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Unrest in Tunisia has Disney Cruise Line concerned
Published: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 7:27 AM Updated: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 7:40 AM
By Chuck Schmidt
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The country of Tunisia is home to Carthage, where some of the most famous ruins on the face of the Earth are located.
Tunisia’s beaches, where the warm waters of the south Mediterranean Sea lap onto pure white sand, are pristine and a mecca for sun-loving tourists.
Associated PressThe Disney Magic made its first-ever visit to Tunisia in April of 2010.
Indeed, tourism is far and away Tunisia’s most important revenue source.
And last spring, when the Disney Magic made its first-ever stop at the bustling port of Tunis, the country’s capital, it was a major step in bringing credibility to the northern African nation.
When the ship pulled into port on April 27, it was greeted by marching bands, government dignitaries and native dromedaries (camels). A new welcome area at the dock was under construction. In a large parking lot nearby, dozens of buses waited to take Disney cruisers out into the country on a wide variety of port excursions.
At first blush, the country was warm and welcoming.
On the bus ride to Carthage, home of the ancient ruins, billboards with President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s photo seemed to be plastered everywhere. Some parts of Tunis were modern and bustling; other sections were obviously impoverished and depressed.
The area adjacent to the entrance to Carthage is quite beautiful, with tree-lined streets and well-manicured homes. To add to the serenity, the Mediterranean serves as a picturesque backdrop as visitors stroll through the park-like setting before reaching the historic Antonin Baths, built in the 2nd century.
After visiting the ruins, the tour bus stopped at another section of Carthage featuring a hilltop museum, remnants of ancient homes and spectacular views below. It was an odd juxtaposition to see modern satellite dishes on rooftops just a few feet from thousand-year-old ruins.
Then it was off to a main shopping area of Tunis, known as the Medina, which is a lively street bazaar.
After exiting the bus and walking up a short hill, perhaps the most shocking aspect of the visit greeted tourists — several machine-gun toting soldiers standing guard outside nearby government buildings.
Associated PressArmored vehicles are parked near an oversized photo of Tunisian president Ben Ali in the capital city of Tunis.
The Medina is a frenetic, maze-like marketplace, with twists and turns that can skew just about anyone’s sense of direction. In fact, guests are often given cards as they exit their bus with an emergency phone number in case they get lost.
The return trip to the boat took guests through other impoverished areas with even more Ben Ali billboards lining the roadways.
Heavily armed soldiers aside, we never felt threatened during the visit. There is much to experience and learn in this multi-faceted, diverse country.
We mention all this because the Magic is scheduled to return to Tunisia this spring and summer as part of Disney Cruise Line’s Mediterranean "season."
On the 10- and 11-night excursions, Tunisia is the second stop. After departing Barcelona, Spain, the Magic visits Malta, Tunisia, makes three port calls to Italy, and one each to Corsica and southern France before returning the Barcelona. (The Magic does not stop in Tunisia during its seven-night sailings.)
Tunisia currently is in the throes of major political upheaval. Stories datelined out of Tunis in the past few weeks report rock-throwing protesters, riots, tear gas, curfews and, sad to say, dozens of deaths.
On Jan. 14, Ben Ali dissolved the government in response to the protesters and announced that parliamentary elections would be held in six months. When that didn't quell the masses, he fled the country and currently is in exile in Saudi Arabia.
Tunisians were angry over high unemployment rates and political repression. Many viewed Ben Ali’s government as corrupt and intolerant; human rights abuses have been alleged for years. The unrest, simmering for years, boiled over and turned a relatively tranquil country into -- for now, at least -- a dangerous place.
As you might expect, the Disney Cruise Line is monitoring the events in Tunisia. The Magic is due to start its 2011 Mediterranean season in late May.
"The safety and security of our guests is first and foremost," Disney Cruise Line president Karl Holz told me. "We will continue to watch the situation very closely."
http://blog.silive.com/goofy_about_...unisia_has_disney_cruise_execs_concerned.html
Unrest in Tunisia has Disney Cruise Line concerned
Published: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 7:27 AM Updated: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 7:40 AM
By Chuck Schmidt Follow
Share4
0
Share close
Google Buzz Digg Stumble Upon Fark
Share Email Print
The country of Tunisia is home to Carthage, where some of the most famous ruins on the face of the Earth are located.
Tunisia’s beaches, where the warm waters of the south Mediterranean Sea lap onto pure white sand, are pristine and a mecca for sun-loving tourists.
Indeed, tourism is far and away Tunisia’s most important revenue source.
And last spring, when the Disney Magic made its first-ever stop at the bustling port of Tunis, the country’s capital, it was a major step in bringing credibility to the northern African nation.
When the ship pulled into port on April 27, it was greeted by marching bands, government dignitaries and native dromedaries (camels). A new welcome area at the dock was under construction. In a large parking lot nearby, dozens of buses waited to take Disney cruisers out into the country on a wide variety of port excursions.
At first blush, the country was warm and welcoming.
On the bus ride to Carthage, home of the ancient ruins, billboards with President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s photo seemed to be plastered everywhere. Some parts of Tunis were modern and bustling; other sections were obviously impoverished and depressed.
The area adjacent to the entrance to Carthage is quite beautiful, with tree-lined streets and well-manicured homes. To add to the serenity, the Mediterranean serves as a picturesque backdrop as visitors stroll through the park-like setting before reaching the historic Antonin Baths, built in the 2nd century.
After visiting the ruins, the tour bus stopped at another section of Carthage featuring a hilltop museum, remnants of ancient homes and spectacular views below. It was an odd juxtaposition to see modern satellite dishes on rooftops just a few feet from thousand-year-old ruins.
Then it was off to a main shopping area of Tunis, known as the Medina, which is a lively street bazaar.
After exiting the bus and walking up a short hill, perhaps the most shocking aspect of the visit greeted tourists — several machine-gun toting soldiers standing guard outside nearby government buildings.
The Medina is a frenetic, maze-like marketplace, with twists and turns that can skew just about anyone’s sense of direction. In fact, guests are often given cards as they exit their bus with an emergency phone number in case they get lost.
The return trip to the boat took guests through other impoverished areas with even more Ben Ali billboards lining the roadways.
Heavily armed soldiers aside, we never felt threatened during the visit. There is much to experience and learn in this multi-faceted, diverse country.
We mention all this because the Magic is scheduled to return to Tunisia this spring and summer as part of Disney Cruise Line’s Mediterranean "season."
On the 10- and 11-night excursions, Tunisia is the second stop. After departing Barcelona, Spain, the Magic visits Malta, Tunisia, makes three port calls to Italy, and one each to Corsica and southern France before returning the Barcelona. (The Magic does not stop in Tunisia during its seven-night sailings.)
Tunisia currently is in the throes of major political upheaval. Stories datelined out of Tunis in the past few weeks report rock-throwing protesters, riots, tear gas, curfews and, sad to say, dozens of deaths.
On Jan. 14, Ben Ali dissolved the government in response to the protesters and announced that parliamentary elections would be held in six months. When that didn't quell the masses, he fled the country and currently is in exile in Saudi Arabia.
Tunisians were angry over high unemployment rates and political repression. Many viewed Ben Ali’s government as corrupt and intolerant; human rights abuses have been alleged for years. The unrest, simmering for years, boiled over and turned a relatively tranquil country into -- for now, at least -- a dangerous place.
As you might expect, the Disney Cruise Line is monitoring the events in Tunisia. The Magic is due to start its 2011 Mediterranean season in late May.
"The safety and security of our guests is first and foremost," Disney Cruise Line president Karl Holz told me. "We will continue to watch the situation very closely."