Hotel Istanbul

[bazin]

Saling Nov 15th from Istanbul. Does anyone know if Oceania uses more than one hotel in Istanbul? They are showing us in the Ceylan Intercontinental.

[Anna201213]

I July we stayed at Hotel Sirkeci Konak in Sultanhamet and we really liked it. If we return to Istanbul we will go there again and the price is reasonable. You can visit Trip advisor web site to see comments. From the hotel we took a taxi to go to the port and I think it was about $15.00

[Mura]

Our first visit to Istanbul was with Renaissance Cruises in February 2000, and they put us up at the Ceylan Intercontinental which IS a lovely hotel. And I remember a delicious dinner in their rooftop restaurant.

 

However, the hotel is in Taksim which is not very convenient for most of the touring you will do in Istanbul. I agree with the others that you should try to stay in Sultanahmet where are are many smaller (and less expensive) hotels. We just returned from our third visit last Sunday and we stayed for the second time at the Nena. But there are many smaller hotels in this area that will be fine.

 

(When we stayed at the Intercontinental we had to take cabs just about everywhere whereas if you stay in Sultanahmet you are walking distance from very many sights.)

 

Mura

[Paulchili]

Anna & Mura,

AFAIK, OP has no choice of hotels as he/she are staying in an O hotel.

The question is - does O use any other hotel than IC for their hotels in Istanbul?

At least that is how I read it.

While your suggestions are fine, I am pretty sure that neither of the those would be used by O.

[Mura]

Anna & Mura,

AFAIK, OP has no choice of hotels as he/she are staying in an O hotel.

The question is - does O use any other hotel than IC for their hotels in Istanbul?

At least that is how I read it.

While your suggestions are fine, I am pretty sure that neither of the those would be used by O.

 

Paul,

 

Despite my answer I read the question that way too. I just was trying to point out that if it IS the only hotel they use, OP could consider not using O's hotels. We've all said that often enough, and OP may well have excellent reasons for using O's hotels. I personally don't know if O uses any other hotels, but if it does my guess is they would be 5 stars ...

 

My argument against the Intercontinental actually isn't about the price, even though most of us seem to consider O's choices ridiculously (and unnecessarily) expensive. It's really more about the location.

 

Since we didn't consider using O's post-cruise option for our hotel, I never checked our cruise offerings to see which hotels they do use.

 

Maybe I'll wander over there and see what I can find out ...

 

Mura

[Mura]

Sometimes I hate the adminstrator's rules ... it let me edit my post to the point of actually POSTING and then said I'd exceeded the 20 minute time limit. Heck, I'm cooking dinner while I do this!

 

Anyway, OP the first thing is go to your "already booked" and look at hotels.

 

What I found was that for your cruise the other hotel is the Ritz-Carlton. That may have the same objections (for me) that I mentioned about the Intercontinental -- that is, location.

 

On another cruise I found that pre-cruise O uses the Ciragan Palace Kempinski and the Ritz-Carlton.

 

So these things may depend on which cruise you are on and whether your stay is pre- or post-cruise.

 

I still personally recommend going on your own ... and staying in Sultanahmet! JMO.

 

Mura

[Paulchili]

Mura,

I certainly agree with you on both counts:

1 Hotels in Sultanahmet are much better for sightseeing, especially for first time visitors to Istanbul

2 The hotel packages offered by O (and other cruise lines) are grossly overpriced.

 

As it happens, we will be on the same cruise. As I had a bunch of points (and free nights with Priority Club), I took the $500 from Oceania for not using the pre-cruise hotel and I am staying at the same IC for "free".

I don't mind the location as we have been to Istanbul many times and will explore at our leisure (we will not be pressed for time).

I suspect, but do not know for sure, the the Ritz & Ciragan would be offered to the suite passengers :D

[Mura]

Paul,

 

I rather think you are right about the offering of the Kempinski and Ritz to suite passengers!

