by sheryldb
I knew I was "not in Kansas anymore". The Turkish lira (about 3 for each US dollar) enabled us to eat well for a very reasonable price. Fresh squeezed orange juice on the street was 50 cents for an 8 oz glass. A full dinner, gigantic salad, meat, rice, LOAF of bread, cost $10 each. You will hear the call to prayer at least once, and see a republic in which modern western attire and customs mingle with traditional Muslim dress and customs. Everyone was very friendly, but do not count on natives knowing English. Stayed at the Karakoy Port Hotel (the night before boarding the ship) for under $140.00. It is located a few blocks from the port. There is gilt trim on doors, cabinets, and celings; the beds are comfortable; coffee, tables and chairs on the roof for a great view (and a smoke if you desire); free, generous, delicious European style breakfast (NO donuts and white rolls - Turkish bread is substantial and wonderful). After the cruise we took the Classical Istanbul tour (IBF1) during which we saw all the sites listed in the description. The tour was long, as were the lines to get into certain parts of the Museum (jewels). Again, tour took so long that we were rushed, did not have time to use the bathrooms or shop or just stop and rest. (Remember, the heat might get to you, and we were there in early June when temperatures were in the lower 80'sF.)
Visited: Jun 01, 2015
by tonyross4
Avoid the mosque tours, overrated. This city is way over crowded except on Sunday morning. Do a water tour not a bus or van tour.
by KellyE
Panoramic Istanbul will waste your time although I think Hagia Sofia is closed to all but tour groups on the date we were in port, so at least we saw that.
Visited: May 09, 2009
by Tired
Quite a bit of traffic. Plan your time accordingly.
Visited: Jun 12, 2015
by jaymbiv
If you go to old town, tell the taxi to drop you off at Spice Bazaar. This will keep them from trying to take you to their friend's leather shop instead of your intended destination. You can walk to all the sites from the Spice Bazaar. It should be 20 to 25 TL
Visited: Apr 22, 2015
by cherylvdavidson
Great port. Did all day excursion. Long day, all walking. Women need head scarf. Lots to see.
by PattiB
Istanbul wasn't as exotic as I expected, but still exotic. We took a half-day tour then explored on our own the first day. Easy to get lost in the bazaar and surrounding area, but we always felt safe and eventually worked our way down to the spice bazaar which to me was better than the Grand Bazaar. We even took the subway! Blue Mosque was interesting. Topkapi palace was a little disappointing. To enjoy Istanbul shopping, you have to consider bargaining a sport or game and just have fun with it. Second day we took the boat cruise up the Bosphorus which was beautiful - so glad we did that. Don't remember the restaurants we ate at, but food was delicious! Outdoor restaurants near the spice market are great for people watching and hearing the call to prayer.
Visited: May 16, 2011
by gertrudeburnsid
THE GRAND BAZAAR BAFFLED ONES MIND. VERY INTERESTING. THIS TOUR GUIDE WAS VERY INFORMATIVE
Visited: Nov 14, 2014
by xena
blue mosque
Visited: May 31, 2015
by johnormarilyn
Turkish lira is a nuisance, shopping is insane, vendors are possibly the worst in the world.
Visited: Sep 15, 2014
Find a Istanbul, Turkey Cruise
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency, and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners (travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on external web sites.
Upload photos
Select category
or
Drag and drop photos any time.
We are uploading your photo now.