Top 13 Yacht and Catamaran Cruises in Istanbul

1.Istanbul Bosphorus Sunset Cruise on Luxury Yacht

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4,465 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $30Our pick

Cruise from Kabataş along both shores of the Bosphorus on a small yacht with indoor and outdoor seating. You’ll pass palaces, mosques, bridges, fortresses, and waterfront neighborhoods while a guide explains the sights. Tea, coffee, lemonade, fruit, baklava, and cookies are included. Bring a jacket and arrive early for the best seats.

“Great staff, wonderful cruise boat, covered lots of areas, fantastic snacks with tea and lemonades, great experience”

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2.Bosphorus Sunset Cruise on Yacht with Live Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 2,845 reviews · 2h 15m · from $19

Sail from Kabataş for 135 minutes past Dolmabahçe Palace, Ortaköy Mosque, Rumeli Fortress, and Maiden’s Tower. An English-speaking guide explains the sights while you enjoy canapés, fruit, tea, coffee, and fresh mint lemonade. The comfortable yacht has covered indoor areas, though open-deck seating can make commentary harder to hear.

“Aleyna was great from the moment she welcome us, and kept making sure we were OK and had everything we needed throughout our trip. The boat was nice and comfortable, a variety of snacks and drinks were provided, and there is also a bar menu if you wish to purchase any beer, wine or spirits. The tour was good and informative and key locations and monuments were pointed out to us throughout the tour. Very good value for money”

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3.Bosphorus Yacht Cruise Experience: Visit the Asian Side

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,251 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $60

Spend about 2.5 hours cruising between Istanbul’s European and Asian shores with an English-speaking guide, Turkish tea, coffee, snacks, and a short Kanlıca stop for its famous yogurt. Hotel pickup is offered in Sultanahmet, Taksim, Karakoy, and Sirkeci, with drop-off at Taksim or Sultanahmet Square.

“It is a very worthwhile experience and is everything that it says on the booking details. The staff are very pleasant and friendly, speak good English the ship is clean and the snacks are good. All in all an excellent trip. I would thoroughly recommend it.”

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4.Bosphorus Sunset Yacht Experience: Istanbul’s Best

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,181 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $48

Sail between Europe and Asia aboard a 25-meter yacht during Istanbul’s golden hour. Expect tea, coffee, juice, lemonade, fresh fruit, canapés, and clear commentary on palaces, mosques, bridges, and fortresses. Guides including Emre, Nahad, Nahed, and John have been praised for friendly service and engaging explanations.

“I enjoyed this tour very much. The service was great—they served us tea and snacks, were punctual, and provided a lot of information. I highly recommend this tour.”

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5.Bosphorus Yacht Cruise with Stopover on the Asian Side – (Morning or Afternoon)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,657 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $48

This 2.5-hour yacht cruise gives you close views of Istanbul's palaces, mosques, bridges, and waterfront neighborhoods, with commentary from guides such as Nahed, Serdar, or Senol. You will stop for about 30 minutes in Kanlıca on the Asian shore to try local yogurt, Turkish coffee, or ice cream. Hotel pickup is available in Fatih and Beyoğlu.

“A great way to spend a relaxing few hours seeing Istanbul from a different perspective. Great tour guide and lovely snacks provided along the way.”

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6.Bosphorus Yacht Cruise at Sunset with Snacks

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,549 reviews · 2 hours - 125 minutes · from $15Best value

Spend about two hours on a small yacht sailing between Istanbul’s European and Asian shores. Expect open-air and indoor seating, views of Dolmabahce Palace, Rumeli Fortress, Bosphorus bridges, and Maiden’s Tower, plus fruit, nuts, cookies, tea, and coffee. Guides such as Kadir, Yasin, and Hasan are praised for friendly commentary, though the guide may vary.

“Amazing Bosphorus boat tour! Hassan was an incredibly kind and attentive guide, making everyone feel very welcome and cared for, always on top of every detail. The cruise itself was exceptional, with beautiful views and a very relaxed atmosphere. Honestly, the price was too low for such a great experience – outstanding value and highly recommended!”

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7.Bosphorus Sunset Cruise on a Luxury Yacht

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,435 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $59

Set out from Kabatas on a 25-meter yacht for 2.5 hours between Istanbul’s European and Asian shores. A live English or Spanish guide, including guide Murat on some departures, explains palaces, mosques, bridges, and waterfront neighborhoods. Expect Turkish tea, baklava, fruit, cookies, lemonade or juice, and a calm sunset ride.

