TÜRSAB A-Group · Verified Direct Rates · 2026
Bosphorus Cruise Prices in Istanbul (2026): The Complete Price Index
From the €7 public ferry to a €500+ private yacht — every format, priced.
The short answer
Bosphorus cruise prices in Istanbul range from about €7 for the public Şehir Hatları or Turyol ferry to €500+ for a private yacht charter — the format you pick decides the price. A shared sunset cruise is €34 per person (€40 with wine) for a guided two-hour golden-hour route. A shared dinner cruise runs €30 to €90 per person across four packages, with the Turkish-night show included. A private yacht is priced per boat, not per person: from €220 for a boutique yacht (up to 12 guests) and rising by tier and capacity, with a flat 10% discount from three hours. Shared sunset and dinner cruises are sold per person; yacht charter and hourly rental are sold per boat. All figures below are MerrySails direct booking rates — no OTA markup, no booking fee.
The Price Index — Shared Cruises (Per Person)
Shared departures sell a seat on a scheduled boat. These are the lowest-commitment ways onto the Bosphorus, and the cheapest line is the public ferry — transit only, no guide or refreshments.
| Option | Price | Pricing basis | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bosphorus Sunset Cruise | €34 / person (€40 with wine) | Per person · shared | 2 hours |
| Bosphorus Dinner Cruise | €30 – €90 / person (4 packages) | Per person · shared | 3.5 hours |
| Public Bosphorus Ferry | ≈ €7 – €12 | Per person · public transit | 1.5 – 2 hours |
The Price Index — Private Yacht Charter (Per Boat)
Private charter is priced per vessel, captain and crew included. Each yacht has a two-hour entry rate and an hourly step-up; a flat 10% discount applies automatically from three hours. See the full breakdown on the yacht charter Istanbul page.
| Yacht tier | Price (per boat) | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Boutique Yacht | €220 / 2h (€110/hr step-up) | Up to 12 guests |
| Premium Yacht | €320 / 2h (€160/hr step-up) | Up to 15 guests |
| Group Yacht (Standard) | €380 / 2h (€190/hr step-up) | Up to 40 guests |
| Group Yacht (Signature) | €500 / 2h | 15 – 40 guests |
| Event / Mega Event Yacht | By bespoke quote | Up to 90 / 150 guests |
Market Context — How the Prices Compare
The Bosphorus is served by three very different price tiers. The public boats are the cheapest way to cross the water; a guided cruise buys you the narrated route, refreshments, and a curated experience.
| Source / operator | What you get | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Şehir Hatları (public ferry) | Scheduled public transit, no guide | ≈ €7 – €12 |
| Turyol (public/short tour boats) | Short scheduled sightseeing loops | ≈ €8 – €15 |
| MerrySails (this operator) | Guided shared cruise + private charter | €34 sunset · €30-€90 dinner · €220+ yacht |
Sources: public-transit fares from Şehir Hatları and Turyol scheduled services; guided-cruise and charter figures are MerrySails published direct rates (see full pricing).
From the wheelhouse — Captain Ahmet
“People ask me why one Bosphorus cruise is €7 and another is €500, and the honest answer is that you are not buying the same thing. The €7 ferry is a bus on water — it gets you across, nothing more. What you pay for on a cruise is the route, the timing, the guide, and the boat being yours or shared. We have run this water under a TÜRSAB A-Group licence since 2001 and hosted more than 50,000 guests, so my advice is simple: pick the format that matches your evening, not the lowest number you can find. The price is just the format wearing a price tag.”
MerrySails — TÜRSAB A-Group licensed since 2001 · 50,000+ guests hosted · TÜRSAB #14316
Book direct at these prices — no OTA markup
MerrySails has hosted 50,000+ guests since 2001 as a TÜRSAB A-Group licensed operator. Every figure on this page is the direct booking rate — send your date and guest count and we will route you to the right cruise and confirm the price.
Book the right Bosphorus cruise
Now that you know the prices, go straight to the booking page that fits your evening. For a full side-by-side of formats, start at the Bosphorus cruise comparison hub.
Bosphorus cruise price FAQs
How much does a Bosphorus cruise in Istanbul cost in 2026?▼
Prices span a wide band by format. The cheapest option is the public Şehir Hatları / Turyol ferry at roughly €7-€12. A shared sunset cruise is €34 per person (€40 with wine), and a shared dinner cruise runs €30 to €90 per person across four packages. A private yacht is priced per boat, not per person: from €220 for a boutique yacht up to €500 for the group signature, with larger event yachts by quote.
Are Bosphorus cruise prices per person or per boat?▼
It depends on the format. Shared sunset and dinner cruises are priced per person — you buy a seat on a scheduled departure. Private yacht charter and hourly boat rental are priced per boat: one flat rate covers your whole group up to the vessel's capacity, so the per-person cost falls as your group grows.
What is the cheapest Bosphorus cruise in Istanbul?▼
If you only want to be on the water, the public Şehir Hatları or Turyol ferry is the cheapest at around €7-€12 — but it is transit, with no live guide, no refreshments, and no curated route. Among guided experiences, the shared sunset cruise at €34 per person is the lowest-priced way to get the narrated golden-hour Bosphorus route with a small group.
Is a private yacht charter cheaper than buying separate cruise tickets?▼
For larger groups it can be. A €220 boutique yacht holds up to 12 guests, so two hours works out near €18-€20 per head for a fully private boat — competitive with shared dinner-cruise package rates while giving you the entire vessel and your own route. For two people, the shared sunset or dinner cruise is the cheaper choice.
Do longer private charters get a discount?▼
Yes. Private yacht charter has a two-hour entry rate and an hourly step-up per vessel, and a flat 10% discount applies automatically from three hours onward. There is no promo code — the longer-charter discount is calculated at checkout.