Istanbul was a SHOCK: Our Celebrity Ascent Port Day
24 Hours in Istanbul: Our Celebrity Ascent Experience 🚢 Join us on Cruising Through Our Lives for day 6 of our Celebrity Ascent cruise as we arrive in the massive and vibrant city of Istanbul, Turkey! From the stunning arrival into Galataport to the overwhelming "carnage" of the Grand Bazaar, we’re sharing our first impressions of this historic city. In this vlog, we cover the reality of 24 hours in Istanbul, including some crucial travel tips we wish we’d known beforehand—like why you MUST activate your eSIM before you land and the truth about the $10 room service charge on Celebrity Ascent. Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or planning your first trip to Turkey, we hope our "fish out of water" experience helps you plan your perfect port day. In this video: Arrival & Port Info: Our first look at the world’s first underground cruise terminal, Galataport. Istanbul Travel Tips: Essential advice on Turkish landing cards and mobile data. The Grand Bazaar: Navigating the oldest market in the world (and the traffic to get there!). Celebrity Ascent Life: Room service breakfast reviews and late-night "dad dancing" in the nightclub. The Verdict: Why we think Istanbul is best admired from afar—and why we’d book a tour next time. Are you planning a cruise to Istanbul or sailing on Celebrity Ascent? Let us know your tips in the comments! #CelebrityAscent #IstanbulCruise #CruiseVlog #TravelTips #GrandBazaar #CruiseLife #CruisingThroughOurLives #Galataport Chapter Markers 0:00 Welcome to Istanbul! 0:44 Celebrity Ascent Room Service: The $10 Rule 3:50 Essential Turkey Travel Tips: Landing Cards & eSIMs 5:05 Arriving in Istanbul: A Massive Scale 9:35 First Impressions & The Cats of Istanbul 10:40 Exploring Galataport (The Underground Terminal) 12:38 The Taxi "Farce" & Istanbul Traffic 13:30 Entering the Grand Bazaar 18:47 Why We Felt "Wrecked" After Walking 21:02 Istanbul at Night: A Different Perspective 24:50 Martini Bar & Nightclub Shenanigans 27:10 Final Thoughts: Did We "Fail" Istanbul? 31:18 Finding the Best Beer of the Cruise 35:56 Sail Away & What’s Next: Mykonos!