MSC Cruises Suspends Turkey Calls

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Photo by Freeimages.com/Litana Bioli

MSC Cruises has announced that the line has decided to suspend its calls in Turkish ports until further notice.

The decision will impact MSC Magnifica’s itinerary as she will be based out of Venice, Italy, as of March 26. The weekly calls in the cities of Istanbul and Izmir from March 29, 2016, will, for the time being, be replaced by calls in the Greek capital – Athens – and on Mykonos, MSC said. 

MSC said it made the decision "amid growing concerns by guests as a result of the recent tragic events in Istanbul."

The move follows last week's decision by Crystal Cruises to replace its calls in Turkey, including Crystal Symphony’s April 24 and May 1 itineraries, which were previously scheduled to include calls at Istanbul and Kusadasi. Crystal also cited ongoing security concerns for travel to Istanbul following the recent terrorist attack in the city

“The safety and peace of mind of our guests are our primary concerns, and we do not take any risks with either,” Edie Rodriguez, Crystal’s CEO and president, said in a statement at the time. “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.”

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