Rhapsody of the Seas alternates 07:00-17:00 Sunday calls and 08:00-18:00 weekday calls in Kuşadası in 2027. How the extra hour changes a yellow taxi day.
Rhapsody of the Seas comes to Kuşadası fourteen times from May to September 2027 in the port schedule we follow, and its calls come in pairs: a weekday call, usually a Monday, from 08:00 to 18:00, and a Sunday call five or six days later from 07:00 to 17:00. Both are ten hours long. The difference is where the hour sits, and in summer an hour earlier in the morning is worth a lot.
Sunday calls: 07:00 to 17:00
The early start is the advantage. In the taxi at about 07:30, at Ephesus around opening time (check current opening hours), and through the main walk before the heat and the late-morning groups. Back at the port by 16:00.
- About 08:00 to 10:15: Ephesus, upper gate to lower gate
- About 10:30: House of the Virgin Mary, in the hills above
- About 11:45: Temple of Artemis, a short stop
- About 12:15: lunch break in Selçuk
- About 13:30 to 14:45: Şirince
- About 15:25: back at the port
Weekday calls: 08:00 to 18:00
One hour later means Ephesus a little busier and warmer, so consider turning the morning around: the House of the Virgin Mary first, then about 15 minutes down to the upper gate for a downhill walk. The cut-off is 17:00, so the same four stops fit with the same margin, just shifted by an hour.
The Selçuk lunch break
On a ten-hour summer day, a proper sit-down lunch between the ancient sites makes the afternoon easier. Selçuk is five to ten minutes from the Ephesus lower gate and from the Temple of Artemis. If you would rather eat in Şirince, skip the Selçuk stop and have a later lunch in the village.
Rhapsody of the Seas calls
- Tue, May 11 · 08:00–18:00
- Sun, May 16 · 07:00–17:00
- Mon, May 31 · 08:00–18:00
- Sun, Jun 6 · 07:00–17:00
- Mon, Jun 21 · 08:00–18:00
- Sun, Jun 27 · 07:00–17:00
- Mon, Jul 12 · 08:00–18:00
- Sun, Jul 18 · 07:00–17:00
- Mon, Aug 2 · 08:00–18:00
- Sun, Aug 8 · 07:00–17:00
- Mon, Aug 23 · 08:00–18:00
- Sun, Aug 29 · 07:00–17:00
- Mon, Sep 13 · 08:00–18:00
- Sun, Sep 19 · 07:00–17:00
Practical points
The driver is paid in cash; there is no card in the taxi. Entrance fees, food and drinks are not included. The basic ride is the port to Ephesus and back, and the House of the Virgin Mary, the Temple of Artemis and Şirince are extra stops with an extra charge. Be back at least 60 minutes before departure, or by the all-aboard time printed on board if earlier. Our Rhapsody of the Seas page covers the port pickup.