SS Pulls Plug for 2024 Myanmar/Burma

[TLCOhio]

For our February 2024 Mumbai to Singapore cruise, just got the notice from the Silversea CEO that the three days for Myanmar/Burma has been scrubbed due to what is called "significant geopolitical unrest".  Not totally surprised.  In my view, it is better to know sooner rather than later to make any needed adjustments.  Assume that any other Silversea stops for this challenged country are being skipped. 
 
Silversea will offer a number of option, including for those who stay on this cruise:  "If you choose to stay booked on this voyage, you will receive a 15% future cruise credit issued 60 days prior to sailing and a shipboard credit of 500 USD per suite to enjoy while on board."  For those seeking to cancel, they offer a number of different options, including a full refund to FCC, etc.
 
Here is the revised schedule, including two additional stops in Sri Lanka, more time for Phuket, etc.  Also: "A stop in New Mangalore, India has also been eliminated from the itinerary due to restrictions by local authorities."  The new schedule:
 

 

Would have liked to have seen Myanmar/Burma, but this allows some added time in other places of interest.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 71,779 views:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

[david63]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

Just checked our Singapore/Mumbai in March and the itinerary has been changed although no notification from SS yet - guess they will be working through the dates.

[TLCOhio]

3 hours ago, david63 said:

Thanks for the heads up.   Just checked our Singapore/Mumbai in March and the itinerary has been changed although no notification from SS yet - guess they will be working through the dates.

 

In checking your Singapore to Mumbai March 2024 schedule, Silversea has now added the stops in Sri Lanka for Trincomalee and Hambantota.  Clearly, they are playing "catch up" to notify everyone, try to hold those who have previously booked, figure out the various port excursion options, etc.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[david63]

Had the email last night confirming this

[highplanesdrifters]

Sorry you will miss Myanmar.  Our trip to Sri Lanka was Covid Covid canceled so we missed your new ports there.  Some safari in your future? Except for missing a new country I wonder if this might be more interesting.

[Stumblefoot]

Unfortunately, this particular destination hasn’t been visited since pre-Covid.  Understandable, no less.

[TLCOhio]

1 hour ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Sorry you will miss Myanmar.  Our trip to Sri Lanka was Covid canceled so we missed your new ports there.  Some safari in your future? Except for missing a new country I wonder if this might be more interesting.

 

Appreciate these comments and follow-ups from Stumblefoot, highplanesdrifters and David63.  There is a potential, maybe, for a safari during the Hambantota port stop to allow a visit to a nearby major Sri Lanka National Park noted for its elephants and leopards.  Will know more on June 26 when Silversea posts the excursion options for these stops at Hambantota and Trincomalee.    

 

From the French AFP newswire today, they had this headline: “Myanmar junta-backed media slams 'rotten' United Nations” with these highlights: “Myanmar state media condemned the United Nations as 'rotten' on Friday, days after the UN special envoy for the country stepped down and the world body slammed curbs on aid for cyclone survivors.   Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power in February 2021, ending a brief democratic experiment and sparking clashes across the country with ethnic rebel groups and anti-coup fighters.   The military has criticised attempts by the UN and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc to establish dialogue between the junta and its opponents, whom it has vowed to 'annihilate'. ”

 

WOW!!  Does not sound calm and orderly there in that challenged country with so much history, culture and architecture.  

 

As I mentioned earlier, it is good to know now and then we can focus for maximizing on the expanded opportunities for Sri Lanka and Phuket.  We welcome any special tips, ideas and suggestions for these areas. 

 

Full story at:

https://www.daily-sun.com/post/695507/Myanmar-juntabacked-media-slams-rotten-United-Nations

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 247,516 views.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

 

From an Ohio Judge who has recently taught in Sri Lanka, she sent me some visuals from that nation.  First is this Buddha statue in Sri Lanka.  Colorful and interesting?:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

Here is a beach scene from Sri Lanka.  Their beaches, especially around Trincomalee, are supposed to be spectacular!:

[drron29]

We have a cruise in 2025 from Singapore to Athens. The first segment is to Mumbai. However this was sold without Burma but the extra ports in Sri Lanka.

The regime in Burma does not have much support from the population. We visited in 2013 and it was one of our best trips. But invariably when speaking to ordinary folk they would say please call our country Burma, most of us are Burmese and Myanmar is the general's name for our country.

So I since then call the country Burma.

Edited June 18, 2023 by drron29