Boarding Seabourn Encore: Sunday, 6.5.22

Boarding Time 1:00pm Sailing Departure Time 5:00pm

We had a leisurely morning and breakfast at the hotel before being picked up by our car for the drive to the cruise terminal. It’s another sunny, mildly humid day. The sweethearts at the front desk of the hotel gave us a candle that has the fabulous scent we’ve commented on repeatedly during our stay there.

At 12;15 we depart the hotel. The streets area already crowded and bustling with locals and tourists fighting to make their way along the sidewalks and streets. The traffic is very hectic here and we’re so thankful we’ve had drivers to get us about.

Our path to the cruise terminal passed by the waterfront Galataport district where the Bosphorus, Golden Horn, and Sea of Marmara meet. Sadly we did not have time to tour the complex that’s a mix of museums, shops, restaurants, and breweries set along the scenic shores of the funky Karaköy district. The $1.7 billion redevelopment project has bought to life an area previously closed to the public. The corporate waterside mall is one of the city’s best new culinary and culture hubs. The nearly mile-long blushing sandstone promenade makes for a grand entrance, lined with rose-and-hazel-hued midcentury buildings accented by overflowing planters and benches. The next phase of the new waterfront development will roll out in early 2022, with the highly-anticipated unveiling of Istanbul Modern’s new Renzo Piano-designed home among a slew of other openings. Galataport Istanbul, Turkey’s newest lifestyle project is expected to draw more than 25 million visitors annually and was awarded the LEED Platinum Certification. Galataport Istanbul became Turkey’s largest LEED Platinum certified project in the country as well as the second largest in Europe.

The process for boarding the ship was so much easier than we’ve ever experienced, in spite of the fact that we went through passport control THREE times. Finally, after all the worries about covid testing, etc, we step aboard the majestic Seabourn Venture. We made our way to the cabin that will be our home for the next 14 days. It is fabulous! We’re tucked up high on the back of the ship so not many people around us. And, best of all, we have a “secret” stairway down to the spa and can use it at our discretion. Jim is already booked for a 100 minute bamboo massage to ease his aching back (leftover hospital pains!). We wonder about the ship figuring out what’s where. The Spa workers were happy to nab us for a tour and to tout all of their services. After wondering about a while, we popped into the Colonade restaurant to enjoy a French themed lunch.

At 5pm we set sail for Myrina, Greece while Jim was tucked away in the spa having his massage. He missed the departure. I got brave and grabbed his very complicated camera to try to shoot some photos for him. They will prove very interesting, no doubt!