Hi. So poking around here in the member forum, I found an awesome link to Turkey and it also gives info on cultural "cues" for peeps traveling from the West.  -you said your a blond traveling alone.... I'm married to an amazing blonde- so this peaked my interest... the article commented on "smiling at men"  ?? what? right?

 so, it seems when a woman smiles at a Turkish man, it is taken as the woman is interested in the man.  it goes on to say when the woman declines his advances, in turkish culture, men (expect this response from the woman) and take this as a signal to double their efforts- their thinking is that the woman is trying to put a "good girl" "front'/face" ruse so she can appear to be not a promiscuous woman, but still get her man in the end.

and I read that a "hoodie" hood (pulled up) , is acceptable to use a head covering- rather than a "scarf" when entering the Blue Mosque. yeah. 

 Innocent

You are all unbelieveable!  We have SOLD OUT of our PRE packages to Istanbul! that's 400 people - 200 rooms in two hotels!

We do still have room in our Post package at the Athens Hilton - it does include breakfast :-)

If any of you are trying to book rooms at the same hotels we are using on your own during our Istanbul pre-package dates of Oct. 1 and 2, please be wary - Our "Block" of 100 rooms are guaranteed, but it is typical fror hotels to "oversell". What this means to you if you are NOT on our package and in our room block, we cannot help you if you check-in and they tell you they are oversold and have to send you to another hotel.

We highly recommend if you are on your own and wanting to do your own thing that you do not use the Point or the Nippon hotels during the dates of Oct. 1 and 2. There are the Sheraton and Intercontinental Hotels that we can also recommend to you if needing hotels for those nights.

Jill

Otherwise, those who are ON our package can book additonal pre- nights directly through their websites, based on the hotel you are confirmed with. Those rooms will be guaranteed as we will be making sure they know you are on our package.

Hi Everybody!

I am traveling solo and was intending to hang out in Turkey for a week or so before the cruise starts.  People are telling me that it is not so much fun to travel in Turkey as a blonde single woman, so I was wondering if any of you might want to team up and brave the Arabic men together.  I was hoping to check out Cappadocia but I don't know if there will be enough time.

Looking forward to meeting you all soon! 

Hi Maree,

I am also interested in doing some touring in addition to the pre and post tours that Olivia is offering. I've traveled rather extensively, but never with Olivia before. I'm looking forward to it.  I'm traveling solo, though I have friends who are going on the cruise.  But they are traveling to Paris first, so not able to arrive before the pre cruise tour.

Please let me know what you are thinking.  I realize I am responding almost 2 months after your post, so maybe things have changed since then.

By the way, I am also looking for a roommate for the pre and post cruise tours.  If you know of anyone wanting to share a room, please send them my way?

Regards,
Betty  

Hi Maree -- My partner and I are also arriving 2 days early to Istanbul and staying 2 days later in Athens but did not book pre or post package through Olivia. So, we're on our own for excursions. We are definitely interested in visiting the Grand Bazaar and Spice Market. We wish we could do the Bosphorus Ferry but don't think we'll arrive in time to catch it on October 1st, and we want to leave Saturday for Grand Bazaar and Spice Market.

I am finding the research for hotels in Istanbul to be a little bit more difficult... we don't know want to stay on the bad side of town, and don't know the pros and cons in staying in the Asian vs European side. So, we are still researching and asking people who have traveled there. As for Athens, we've got a list of 3-4 hotels highly recommended but continue to monitor the prices. We typically focus on hotels that are in safe locations and nearby major transportation (the latter saves us a lot of money).  Let us know if you'd like us to share the hotel names.

We'll be happy to meet with you in Istanbul and/or Athens if you wish. 

 Abs

Hi all,

 I am thinking of doing the pre-trip extension but am travelling alone. Wondering if anyone would like to share a room to help reduce cost of accomodation. Understand from Olivia that rooms are going fast. Anyone interest do let me know.

 Thanks

Regina

Jojo, the Olivia extension in Athens is for October 10. The additional nights at the special rate start October 11.  I don't think you have a problem getting the Olivia price.

By the way, I envy you going to Columbus Isle. We love it there but it's just not possible to fit in this time around.

Here ya go JoJo http://www.olivia.com/Connect/forums/thread/145680.aspx

Okay Evergreen here goes.....I'm wanting to know if it is too late for Kathi, my traveling buddy & I to book the post extension in Athens. When I go to the website it gives the dates starting Oct. 11. We want to stay Oct. 10-12, then fly to Florida to wait for the charter flight to Columbus Isle. I mean if we have 6 days to kill we may as well do some of it in Athens. But I want to get the OLIVIA price. 

So basically my question is are we too late to qualify for Olivia's rate...There I said it, now that wasn't so bad...lol   JoJo 

And, obviously, whoever typed the info onto the website, had Paris on their mind!!!