Crystal Cruises Pulls Turkey from Itineraries

crystal symphony

Crystal Cruises has pulled two Turkey ports from upcoming cruises in light of recent violence in Istanbul. Sailings on Crystal Symphony and Crystal Esprit will be affected.
"The safety and peace of mind of our guests are our primary concerns and we do not take any risks with either," Crystal CEO and president Edie Rodriguez said in a prepared statement. "The itinerary changes will allow our guests to continue with their planned vacations in the same standard of excellence and luxury, without the added worry of security in a particular destination."
The April 24 sailing of Crystal Symphony will replace ports calls to Istanbul and Kusadasi with stops in the Greek ports of Souda Bay/Chania, Navplion (overnight), Hydra and Athens (overnight). Replacing the two Turkish ports on the ship's May 1 itinerary will be Athens (overnight), Patmos and Rhodes. For both sailings, pre-reserved shore excursions in Istanbul and Kusadasi will be automatically canceled and refunded.
Turkish ports of call scheduled for Crystal Esprit in April and November will also be changed, but new itineraries have not yet been finalized.
Other lines to pull Turkish ports from sailings in recent months include Celebrity Cruises and Disney Cruise Line.

cruisecritic.com