 

Two places we found convenient from Taksim are the Dolmabahce Palace (although since you are a repeat customer I assume you've been there before) but also the Military Museum. I would have ignored the Military Museum except someone on CC recommended it to me as the best thing they saw on their trip. She was also highly effusive about the Jannisary Band concert.

 

Unfortunately for us the concerts were suspended for the exact time we were there! But we DID enjoy the museum, and we aren't "military" types.

 

The museum is very large ... you really could spend a whole day there, although we did not.

 

Meanwhile, in looking at my photos I got some really nice shots of the Blue Mosque which I didn't think possible while I was there!

 

And if people haven't been to the Modern Art Museum, I strongly recommend it. I'm not much of a modern art fan (although as a professional singer I love contemporary music), but this museum is absolutely marvelous. And quite close to where the ship usually docks!

 

Mura

[Paulchili]

I would have ignored the Military Museum except someone on CC recommended it to me as the best thing they saw on their trip. She was also highly effusive about the Jannisary Band concert.

 

Unfortunately for us the concerts were suspended for the exact time we were there! But we DID enjoy the museum, and we aren't "military" types.

 

Mura

 

Mura,

We did visit the Military Museum last time around and the band was awe inspiring and chilling.

I can just imagine how those poor people about to be overrun by the Ottoman Empire's mighty military must have felt like seeing them march and hearing those drums.

I have a DVD from the performance.

We might think about the MOMA - thanks for the recommendation.

The other thing we have not visited at least once is the Galata Tower.

Paul

[Mura]

Well, we did that last fall on our "Jewish Sites" tour ... certainly should be accessible from Taksim!

 

Howard and I bailed out of the climb to the Tower and just had some coffee in front of the Tower. (Weather was gloomy that day, as opposed to last week which was gorgeous.) Then the others said there's an elevator!

 

There was also an interesting looking Catholic church on the walk through the shopping area down to the Tower ... not that I would suggest you make it a big point. It was interesting but not THAT interesting!

 

Mura

[zz19]

Saling Nov 15th from Istanbul. Does anyone know if Oceania uses more than one hotel in Istanbul? They are showing us in the Ceylan Intercontinental.

 

Bazin,

Oceania"s site lists their hotel as the Grand Hyatt Istanbul.We will be on your cruise and have booked the Grand Hyatt independently. As others have mentioned booking on your own saves a substantial amount. If you wish you can go on the Hyatt.com site and request "Senior ,AARP or Advance Purchase

Rates.They range from approximately $370 to $470 US.

Good Luck,

[JimandStan]

I took the $500 from Oceania for not using the pre-cruise hotel and I am staying at the same IC for "free".

 

So, is the pre-cruise hotel deal in or out for new bookings?

I am confused. :confused:

[Paulchili]

So, is the pre-cruise hotel deal in or out for new bookings?

I am confused. :confused:

 

It's an "older" booking and it was in when we booked.

[zz19]

So, is the pre-cruise hotel deal in or out for new bookings?

I am confused. :confused:

Jim and Stan,

If you go on the Oceania site for new booking they offer you the Grand Hyatt as a pre-cruise hotel option @ $598 a night.

If you continue WITHOUT the hotel option the total charge DOES NOT reflect any additional credit.

My booking like Paul's is an older one when the credit was offered.

Perhaps a call to Oceania would clarify the confusion

[JimandStan]

Jim and Stan,

If you go on the Oceania site for new booking they offer you the Grand Hyatt as a pre-cruise hotel option @ $598 a night.

If you continue WITHOUT the hotel option the total charge DOES NOT reflect any additional credit.

My booking like Paul's is an older one when the credit was offered.

Perhaps a call to Oceania would clarify the confusion

 

That would be correct, because it is saying that you may buy into the Hotel for an additional $598.

If you don't choose the Hotel Option, then, since you have not already paid for it, no credit is due.

Makes perfect sense to me.

[wripro]

For $600 you can book the Four Seasons, not a Hyatt. Or save half the money and book the Hyatt yourself through your TA.