Overview
- The Russia-based cruise liner has waited off Istanbul since early Thursday, with MarineTraffic showing it at anchor from 05:09 Moscow time near the Kumkapi area.
- Akvilon, the ship’s general agent, says port authorities did not grant docking permission and offered no explanation.
- RIA Novosti reports about 616 passengers, mostly Russian nationals, and roughly 435 crew are on board, with services continuing as normal.
- An informed source said the vessel would head for Sochi if clearance was not granted by 15:00 Moscow time, with an expected arrival on November 22.
- Turkish port officials declined comment, and a media claim linking the refusal to an earlier Seabridge ferry incident in Sochi remains unconfirmed.