Transfer Instanbul Airport to Hotel

[rugbypopsie]

Hi Can anyone tell me the best way to get to our hotel from the airport. Cruisemom which hotel did you stay in on your VtA cruise if you started in Istanbul?

 

Sue

[John Bull]

Like a lot of CC folk, we used http://www.istanbulairportexpress.com/

Clean & spacious modern vehicle, no deposit, pay the driver in lire or euros. Trouble-free transfer.

 

You need to give as much consideration to your return to the airport. Taxis lined up at the port won't use their meters & will screw cruisers for as much as they can get. Needing a taxi to the bus depot, we turned our backs on them and walked out to the road & hailed a passing taxi but even then we had to negotiate hard, to the point of walking almost to the tram stop before the guy agreed a remotely-sensible figure.

So pre-book a return transfer - to the airport if you have a morning flight, or mebbe fix up with your pre-cruise hotel to stow your bags for the day if you have a late flight. I don't know of any left-luggage facility in the city centre, we stowed ours at the coach station but it wasn't a very convenient location.

 

Super city, have a good one

 

JB :)

[cruisemom42]

Hi Sue,

 

I haven't departed Istanbul on a cruise, but have stayed there other times. I can highly recommend the Sirkeci Konak hotel in the old town (Sultanahmet) area. Just a great all-around hotel, well-located for seeing the sights on foot, nice rooms and good service. Lots of others here have also stayed there and enjoyed it.

 

Here's a link: http://www.sirkecikonak.com/

 

You can also book through some of the regular hotel booking websites, but I usually find I get a better deal (or even a better room) by going directly to the hotel.

[rugbypopsie]

Thank you for the replies...we will certainly have a look at the private transfer company...there are 4 of us so it makes the costs much more reasonable. I love Cruise Critic everyone is always so knowledgeable and helpful.

 

We are finishing cruise in Venice so dont need to fly out of Instanbul...just going to catch the fast train to Rome for a few days before flying to Hong Kong for a another short visit and then the flight home to Australia.

 

In Instanbul the cruise company (v To A) will either book us into the Ritz Carlton or the Conrad Instanbul...don't know which one...someone suggested it will be determined by the category of cabin...but I don't know for sure. Our agent suggests we wont know until 30 days before cruise...seems strange? The agent is only for the cruise...I am making all the other arrangements myself.

 

I like to have all the arrangements in place transfers etc... so I would really like to know before then where we will be.:confused:

 

Sue