Cruise line Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises at Kusadasi: Ephesus Before the Heat

Celebrity Infinity cruise ship with its navy hull moored at a quay, with Celestyal Discovery moored behind it
Plate 01 Celebrity Infinity, one of the Celebrity ships on the Kusadasi schedule.
Calls in the next 12 months
34
Typical time in port
10 hours
Most common times
08:00-18:00
Tour that usually fits
The Road of Paul and John

Celebrity's ships are regular callers at Kusadasi, usually for close to a full day, on one of five ships that rotate through this port.

By the Info Ephesus team · Reviewed · 2 min read

The short answer

Celebrity's ships dock alongside at Kusadasi, most often arriving around 08:00 and sailing again near 18:00, about ten hours ashore. A few calls run earlier, from 07:00, or later, until 20:00. Ten hours is enough for a full day: our Road of Paul and John or Marble, Mosaics and Artemis tours both fit comfortably, with time left for lunch before you are back at the pier.

What a typical Celebrity call looks like

Celebrity's ships dock alongside at Kusadasi's pier, the same berths every ship uses here. Of the 38 calls we track, 25 run on almost the same clock: in around 08:00, sailing again near 18:00, about ten hours ashore. A smaller number arrive earlier, from 07:00, or stay later, until 20:00.

Ten hours is a full day by any measure. It covers a relaxed walk through Ephesus from the Upper Gate to the Lower Gate, a stop at a second site such as the Terrace Houses or the Temple of Artemis, and a proper lunch before you are back at the pier.

Stone fortress walls of Pigeon Island seen from the sea in Kusadasi
Plate 02 Genoese and Ottoman builders raised these fortress walls on Pigeon Island.

The Celebrity ships you might be on

One ship accounts for most of what we see at this pier: Celebrity Infinity, on 22 of the 38 calls we track. Celebrity Ascent follows with 9, then Celebrity Xcel with 4, and single-digit calls from Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Eclipse round out the rest.

Whichever ship brings you in, the walk from the gangway to the terminal exit and the drive out to Ephesus are the same. We meet you at the port: your guide waits at the meeting point right outside the terminal exit, holding a sign with your name, so it takes about a minute to meet up once you step out.

Celebrity Xcel cruise ship moored at a stone quay in Rhodes beside turquoise water and windmills
Plate 03 Celebrity Xcel, one of the Celebrity ships on the Kusadasi schedule.

The tour that fits a typical Celebrity call

Celebrity ships usually spend about 10 hours in Kuşadası. The highlighted row is where most of their guests land.

  1. Time in port: Under 5 hours ashore

    The Open-Air Circle

    No tickets and almost no walking: Artemis, Selcuk and a drive past the ruins.

    Tour length: 3-4 hours

  2. Time in port: 5 to 8 hours

    Just Ephesus

    Ephesus from the Upper Gate down to the Lower Gate, and back with time to spare.

    Tour length: 3-3.5 hours

  3. Time in port: 8 to 9 hours

    Marble, Mosaics and Artemis

    All of Ephesus, the Terrace Houses and the Temple of Artemis.

    Tour length: 5.5-6.5 hours

  4. Where most guests on this line land

    Time in port: 9 hours or more

    The Road of Paul and John

    Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, St. John and Artemis.

    Tour length: 6-7 hours

  5. Time in port: Late arrival, tender or tight call

    All-Aboard Ephesus

    We plan backward from all-aboard and fit in only what fits.

    Tour length: Fits your call

  6. Time in port: You have your own list

    Your Ship, Your Day

    Tell us your ship and your wishes; we build the day around both.

    Tour length: Fits your call

Every tour is private and priced from €33 per person for groups of 8 or more; smaller groups get a private quote. Any group size: 1 to 52 people per coach, and more coaches for larger groups. Entrance tickets are extra, at the official price.

Ten hours leaves room for more than one site

With this much time ashore, a single short stop at Ephesus is not the only option. Our Road of Paul and John tour, at six to seven hours, adds the Basilica of St. John, the House of the Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis around the ancient city. Our Marble, Mosaics and Artemis tour, closer to six hours, goes deeper into Ephesus itself with the Terrace Houses.

If your call runs on the shorter end, closer to eight hours once you count getting off and back on the ship, either tour still fits with time to spare.

Waves breaking on rocks along Kusadasi's seafront promenade at sunset
Plate 04 Evening waves roll in along the breakwater below Kusadasi's hillside town.

Some Celebrity mornings share the pier with other ships

On several of the dates we track, a Celebrity ship is not the only one at Kusadasi that morning. That is worth knowing before you plan: on a multi-ship day, Curetes Street and the Library of Celsus fill up earlier than usual, and an early start makes a real difference to how the site feels.

Celebrity's own calendar at this port also skips the coldest months. In the season we track, no Celebrity ship calls at Kusadasi between November and February, with the busiest stretch running from May through September. Our port schedule shows which dates are busiest.

Visitors walking down marble Curetes Street toward the Library of Celsus
Plate 05 Curetes Street slopes downhill straight to the Library of Celsus facade.

