Does Azamara offer transport to airport at the end of a cruise in Istanbul?

[Literary Lynne]

I've heard that the traffic in Istanbul is dreadful and that the taxi drivers at Istanbul port are to be avoided, so I was wondering if Azamara do a transfer to the airport. I see on their website that they do a tour of over 6hrs which ends at the airport, but I am wondering if they do a straight transfer and if we would make a flight at 1pm.

 

Anyone had any experience of this please?

 

Thanks

Lynne:)

[mzk90]

Lynne, on every Azamara cruise I have done, they always offer a 'cruise only' transfer to the local airport on debark day, as well as the shore excursions that you have already mentioned. You buy it onboard. :)

[Literary Lynne]

Thanks for your helpful reply. I think we would be okay in booking a 1pm departure flight. I've heard it can take 2hrs to get to the airport due to the traffic in Istanbul but even if the Azamara transport left at 9am, at worst it would still get to the airport for 11am.

Lynne:)

[AzamaraJoel]

Hello Lynne & MZK90, My name Raul Parquet and I work with Joel & Signe at Azamara.

 

Azamara does offer transfer to and from the hotel on all embarkation and disembarkation ports. We also have shore excursions in these ports as well that included transfers to airport after the tour.

 

Lynne, while you are onboard during your voyage please work with the Concierge and they will be able to assist you in booking your transfer to the airport in Istanbul.

 

You are going to have a great holiday.

 

Thank you, Raul Parquet

Social Media Strategist

Azamara Club Cruises

[Literary Lynne]

Thank you Raul - really looking forward to sailing with Azamara again. The previous times were in 2008 and 2009. Will certainly contact the concierge and arrange a transfer to the airport in Istanbul at the end of the cruise. Thanks again.

Lynne:)

[Grandma Gilly]

Lynne. Admittedly I have never disembarked a cruise in Istanbul but, having visited there over 30 times, I don't think you would have a problem with taxis. Yes, the traffic is bad but being from London you should be used to that as Istanbul is no worse.

Taxis are metered and very obvious in colour.

 

I am sure the cruise line transfers are excellent but they are normally much more expensive and timing is often wrong.

[roaming_kiwi58]

We used the Azamara airport transfers last August. We did a Black Sea cruise which started and finished in Istanbul. Yes, they are dearer than doing your own thing, but in certain instances they are more convenient and less stressful. Because we were flying into Istanbul on day of sailing, with very little time to spare to catch the boat, we wanted to use the Azamara transfers. We landed at Istanbul at 12.50pm (the cutoff point for transfers was 1pm!). There were lots of people joining the cruise coming in about the same time and we went straight to a bus, which filled up and left straight away. Airport to Port took 35 minutes.

At the end of the cruise, even though we had plenty of time, we decided to also use Azamara transfers, as we had no liking for dealing with a Turkish taxi driver (we had been in Istanbul several times before). We got off the Azamara Journey at 9am, claimed our bags and went to our bus, which left the port at 9.25am. The trip to the airport took 45 minutes. Our flight was not until 1.55pm, so we had a bit of time at the airport, but we don't have a problem with that.

Our transfers, both ways, for two of us cost us NZ$156. It was money well spent for the convenience. The transfers were excellent. We booked them before we left home and paid as part of our cruise fare. You can book the end of cruise transfers on board, as we did on another cruise. You get a questionnaire in your cabin asking you when you want to disembark and whether you want to buy a transfer, or already have one booked.

Edited March 2, 2014 by roaming_kiwi58

[Literary Lynne]

Thank you all for your responses. Thanks Roaminkiwi 58 especially, because your timings sound so similar to what I am anticipating, ie a flight out of Istanbul around 1pm, leaving the ship around 9.20-30am on one of their transfers. I will not worry any longer!

 

Thanks again

Lynne :)