Ruby Princess Jun 11-23 Grand Mediterranean review/tips with pictures

[lovevacadays]

Have a fabulous sailing! I will try to add Istanbul tips this weekend, but wasn't sure if anyone was still reading!

 

There were not shuttle buses to the People Mover when embarking in Venice. I think this is mainly because Princess wants you to use their shuttle service, but they posted signs directing you back to the Princess dock from the People Mover, so that was much appreciated. However, if you spot a free Princess shuttle returning to the luggage drop-off point, you can see if the driver will drop you off at the People Mover. That's what we did and we left him some tip money.

 

The walk was maybe 10 minutes and straight-forward. You can see the ship and the People Mover easily, so very little chance of getting lost.

 

I'm still reading!:) Would love to see your tips on Istanbul. I'm putting lots of your comments in a document. I really want to do a cruise that would include Istanbul in 2014. Plus, it is so interesting reading about these places.:)

[SSAA33]

see above in red

 

Thanks :)

[rdsqrl]

I'm still reading, too! Please continue with both your sprightly prose and the wonderful photos! Such an enjoyable review; it's transporting me away from the dreariness of my library carrel . . .

[SSAA33]

I'm still reading!:) Would love to see your tips on Istanbul. I'm putting lots of your comments in a document. I really want to do a cruise that would include Istanbul in 2014. Plus, it is so interesting reading about these places.:)

 

Hi Michelle! When you do book your cruise, look up rates for Turkish Airlines. Now sure how it will be out of CA but for us Turkish Airlines actually had the cheapest rates to Barcelona (w/ return from Venice) and since all their flights have a layover in Istanbul, we were able to turn it into a 2 day stop for the same price! So happy we'll get 3 days in Istanbul this way :)

[AttilaTheFun]

Thanks for all the positive comments, I really appreciate them! I've tried to be as comprehensive and helpful as possible as I found other past cruise reviews to be very helpful too!

 

And now for our second-favorite port (after Venice)… Istanbul! It is such a fantastic city – very modern and clean, but filled with fascinating history. I would love to return and spend an overnight there, but I think we covered the highlights during our time in port. With a good map, Istanbul was easy to navigate the old city area after a quick ride on the tram from the cruise terminal.

 

Istanbul is a very easy city to do on your own – I would not recommend taking an excursion/tour unless you want a guide for the sights. Princess offered an independent shuttle service for $10USD or 8 euros per person, round-trip, that dropped you off at the Grand Bazaar. If you have limited mobility, this would be a good option, but we chose to take the city tram, which is only 2 Turkish Lira (TL) or about $1.10 per person, per ride.

 

We docked at the Salipazari cruise terminal, which is the further of the two. I’m not sure if Princes ever docks at Karakoy terminal, which is closer to the Galata Bridge and the tram stop.

 

When docking at Salipazari terminal, you have 2 options of getting to the nearest tram stop, which is Tophane:

1) Take a right when you exit and go out the normal port exit. Once you’re out, you’ll see the tram tracks immediately and just follow them LEFT until you get to the Tophane stop – about a 10 minute walk, but with beautiful things to see along the way.

2) Take a left when you exit and look for a turnstile door that says Taxi Exit. You should be in a parking lot, but keep going left until you can take a right and get to the main road. You should see the tram tracks immediately on the main road and just proceed left until you get to the Tophane stop – about a 5 minute walk.

 

One of the mosques we passed while walking to the Tophane tram stop

 

 

 

 

We exchanged currency for TL in Kusadasai – the first ATM I’ve ever seen to dispense 3 types of currency – USD, Euros, and TL. However, the machine gave us two 50TL bills and we found out that the tram ticket machine only takes 20TL bills or smaller. Luckily, another tourist couple was able to make change for us and we purchased our 2 tickets.

 

Here are some tips for purchasing your tram tokens (other than having small bills/coins available to pay with):

 

Here’s a picture of the token machine – jetonmatik

 

 

 

 

In the picture below, notice the button circled in red – it’s a language button to switch to English. It will ask you the quantity you want (blue-circled button) and then you use the OK button (green-circled) to advance screens. It was very easy!

 

 

 

 

Here’s a picture of what the tram tokens look like – we thought they were like poker chips.

