The Bodrum cruise port, a subsidiary of Global Ports Holding, received the largest cruise ship in its history on Thursday, August 25: the Odyssey of the Seas, with 3,693 passengers, mainly Americans, British and Germans.
While most passengers visited Bodrum's old town and bazaars on foot, some passengers took tour buses to go to archaeological sites such as St. Peter's Castle, Sandima Village, jeep safaris, Turkish baths, and beach clubs.
Aziz Güngör, Director of Eastern Mediterranean Ports at Global Ports Holding, stated: “Starting next year, we will see more large ships like the Odyssey of the Seas in Bodrum's waters. Bodrum is on its way to becoming a major cruise destination.”.
Bodrum is one of Turkey's rising cruise destinations, having shown significant growth in cruise tourism in 2022. In the first seven months of the year, it ranked third, after Kuşadası and Istanbul, in terms of both ship and passenger numbers. Furthermore, Bodrum's cruise port is among the few ports in Turkey to hold Green Port accreditation.
