Cruisin'

Thousands of Americans see Tallinn each year courtesy of the hundreds of cruise ships that stop here each summer.

Yesterday afternoon, thanks to the help of Sergei Turkov, the Cruise Dept. Manager with ESTMA shipping agency, I welcomed some of those U.S. citizen passengers aboard Le Boreal cruise ship. Thanks to Sergei's help, I was able to drive right up to where the ship docked, to meet the captain and some of the staff and then the ship's 200 passengers, the majority of whom were U.S. citizens from various university alumni groups.  I mingled with the passengers in the ship's lobby and lounge while they waited to depart the ship for their respective tours. 

One of the staff members made an announcement in the lounge and introduced me to the passengers before handing the microphone to me.  I welcomed them to Tallinn and wished them a safe and enjoyable visit to the Old Town.  I told them they are well taken care of by the staff of the ship but if anything unexpected were to happen to them, then we are here for them.  I then walked around the room and handed out a little business card with our contact information and a list of some of the services we can provide for them:

If you are a U.S. citizen and need assistance in Estonia, please feel free to contact U.S. Embassy Tallinn.

What We Can Do For You 

· Replace lost/stolen passports

· Find appropriate medical care if you are injured

· Help you contact your family, friends, or employer

· Explain how and where you can report a crime to local law enforcement officials

· Provide you with a list of attorneys practicing in Estonia.

My visit lasted from 12:00-13:30, although, I probably could have left a little earlier.  Everyone was very kind, surprised to see someone from our embassy, but also very happy to see me there.  They asked many questions about Estonia, the Estonian language and the size of our embassy.

All in all, this was a very positive experience with all parties involved (the shipping agent, the cruise ship staff and the US citizen passengers).  I look forward to doing more work like this. In fact, the Captain invited Ambassador Levine to visit the ship on one of its future trips to Tallinn. So the next Americans in Tallinn may be in store for a big treat!  

Post by Consular Associate Aaron Davis