Istanbul airport

[gr'aunt]

OK Cruise Critic members...here's another chance to help me (and I'm sure others) out.

 

Insignia docks in Istanbul on June 11th at noon for an overnight stay. We fly out the next morning, and will have to leave the ship pretty early...say, around 5:30 am:mad:

 

If we don't use the ships' transfer, what are our options? Is there any problem with the ships' staff leaving that early? (in other words, is our luggage going to be ready for pick up???) Are there taxi's hanging around then? How far (distance and time) is the airport from the ship? What is the approximate cost, and will the taxi driver accept euros or will we have to withdraw some lira from the ATM? OR, are we just better off booking the ships' transfer and being done with it?

 

Thanks in advance for all of the wonderful advice that I know is forthcoming!

Debra (gr'aunt)

[StanandJim]

Debra-

 

Your luggage will be waiting for you in the customs area, whenever you decide to disembark. Although some European ports are not, the Istanbul Cruise terminal is a 24 hour operation.

 

The Ataturk airport is only about 20 miles from the Karakoy, that's what the Turks call Cruise port, and at that time of the morning, you should not hit much traffic.

 

Availability of a cab at that early hour can be sketchy though. Especially a cab that can take you and your luggage (the cabs are tiny over there). We'd suggest prebooking:

 

We've used this company before:

 

http://www.transfer4cheap.com/index.php?target=categories&category_id=35

 

and they were very reliable and realistic about the size of taxi that they sent.

[nparmelee]

Taxis were just across a small road as you exit the port office with your luggage. The taxis a little later in the morning were plentiful when we were there and we were able to get both of us, three large suitcases and two carry-ons in with the driver. That time of day would be a 30 minute or so drive to the airport. Istanbul airport was very interesting. They screen your luggage before you even get into the airport. Once in, you do not get into your gate area until about 45 minutes or so before the flight.

 

The taxi did take euros, there is a guy there that will negotiate a price with you. The other option would be a private transfer. For the taxi cost, sorry, its been almost three years so I forget. I think we paid 20 euros for the taxi to our hotel in the Sultahnamet area (sorry, probably spelled that wrong, need more coffee this morning) and then it was something like 25 lira from the hotel to the airport.

[Susnyk]

Our plane departs Istanbul for home at 12:30 in the afternoon. Can we stay on the ship until mid-morning - say 10:00AM before taking the Oceania shuttle to the airport? Or, if I cancel my Oceania transport, we might take a taxi, but the question is how late can we stay onboard on disembarkation day?

 

Susan

[LHT28]

Our plane departs Istanbul for home at 12:30 in the afternoon. Can we stay on the ship until mid-morning - say 10:00AM before taking the Oceania shuttle to the airport? Or, if I cancel my Oceania transport, we might take a taxi, but the question is how late can we stay onboard on disembarkation day?

 

Susan

I cannot comment on Istanbul but most of the time they want you off by 9:30 am at the latest.

In Dover we were off at 6:15 for a noon flight ...mind you it does take a bit more time to get to LHR but we were there at 8:30...way to early to be rousted out IMO

 

Lyn

[StanandJim]

how late can we stay onboard on disembarkation day?

 

Everybody has to be off by 9AM, and you will be encouraged to leave before then.

They start letting the people with "Priority Boarding" for the next cruise on at 11AM.

 

**Note** In many cases, the hotel staff is allowed time off in port, after the block of cabins that they service is judged "ready for the new guests". They are naturally anxious to remake the rooms and get off the ship. If you must stay onboard, plan to wait in a lounge rather than in your stateroom.

[TERRIER1]

Our plane departs Istanbul for home at 12:30 in the afternoon. Can we stay on the ship until mid-morning - say 10:00AM before taking the Oceania shuttle to the airport? Or, if I cancel my Oceania transport, we might take a taxi, but the question is how late can we stay onboard on disembarkation day?

 

Susan

 

Hi Susan. Are you on the Delta 12:30 flight to JFK? We are and I found a site for private transport. The name is Istanbul Airport Shuttle but I don't anything about them. They quoted me a fare of 25 E for two people.

 

jean

[Susnyk]

Hi Jean, Yes, we are on that same flight. I would definitely be interested in sharing that private car with you. Do you know if it is big enough to carry four people and all our luggage? And, do you happen to know if we can stay on the ship till mid-morning or will we have to hang out in the airport for several hours before flight time?

[gr'aunt]

Debra-

 

Your luggage will be waiting for you in the customs area, whenever you decide to disembark. Although some European ports are not, the Istanbul Cruise terminal is a 24 hour operation.

 

The Ataturk airport is only about 20 miles from the Karakoy, that's what the Turks call Cruise port, and at that time of the morning, you should not hit much traffic.

 

Availability of a cab at that early hour can be sketchy though. Especially a cab that can take you and your luggage (the cabs are tiny over there). We'd suggest prebooking:

 

We've used this company before:

 

http://www.transfer4cheap.com/index.php?target=categories&category_id=35

 

and they were very reliable and realistic about the size of taxi that they sent.

 

Thank you so much StandandJim. I went on the above website, and the cost for two by private transport is 22 lira. I went on xe.com (a currency converter website), and the cost in US dollars is slightly above $13.00...quite a deal, I think!

[TERRIER1]

Hi Jean, Yes, we are on that same flight. I would definitely be interested in sharing that private car with you. Do you know if it is big enough to carry four people and all our luggage? And, do you happen to know if we can stay on the ship till mid-morning or will we have to hang out in the airport for several hours before flight time?

 

I don't recall how late you can stay on the ship but I would imagine you have to be off around 9 am. I'll see if I can get a quote for 4. We don't travel with a lot of luggage.

 

Jean

[TERRIER1]

Thank you so much StandandJim. I went on the above website' date=' and the cost for two by private transport is 22 lira. I went on xe.com (a currency converter website), and the cost in US dollars is slightly above $13.00...quite a deal, I think! [/b']

 

Hi. I thought the quote was in pounds and it was 22 pounds not lira.

[CintiPam]

StanandJim are spot on once again. Off the ship by 9 AM is the Oceania policy. We disembarked in Piraeus around 8:55 AM last September, and it sure was easy to locate our luggage in the terminal; there only were about six bags left!

[24theroad]

As has been said the crew will strongly encourage you to be off the ship when your group is called. The ship becomes a bee hive of activity getting ready for the next cruise. If you are using O transport you will be assigned a group time and called at a specific time to disembark. They load the buses and you will be whisked away on schedule. All very organized.

If you have a particular situation you can always discuss with the Concierge and see what alternative arrangements can be made. O works very hard to keep everyone happy. But do try to set up anything special at least several days in advance of the end of cruise. As you can imagine the Concierge and front desk are swarmed the last two days.