"Istanbul By Private Vehicle" Princess tour

[HighFlyer]

We are thinking about buying this tour for the full day. It says it includes a guide and driver. What kind of itinerary/sights can we expect to see if we go with this? Is it similar to itineraries of the tours that you buy individually?

[sjbdtz]

We are thinking about buying this tour for the full day. It says it includes a guide and driver. What kind of itinerary/sights can we expect to see if we go with this? Is it similar to itineraries of the tours that you buy individually?

 

 

The highlight sites in Istanbul are all within 5-10 minutes walk from each other. The private drivers spend most of their time just waiting.

 

The ships dock not far from Dolmabache palace, which is about a 20 minute drive from Sultanhamet (Blue Mosque, Haigha Sofia, Grand Bazaar, Topkapi).

 

It might be worth a 1/2 day tour, if you can get into the Harem at Topkapi since this is controlled access and you need to make appointments...and the harem tour only runs every 45 minutes. If you go with a group tour, at least THEY worry about coordinating it.

 

Also, from Sultanhamet, you can see the train station for the Orient Express, and you can take the ferry over to the Asian side...it's dirt cheap.

 

Enjoy! Check out my pics link below for some pictures.

[sunsetme]

we were on celebrity and took their tour of istanbul. however out tablemates took a cab at the pier for $20 and saw the same things. you may want to do istanbul on your own.

[London, Canada]

When we were in Istanbul the traffic was horrible. You may want to keep that in mind as well...you may be paying a lot to sit in traffic jams...we took the Princess excursion, which was not what we expected. We say everything but time was very limited, we only had 45 minutes in the Grand Bazaar but then again, most of us complained about our tour guide...she was HORRIBLE!!! Not a great experience.

[haggis]

I would thoroughly recommend walking the sites from the ship in Istanbul. Its a very pleasant walk over the bridge, 100's of locals are fishing from there, up to the spice market and then up to the Grand Bazaar. Its very busy up here but, my DW and I have done it on several visits and have never felt threatened. As already stated in the previous posts, the mosque and palace are only a short distance from the Bazaar and are easily reached walking. We were stranded for four days in Istanbul just after 911 on the Golden Princess and we found the city magical. Its well worth a 20 minute seat on the ship watching the shipping pass as the port is extremely busy all day.

Jimmy

[London, Canada]

Being stranded in Istanbul for all that time....I never felt safe even in a group. We watched as the police arrested a small boy for selling of all things YoYo's...the poor boy was crying and screaming and they grabbed his hair and literally threw him in the police car. We watched as a local relieved himself of poop on the street, right in front of a Mosque..that was disgusting...and then they say you should bargain at the Grand Bazaar...After one simple attempt I was insulted and they actually tried to belittle me....so much for Istanbul in my books...if we ever do a Med Cruise again..and end up in Instabul..I will sit by the pool and read a book....

 

We all have our memories and I am not taking anyone's away...but thought I would add me 2 cents.

 

T