Istanbul Cruise Reviews

We were eager to cruise on this beautiful new ship, it looked fabulous, modern but chic ! The rooms were fabulous and it really felt special, I had never seen such a big and convenient bathroom ! The arrival in Istanbul was not easy, we had included transfer but it took over an hour and a look of detective work to find our bus. We finally got there and it was worth the trouble !! The food is ...

Outstanding: Of our some 30 cruises, both ocean and river, this was among the 3 best overall, and the best in multiple regards particularly food and beverage. (A post-covid cruise we took on 1 of those 3 best was now unsatisfactory.) Considering we are still coming out of covid, and that Azamara recently changed ownership, with attendant start-up problems with the website, the performance of ...

My wife and I chose this cruise (21 days, from Istanbul to Athens to Venice to Rome) because we had never cruised the Mediterranean before, and since we enjoy history, this cruise covered many of the historical sites of the Eastern Mediterranean, including Istanbul Troy, Ephesus, Athens, Olympia, Pompeii and Rome; there are very few sea days, basically a new port every day. Plus, this cruise had ...

We chose this cruise of ancient antiquities as we had never been to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. We had a great time on the Viking Sky. We especially enjoyed the people that we met on board. We loved the educational lectures. The food was tremendous, all venues were great. The included specialty coffees were very much appreciated. The included excursions were pretty good. The number of cruisers ...

We chose this cruise because of the many ports and countries, and ZERO at-sea days. Our primary reason for cruising is to see as much as we can, off of the ship. Viking delivered. The food was great for the most part, though we thought the Chef's Table was overrated, and much preferred Manifredi's. The buffet was pretty good, with only a few dishes that we didn't care for. Lots of seafood, ...

We took a 15 day Ancient Med Treasures cruise which is really two 7 day cruises, back to back. It worked out well, with an extra day in Athens. This cruise had a very nice itinerary. We also added the two day pre-cruise extension in Istanbul. It is really a one day extension, with too much "free time" at the hotel. Even though the Conrad hotel is gorgeous, it's not within walking distance ...

This was truly an Antiquities Tour. Cultural sites demonstrated the beginning of early civilizations. The on shore excursions were well designed for a variety of people and the guides were extremely well versed in their subject areas. The ship was superb with Scandinavian style and quality entertainment. The Cruise director was a surprise alto Soprano formally trained opera singer.... the ...

This was our first experience of sea cruising and it was an absolute pleasure. Everything aboard the Celestyal Crystal was well-organised and the ship had a lovely atmosphere. She was very attractively furnished in all the public areas that we saw and our cabin was beautiful. The various lounges and open air decks made for comfortable opportunities from which to view surrounding scenery. All the ...

We wanted to see Istanbul and liked the choices of other ports in the itinerary. Viking crew are professional without giving up their welcoming warmth. I like the size and layout of the ship. While we ate at the specialized restaurants, we found the food quality, variety and service to be just as good in The Restaurant and the World Cafe. We enjoyed Sasha, the pianist, and the violin/piano duo ...

Other family members have sailed with Viking before, but this was my first ever cruise-- and I think all other cruises line now be spoiled for me, since I've experienced how amazing Viking is. The ship was beautiful, the food was amazing, and the crew was so wonderful. They were friendly and clearly well trained. The destinations was absolutely beautiful as well; we lucked out with perfect weather ...