Doc Holiday: What happens if a war ruins my cruise?

A lot of us book cruises 12 months out, but what happens if a war breaks out in the meantime? 

Escape's Doc Holiday, Dilvin Yasa, answers your travel-related questions.

We’re planning a cruise along the Baltic Sea with NCL in 2025, but we’re concerned about what happens if war breaks out.

Two things you need to know about cruise lines: they’re notoriously risk-averse, and they don’t like to commit anything to print well in advance. In response to your question, the Norwegian Cruise Line corporate team stated all passengers should carefully read and review the terms and conditions of their Guest Ticket Contract.

In the document, there’s a section which declares that in many cases, including the outbreak of communicable disease, quarantines, national or regional emergencies, civil war or for any other circumstances beyond their reasonable control, NCL has the right to cancel, advance, postpone or substitute any scheduled sailing, during sailing or itinerary. They also state that if they have to cancel your cruise, or otherwise make a significant change to your itinerary, they will endeavour to notify you as soon as possible with alternative options.

It’s worth noting that cruise lines acted immediately once conflict broke out in Gaza last October, either cancelling voyages altogether or altering itineraries to take in Turkey or the Greek Islands instead of Israel and Egypt. Sure, the cruise you eventually take mightn’t be the exact same one you initially signed up for, but itinerary changes are common and something we all agree to when we tick the “I’ve read and accepted the terms and conditions” box any time we book a cruise.

Cruise lines acted immediately once conflict broke out in Gaza last October, either cancelling voyages altogether or altering itineraries to avoid Egypt. Picture: iStock.

If you get nervous and cancel the cruise yourself – long before a government warning is put in place – you may be subject to the usual cancellation charges from the cruise line – a cost which some insurance providers can assist with, depending on the circumstances of your claim and when you took out your particular policy.

NCL also stated it highly recommends guests take out adequate and appropriate travel insurance before cruising, and to work with your travel adviser to obtain and consider all information when making travel decisions. This is good advice – you need to have all the facts at hand, and be covered any time you board a ship – but most travel insurance policies exclude acts of war, political unrest and terrorism from trip cancellation – particularly if the hostilities are “known events”. Of course, some insurers do allow provision to claim if our government has upgraded the travel warning to your planned destination since you bought your policy, so be sure to check what your policy provider offers before you hit ”buy now”.

Strap on your most comfortable walking shoes – it’s absolutely possible to see Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapı in a day. Picture: iStock.

Is it possible to visit the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapı all in one day?

Strap on your most comfortable walking shoes – it’s absolutely possible to see these three heavy-hitters as well as a wealth of other Istanbul old-city attractions all in one day.

Topkapı is gargantuan so you will need to allow at least three hours to see the palace with any kind of meaning. If you get there for 9am when it’s just opened and at its most quiet, it will be a far more successful trip than if you arrive later. If you’re an early-riser, I recommend having a pre-Topkapı tea at Gülhane Park, just next door. Note that the palace is closed on Tuesdays.

The best time to visit the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia is in the evening, long after most of the other tourists have left the area. The former is open until 6pm and the latter until 7.30pm, so I would aim to see these just after 5pm (take note that they’re closed to visitors during prayer times so you’ll need to do a quick Google on the day).

The best time to visit the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia is in the evening, long after most of the other tourists have left the area. Picture: iStock.

After your visit, I recommend heading to dinner at a nearby terrace restaurant which overlooks these landmarks. Seven Hills Restaurant, for example, has seating that allows you to see the mosques – and the rest of the city – all lit up, which makes for a dazzling view. It isn’t all about the photographs; you’ll enjoy a nice meal, too.

You now have a gap in your itinerary of at least four hours, which is perfect if you’d like to visit the Basilica Cistern (right near the mosques), which, in my opinion, is one of the loveliest spots in Istanbul. Or you can take a 15-minute walk over to the Kapalıçarşı neighbourhood (a district of Fatih) to immerse yourself in the colour and chaos of the Grand Bazaar. 

For those who’ve been before (or for those who would prefer to avoid it), I would instead recommend getting a 15-minute taxi ride to Balat, a historic suburb teeming with brightly coloured buildings, religious complexes (for all faiths) and quirky cafes and meyhanes (bars).

Originally published as Doc Holiday: What happens if a war ruins my cruise?