We are taking a 19 day Grand Circle Tour of Turkey in October. There is an expensive optional Bosphorus Cruise. We usually travel independently and will have the Rick Steves' Istanbul book. Has anyone taken the cruise that he outlines in the book? Any tips on it? Out GCT tour includes the main sights, but we'll have a little time on our own too. Any thoughts or ideas? Thanks
Posted by
Dunwoody, Georgia
338 posts
This is a popular topic. Someone else asked about this a few days ago. I assume that you're talking about the public ferry cruise. I took it several years ago and enjoyed it. It makes for a relaxing day, but does take a fair amount of time (6 hours). You can see a lot from the water and the final stop has a castle and view of the Black Sea. When I've ridden, the boat has not been crowded. There will be vendors selling tea, ayran, and other snacks on the boat. There are also a couple of cafes at Anadolu Kavagi, so you do not need to bring food. If you don't have or want to spend 6 hours, another option is to hire a local boat for a shorter cruise. Good luck.
Posted by
Herndon, VA, USA
1 posts
My husband and I took the Grand Circle cruise three years ago and I can relate well to your question. We actually did the "optional" tour, which was okay but, as you said, expensive. Lunch was included - nice enough, but not at all spectacular. Then we also, on a free day, joined with another couple in our group and took the public boat cruise because we just wanted to. It was easy - colorful, with a lot of vendors and locals on board. At the end, we easily found a restaurant for lunch and then took the boat back. But yes, it is a long day. I don't remember exactly, but six hours does sound about right. By the way, it was a great tour - we also prefer independent travel, but it's nice to be taken care of.
Posted by
Bellevue, WA, USA
811 posts
there is a cheap cruise leaves the dock by the bridge goes out for a couple of hours. it's a good value to bosphorus, but doesn't stop at any point. You can consider this as an alternative.
Posted by
Pacific NW
116 posts
Definitely get out on the water and see Istanbul from that perspective. I signed on to a 2 hour guided Bosphorus excursion on a yacht that was offered through my hotel. It was a beautiful day on the water, the price was very reasonable, and it was an intimate setting in which to explore and meet other people from all over the world. The boat I was on handled about 30 people. There are many options offered, these links give you lots of information: http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/go/Istanbul/Sights/Bosphorus/BosphorusCruise.html http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293974-d295190-Reviews-Bosphorus_Cruise-Istanbul.html