so confused on what to do now

[MUN]

We leave for Europe in two weeks for a Viking cruise. I signed up for STEP with the gov't and have been getting all these warnings since day one of registering this trip. Yesterday, I even got four emails from different countries. It is definitely alarming to read them but at the same time I have to tell myself that it could happen anywhere, even in the States. We don't have plans to cancel our trip. With all that said. Everyone is different and they need to do what is best for them. Just because we aren't cancelling doesn't mean our decision is right for you.

Editing to add the link to STEP. https://step.state.gov/step/

It sounds like signing up for this will make it easier to live in fear.

 

[bbel]

Im lucky, I often get to travel around Europe for work.
I was in Paris less than a week after their most recent attacks. Honestly, once I was there, I didn't even think about it.
Last week I was working in London a few mornings, I spent the afternoons walking around, there were police literally everywhere (on foot, on bikes, in cars, in vans, in helicopters), I suppose that could make someone worry or reassure them, it just depends on you, your though processes and your experiences, tbh, it was only after that I even noticed.

If Im honest, I would say a Med cruise is a pretty safe way to see Europe. Yes, you have the opportunity to visit big tourist sights, but you're also far enough away if you think they're too much of a threat: In Livorno, you're not right by Pisa or Florence. In Civi, you have to make an effort to get to Rome.

I travel Europe without much of a second thought. Threats are part of everyday life, it unfortunate, but thats the world we now live in.
Over the next few months I have trips to Rome, Greece and Spain booked. Honestly the only thing that almost stopped me booking them was how poor Im going to be at the end of it. Maybe Im naive, maybe Im just living my life.
I, personally don't think of the world necessarily getting more dangerous (I know it is in reality, but personally I don't think its so drastically worse than it has been in the last few years), I think of it that were more aware and realistic of whats going on around us.

Only each individual person can decide what it is right for them, and no one else can judge if they decide to travel or not to travel.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

It sounds like signing up for this will make it easier to live in fear.

I think your post is meant to start something and sorry I don't really feel the need to engage. I've already stated that we ARE going.

 

[FigmentSpark]

When I look at the advisories on the Canadian site, our government says "Exercise normal security precautions" for Ireland, Norway, Denmark, G. Britain, Spain, Italy, Malta and Greece. But there's a "Exercise a high degree of caution" warning for France, and Bahamas. So... Med cruise okay, stay away from Castaway Cay.

Seriously, be vigilant, no matter where you are. As others have said, DCL has been the first to pull out of ports if they think there is an issue. I assume that they also would pay great heed to warnings such as those posted by the U.S. govt. No one knows when something might happen, and it's prudent to live your life informed and aware. But I don't want to live my life in fear.

So yeah, we may never know in advance if we'll be hit by lightning, but we do know if there's a storm brewing and that it's best not to be playing golf in the middle of one.

 

[MUN]

I think your post is meant to start something and sorry I don't really feel the need to engage. I've already stated that we ARE going.

No, not really. My point is what good is it in getting bombarded with scare warnings complements from the State Department? How are these warnings actionable? I read the State Department warning which they trot out continuously. It invited me to sign up for STEP. It sounds like the "benefit" of that is to have a nonstop series of terror warnings sent to you. No thanks.

MUN

 

[RedSox68]

My friend left on Monday for a trip with Gate 1 overseas. I am glad she didn't see any of this because she would have freaked out and probably not gone!

 

[Tozzie]

Sorry but I did not read this whole thread. That being said need I remind anyone that the worst terrorist attack in history occurred right here on US soil, Yes folks September 11th was not a horror movie you watched on TV it was real, so go to Europe or don't but don't let fear dictate your life, The USA is as vulnerable as Europe is

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

The truth is, and it may not be the most convenient truth or something people like to admit, but even with any extra risk from terror attacks, nearly everywhere in Europe is still far safer than most cities in the U.S. We are flying to Germany for 2 weeks in the summer and I am not worried about terrorism whatsoever. That being said, I do recommend you stay alert, act safely and enjoy your vacation, just like I would recommend for any trip you would be taking in the U.S.

 

[DLgal]

No, not really. My point is what good is it in getting bombarded with scare warnings complements from the State Department? How are these warnings actionable? I read the State Department warning which they trot out continuously. It invited me to sign up for STEP. It sounds like the "benefit" of that is to have a nonstop series of terror warnings sent to you. No thanks.

MUN

No, the STEP program lets the government know when American citizens are traveling overseas, so if something happens, they can get in touch with you and vice versa. People like to complain about these kinds of programs until something bad happens to them and they need our Government to rescue them...

 

[pjacobi]

Please read the definitions of "Alert" vs. "Warning" at https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html

Europe has a Travel Alert, and not the more serious Travel Warning.


-Paul

 

[AquaDame]

No, not really. My point is what good is it in getting bombarded with scare warnings complements from the State Department? How are these warnings actionable? I read the State Department warning which they trot out continuously. It invited me to sign up for STEP. It sounds like the "benefit" of that is to have a nonstop series of terror warnings sent to you. No thanks.

MUN

I signed up just to see what it said... the only warning for those of us going to Denmark & Norway was the one from November just saying to stay alert which we probably always should be. No spam yet...

