And so it begins Mariner April 2 Barcelona to Istanbul

[nana541]

Great day in Kusadsi and Ephesus was an inspiration! Back on board and as we start to pull away from the dock the "Call to Prayer" was just sounding....magical to leave port with this calling of the faithful ringing.

Sadly, back in our cabin our Debarkation documents and tickets arrived! Darn Regent anyway, what kind of customer service is it to make us leave the ship!

 

Tomorrow Istanbul.....

[Travelcat2]

Are you staying in Istanbul post-cruise? If you are, I'll give you a link that allows you to write the address you are going to in English and it prints in Turkish. Very helpful to give to the taxi drivers.

 

Will really miss your wonderful posts.

[alidor]

I would appreciate that link as we are going to stay in Istanbul after our Mariner cruise in June.

 

Thank you!

[Travelcat2]

I would appreciate that link as we are going to stay in Istanbul after our Mariner cruise in June.

 

Thank you!

 

This is a fun link in addition to being very helpful. http://www.isa-sari.com/osmanlica/?id=en

 

The last time we were in Istanbul (will be there again on the 19th) the taxi driver had to stop and ask people directions to the restaurant we were going to. He could not read the map or name that we had written in English. For this trip I have the hotel and restaurant name, address and phone number on a sheet of paper in both English and Turkish.

 

Have a great time in Istanbul. It is one of our favorite cities in the world.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

That's a very useful link--wish I could say I was going to be in Istanbul soon and use it! When we were there, we found that local people, even if they spoke some English, couldn't read a map--I think it's perhaps a cultural thing--their directions were always "on the ground" directions, i.e., go down this way, turn left, etc.

[nana541]

What a great evening...ordered a special Indian Dinner for tonite...thank you all you wonderful CC posters for telling me that those "special dinners" are available if you only ask (24 hr ahead of course)... Wow what a meal!

Now as I look around our obscenely large cabin I wonder how in heavens name I can pack up all this stuff....I did not buy a bunch of stuff its just I was organized and now I am just tired..

 

What a great day, we are staying in Istanbul until Sunday...looking forwrd to many adventures!

 

TC2 - I would love that link...

[esimon]

did you all have any actuall 'formal' nights on this cruise -- like fancy stuff and tuxes or dark suits -- we love the dress up stuff but wondering about hauling the tux etc if nice formal will do

 

thanks

[nana541]

did you all have any actuall 'formal' nights on this cruise -- like fancy stuff and tuxes or dark suits -- we love the dress up stuff but wondering about hauling the tux etc if nice formal will do

 

thanks

 

Very short answer is NO.....did not see a single Tux or dinner jacket...not even a suit...my DH wore a sport coat as the ship in the evening can be cool....saw no fancy evening clothes and there are not any Formal evenings any longer unless you are on a much longer cruise....

 

Don't bring it as no one else is hauling that stuff anymore.....and I luv my DH in a Tux so this is very sad ....

[Travelcat2]

Very short answer is NO.....did not see a single Tux or dinner jacket...not even a suit...my DH wore a sport coat as the ship in the evening can be cool....saw no fancy evening clothes and there are not any Formal evenings any longer unless you are on a much longer cruise....

 

Don't bring it as no one else is hauling that stuff anymore.....and I luv my DH in a Tux so this is very sad ....

 

See post #104 above. Oh heck. . . here it is again http://www.isa-sari.com/osmanlica/?id=en

:)

[nana541]

Thanks TC2, sadly considering pulling on of our suitcases and :0 actually putting stuff in it........ :(

[esimon]

Very short answer is NO.....did not see a single Tux or dinner jacket...not even a suit...my DH wore a sport coat as the ship in the evening can be cool....saw no fancy evening clothes and there are not any Formal evenings any longer unless you are on a much longer cruise....

 

Don't bring it as no one else is hauling that stuff anymore.....and I luv my DH in a Tux so this is very sad ....

 

 

what is a 'longer' cruise???

[txladycruiser]

what is a 'longer' cruise???

 

I think any cruise segment that is longer than 10 days has a formal night. If it's a 21 day cruise, then there will probably be two formal nights.

 

 

 

 

Karen

[Travelcat2]

Actually, there are only "formal optional" nights (thankfully). These occur on sailings longer than 15 nights.

.

