I Find this hard to believe

[Cruzin Terri]

I originally posted a message entitled "Topkapi Palace" asking if anyone thought it was feasible for me to see the palace on the day the ship docks at 4pm. The responder indicated that I would not make it to the palace in time to see it.

 

I then looked at the shore excursions for HAL and noticed that two of the excursions indicated that they make a stop at the Topkapi Palace and one even says that we have lunch inside the palace. This is on a TUESDAY, the day that all the guide books and websites say that the Palace is CLOSED.

 

I then called HAL shore excursions to ask if HAL had a special arrangement with the Topkapi Palace that admitted tours on a day the palace is closed. The rep said "Yes they do".

 

Since I am quite new to cruising and have never cruised in Europe, I have no idea if this could actually happen. I would hate to book this tour and then find out that something else is substituted because it is TUESDAY and the Topkapi is closed.

 

DH and I were planning to do Istanbul on our own, but would opt for the tour if this permitted us to get into the palace.

 

Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing happening? You are all so experienced cruisers, I m sure someone else has had the same experience. If you did go on a tour on a Tuesday, was it limited?

Thanks for your help.

Terri

[cruisemom42]

I can't answer for Istanbul, but I know that when we were in St. Petersburg on Princess, several of the palaces and the Hermitage were scheduled to be closed on one or the other of the 2 days we were there. However, various ships' tours were definitely allowed entrance. We did a private tour, but got around the "closing" by taking a Princess evening tour of Catherine's Palace. Passengers from other ships in port with us were also there.

[nparmelee]

If its an important site for you to visit, book the tour, worst case, it gets canceled and you get your money back.

[vbmom87]

Call or email the palace. Best to get your answer from the horse's mouth :)

[JLC@SD]

I would hate to book this tour and then find out that something else is substituted because it is TUESDAY and the Topkapi is closed.Terri

 

I would doubt that they would substitute something else.....they would cancel and return your fee.

[Longin2cruise]

Last year we were on Carnival Freedom. We were in Istanbul on a Tuesday & booked a lunch tour to the Topkapi Palace. The palace was closed to the public & the only way to see it was to go on the ship's tour. I'm sure HAL has the same arrangement.