 

 

 

It was surprising that the tram runs on a bit of an honor system – you insert your token into a turnstile, but could easily walk along the track to avoid the turnstile and there’s no proof that you paid/didn’t pay. I guess the Turks are very honest people!

 

We rode the tram from Tophane stop to Sultanahmet, where most of the major sights are located. You’ll ride over the Galata Bridge and get a great view of the Bosphorus River.

 

We found lots of stray cats in Istanbul as well and I have to share one of my favorites – a cat hiding among the pansies, near the Blue Mosque

 

 

 

Next up, the major attractions in Istanbul!

[AttilaTheFun]

The Blue Mosque was our first stop – it was very close to the Sultanahmet tram stop. Just look for these obelisks and the entrance is right next to them.

 

 

 

The Blue Mosque is absolutely stunning – both inside and out!

 

 

 

We made sure to wear jeans and shirts that covered our shoulders, but it wasn’t really necessary as they give you free blue wraps for anyone wearing shorts or whose shoulders weren’t properly covered. I would definitely recommend wearing shorts in Istanbul and just covering up with their wraps for the Blue Mosque.

 

Here are some men sporting blue wraps because they wore shorts.

 

 

 

You also need to remove your shoes when visiting the Blue Mosque, so you may want to bring a pair of socks if you’re wearing sandals. They give you a small plastic bag to store your shoes in that you carry with you. You can see the shoe bag in the picture above too.

 

There is a barrier that you cannot go past as that area is reserved for those praying.

 

 

 

The whole mosque is carpeted and the detail and workmanship inside is awe-inspiring. Here’s a picture of the dome ceiling and the stained glass windows.

 

 

 

 

 

The Blue Mosque is free to visit and we took about 20-30 minutes to wander around. Pictures are allowed inside, but it can be tough to take a good one – most of ours turned out too dark.

 

I apologize for breaking up Istanbul into multiple posts, but Cruise Critic limits the number of pictures you can include per post to 6 and I have so many pictures I want to share.

 

Next up - Arrasta Bazaar, the cutest puppy in the world, and the Hagia Sofia.

[Woobstr112G]

OP;

Wow, your pictures of Istanbul are amayzing. Thanks for sharing them.....:):):)

 

Bob

[lovevacadays]

Thanks for your posts on Istanbul. Can't wait to see the rest of it. The picture of the cat sitting amongst the pansies is so cute!

 

Hi Michelle! When you do book your cruise, look up rates for Turkish Airlines. Now sure how it will be out of CA but for us Turkish Airlines actually had the cheapest rates to Barcelona (w/ return from Venice) and since all their flights have a layover in Istanbul, we were able to turn it into a 2 day stop for the same price! So happy we'll get 3 days in Istanbul this way :)

 

Thank you. I appreciate the info. That's fantastic that you will get 3 days in Istanbul. It really is what I want to do for 2014. Interestingly, a friend and I were walking in one of the outside malls here in Orange County when we saw a couple walking a beautiful dog. We made a comment about their dog which turned into a conversation about how they were going to miss him while they traveled. Turned out, they had traveled most of the world and both said Turkey was one of their very favorite places.

[AttilaTheFun]

After the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia is right across a street. However, I read on the Ports of Call board that some people recommended checking out the Arasta Bazaar, which you can do by taking a right on the road between the Blue Mosque exit and the Hagia Sophia entrance area – there were also some signs pointing the way. We really enjoyed the Arasta Bazaar (http://www.arastabazaar.com/shops.asp) and were relieved to find the shopkeepers did not pester us as we browsed. There was a lot of jewelry, pottery, and other souvenir-type items as well as a few cafes/restaurants. We ended up buying some bead bracelets as gifts to take back with us and we thought there was a better selection of unique items here (ie not magnets, lighters, t-shirts, etc) than at the Grand Bazaar. Check it out if you have time!

 

 

 

Walking back, we saw the cutest puppy ever – he was chewing on a pillow and just being adorable.

 

 

 

Next up was the Hagia Sophia (or Aya Sofya, lots of different spellings)

 

 

 

The Hagia Sophia was formerly a church and then a mosque and is now just a museum. Tckets cost 25TL per person and we purchased our tickets online in advance (no added charge) at https://www.muze.gov.tr/buy_e_ticket which is run by the Turkish government for museums, so you know it’s legit. They email you a ticket that you simply print and take with you. The line wasn’t terribly long when we entered around 10am, but was much longer by the time we left. Save yourself some time and buy online.

