The long awaited rebuilding and redevelopment of Istanbul’s Galataport cruise ship terminal is targeting a March 2020 opening, in time for the summer cruise season.
The new hi tech cruise terminal will boast a 980 m long pier capable of handling all grades of cruise vessels, and with sufficient capacity to simultaneously berth up to three of the largest cruise vessels, and around 15,000 passengers a day.
The broader Galataport development will extend along a full 1.2 km of the historic coastline and cruise passengers included, is expected to handle 7 million tourists a year, of which 1.5 million will be from cruise ships.
The project includes the restoration of a number of existing historic quayside buildings, some of which are being converted into a 177-room luxury hotel, and the creation further inland of a new 14,000 sqm “Tophane Square”. Hosting the Istanbul Modern Museum and Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Painting and Sculpture Museum within its premises, Turkey’s best practices in contemporary arts, Galataport Project will become the new arts and culture center of İstanbul. The public and open spaces throughout the port area will also be used for open air exhibitions and installations.
Also Bilgili Group, which runs the project with Dogus Holding, announced that it will be redeveloping New York’s Gucci building, which it purchased last year for $135 million as a Mandarin Oriental luxury hotel.
Bespoke travel expert Illusthrone will provide tailor-made daily tour packages specially being prepared for cruise guests of Istanbul, Turkey. Beyond luxury chauffeured service, all kind of transfers, meet & greet, private guidance, security, shopping assistance, private, sightseeing and private tours will be some of the services that cruise guests can easily reach.