[nana541]

Well first off we got lost in the Grand Bazaar....ok so I wasn't lost but DH sure was !!

Now back on the ship and Regent seems to want to throw us off...so much for the personal touch....back to packing!

 

At least I have a glass of wine to drown my sorrows in :)

[Gardendog]

Sailing into Istanbul was magical with Jamie doing guiding and explaining as we approached. It was very special.

 

We went on the up charged Bospherus cruise with a visit to a shore front mansion from ages ago. I would recommend this tour, as I would the up charged ephesus with an expert.

 

It was very nice and interesting and an added benefit was, we got to see dolphins jumping along the vessel! I did not know that the Bospherus had dolphins. We were 25 people, the Ephesus tour was smaller.

 

Nice Latin show tonight. Sad to say good bye to newly made friends.

 

Won trivia yesterday! Have to brag. We had 3 continents represented, Australia, Europe (England), and North America (US). That should show us what we can do if we cooperate!

 

Trip is not over even though our bags are outside since we are staying in Istanbul for 3 nights.

 

Wonderful cruise.

[Travelcat2]

Congratulations on winning trivia, Gardendog. IMO, the best trivia teams are the multi-national ones. We also did not know there were dolphins in the Bospherus.

 

We have not as yet sailed into Istanbul but will sail out of it for the second time later this month. It is definitely one of my favorite ports in the world! Is the Mariner docked in the area where you can see the Blue Mosque up on the hill from the port side?

 

All of your posts will be missed when you depart. I suppose you'll just have to take another cruise soon so we can vicariously travel with you again.

 

Enjoy Istanbul -- safe travels to everyone:)

[Atriumgirl]

Thank you, everyone, for your day by day comments on the April 2nd cruise. It has been fascinating and I can't wait to sail on 30th. As for the descriptions of the food ................ If I don't eat for the next two weeks I can sample everything on board!!!!!!!!!

[Mr Rumor]

It was impossible to do justice to amazing Istanbul in a five hour tour, but at least we scratched the surface today with visits to the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. At the Palace we ogled one of the most famous treasures, an 85 carat diamond that was discovered by a street vendor in a rubbish pile in the 1600s. He sold it to a jeweler for three spoons. Word eventually got to the sultan about the find, and an offer for it was made that couldn't be refused. We left this exhibit comprising several rooms of fantastic bejeweled and precious metal gifts thinking it was very good indeed to be sultan.

 

Ginny and I began our 25 night odyssey on the Mariner with dinner March 18 on the La Veranda patio as we soaked in the receding Ft. Lauderdale skyline, and we capped it off with dinner there tonight as well. Took too much from the antipasti bar as usual, savored the mushroom soup, ate every bit of the delicious vegetarian lasagna, and still somehow made room for a little dessert (tiramasu and a cookie). We lingered afterwards to say our goodbyes to Maitre d' Mara, and servers/bar staff Mala, Huseyin, Darle, Wayan and Iryma--favorites all.

 

Now I'm pondering whether it is worth it to go to bed, as we need to be in the Constellation Lounge by 2:55 a.m. for our estimated 3 a.m. departure to the airport!

 

Wishing my fellow cruisers safe trips home. And to those coming aboard tomorrow, may you make as many great memories on your cruise as Ginny and I did on ours.

 

Rich

[purpleally]

40 kids? OMGosh! This must have to do with Easter week or something. I wonder if Regent advertised it as a sailing with Mariners Club. You seem to appreciate "younguns". . . . unfortunately, we would head for the hills.:mad:

 

and I would be right behind you!!!

[purpleally]

Thank you to all who posted on this thread about your cruise, such a joy to read!

[RachelG]

Have loved following along. And I agree about the up charged Bosporus cruise and visit to the mansion. It is really a nice excursion and recommend it.

[poss]

Safe travels and so many thanks to all. Wonderful posts!

[gf]

Ditto what Poss said - it's been great hearing about it!

[scottie99]

Thanks for this very interesting thread. I am sitting in my hotel room in Istanbul, about to board the Mariner later today.

 

You have all increased my anticipation!

[OrpingtonT]

We at home have been really spoilt over the last few weeks with the most interesting and articulate reports coming from Mariner and Voyager. Thanks to all for spending some of your cruise writing to us about all manner of experiences. You have set a high standard for us to aspire to on future cruises.