 

Unfortunately, there were no brochures left in English (which happened again at the Underground Cistern), so we just read some of the signs about the history of the place and wandered around. We spent about 30 minutes here. There are amazing Christian mosaics mixed with Muslim pieces and it was very interesting. You can also try the Sweating Column, which I read you’re supposed to stick your thumb into and rotate your hand completely around. If your thumb comes out wet, your dream/wish will come true. These instructions aren’t posted anywhere, but there was a line of people waiting to try it. In case you were curious, we didn’t come out with wet thumbs.

 

Although it was tough to get good pictures inside due to lighting, here are some of the better ones we took.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One other thing I forgot to mention about the Istanbul tram – the stops are clearly posted above the doors, announced before each stop, as well as being posted on an LED sign. It’s very easy to take, even if you don’t speak any Turkish. We were very impressed by how efficient, easy, and clean it was. Here’s a picture of the front of the tram.

 

 

 

 

Next up – the Underground Cistern and lunch!

[rdsqrl]

Cute puppy, or cutest puppy ever?!

[kent05]

Thankyou for sharing your wonderful experiences, we will be doing this trip in September/October 2012, and are and look forward to your next instalments.

 

Cheers Anne :)

[SSAA33]

Thank you. I appreciate the info. That's fantastic that you will get 3 days in Istanbul. It really is what I want to do for 2014. Interestingly, a friend and I were walking in one of the outside malls here in Orange County when we saw a couple walking a beautiful dog. We made a comment about their dog which turned into a conversation about how they were going to miss him while they traveled. Turned out, they had traveled most of the world and both said Turkey was one of their very favorite places.

 

That's amazing! Istanbul sounds perfect with all the culture and western amenities in the same place :)

 

Great post Attila :) Love the pictures!

[SSAA33]

Thanks for the clear walking directions from port to tram! I'm going to make a note of them in case we dock at Salipazari too.

 

Did you happen to stop at Gulluoglu for baklava (near the cruise port)? Keep hearing about how this is the best baklava in Istanbul...

[AttilaTheFun]

Did you happen to stop at Gulluoglu for baklava (near the cruise port)? Keep hearing about how this is the best baklava in Istanbul...

 

We did not, sorry. I'll get to the food eventually, but we tried meatballs and a fish sandwich in Istanbul.

[lovevacadays]

You know, I'm becoming addicted to your thread! What am I going to do when you finish this one?:eek:

 

When's your next cruise?:D

[AttilaTheFun]

You know, I'm becoming addicted to your thread! What am I going to do when you finish this one?:eek:

 

When's your next cruise?:D

 

Thank you! I'll try to finish up Istanbul this weekend. After that, I have Naples/Sorrento, Civitavecchia/Rome, and Monaco left.

 

I have Norwegian Epic booked for an Eastern Caribbean cruise in Jan 2013 and am looking at a Bermuda cruise from NYC on NCL Star this Sept! I'm taking a break from Europe cruises for now :)

[SSAA33]

We did not, sorry. I'll get to the food eventually, but we tried meatballs and a fish sandwich in Istanbul.

 

That's ok! I have the fish sandwich on our list too..can't wait to see your pictures!

[BugsyCruiser]

Absolutely beautiful pictures of Istanbul you took Attila! I may have to consider a European cruise someday

[remydiva]

Hurry and finish as we leave in one month for this cruise so am anxious for your pics and comments...well done.

 

Ps when do you have time to work with all these cruises? Powerball winner? :)

[barney2012]

What a fantastic review--thank you! This is my first time to Europe so it's very helpful. We are going to try to do Venice on our own using your info for entry into St Mark's and a trip down the Grand Canal. Any areas you can suggest that are best for shopping (jewelery, souvenirs?). Will definitely follow your suggestions for food. Can't wait to hear about the stops in Turkey. I was surprised they take your passport so thanks for the heads up. I've only experienced that once and it was on the Norway in 1998!

[lovevacadays]

Thank you! I'll try to finish up Istanbul this weekend. After that, I have Naples/Sorrento, Civitavecchia/Rome, and Monaco left.

