be canceled when the war continues and military traffic into the Black Sea increases. 

And if the war is extended to the Baltic countries we all have other problems than cruising because then all NATO countries are going into war. 😞

 

[Virginia100]

14 hours ago, 3red7s said:

We are booked for a September trip to Italy, Greek Isles, & Turkey.  Due to the current affairs, we are starting to have some concerns regarding travel into that area.  Does anyone else have the same concerns? or fears?

Going to Italy snd Greek islands 8/8. No concerns at all. The only issue would be if Putin uses a nuclear weapon in Ukraine. Then the world ends anyway.

[JezzaC]

No it doesn't - living in Finland next to Russia, so it would be more risky to stay at home than to travel else where. 😄 

Edited February 28, 2022 by JezzaC

[NutsAboutGolf]

The most likely scenario, Russia will "steal" some of the Ukraine's territory again.  The question becomes, if Russia gains territory, do you want to give them your $$$ by cruising there?

[3red7s]

14 hours ago, emmas gran said:

I think a lot of us are more concerned about crew and their families being affected now rather than a cruise some months off!!

Of course, that goes without saying....