Oceania Istanbul Shore Excursion: A Private Day Ashore

If you are sailing with Oceania Cruises, your day in Istanbul can also be a private one. This Oceania Istanbul shore excursion is our private alternative to the ship tour. Your own guide and driver meet you at the port and plan the day around your all-aboard time.

Oceania Cruises’ voyages to Istanbul can also call at Ephesus (Kuşadası) on the way, as Oceania Nautica’s voyage from Dubai to Istanbul, departing May 26, 2027, does.

Your Oceania Istanbul Shore Excursion

Your Oceania ship ties up at Galataport in Karaköy, on the Bosphorus, and your guide is waiting at the terminal. From there, the old city is a short drive across the Golden Horn. Our Istanbul shore excursion covers Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque (if open, outside prayer times) and the old Hippodrome, and on a full day the Grand Bazaar too.

A Private Alternative to the Ship Tour

On an Oceania call, you can join the ship’s tours or go private. With us, the car is for your group only, the guide speaks your language, and the stops and the pace are yours to choose. Our guide to choosing a shore excursion or a ship tour sets the two side by side.

Ephesus from Kuşadası

At Kuşadası, an Oceania call is a chance for Ephesus: our Ephesus shore excursion leaves from Ege Port for the ancient city, the Terrace Houses and the House of the Virgin Mary, and returns before all-aboard. Two finger piers at Ege Port take up to four large ships.

Plan Your Oceania Istanbul Shore Excursion

From your Oceania booking, we need the ship, the date and the arrival and all-aboard times; the day is planned around them. Our guide to the Turkey cruise ports and our shore excursions cover the other ports.

We are an independent local company and are not affiliated with Oceania Cruises.