Last spring, our visit to Turkey included two stops: Istanbul and Kusadasi (Ephesus). The low point of each stop was being subjected to a “rug demonstration”. Fortunately, at Kusadasi, it was close enough to the pier that we could duck out and walk back to the ship. The “demonstrations” were sales traps; so avoid tours that include this, as it is a waste of time. If the men selling the rugs were Americans, I think they would be selling used cars.
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I agree - duck out. They obviously pay the cruise lines a lot of money for every rug they sell.
The good thing is that they are in the middle of the shopping section of Kusadasi. The worst shopping trap is when you are stick someplace where there is nowhere else to go. Our Costa Rican "Rain Forest Canopy" tour was like this. Nothing but an empty hotel to sit in for two 1/2 hours when we could have been seeing wildlife, but there was nowhere to go.
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I am the editor, but I also speculate, ask questions and play devil's advocate. I reserve the right to change my mind.
On a side note, is a visa required for US citizens to make port calls in Turkey?
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Bob
A Bad Day At Sea [with power] Always Beats A Good Day At Work
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Good question - I know they used to sell them at the airport for $75. But I don't recall ever having to get one on a cruise that started elsewhere and stopped in Kusadasi. Sorry I don't know.
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I am the editor, but I also speculate, ask questions and play devil's advocate. I reserve the right to change my mind.
On a side note, is a visa required for US citizens to make port calls in Turkey?
We are British, so the rules may be different, but thought I'd post anyway.
We have just booked onto a cruise with Swan Hellenic which takes in Jordan, Egypt, and, Turkey. I enquired about visa requirements, and was told that the cruise line will take care of everything with a 'group visa' and just charge it to our on board account. Maybe the same approach is taken by the cruise lines for other nationalities.
Happy cruising in 2010,
Alan & Katrina
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On a side note, is a visa required for US citizens to make port calls in Turkey?
No, so long as you are leaving with the ship.
In Istanbul, you have to fill out a "Turkish Landing Card" that's distributed by the ship when you go ashore and supposedly collected when you return, but they never have collected mine. Also, the published rules say that the landing card is valid only for travel within Istanbul.
In Kusadasi, I don't recall any restrictions as to where one could not travel.
I have been to the Rug Demo in Ehpysis and for my first time to see how they are made and how beautiful they really are I was glad I saw it.
Did I buy a rug? NO
But I was glad to see the ornate nature and creativity they offered in the rugs.
I think everyone should see this once. Then, duck out as soon as you can on future demo's like this.
Just my opinion.
Frankly we love the rug demonstrations. They almost always include some very interesting things. We have seen the weaving, the pattern design, even the silk being unwound from the cocoons. We have seen antique rugs, ornate tapestries, special headdresses made from rug fabrics, camel hair rugs, silk rugs and many different kinds of designs.
It is a lot of fun to watch the salesmen at work as they drag carpet after carpet out of the pile and spread them out. If you don't plan to buy, try to sit with somebody who does and watch the show!
In Ephesus, we had decided to buy a rug and done our homework so we knew what we wanted and what price we would pay. We came home with a beauty that we love in our living room. Our cruisemate bought a beautiful silk carpet of the tree of life,but she won't put it on the floor! It hangs in her living room.
Whether you are buying or not, the carpet industry is a very old one with long traditions, and well worth visiting.
Of course, if you really DON'T want to go to a carpet factory, then book with a private guide. Kagan Kosagan or Ekol will design tours as YOU want to do them and you can tell them "No carpets!" When we told our guide from Ekol that, he offered to take us to a ceramic factory instead and that was also fascinating!
Somehow people get all hung up on the fact that the guide gets a commission and somehow think they are being played or cheated. Commissions, in one form or another, are a part of sales worldwide and nothing that the customer should get all uptight about!
Notice that all of these were part of tours we really enjoyed and a short time spent in the factory was a worthwhile use of our limited time, but not the main point.
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