Visa for Turkey... Bodrum?

[firststeps]

We are doing the Athens to Istanbul trip with a stop in Bodrum before Istanbul. Was just wondering if it would be possible to get a visa for Turkey in Bodrum rather than waiting until we arrived in Istanbul.

[marama]

Hi,

 

We just got back from that cruise and it was wonderful, you will have a great time. Forget worrying about the visa - Windstar take your passport and take care of EVERYTHING for you at Bodrum. The charge is US$20 which goes on your on board account. You don't even need your passport before Istanbul - just show the Windstar ID that you will be issued with whenever you go ashore. At the end of the cruise you will find a Turkish visa neatly stamped in your passport - all with no effort required from you at all. It's all part of the great Windstar service.

[firststeps]

Thanks so much for this information, marama.

 

This will be our first time on Windstar and these stops. Any suggestions of what to do and what NOT to do? We have booked private guides in Athens, Istanbul, Santorini and Rhiodes and Kusadasi. We will DYI on Mykonos and Bodrum.

 

Have purchased the laundry package in advance. Heard that was a really good deal and we travel very light.

 

Anything you could share would be welcomed.

 

Thanks again.

[marama]

The little Crusader Castle in Bodrum is very pretty and worth a visit. They also have a nice little shop and cafe on the way out.

 

We used the laundry package and it was good - but I did wish I had packed a travel iron. One other thing - - I found the public areas especially the lounge too cold for me - make sure you take a jacket or wrap for evening.

 

By the way - do not hope to use the Internet in the starbucks in Bodrum or Kusidasi - the log on instructions are a page long and I found them impossible to follow! I bought a map from the bookshop on the wharf in Kusidasi and it was great for tracking our progress through the Dardenelles - everyone wanted to borrow it!

 

Enjoy being spoilt, the ports were so interesting we are planning to do the same cruise again in a year or so. We loved Athens and Istanbul.

[firststeps]

thanks so much for the reply. I have made a note to pick up the map and go to the museum..

[6rugrats]

 

We used the laundry package and it was good - but I did wish I had packed a travel iron.

Be glad you left the iron at home, as it would have been confiscated. No cruise line allows passengers to bring irons on board because they are a fire hazard.

[laurelguy]

You might have left already. Just back from Athens Istanbul Sept. 1st. The internet cafe to go to is in Bodrum. Kristy will point it out. It's all done in orange and the staff is helpful. Buy a drink and sit down. It's just inside the walled market. A short walk from ship. Forget trying to use the computers onboard. Awful service in that part of the world. Enjoy!

[firststeps]

Great information, thanks.. we leave on Oct. 6 and can't wait. Any suggestions from your trip? We are extending 2 days in Athens and 5 days in Istanbul.

[laurelguy]

Hi. Just went through my stuff and realized the Internet Cafe I mentioned was in Rhodes, not Bodrum. Oops. But it's a good one to use nonetheless if you need a good connection. You'll have a great trip I'm sure.

[firststeps]

Well... I would certainly have been looking for it and wondering what had happened. Thanks for the correction. I'll check it out in Rhoades.

[marama]

Well the one to avoid is definitely the Starbucks in Kusidasi! Try the Macdonalds in town instead. I did hear that there is a Starbucks in Bodrum, but never got there.

 

There are definitely internet cafes in Rhodes - but check the price of drinks first. The one we used (the first you come to in the old city from the port) charged us 9 euros for 2 cokes!

[themutis]

Just back and my husband was able to get internet access at the Starbucks in Kusadasi. In Bodrum, however, there were 5 people from the ship in the Cafe in the port, and only 2 of them were able to connect.

 

In most ports, I heard mixed reviews of people being able to get consistent internet access.

[Happy Tourista]

The Starbucks in Kusadasi was perfectly fine. There are posted instructions for connecting to the Internet. There are about 15 usernames and corresponding passwords and you have to pick a username that is not being used by someone else. So you may not be able to connect on the first or second try, because someone else is on, but you will be able to ultimately connect, all while sipping your frappachino.