For many cruise passengers, Istanbul isn’t just another port stop — it’s the reason they booked the cruise in the first place.
The idea of sailing into one of the world’s most historic cities, spending extra time exploring the Grand Bazaar, seeing the Blue Mosque lit up at night, or beginning a Mediterranean cruise from Turkey instead of the usual European ports can completely change the feel of a vacation.
That’s why some guests booked on upcoming Princess Cruises sailings are frustrated after discovering the cruise line has quietly started removing Istanbul embarkations from several 2027 itineraries.
And honestly, for some passengers, these aren’t small tweaks — they’re entirely different cruises now.
One Planned Istanbul Cruise Is Now Starting in Italy Instead
Passengers booked aboard the Enchanted Princess for September 14, 2027, recently received notices explaining that their cruise will no longer begin in Istanbul.
Instead, the ship will now embark passengers from Trieste, Italy — the port commonly used for Venice-area departures.
The Original Sailing Included:
- Istanbul embarkation.
- Overnight stay in Turkey.
- Multiple Greek island visits.
- Eastern Mediterranean itinerary.
Now, however, the cruise has been significantly reshaped with both embarkation ports and destinations changing.
And honestly, moving a cruise from Istanbul to northern Italy completely changes the atmosphere and flow of the vacation from day one.
Several Popular Ports Have Also Been Removed
The changes didn’t stop with the embarkation port.
Passengers also learned that multiple originally scheduled destinations are now disappearing from the itinerary entirely.
Ports Being REMOVED Include:
- Kusadasi, Turkey.
- Rhodes, Greece.
- Mykonos, Greece.
- Crete (Chania), Greece.
Those ports are now being replaced with a very different collection of destinations across Croatia, Montenegro, and Greece.
New Replacement Ports Include:
- Zadar, Croatia
- Bar, Montenegro
- Kotor, Montenegro
- Corfu, Greece
And honestly, while Montenegro and Croatia are beautiful cruise destinations, many passengers specifically book Eastern Mediterranean cruises for iconic Greek islands and Turkish ports.
That’s why several guests online described the updated itinerary as feeling like “a whole different cruise.”
The Changes Affect a Major Mediterranean Voyage
The impacted sailing wasn’t just a standalone cruise either.
The September 2027 itinerary was part of a much larger Mediterranean deployment aboard Enchanted Princess.
Originally, the ship was scheduled to operate a lengthy 31-night “Best of the Mediterranean” voyage stretching between Greece and Italy.
The Larger Cruise Originally Included:
- Athens embarkation.
- Kusadasi visits.
- Extended Istanbul stop.
- Eastern Mediterranean ports.
- Final arrival in Trieste.
Istanbul itself was supposed to serve as a multi-day stop where new passengers could embark for the next cruise segment.
Now that the turnaround operation appears to be disappearing entirely.
Princess Cruises Hasn’t Publicly Announced the Changes
One thing making the situation more confusing for passengers is that Princess Cruises has not publicly made a major announcement about the Istanbul removals.
Instead, guests have mainly been learning about the changes through:
- Direct booking notifications.
- Travel advisor notices.
- Social media discussions.
- Cruise forums and Reddit posts.
That quiet rollout has left some passengers scrambling to figure out exactly which sailings are still affected.
And honestly, when itinerary changes happen this far in advance without a larger public statement, cruise guests often become even more anxious about whether additional changes are still coming.
More Istanbul Cruises Are Quietly Disappearing
The September sailing apparently isn’t the only itinerary being modified.
Passengers booked on additional 2027 sailings aboard Enchanted Princess have also started receiving revised itineraries, removing Istanbul departures.
Additional Affected Sailings Reportedly Include:
- May 22, 2027 departures.
- June 1, 2027 departures.
- Multiple Mediterranean sailings from Istanbul.
Several of those cruises are now reportedly shifting embarkation operations to Athens instead.
At least one new stop in Heraklion, Greece, has also reportedly been added to certain revised itineraries.
Sun Princess Is Also Being Affected
The deployment changes are not limited to one ship.
Passengers booked aboard the newer Sun Princess have also reported itinerary changes connected to Istanbul embarkations.
One passenger scheduled for a July 4, 2027, sailing reportedly received notice that their cruise would now depart from Athens rather than Istanbul.
Current Reports Suggest Changes Are Affecting:
- Enchanted Princess.
- Sun Princess.
- Multiple 2027 Mediterranean itineraries.
That’s causing some cruise fans to wonder whether Princess Cruises may be quietly restructuring larger portions of its Eastern Mediterranean deployment strategy for 2027.
Princess Reportedly Blamed Port and Operational Issues
According to notices shared online, the changes are reportedly tied to a combination of logistical and commercial issues.
Reasons Mentioned Include:
- Athens port availability.
- Istanbul turnaround considerations.
- Deployment planning adjustments.
- Operational logistics.
Cruise lines constantly juggle complicated scheduling across multiple ships, especially in Europe, where port congestion can become a serious challenge during busy summer seasons.
And honestly, embarkation ports are much more complicated than regular port stops because they involve:
- Passenger loading and unloading.
- Customs processing.
- Baggage operations.
- Crew changes.
- Fueling and provisioning logistics.
Even small scheduling complications can sometimes force cruise lines to redesign entire itineraries.
Istanbul Still Appears on Some Port Schedules
Interestingly, there’s currently some confusion because outside port schedules still reportedly show certain Princess sailings embarking in Istanbul during 2027.
However, Princess Cruises’ own booking system no longer lists Istanbul as a departure option for new reservations on many affected voyages.
That discrepancy has left some guests uncertain about whether:
- Additional changes are still pending.
- More itineraries could be revised.
- Existing bookings might change again later.
And honestly, once passengers start seeing multiple itinerary changes across an entire region, it naturally creates anxiety for anyone already booked there.
Cruise Fans Are Divided Over the New Itineraries
As expected, reactions online have been mixed.
Some passengers are extremely disappointed about losing Istanbul and iconic Greek islands like Mykonos and Rhodes.
Others, however, are excited about the replacement destinations in Croatia and Montenegro.
Guests Upset About the Changes Mentioned:
- Losing Turkey visits.
- Missing Greek island ports.
- Different embarkation cities.
- Rearranging flights and hotels.
Meanwhile, some cruisers pointed out that ports like Kotor and Corfu are stunning destinations in their own right.
Still, for passengers who booked specifically for Istanbul, the emotional reaction is understandable.
Cruise Itinerary Changes Years Ahead Are Actually Common
Even though passengers understandably get frustrated, major itinerary adjustments happening a year or more in advance are actually fairly common across the cruise industry.
Cruise lines constantly adjust schedules based on:
Cruise Deployment Factors Include:
- Port availability
- Fuel efficiency
- Ship positioning
- Political considerations
- Tourism demand
- Operational costs
And honestly, Mediterranean cruise planning has become especially complicated in recent years because so many ships compete for limited docking space across Europe’s most popular ports.
Still, for guests who specifically dreamed about beginning their cruise vacation in Istanbul, these latest changes aboard Enchanted Princess and Sun Princess probably feel like much more than a routine schedule adjustment.
