Anyone reconsidering their European cruises?

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Interesting. I wonder if the Greece ABD trips will be cancelled too.

I was wondering same thing as we are signed up for one in June.

 

[Ofinn]

I agree.



I wish they'd stop letting me in the US, but alas it's not so easy for a homeschooling mom to get citizenship elsewhere. Darn those ancestors of mine. We didn't even leave b/c of the great famine; people just left. Silly of them.



If an American feels that way then they are putting their blinders on. The huge thing Rick Steves talks about is the sheer number of murders here. Death is death, gunshots are gunshots. America is where the world seems to keep all the handguns, and we have massive numbers of deaths each year from them. We aren't safe. The OP is from NY, come ON. You might be safER from the world right now, but are you safe from yourselves???


NOw...I would never have planned to go to turkey anyway. Not my thing, not interested.

Although the recent news (after this thread started) seems to show that Turkey TRIED to tell France about some of these guys and they were ignored. When will Intelligence listen? My mom worked, as a low level peon listening to chatter, in that arena in the Langley area, though she died exactly 1.5 years pre-9/11. From early December '99 to 3/15-ish/00 her computer, her systems, the info she was working on, wasn't touched. (found that out when stepdad and I helped her boss clear out her desk and I had to keep turning my back b/c I wasn't authorized). How safe is THAT? Yay, she had loads of PTO donated to her during her illness, but no one was doing her work during that time. That's just scary. (her boss was who told me what she did, and told me that it was totally authorized for mom to talk about it...FWIW...my mom just didn't, so I thought it was religion causing her ot have maps of the middle east all over LOL, nope!)

I thought we learned THEN that we are supposed to listen to what other agencies and countries are telling us. It's sad that the people Turkey tried to tell didn't listen. Maybe people will listen more now. Sigh.

Seriously you wish they would stop letting you in the USA? Why do you live here then? So you can homeschool? Isn't it awesome you live in country that gives you the freedom to do that. I personally would not want to live anywhere else but the US. I think this is greatest country in the world.
I'm not afraid to visit other countries, but it's always so great to come home.

 

[NancyIL]

After trips to Europe for the past 7 years, I have none planned for the foreseeable future. That's not necessarily because of terrorism in certain areas of Europe, but because there are other places I want to visit. My 2016 trips are to South America (land trip and cruise), Canadian Rockies land trip and Pacific Coastal cruise, and the Dec. 2016 DIS Podcast cruise on Oasis of the Seas. For 2017 I have b2b Hawaii and Alaska cruises booked, and I'm seriously considering a US national parks tour in the fall. In some ways it's a small world, but it's actually a very big world when it comes to travel.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I just called ABD and the vacationista said there are no plans to change the Greece itinerary right now. She pointed out that the letter from DCL did not actually mention security, although that is what everyone is assuming. She suggested there had been problems getting tour operators, which might explain. Not sure I buy it. Has anyone who has been affected and talked to DCL actually been given security as a reason? Just wondering...

 

[kaseyC]

I just called ABD and the vacationista said there are no plans to change the Greece itinerary right now. She pointed out that the letter from DCL did not actually mention security, although that is what everyone is assuming. She suggested there had been problems getting tour operators, which might explain. Not sure I buy it. Has anyone who has been affected and talked to DCL actually been given security as a reason? Just wondering...

That wouldn't surprise me one bit to find its more business related than security. Disney does not sail those Eastern Med ports as often as other cruise lines, tour operators may be less willing to work with them.

 

[PixieDustandEeyore]

Seriously you wish they would stop letting you in the USA? Why do you live here then? So you can homeschool? Isn't it awesome you live in country that gives you the freedom to do that. I personally would not want to live anywhere else but the US. I think this is greatest country in the world.
I'm not afraid to visit other countries, but it's always so great to come home.

I don't think its anything to do with homeschooling. THat was only brought up to point out a limited resume to receive citizenship elsewhere.

 

[MsJiminyCricket]

We are currently booked on the DCL Magic B2B 7-night Portugal/Spain and 12-night Med cruise for July/August 2016. We did a Norway/Iceland/Scotland B2B this past summer and LOVED it! We were very much looking forward to the cruises in 2016, however, recent events overseas are beginning to make me nervous. I was already nervous about the stop in Kusadasi, but I have reservations about the whole cruise now. There is also a stop in Nice. I feel like these tourist sites may become prime targets.

We are now looking at possibly going to Asia on an Adventures by Disney trip instead, which my husband and I will love, but DS8 will miss the DCL kids club

I'm just wondering if anyone else is rethinking their Med cruises in particular? I wouldn't feel so nervous if we were headed back to northern Europe.

We did the Med from Venice a couple years ago. Lovely trip. We didn't feel unsafe. One word if you're going to Greece - the beaches are all very hot rocks and the excursions to the beach seemed wasted. In hind sight, we would have rather seen more historic sights.

 

[Ofinn]

I don't think its anything to do with homeschooling. THat was only brought up to point out a limited resume to receive citizenship elsewhere.