“Wonderful slow cruise on comfortable yacht with informative commentary. Very nice snacks and fruit plates with the option to purchase alcohol. Would recommend for a most enjoyable way to see the Bosphorus in the evening.”

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8.Luxury Sunset Yacht Cruise on the Bosphorus – Refresh & Relax

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 966 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $50

Spend about 2.5 hours on a 35-capacity yacht sailing between Europe and Asia. A live English-speaking guide points out palaces, mosques, bridges, fortresses, and waterfront districts as sunset fades and the Bosphorus Bridge lights up. Tea, coffee, water, fruit, cookies, baklava, and snacks are included. Hotel pickup is optional.

“This was a beautiful way to be introduced to the amazing city of Istanbul. The crew was accommodating and very welcoming. The narrator gave great historical information about the sites on both the European and Asian sides. The boat was spacious and easily accommodated the group. It was clean and well maintained. The wind was brutally cold but blankets were offered and available for everyone. The sunset was incredible and the captain parked the boat in order for us to get the best possible pictures. The tour was punctual and better than advertised. Don’t hesitate to book this experience, you won’t regret it!”

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9.Bosphorus Yacht Cruise with Stopover on Asian Side

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 925 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $47

Spend 2.5 hours on a spacious yacht sailing past palaces, fortresses, bridges, and waterfront neighborhoods on both sides of Istanbul. An English-speaking guide, Turkish tea, coffee, fruit, savory pastries, and snacks are included. The 15-minute Kanlica stop adds a taste of Asian Istanbul and its famous yogurt.

“We did this on our first morning in Istanbul so it was good to be looked after and get a sense of the city. First and foremost the communications with the operator were absolutely excellent, we knew exactly when we were going to be picked up and by whom - even with updates when he was on his way! Super well organised to get us all home too. The boat commentary was good, done with humour and easy to hear. Nice snacks (yummy fresh peach) included with your hot drinks. If I had a negative it was the stop on the Asian side for an overpriced yoghurt which wasn’t really…”

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10.Bosphorus Sunset Yacht Cruise with Live Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 678 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $35

Spend 2.5 hours on a 25-meter yacht between Istanbul’s European and Asian shores. A live English or Spanish guide points out palaces, bridges, fortresses, villas, and towers while you enjoy baklava, fruit, cookies, tea, coffee, and juice. Guides such as Sardar, Janat, and Murad have led past departures.

“Probably the best choice while in Istanbul. Loved it!”

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11.Guided Bosphorus Sunset Cruise on Luxurious Yacht – Small Group Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 385 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $60

Cruise the Bosphorus for about 2.5 hours aboard a comfortable yacht, passing Dolmabahçe, Rumeli Fortress, Beylerbeyi Palace, Maiden’s Tower, and Galata Tower. English commentary explains the sights, while baklava, fruit, cookies, sharbat, tea, and coffee are served. Sinan and Deniz have guided recent departures, with Spanish commentary sometimes available.

“Great tour, very relaxing and enjoyable commentary, delicious snacks! Perfect way to cap off 3 days of hard sightseeing.”

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12.Private Yacht Cruise on Bosphorus

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 207 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $366 per boat (seats 12)

Spend about two hours on a private yacht between Europe and Asia, passing Ottoman palaces, fortresses, bridges, villas, and mosques. Your guide explains the sights while you enjoy tea, coffee, mint lemonade, fruit, cookies, and baklava. Staff names associated with the cruise include Nur, Betül, Erol, Erik, Edmun, and Erbem.

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13.2 Hours Luxury Private Yacht Cruise on the Bosphorus

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 161 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $300 per boat (seats 12)

Spend two hours on a private yacht between Europe and Asia, passing Dolmabahçe, Ortaköy, Rumeli Fortress, Beylerbeyi Palace, and the Maiden’s Tower. Your group gets fresh fruit, cookies, baklava, lemonade, tea, coffee, and water. Staff members including Elena and Nour have received praise for warm, attentive service.

“We enjoyed our private cruise on the Bosporus with a guide. It was a 2 hour cruise that included drinks and snacks. The guide was knowledgeable about the points of interest and history, along the cruise . I would definitely recommend this cruise.”

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