Kusadasi, Turrkey: Princess Cruise, safe?

[Cruiserkenn]

According to the website, Princess has a couple of Med cruises coming up in November, 2020.

Both of these two cruises have stops in Kusadasi, Turkey.  Will these cruises be safe?  I would love to go.  They work great for my schedule.  But will Turkey be safe?  For those of you who have been here before, please let me know your thoughts.

 

Thanks!

[rocklinmom]

We went to Kusadasi on an NCL cruise in 2014.  The cruise ships stopped going there not long after.  Now they are going again, so it must be considered safe.  I remember it being a very interesting town, with friendly people.  We enjoyed our visit there and didn't feel unsafe.  You would probably want to do a ship excursion there and not wander around on your own.  It would be easy to get lost and there is definitely a language barrier.  

[Cruise Junky]

I don't think Kusadasi has ever been unsafe. It's a great port.  Been there three times. You have to go to Ephesus and Kusadasi has good leather if you're interested. Every time I'm there I buy a coat.

Edited April 3, 2019 by Cruise Junky

[wheezedr]

We were on the last Princess ship to go to Turkey years back.  It was one of my favorite stops on a port intensive Med cruise.  Among all the wonderful ruins we saw I would rank Ephesus right at the top.  Definitely recommend visiting there.  Make sure to include the terrace houses in your tour.

[RDC1]

the most danger you are in during a cruise, is during your drive to the airport or cruise terminal. don't worry about it.

[PurpleTraveller]

I was on the last Princess ship to go to Kusadasi in 2016 and we had our following port of Istanbul cancelled due to safety concerns. I was not at all concerned about my safety in Kusadasi and have enjoyed my two visits. Ephesus is a great site to go to while you are there. I don't think Princess or any other cruise line would go there if there were any safety concerns. 

 

[Mom33]

Ephesus was a high point in our Med cruise. I am happy to hear more people will have a chance to experience this site when the ships return.😀

[canadarocks]

Bucket list visit for my husband. We've booked a Holland America 2020 cruise that goes to Kusadasi & then to Istanbul overnight. Hoping everything stays peaceful, as we cancelled one cruise a few years ago based upon the unrest in the region.

[milolii]

Here is a link to the US State Department website.  I think they update every 2 months (more often if necessary). You can also register your trip with them.  

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Turkey.html

[waltd]

No one can predict what the political climate will be in Turkey next year.   Cruise lines will not knowingly put passengers  in harms way so will cancel the cruise if need be.   You just have to understand that the port could be canceled.   That said the port was the highlight on one of our cruises.  

[tgwabd]

Been there in 2015, we never felt unsafe, besides there are crazy people everywhere......

[Colo Cruiser]

Ephesus is awesome.

We have been there many times.

 

Waiting for Istanbul to be added again.

[Cruise Junky]

1 hour ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Ephesus is awesome.

We have been there many times.

 

Waiting for Istanbul to be added again.

Other cruiselines are starting to add it back in which is awesome. 

[jagsfan]

Ephesus is awesome. You’ll never forget it. 

Before we boarded our ship again, we stopped at a rug place in Kusadasi and I carried a small rug back to Florida. 

We spent two days in Istanbul. I’m still awed by having been fortunate enough to visit that most interesting city.

We feel very fortunate to have been able to visit both places. 

As far as danger, I live in a nice city in Florida that has always been a really comfortable place to live and work. 

If we have a day without at least two fatal shootings, it’s cause for celebration. 

[Cruiserkenn]

Thanks, everyone, for all of your great thoughts.  I am looking forward to visiting Ephesus!

[Colo Cruiser]

5 minutes ago, Cruiserkenn said:

Thanks, everyone, for all of your great thoughts.  I am looking forward to visiting Ephesus!

Check out these guys for awesome tours of Ephesus.

I have dealt with Serkan there. He does a great job!

 

http://www.ephesusshuttle.com/kusadasi-group-tours/

[Cruiserkenn]

Thanks!