If I hated the US that much Id put my kids in school and then apply. Many countries dont allow homeschooling that was my point.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

unless the State Department says "don't go," I'm going.

 

[JW9DVC]

The media always sends scare tactics in the message. Don't listen to them, enjoy your vacation. Because imagine not going, how would you feel? Crime can happen anywhere like many have said before.

JW

 

[JW9DVC]

Geez why so nasty. Didnt mean to get you bent out of shape. They have had incidents on the past but it wouldnt stop me from going there. I do realize all countries have had incidents. I am educated but thanks for the advice. My post wasnt meant to worry anyone just the oppsite. Im personally not afraid to go any where but I can certainly understand ops concerns. Things seem to escalating so its completely understandable.

I don't see anything nasty in the above posters comments. This is normal life we live in now. We can't all just go and hide in a hole somewhere. That's what the terrorist want. Like others have said. If you don't go. They win. Time to get over fears. Now that's an understandable statement.

JW

 

[Ofinn]

I don't see anything nasty in the above posters comments. This is normal life we live in now. We can't all just go and hide in a hole somewhere. That's what the terrorist want. Like others have said. If you don't go. They win. Time to get over fears. Now that's an understandable statement.

JW

I don't know what the terrorist want, and I don't believe half the stuff the media feeds us. WE create most of this stuff anyway. It seems like it's time to create another war somewhere so I totally get peoples reluctance to get caught in the cross fire. I love this country, but things are never as they seem. I'll take my tinfoil hat off now.

 

[CanadaKim]

We're booked on this cruise and the message we received was:
We continually evaluate our cruise offerings and have recently decided to modify the August 1, 2016, sailing to include ports in the Western Mediterranean instead of those in Turkey, Greece and Malta. We realize this is a considerable change from the previously published itinerary and hope you understand our desire to only provide the best possible experiences to our Guests
The main reasons for booking this cruise was it included Greece. Now it's 5 stops in Italy. Not sure the onboard credit is enough to entice us to keep this booked. It's totally different from what we signed up for. : (

 

[MillauFr]

I am bit surprised that the airlines who buy quite a bit of commercial time from the media are allowing all of these scare stories to keep getting play. You would think they would pay the news media to downplay the danger much like the auto industry makes them downplay the danger of auto accidents.

 

[Danni75]

All of this makes me sad.
I can already see the damage in tourism ; hopefully people will eventually be more comfortable with Europe in general and France in particular.
If it can reassure you, security has been vastly increased especially in all public places, and personally I feel safe in Paris.

 

[phinz]

We're booked on this cruise and the message we received was:
We continually evaluate our cruise offerings and have recently decided to modify the August 1, 2016, sailing to include ports in the Western Mediterranean instead of those in Turkey, Greece and Malta. We realize this is a considerable change from the previously published itinerary and hope you understand our desire to only provide the best possible experiences to our Guests
The main reasons for booking this cruise was it included Greece. Now it's 5 stops in Italy. Not sure the onboard credit is enough to entice us to keep this booked. It's totally different from what we signed up for. : (

I'm willing to bet you could get a TA to set up a dream Greece trip in top level hotels for significantly cheaper than a Disney cruise. I'm also willing to bet you could set up a 5-city tour of Italy for *much* less than a Disney cruise.

 

[CanadaKim]

I'm willing to bet you could get a TA to set up a dream Greece trip in top level hotels for significantly cheaper than a Disney cruise. I'm also willing to bet you could set up a 5-city tour of Italy for *much* less than a Disney cruise.

Yes. This seems like more of a tour of Italy - which we don't need a cruise ship for. The cruise ship was to be able to go from Spain, to France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Malta in 12 days.
We had originally looked at another cruise line with almost the exact itinerary and were quoted two adjoining balcony rooms for less than we are paying for two inside cabins. But we booked DCL because I know it's a safe bet - that the experience will be amazing for us and the kids and I do feel safer. It's just not the same on other cruise ships. Although I will admit I've reached out to have it quoted again with the other cruise line. Just not sure I can convince DH to go to these places now.

 

[Flossbolna]

Just not sure I can convince DH to go to these places now.[/QUOTE]

The only place that might be slightly questionable currently would be Turkey. I really cannot see why Greece would be more of an issue than Italy in any way.

And even Turkey is fine in the tourist areas. A friend was just there in October, the hotel was fully booked and they had a wonderful beach holiday.

 

[Danni75]

Regarding the "Italy tour for which there is no need for a cruise" I tend to disagree.

Not that it is not possible but if you do your research you will find Italy is extremely expensive and travel internally takes time. I did both and I find that cruising even with Disney rates is a better deal than road trip, I unless you do not care about losing time in transportation or mediocre accommodation.

But again that's my own view

 

[pjacobi]

Ironically, Europeans are afraid to travel to the US because, "Everyone in the US carries a gun"! Clearly, there are misperceptions on both sides of the Atlantic ocean.

-Paul