Crystal Cruises Opts for Greece over Turkey Due to Safety Concerns

S24381A

LA-based Crystal Cruises said last week that it would be making stops in Greece instead of neighboring Turkey due to security concerns following a bomb attack in Istanbul that killed 10 tourists on January 12.

“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 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 Crystal Symphony, which was scheduled to stopover in Kusadasi and Istanbul, in April and May, will instead make ports of call to Greek destinations including Souda Bay on Crete, Nafplion, Hydra, Piraeus, Patmos and Rhodes.

The company also said it was planning to change the April and November itineraries for its new luxury liner, the Crystal Esprit.

In the meantime, other cruise companies including Celebrity Cruises and Disney Cruise Line, which had included Turkey stopovers in their voyages have also said that they plan to pull Turkey out of their itineraries.