Enchanted Princess at Kusadasi: planning Ephesus on a shared port day

Published 4 October 2026

The single most useful fact for an Enchanted Princess passenger is this: you will not be the only ship in Kusadasi. The published schedule (checked in October 2026) shows 11 calls between October 2026 and September 2027, and on every one of them at least one other ship is in port. On six of those days there are three or more. Plan your Ephesus day around that, and it goes much more smoothly.

When Enchanted Princess calls

The calls are spread across the week. Four fall on a Wednesday, two each on Friday and Saturday, and one each on Monday, Thursday and Sunday. The months are October and November 2026, then May to September 2027.

Times are published for three autumn calls only:

• Saturday 17 October 2026: 07:00 to 16:00, with three other ships in port
• Friday 30 October 2026: 08:00 to 17:00
• Saturday 14 November 2026: 07:00 to 16:00

For the eight calls in 2027, arrival and departure times have not been announced yet. Whatever the published times, check the ship’s daily programme for the all-aboard time, which is usually earlier than departure.

Choosing your sights in nine hours

Both published windows are nine hours long. That is enough for all four classic stops: Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, the Temple of Artemis and the village of Sirince, roughly 7 to 7.5 hours door to door. Add our 60 minutes at the port before departure and the day is complete.

It is a full day, though. If you would rather take Ephesus slowly and see the Terrace Houses, drop Sirince. The three remaining sights take about 5.5 hours and leave you plenty of slack.

For 2027, plan provisionally:

• If the ship stays about 9 hours: all four, or three plus the Terrace Houses.
• If it stays about 7 hours: Ephesus with either Mary’s House or the Temple of Artemis.
• If it stays 5 to 6 hours: Ephesus alone, perhaps with a brief Artemis stop.

A crowd-aware route (07:00 to 16:00)

On a busy morning such as 17 October, most groups go straight to Ephesus. This route goes against the current (approximate times):

That leaves more than the 60-minute margin before a 16:00 departure. On the 08:00 to 17:00 day, shift everything one hour later. Opening hours vary by season, so we check that the first stop is open when we confirm your plan.

Notes on the four stops

House of the Virgin Mary. Starting here works well because the house is small, the visit is calm and the woods keep it cooler. Three popes have visited, the last in 2006.

Ephesus. Curetes Street drops downhill past the Temple of Hadrian to the Library of Celsus, and the route continues to the Great Theatre. Plan on 2 to 2.5 hours, more with the Terrace Houses.

Temple of Artemis. A Wonder of the Ancient World reduced to one standing column. Worth fifteen minutes, mainly for the setting and the view of Ayasuluk Hill.

Sirince. A former Greek village with the restored Church of St John the Baptist. Shops sell fruit wine, olive oil and handmade soap; the lanes are steep and cobbled.

Summer Wednesdays: heat and company

Five of the calls fall in June, July or August, and four of the 2027 calls are on Wednesdays, often alongside the same ships. Wednesday 30 June 2027, for example, shows three other ships in port. At midday in high summer Ephesus is often well above 30 °C with little shade, so the early part of the day is precious. Bring water, a hat and sun cream, and wear shoes with grip for the polished marble.

Book your private car

Reserve the Kusadasi–Ephesus private transfer: a private car with driver, for your group only, up to 8 passengers per vehicle. You meet the driver at the cruise port exit; the driver waits throughout and returns you to the ship.

When you book, list the stops and the order you want, for example Mary’s House first; we confirm the plan with you before the day. Entrance tickets are not included. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before; cash or card accepted. You can also compare dates on the Kusadasi cruise ship schedule.

Tickets are not included; buy Ephesus and Terrace Houses tickets in advance on our museum tickets page. Planning the visit? See our Ephesus walking guide and when to visit Ephesus.