Celebrity Equinox Friday calls: Ephesus from Kusadasi by car

Published 4 October 2026

Celebrity Equinox comes to Kusadasi on two Fridays, four weeks apart, and those four weeks matter. The published schedule (checked in October 2026) lists Friday 7 May and Friday 4 June 2027. One is a spring day; the other sits at the start of summer, when the heat at Ephesus begins to shape the plan.

Two Fridays, two seasons

On both dates two other ships are listed, so each is a three-ship day:

• 7 May 2027: with Celebrity Infinity and National Geographic Orion.
• 4 June 2027: with Sun Princess and Oceania Sirena.

Arrival and departure times for Celebrity Equinox have not been announced yet. They may appear closer to the date and can still change; the ship’s daily programme is the place to confirm the all-aboard time, which is usually earlier than departure.

Matching the stops to the hours

Because the length of the call is still unknown, here is how the four places fit different windows. Each plan has you back at the port at least 60 minutes before departure.

• Five or six hours: Ephesus only, or Ephesus with a quick photo stop at the Temple of Artemis. Sirince and Mary’s House would make the return too tight.
• Six to seven hours: Ephesus plus one extra. In early June, Mary’s House is the better pick for its shade.
• Seven to eight and a half hours: Ephesus, Mary’s House and Artemis.
• Nine hours or more: add Sirince.

If the ship arrives late in the morning

Not every call starts at dawn. As a purely hypothetical example, take an arrival at 11:00 and a departure at 19:00. These are not published times.

1. 11:30 — meet your driver at the cruise port exit.
2. 12:00–12:20 — Temple of Artemis on the edge of Selcuk.
3. 12:45–13:30 — House of the Virgin Mary, cool under the trees during the hottest hours.
4. 13:50–16:05 — Ephesus, entering at the upper gate and leaving from the lower one.
5. About 16:35 — back at the port, well over two hours before the example departure.

On a late call, remember entrance tickets are not included in the transfer, so buy Ephesus and Terrace Houses tickets in advance on our museum tickets page. With an early arrival, simply run the same stops in the usual order: Ephesus first, then Mary’s House, then Artemis.

May or June: what to expect at each place

Ephesus. On 7 May the walk down Curetes Street is generally comfortable. By 4 June the midday sun is strong and the site has very little shade, so carry water and wear a hat. The route is roughly 1.5–2 km on uneven stone.

Terrace Houses. Under a roof inside the Ephesus site, with Roman wall paintings and mosaics; a separate ticket. Add about 45–60 minutes if your window allows.

House of the Virgin Mary. The stone house stands among trees on Mount Koressos, above Ephesus. Popes Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI all came here. Expect a short, quiet visit of about 45 minutes.

Temple of Artemis. What survives is a single re-erected column; you come for the place and the story. From here you can pick out the Basilica of St John on Ayasuluk Hill.

Sirince. Fruit wines, olive oil and soaps in a former Greek village. Only worth it on a long call; the lanes are steep and cobbled.

Friday crowd tactics

With three ships in port both times, groups tend to set off for Ephesus together in the morning. If your ship arrives early, consider starting with Mary’s House and doing the ruins second. If it arrives later, you may miss the busiest part of the morning at the gates anyway.

Booking

Reserve the Kusadasi–Ephesus private transfer for your date. The driver meets you at the cruise port exit, waits at every stop and returns you to the ship; one vehicle carries up to 8 passengers. Tell us which extra stops you want when you book, and we confirm the plan with you before the day. Entrance tickets are not included. Cancel free up to 24 hours before.

Planning the visit? See our Ephesus walking guide and when to visit Ephesus.