Costa Crociere Drops Calls in Turkey

Italian cruise line Costa Crociere has decided to suspend calls to Turkey, specifically Istanbul and Izmir, amid rising security threats in the country arising from the recent attacks in Istanbul attributed to terrorist groups.

As a result, the aforementioned calls will be replaced with alternative calls in Greece, Italy and Malta, the cruise line informed.

“The company is informing its guests and travel partners and has taken all measures to ensure minimum disruption in reaching and leaving the ship for those guests who have already booked their cruise,” the company told World Maritime News in an emailed statement.

“The ships involved are Costa neoClassica, Costa Pacifica and Costa Deliziosa,” the statement adds.

The announcement comes in the wake of an attack on the US consulate in Istanbul earlier this month and the most recent attacks on Turkish troops in the south-eastern province of Siirt that took the toll of seven soldiers. The attacks are believed to have been carried out by Kurdish militants.

World Maritime News Staff