Whether you know it or not, cruises from Turkey are nearly always cruises through great parts of the Mediterranean that land you in other breathtaking spots, including Italy, Greece, Croatia, Egypt, and sometimes to regions of the Aegean and Adriatic Seas. Many of the cruise liners that sail to Turkey and through the rest of the Mediterranean region offer free passage for travelers under 18, and there are other great deals to tantalize as well.
Beyond just getting a good deal, it’s important to choose wisely — there’s a lot to see and a huge variety of cultures to bare witness to in this region of the world. But in order to know what you want you must first have an idea of what exists and what kind of time and money you have to spend enjoying it.
In late November, take advantage of cruises from Turkey to Venice, Italy. A four-day jaunt with all the bells and whistles aboard the MSC Magnifica, all-inclusive with three square meals a day, tea and coffee, activities, entertainment, and more. The cruise begins in Istanbul, takes you to Croatia after a time at sea, and then on to Venice where you can take in the romantic sights, incredible cuisine, and unabashed culture of old Italy. All this for just about $170 per person, airfare not included on this one.
Louis Cruise Lines now offers eight-day excursion cruises from Turkey beginning and ending in Istanbul. This cruise touches on three continents, taking travelers from Istanbul to Mykonos, Ashdod (Israel), Port Said (Egypt), Crete, and Athens. This cruise is available all throughout the rest of 2010 and 2011, earliest travel date being October 9, 2010, but plenty of time to plan with the last scheduled trip at October of 2011. The Louis Cristal ship offers accommodations for the eight days, offering breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks as part of the all-inclusive package. While you’ll surely be wowed by the scenery, you may also like to know that there are complimentary midnight snacks!
13 days from Amsterdam to Istanbul. No, this is not a song title from the 1980s. It’s a Celebrity Cruise on the Constellation. The next slated departure for this cruise is September 2011, so you have plenty of time to plan and save. From Amsterdam to Bruges, Belgium, from Cherbourg, France to Vigo, Spain, from Gibraltar to Sicily, and from Athens to Istanbul. This trip is jam-packed with important historic destinations and sights, so it’s well worth the 13-day getaway.
12-day cruises from Turkey offered by Vision of the Seas has a strong focus on history, specifically that of the Holy Land. Destinations include Kusadasi (also known as the biblical Ephesus) while still in Turkey, followed by two days in Alexandria, Egypt, some time at sea, then to Mykonos, Greece, followed by a return to Istanbul. This nearly two-week cruise makes those aboard privy to all kinds of historic landmarks and guides them through the importance of each individual port and destination.
Cruises from Turkey offer a number of advantages in that they are remarkably close to other parts of the world with some similar, some dissimilar cultures. All are worth the trip, and travelers get to enjoy the view while they experience parts of human prehistory and history along the way.
Photo via mjharrington
{ 1 trackback }