Posted on 02/05/2016 2:19:37 PM PST by Lorianne
Germany’s AIDA Cruises has adjusted its 2016 deployment in Europe, opting to pull the AIDAstella from the Eastern Mediterranean due to “ongoing security concerns†in Turkey.
The 2013-built AIDAstella will now be re-deployed to the Western Mediterranean, taking over the routes of the AIDAaura and sailing from Palma de Mallorca in Spain, according to a written statement issued by the company on Jan. 29.
It said the move came as a result of the large number of inquiries from guests concerned following the Jan. 12 bomb attack in Istanbul that killed 11 German tourists.
The AIDAstella was originally scheduled on a week-long cruise program for the summer, reaching the Mediterranean resort of Antalya with calls in Limassol, Haifa, Santorini and Marmaris.
The AIDAaura will re-deploy to Northern Europe, sailing from a German homeport with an itinerary program to be announced shortly.
Crystal Cruises had also announced on Jan. 15 that it was canceling stops in Turkey for two upcoming voyages.
The company stated that it was canceling visits to Istanbul and the Aegean district of KuÅŸadası, which had been planned stops for one of its ships, Crystal Symphony. It said it was rerouting the ship “in response to ongoing security concerns.â€
FWIW, I do not think I’d feel real relaxed being part of an obvious tour group from a cruise ship in a lot of countries. The cruise ships are going to have to figure out some real security on those tours.
decreased tourism effecting economy adversely
Arrive with 1000 tourists, leave with 100 tourists and 3000 “refugees”? Uh, no. Smart move.
Turkey's president Erdogan has blamed a suicide bomber who entered the country through Syria for an attack on a tourist site in Istanbul that killed 10 people and left another 15 wounded.
Nine of the victims were German according to Turkish officials. In a telephone call Prime minster Ahmet Davutoglu told the German Chancellor Angela Merkel that most of the victims were German.
One victim was Peruvian, foreign minister Ana Maria Sanchez told reporters, though she said the man had not yet been identified. She also said a Peruvian woman was wounded in the attack but in stable condition.
Merkel said she was very concerned that German citizens were “probably” be among the victims. “International terrorism is once again showing its cruel and inhuman face,” she said.
Turkey's deputy prime minister, Numan Kurtulmug, said the bomber was a 28-year-old man from Syria, though an unconfirmed report claims the bomber came from Saudi Arabia.
Officials said they believed the attack on the Sultanahmet area was the work of the Islamic State militants. No group has claimed responsibility so far.
Police sealed off the area near the Blue Mosque. A broadcast ban was also imposed.
Europe has some serious problems.
I don’t like what I am seeing.
Indeed. There is a high risk of an all out war in the eastern Mediterranean, with Russia, Turkey, Syrian groups, Saudi Arabia and Israel all getting into it.
Yes, I agree.
We may be at Ezekial 38 (or another chapter if I’ve gotten the wrong one here).
Putin is an absolute threat to world peace, and China is on the same page IMO.
As far as ISIS goes, my bet is that Putin has a back channel and is telling them they have nothing to fear from him.
I think his big goal was to destroy the anti-Assad forces in Syria. ISIS isn’t his concern. He probably likes that it hates the West. Why would he want to take them out?
Interesting times folks...
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