Brilliance 24/10/06

[Foncai]

Hi Guys,

Just looking for a bit of advice. Going on 24th October BOS cruise, departing Istanbul for our Honeymoon-Yay!!...can you suggest closest hotel to port? where is the port?

 

also, can we buy alcohol duty free and take it on board? will we be able to buy wines in ports and take back on ship?

 

what kind of adapter do i need for hairdryer etc? coming from Australia?

 

Do most of the cabin crew speak english?

 

pheew, thats all for now, any help appreciated

[kyriecat]

Hello & Welcome,

 

I was on Brilliance the first 2 weeks of October so I can help a little.

 

I boarded in Barcelona so I know nothing about Istanbul or the location of the pier. Hopefully someone else knows that one. If not, when you get your cruise documents, there are directions to the pier included in the packet.

 

I also know nothing about Istanbul hotels.

 

Technically you are not supposed to bring alcohol onboard. However, there are several threads about how to smuggle it onboard. My husband and I bought some alcohol at a couple of the port stops that we brought back onboard. We didn't buy it for onboard consumption so we didn't really care if they took it for storage. However, they never did take it away from us. I guess they don't always strictly enforce the rules.

 

Most of the outlets are standard 3-prong US style. I have no clue what type of plugs are used in Australia, but I assume you will need an adapter. Buy one designed for the US. Make sure you read the wattage requirements on the adapter. Some are okay for low watt (do you use joules?) devices but will over heat if used with higher watt items such as hair dryers. If you bring a computer or sensitive electrical device, make sure you have a combination surge surpressor/adapter.

 

Most of the crew speaks English to some degree. The members who deal with the public such as bartenders, waiters, stewards, and purser's desk assistants speak English very well, although they have varying accents. Some of the maintenance and cleaning crew speak very limited English.

 

Have a great time planning the wedding and honeymoon.