The Loathe Boat: the honking cruise ships ‘ruining’ Istanbul’s port

Two years after Galataport opened to fanfare as a tourism success story, not everyone is happy about how it has transformed the Turkish coastline

Even if you don't see them, the sound is inescapable. Mammoth cruise ships have become so familiar to those living near the Istanbul port that some local people have taken to studying the arrival times to avoid having to look at them. But they can't escape the noise: a booming horn that ricochets over the surrounding hills. Ships from one particular cruise line even honk the theme to the television show The Love Boat as it pulls into port.

They're huge," says a waiter, who gave his name as Ali, at a municipal cafe on a hill that directly overlooks Galataport, the purpose-built dock and luxury complex for cruise ships. It completely obscures the view when they arrive."