RCCL cancelling all 2018 stops in Turkey

For sure. I don't blame the cruise companies at all. The citizens of Turkey lose as well as it for many the tourism was a mainstay way of life for them...

Cruise lines have the safety of its passengers at heart.

I think it is two folded first safety as has been already stated. But the second part is that getting visas for US Passport Holders is much harder these days. No electronic or VOA, also the ships can no longer do port visas with US Passport holders. All these factors leads to no port calls in Turkey.

We were saddened to see the demise of Turkey. We had spent time in Turkey a few days before our cruise in on the Norwegian Jade on Nov 2, 2009. I had hired a private tour guide company and we had the most wonderful time touring Istanbul and Izmir. It was such a beautiful country and such a shame is it unsafe to visit....

Interesting...I think Holland America may be doing that too. I was looking at cruise for next year and had previously spotted one itinerary that sailed to the Greek Islands with a stop in Ephesus. However, there are no itineraries in 2018 or 2019 that include a stop to Ephesus.

Safety is priority one. It's a bummer to miss a port visit you were really looking forward to... I missed one years ago to Bombay, India (was soooooo looking forward to seeing the Taj Mahal!). We were due to pull in right after Indira Gandhi was assassinated. Better safe than sorry.

It is a shame when ports are canceled due to local issues. It is a downer for us not to be able to visit but it is the locals that suffer and have to live through the issues. I'm glad I got to see Turkey when I did and if things settle down and it is safe I'd be more then happy to go back there is so much more of that country I'd like to see.

For years the west coast of Mexico was off limits to cruising as almost all lines pulled ships out and now it is back as port stops. I hope Turkey can return to being a safe place for its people and for others to visit.

We were on a cruise beginning in mid November a year ago, on which the two day visit to Turkey had been canceled. They canceled in mid summer. I wasn't aware that any cruise line visited Turkey since they declared marshal law last year

It's disappointing when as port is cancelled, but better to be safe.

My son was in Egypt just this week for work and was safe, but the last time he was there, there was a conflict going on as he was heading to the airport Nd he heard the bullets flying. I was so glad he got out!

If it is unsafe to visit, it is unsafe. I know how disappointing that is. I missed Egypt on a cruise because it was unsafe.