MSC Splendida in Kuşadası: 45 minutes short of a safari

Forty-five minutes. That is how far MSC Splendida's Kuşadası timetable falls short of our morning safari. The port schedule as of early October 2026 lists 16 calls between Wednesday 5 May and Sunday 26 September 2027. Every one of them runs from 07:00 to 15:00, and on every one of them our answer is the same: no safari on that call. The season is not to blame: her May-to-September dates are all in our open months, since we are closed only from 1 December through 31 March and ride again from 1 April.

We would rather say that clearly now than have you find out at the pier. Below are the numbers, why we do not bend them, and the one situation in which a ride still works. The full list of MSC Splendida calls always shows the current dates and hours, so check it again closer to your sailing.

Where the 45 minutes go

Our morning tour starts at 11:00. Cruise passengers meet us at 10:10 at the Kervansaray meeting point (The Big Ottoman Palace), about 50 m from the cruise port exit. Here is how that morning would run for an MSC Splendida passenger:

• 07:00 the ship arrives
• 10:10 you meet us at Kervansaray
• about 15 minutes' drive to the start
• 11:00 the ride begins: about two hours on pine-forest trails, with a 30-minute sea break at Pamucak beach
• 13:45 to 14:15 we are back at the port
• 15:00 the ship departs

On paper the group is back before the ship sails. But our rule is that you must be at the port at least 60 minutes before departure. Coming back at 14:15 leaves 45 minutes. That is not enough, so we do not take MSC Splendida passengers on these calls.

The afternoon session, at 16:00, is not an option either. It starts an hour after she has left.

Why we keep the full hour

The 60 minutes are there for a reason. Your ship's daily programme prints an all-aboard time, and it is usually earlier than the departure time. Once you allow for the walk back through the port and getting on board, a 45-minute margin can disappear quickly. A late passenger is a problem for the ship, and it is a far bigger one for the passenger. So we stick to the hour, even when a day looks close.

What would have to change: for the 11:00 tour to fit, MSC Splendida would need to leave at 15:15 or later, with the same 07:00 arrival. For the 16:00 tour, she would need to stay until at least 20:15. If MSC Cruises changes the times for any date, the ship page will show it, and the cruise day planner will say which tour now fits. Until then, the planner will show no session for her calls.

A nine-day rhythm, not a weekday one

Some ships come to Kuşadası on the same weekday all season. MSC Splendida, a Fantasia-class ship that MSC Cruises has sailed since 2009, with room for about 3,900 passengers, does not. Her calls are spread across every day of the week: three on Fridays, three on Sundays and two on each of the other days. Most of them are nine days apart, starting from Wednesday 5 May 2027:

• May 2027: three calls
• June 2027: four calls
• July 2027: three calls
• August 2027: four calls, the last on Monday 30 August
• September 2027: two calls, Friday 17 and Sunday 26 September

The longer gap between Monday 30 August and Friday 17 September is simply how the schedule reads today. Because the weekday keeps changing, work from your cruise documents rather than from a weekday you remember.

If you are spending a night in Kuşadası

The port hours only matter if you leave from the ship. If your holiday includes a night in Kuşadası before or after the cruise, you can book any day from April to November and we will pick you up from your hotel.

All three tours last about two hours behind Pamucak beach and include the 30-minute sea break. The buggy safari and the quad safari need no driving licence. Drivers must be 16 or older. There are single and double vehicles, and everyone rides in convoy behind a guide after a safety briefing. Children younger than about 2 years cannot join. The horse safari is for beginners aged 8 and over (younger children can ride with an experienced adult companion), in a small group with a riding guide. Swimming in the sea on the horse tour depends on the season.

Hotel guests can book through the reservation page.

Checking your own date

For every call on the current schedule, the answer is "no safari". Before you give up on the idea, though, open the MSC Splendida ship page once more nearer the time. If the hours have moved past 15:15, the page will say so. To compare with other ships calling at Kuşadası, see the cruise excursions overview.