What to tell us when you inquire

Send us your ship's name and the arrival and all-aboard times from Celebrity's daily program, along with your group size and what you most want to see. We plan every day backward from your all-aboard time, so a shorter or later call still gets a full plan rather than a rushed one.

Our Your Ship, Your Day tour is built exactly this way, and our inquiry form is the fastest way to reach us once you have those times in hand.

Celebrity ships in Kuşadası, next 12 months

Ships: Celebrity Infinity (22), Celebrity Ascent (9), Celebrity Xcel (4), Celebrity Equinox (2), Celebrity Eclipse (1).

October 2026 3 calls
DateShipArrivesDepartsIn port
Sun 18 OctCelebrity Infinity08:0020:0012 h
Thu 22 OctCelebrity Ascent08:0018:0010 h
Tue 27 OctCelebrity Infinity08:0020:0012 h
March 2027 1 call
DateShipArrivesDepartsIn port
Sun 28 MarCelebrity Infinity07:0018:0011 h
April 2027 3 calls
DateShipArrivesDepartsIn port
Thu 8 AprCelebrity Infinity07:0018:0011 h
Sun 18 AprCelebrity Infinity07:0018:0011 h
Thu 29 AprCelebrity Infinity07:0018:0011 h
May 2027 5 calls
DateShipArrivesDepartsIn port
Fri 7 MayCelebrity Infinity08:0018:0010 h
Fri 7 MayCelebrity Equinox09:0019:0010 h
Sat 8 MayCelebrity Ascent08:0018:0010 h
Thu 20 MayCelebrity Infinity08:0018:0010 h
Thu 27 MayCelebrity Ascent08:0018:0010 h
June 2027 7 calls
DateShipArrivesDepartsIn port
Tue 1 JunCelebrity Infinity08:0018:0010 h
Fri 4 JunCelebrity Equinox09:0019:0010 h
Tue 8 JunCelebrity Infinity08:0018:0010 h
Sat 19 JunCelebrity Ascent08:0018:0010 h
Tue 22 JunCelebrity Infinity08:0018:0010 h
Tue 29 JunCelebrity Infinity08:0018:0010 h
Tue 29 JunCelebrity Xcel08:0018:0010 h
July 2027 4 calls
DateShipArrivesDepartsIn port
Thu 8 JulCelebrity Ascent08:0018:0010 h
Tue 13 JulCelebrity Infinity08:0018:0010 h
Thu 22 JulCelebrity Infinity09:0019:0010 h
Tue 27 JulCelebrity Xcel08:0018:0010 h
August 2027 5 calls
DateShipArrivesDepartsIn port
Tue 3 AugCelebrity Infinity08:0018:0010 h
Tue 10 AugCelebrity Infinity08:0018:0010 h
Thu 19 AugCelebrity Ascent08:0018:0010 h
Tue 24 AugCelebrity Xcel08:0018:0010 h
Thu 26 AugCelebrity Infinity08:0018:0010 h
September 2027 6 calls
DateShipArrivesDepartsIn port
Sat 4 SepCelebrity Infinity08:0018:0010 h
Sat 11 SepCelebrity Ascent08:0018:0010 h
Tue 14 SepCelebrity Infinity09:0019:0010 h
Mon 20 SepCelebrity Xcel08:0018:0010 h
Thu 23 SepCelebrity Infinity08:0018:0010 h
Thu 30 SepCelebrity Ascent08:0018:0010 h

From the published port schedules, checked September 28, 2026. Times can change; your ship's program always wins.

Library of Celsus facade glowing gold under a bright afternoon sky
Plate 06 Four virtue statues stand in the facade's niches; the originals are in Vienna.

Questions cruise guests ask us

What time does Celebrity dock at Kusadasi?

About 08:00, sailing again near 18:00, on most of the calls we track, close to ten hours ashore. A few calls arrive as early as 07:00 or stay until 20:00. Your ship's own daily program has the exact time for your sailing.

Which Celebrity ships call at Kusadasi?

Mostly Celebrity Infinity, which accounts for more than half the calls we track. Celebrity Ascent calls next most often, with Celebrity Xcel, Equinox and Eclipse appearing less frequently.

How much are Celebrity's own shore excursions at Kusadasi?

We don't set Celebrity's onboard excursion prices, so check your ship's excursion desk or app for the current rate. Our private tours start from €33 per person for groups of 8 or more; smaller groups get a private quote, with your exact total in our reply.

Can we book a private guide instead of Celebrity's ship excursion?

Yes. A private tour works instead of, or alongside, Celebrity's own shore excursion, whichever suits your group. There is no prepayment, so booking with us does not commit you to canceling anything else first.

Info Ephesus is an independent, TÜRSAB-licensed local operator. We are not affiliated with Celebrity; the name is used only to show which ships call at Kuşadası.

On a Celebrity ship to Kuşadası?

Send the ship, the date and your all-aboard time. We reply within 24 hours with a plan and an exact price.

Get My Quote

No prepayment · Reply within 24 hours · TÜRSAB 15746

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