 

[MUN]

No, the STEP program lets the government know when American citizens are traveling overseas, so if something happens, they can get in touch with you and vice versa. People like to complain about these kinds of programs until something bad happens to them and they need our Government to rescue them...

Like they rescued Jack Lemmon's son in the moving "Missing" ?

 

[AquaDame]

Like they rescued Jack Lemmon's son in the moving "Missing" ?

Given that's a conspiracy theory movie who can say... the vast majority of us would just get normal bureaucratic help if something occurs.

 

[MunFam]

I have not read beyond page two...but I was purchasing trip insurance for an upcoming trip in August and Travel Guard does indeed cover terrorist activity on all policies "A Terrorist Incident in a City listed on the Insured's itinerary within 30 days of the Insured's scheduled arrival." Just thought I would share.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I often try to put myself in the shoes of those traveling to our country (think about what we've gone through as a nation). We certainly wouldn't tell others not to come visit the U.S.

I have to say, this subject is something that's making me question a European cruise. I'd love to hear any comments that someone living there might be able to add.

I do. It's way more dangerous here than it is in Europe. I have no idea why people come here.
This country is simply more dangerous on a daily basis than many others. Statistics don't lie in this case. This is regardless of anything political whatsoever. We're huge with huge highways and have giant cars at the very least.

To put the shoe on the other foot my relatives in Europe are terrified to visit here because of the general threat of a mass shooting. They cannot understand how we send our kids off to school, visit movie theaters or malls, and go about our daily lives.

ALLL of this ^^^^^^^
Im from Ireland and have spent a lot of time in America over the last 16 years, Ive been multiple times to New York and LA, as well as New Orleans, Orlando, San Francisco and Las Vegas .

So many Europeans just don’t understand why I continue to travel to USA. Not just with this new administration but due to the difference in gun laws, the mass shootings, and just how different life in Europe is in general.

For example, your 6 lane freeways and the ginormous 18 wheeler trucks just utterly petrify me. We don’t have that in Ireland, our freeways are max 3 lanes and we don’t have the 18 wheeler trucks here. Even your regular family cars are way larger than our regular family cars.

We don’t have mass shootings here, in fact our regular police on the street are not even armed, the same in the UK, the regular police in London are not armed.

Our gun laws are so strict that those who do own guns have to go through such huge red tape and bureaucracy and its only mainly people like vets or farmers in rural areas who have guns. Normal regular people just don’t have guns in their houses or even have access to ammo. We don’t have gun shops on the high street or in the malls.

I try not to think about it but it does go through my mind that when Im in America and Im in Mcdonalds or on a city bus, or walking down the street, that the person beside me could have a loaded gun in their bag, whether legally or illegally allowed. Ive lived in various parts of Ireland, as well as Munich, Edinburgh and London, and ive NEVER have that fear when living or visiting any city in Europe.

We don’t have earthquakes or tornados here in Europe. I try not to think about it, but I know that every time I go to LA there is a possibility that the next roller could be THE big one.

And lest anyone think I'm being in ANY way political, I've been saying the same sorts of things through ALL administrations. I first traveled internationally to Ireland at the very end of The Troubles. Yes the Troubles were over, but it was still tenuous. And I still felt safer there than here.

I remember when I first started using chat rooms and forums back around 1999 / 2000 So many Americans used to ask me was Dublin safe as they knew about the bombings in Belfast. Physically Dublin and Belfast are 2 hours drive apart. BUT that 2 hours is like the distance between New York and LA. And now with the peace agreement the bombings and killings have stopped and its soooo much different.

Im not saying we don’t have our problems, we do, but life in general in Europe is far far safer for the average person on the street.

And for people on Disney Cruises, you are so far removed from real life in Europe, that you would not even know if something happened during your cruise. I know from living in Dublin just how much the European ports depend on the revenue from the cruise industry. For a lot of countries like Ireland, the tourist industry is such a huge part of the economy.

 

[Mazz519]

Thats a tough one you have to do what makes you feel comfortable... another poster said if we stop traveling they win... Yes thats true but you also have to be very aware of whats going on while you are traveling

 

[RedSox68]

Given that's a conspiracy theory movie who can say... the vast majority of us would just get normal bureaucratic help if something occurs.

I thought that movie was based on a true story

 

[AquaDame]

I thought that movie was based on a true story

It is - which means artistic liberties are taken. It isn't A true story, it is based off a true story. Something that may or may not have happened from the perspective of his parents.

http://www.nytimes.com/1982/02/12/movies/missing-by-costa-gavras.html

Anyway, thats getting off topic - we should probably move on.

 

[RedSox68]

It is - which means artistic liberties are taken. It isn't A true story, it is based off a true story. Something that may or may not have happened from the perspective of his parents.

http://www.nytimes.com/1982/02/12/movies/missing-by-costa-gavras.html

Anyway, thats getting off topic - we should probably move on.

Wasn't trying to get off topic - I remember that story and it was so sad. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[AquaDame]

Wasn't trying to get off topic - I remember that story and it was so sad. Thanks for clarifying.

No worries - I was reminding myself too!