[grapau27]

13 hours ago, Cruiserkenn said:

According to the website, Princess has a couple of Med cruises coming up in November, 2020.

Both of these two cruises have stops in Kusadasi, Turkey.  Will these cruises be safe?  I would love to go.  They work great for my schedule.  But will Turkey be safe?  For those of you who have been here before, please let me know your thoughts.

 

Thanks!

We have stopped several times at Kusadasi during cruises and enjoyed it every time.

In the secured terminal area there are a good selection of leather and jewelry shops.

UK EU mobile contracts do not apply here so phone and internet costs are high.

In the terminal compound all the crew use an internet café which is upstairs in a building selling electronic goods.

We have used the phones here for a nominal charge and there are several Skype computers that crew or passengers can use.

Outside the terminal there are a couple of big bazaar's selling clothes,shoes,watches jewelry etc.

Haggle hard and you can get good prices.

There are tours to Ephesus too.

 

[majortom10]

There was a terrorist bomb attack in Kusadasi in 2005 when a mini bus carrying locals and tourists to Ladies Beach exploded and that is why for a number of years cruise companies stopped calling there.

[whatcruiseisnext]

46 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

There was a terrorist bomb attack in Kusadasi in 2005 when a mini bus carrying locals and tourists to Ladies Beach exploded and that is why for a number of years cruise companies stopped calling there.

That can’t be entirely true or the only reason ships stoppedgoing there for a while.  We were there twice  AFTER 2005 on a Princess ship several years apart. 

[flamomo]

I'd say you can rest assured that Princess would not reserve a berth in a port that was known to be unsafe, and would cancel the stop there if it becomes unsafe. The ship itself is worth millions of dollars, which they're not going to risk, and the safety and wellbeing the passengers and the crew is of primary importance to them.

I will add that a chance to visit Ephesus would be a huge deciding factor for me. It was the most awesome tour I have ever done. The ruins are beyond amazing, and I'd LOVE to go back.

[RLK33853]

Totally agree with others - this is an interesting and fun port.  

 

The Terrace Houses are a must see and the shops right outside the port are a must do.  The owners are extremely friendly and the banter back and forth with tourists is some of the best anywhere.   And zero pressure tactics.  Plus everywhere you look you see signs advertising things like "Real Fake Watches"........... 

[AF-1]

If you love history and want to learn about biblical stories; then Ephesus is the town to see.  No one who goes there has anything bad to say;  they love the experience.  I will say this;  do not go in summer;  try for spring or fall;  the weather will be better.  I have always gone in May and weather was in lo 80's

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, whatcruiseisnext said:

That can’t be entirely true or the only reason ships stoppedgoing there for a while.  We were there twice  AFTER 2005 on a Princess ship several years apart. 

Totally true below is a piece from wikipedia-

 

Kuşadası minibus bombing occurred on July 16, 2005, when a minibus carrying locals and tourists to the town's famous "Ladies Beach" exploded in Kuşadası, Turkey. Five people, four women and one man, were killed in the blast.

 

Because of the evident risk of further terrorist attacks cruise lines stopped using Kusadasi for a number of years before starting to cruise there again.

Edited April 4, 2019 by majortom10

[BarbinMich]

We were there 3 years after that minibus bombing, but I'm pretty sure we were unaware of it.  I loved our cruise of the eastern Med on the Celebrity Galaxy.  From Civitavecchia RT we visited Mykonos, Rhodes, Santorini, overnight in Istanbul, Ephesus, Athens and Naples.  It was a magical itinerary and only our second time on a cruise in Europe.  Even back then I think there were security concerns in Istanbul but we encountered no problems.  Back then we hadn't heard much about Erdogan but he was in the position he still holds today.  I don't know if any cruises still stop in Rhodes.  After all the white/blue buildings in Greece, it was nice to visit what seemed more like a mainland European place, at least architecture-wise, although just off the coast of Turkey.