 

I have Norwegian Epic booked for an Eastern Caribbean cruise in Jan 2013 and am looking at a Bermuda cruise from NYC on NCL Star this Sept! I'm taking a break from Europe cruises for now :)

 

Fabulous! Naples and Rome are on my itinerary next year. I'm doing a private tour in both. Will look forward to reading about your experiences there.

[SSAA33]

I have some dining questions I'm hoping you can answer about this specific itinerary :)

 

I read that suit passengers have the option to have breakfast in Sabitini's. What about regular cabin passengers - can we still opt for a seated breakfast in the MDR or is it Horizon court only for breakfast?

 

As you know a couple of the port days are going to be really busy and time-sensitive so I was planning on bringing along granola bars, chips etc in case we don't have time to stop for food. Will we be allowed to bring food into the ports? I read that there's restrictions in some ports (islands, etc). Not sure if there's restrictions for European ports?

 

Was there seafood options on the lunch and dinner menus everyday?

 

Ps. Thanks for the pub lunch description. So excited about it!

[AttilaTheFun]

I have some dining questions I'm hoping you can answer about this specific itinerary :)

 

I read that suit passengers have the option to have breakfast in Sabitini's. What about regular cabin passengers - can we still opt for a seated breakfast in the MDR or is it Horizon court only for breakfast?

 

As you know a couple of the port days are going to be really busy and time-sensitive so I was planning on bringing along granola bars, chips etc in case we don't have time to stop for food. Will we be allowed to bring food into the ports? I read that there's restrictions in some ports (islands, etc). Not sure if there's restrictions for European ports?

 

Was there seafood options on the lunch and dinner menus everyday?

 

Ps. Thanks for the pub lunch description. So excited about it!

 

There is breakfast each morning in an MDR. We didn't eat there though as we didn't feel the options were any better than the buffet on our last cruise.

 

You can bring packaged foods off the ship.

 

I'm not sure about seafood on the lunch menu in the MDR as we didn't eat there for lunch, I would say probably not from what I remember. At dinner, you can always order shrimp cocktail as an appetizer and there was always a fish or seafood entree each night.

[lovevacadays]

I have some dining questions I'm hoping you can answer about this specific itinerary :)

 

I read that suit passengers have the option to have breakfast in Sabitini's. What about regular cabin passengers - can we still opt for a seated breakfast in the MDR or is it Horizon court only for breakfast?

 

As you know a couple of the port days are going to be really busy and time-sensitive so I was planning on bringing along granola bars, chips etc in case we don't have time to stop for food. Will we be allowed to bring food into the ports? I read that there's restrictions in some ports (islands, etc). Not sure if there's restrictions for European ports?

 

Was there seafood options on the lunch and dinner menus everyday?

 

Ps. Thanks for the pub lunch description. So excited about it!

 

Sabatini's breakfasts are only for Suite passengers. You can get breakfast from room service (limited menu), the horizon buffet, and the main dining room. Just a little tip: when you are in the buffet you can ask one of the servers at the buffet to have a specially made omelette made for you. Just tell them what ingredients you want and then you have to wait 5 minutes or so. Also, most ships including the Sapphire typically have a waffle station out on the deck where they typically serve pizza or hamburgers during the day.

 

On the Princess dinner menu you will see the evenings choices on the right side. These change each and every night and typically will include at least one seafood dish. On the left hand side of the menu down at the bottom are items you can get each and every night which include salmon and some other choices. These don't typically change and are there for those that might not find anything on the right side of the menu. Also, at the top, left side of the menu are Princess' pasta choices. They change these each evening. Princess is noted for their good pasta. I can attest to it:D. Try the fettuchine alfredo and ask them to put it in a cheese bowl. Also very good is the bowtie pasta with veal. Not sure what night that one is on there. But, definitely give the pastas on the left side of the menu a try at least one or two nights. If you like pasta I don't think you will be disappointed.

[SSAA33]

There is breakfast each morning in an MDR. We didn't eat there though as we didn't feel the options were any better than the buffet on our last cruise.

 

You can bring packaged foods off the ship.

 

I'm not sure about seafood on the lunch menu in the MDR as we didn't eat there for lunch, I would say probably not from what I remember. At dinner, you can always order shrimp cocktail as an appetizer and there was always a fish or seafood entree each night.

 

Thank you! Is it possible to see the MDR menu (for breakfast, lunch & dinner) before deciding whether we want to eat the particular meal there?