Birthday Yacht Rental Istanbul
A private birthday yacht on the Bosphorus starts at €220 for 2 hours for the whole yacht, up to 12 guests, with captain and crew. From 8 guests that is less per person than a seat on the shared sunset cruise. Cake, balloons, flowers and music are added as extras.
Written by Captain Ahmet, captain and operator at MerrySails. Yacht prices, capacities, extras and the boarding pier come from the booking catalogue.
MerrySails works under Merry Tourism, a TURSAB-backed Istanbul operator (TÜRSAB A Group licence #14316). Every booking is confirmed with a written proposal before payment.
Which yacht for your birthday group
Totals are for the whole yacht with captain and crew. The last column divides the 2-hour total by the largest group the yacht takes, so you can compare with a per-person ticket. The 3-hour total already includes the automatic saving from 3 hours.
| Yacht | Group size | 2 hours | 3 hours | Per guest, full yacht, 2 h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boutique Yacht | Up to 12 guests | €220 | €297 | €18 |
| Merry Breeze Boutique Yacht | Up to 12 guests | €240 | €320 | €20 |
| Private Yacht | Up to 15 guests | €260 | €350 | €17 |
| Premium Yacht | Up to 15 guests | €320 | €432 | €21 |
| Group Yacht | Up to 15 guests | €380 | €513 | €25 |
| Group Yacht | 16–40 guests | €500 | €675 | €13 |
| Event Yacht | 30–90 guests | Quote only | Quote only | — |
| Mega Event Yacht | 80–150 guests | Quote only | Quote only | — |
Private yacht or shared sunset cruise?
The lowest seat on the shared sunset cruise is €30. The smallest private yacht is €220 for the whole boat. Divide one by the other and the private yacht becomes cheaper per guest from 8 people.
For a couple or a small family, the shared cruise is the lower cost. For a birthday group of 8 to 12, the private yacht costs less per head, the deck is yours, and the cake, music and timing follow your plan instead of a public schedule.
Birthday extras you can add
The same list as the booking form. Only the meal has a fixed price; the rest are quoted for your date and group and confirmed in the written proposal.
- 4-Course Meal (Fish / Chicken / Meat / Vegetarian / Vegan)€55 / person
- Birthday Celebration (Cake & Setup)Quote
- Confetti & Balloon DecorationQuote
- FlowersQuote
- Laser ShowQuote
- DJQuote
- Live ViolinistQuote
- Turkish Music GroupQuote
- Professional PhotographerQuote
- Hotel Pickup & Drop-offQuote
- Extra Hour on the WaterQuote
A 2-hour birthday on the water
A working outline, relative to boarding. The start hour, route and cake moment are fixed in the written proposal. If it is a surprise, say so in the request.
0:00
Boarding
Guests board at Karaköy Pier. Private sailings start on the full hour.
0:10
Drinks and route
Soft drinks, tea, water, cookies and mixed nuts are included from the start. The captain follows the route agreed in the proposal along the European and Asian shores.
0:45
Cake moment
Tell us in the request when the cake should come out. One option is the turn of the route, when the whole group can gather on deck for photos.
1:00
Meal or open deck
With the 4-course meal (EUR 55 per person) the table is served on board; without it, the included snacks and drinks continue.
2:00
Return
The yacht is back at Karaköy Pier. An extra hour on the water can be requested in advance.
Related pages
Yacht Charter Istanbul
The full private fleet, durations and every extra.
Private Events
Larger celebrations, event yachts and bespoke plans.
Anniversary Yacht Cruise
When the celebration is for two.
Proposal Yacht Rental
When the surprise is a proposal.
Ideas for the day itself are in our guide to a birthday party boat in Istanbul.
Birthday yacht FAQs
How much does a birthday yacht cost in Istanbul?+
The smallest private yacht starts at EUR 220 for 2 hours for the whole yacht, up to 12 guests, with captain and crew. Larger yachts and longer sailings are in the table on this page. The price is per yacht, not per person.
Is a private yacht cheaper than the shared sunset cruise for a group?+
From 8 guests, the smallest private yacht costs less per guest than the lowest seat price on the shared sunset cruise (EUR 30). Below that, the shared cruise is cheaper per seat, but the boat is shared with other guests.
Can you arrange a birthday cake and decoration?+
Yes. Birthday cake and setup, balloon and confetti decoration and flowers are listed as extras on the booking form. They are quoted for your date and group, and the price is confirmed in the written proposal before you pay.
What is included in the yacht price?+
Captain, crew, fuel, cookies, mixed nuts, soft drinks, tea and water. A 4-course meal is EUR 55 per person; every other extra is quoted separately.
What time can a birthday sailing start?+
Private yachts start only on the full hour, never on the half hour. For a sunset birthday, choose the full hour before sunset on your date and we confirm the route around it.
How large a birthday group can you take?+
Yachts for up to 40 guests book at a published price. For larger groups, up to 150 guests, the event yachts are quoted individually.
What is the cancellation policy?+
Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. Cancellations within 24 hours may be subject to a 50% fee. No-shows are charged the full amount.
Send the date and the group size
Add the extras you want and whether it is a surprise. We reply with the yacht, the start hour and a written price for the whole plan.