P&O Cruises, Holland America and Cunard have ditched ports in Turkey from their 2017 itineraries, replacing them with destinations in Greece and Albania.
This is a great shame, both for the Turkish economy and for the travellers who will miss out on great destinations such as Istanbul — with the Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar and other attractions — and the ancient Greek-Roman city of Ephesus.
A statement from Carnival UK, parent company of Cunard and P&O said:
“After careful consideration, we have taken the decision to remove Turkey from all itineraries in 2017 for both Cunard and P&O Cruises, based upon various sources including advice given by the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Turkish ports have been replaced with either Greek ports of call or Sarande which is in Albania.”
A statement from Holland America reportedly says the decision was based on “based on guest preferences for alternate [sic — I believe they mean alternative] ports”.
However, it’s not much of a stretch to suggest that they, too, have intelligence information regarding possible terror attacks, which have sadly been a growing problem in Turkey.
Crystal Cruises, Disney Cruise Line and MSC Cruises stopped visiting Turkey this year. Many cruise lines are also avoiding North African destinations following attacks in Tunisia last year.
Of course, as all travellers ought to know, no holiday is without risks. It’s up to you to decide what is safe and what is not.
If plane crashes, which despite the publicity they get are statistically extremely rare, dissuade you from air travel, then it’s going to be hard for you to see the world.
The best advice is to weigh up the risks in your own mind and, if in doubt, contact somebody generally in the know. It’s also worth remembering that no responsible airline, cruise operator or travel agency will knowingly put you in peril. They watch your back because they want you back!
December 11 update: Sadly, concerns about travel to Turkey have been confirmed with another terror attack killing dozens of people.
