Istanbul Dinner Cruise

This shared dinner cruise is built around four public packages on the same Bosphorus night route: Silver Dinner Cruise - Soft Drinks at EUR 30, Silver Dinner Cruise - Alcoholic at EUR 45, Gold Dinner Cruise - Soft Drinks at EUR 80, and Gold Dinner Cruise - Unlimited Alcohol at EUR 90. The cruise lasts about 3.5 hours, runs on a shared dinner boat, and uses the Kabatas Pier boarding flow. For many central European-side hotels, pickup and drop-off are part of the shared dinner-cruise operation, and the live calendar currently shows 20:30 departures. Across the ladder, the evening combines dinner service, stage entertainment, DJ music, and illuminated Bosphorus views. The main package differences are not the route itself but the table tier, beverage inclusion, and dinner-menu level. Silver stays with standard seating arranged by the operation, while Gold moves into guaranteed stage-close VIP tables with a wider menu and more premium service. The dinner menu follows a classic Turkish-night banquet structure. Both Silver and Gold packages open with a welcome cocktail and a spread of 10 cold mezes — typically white bean salad, stuffed vine leaves (yaprak sarma), hummus, tarama, shepherd’s salad, roasted red pepper, cacik (yogurt with cucumber and mint), eggplant salad, white cheese, and seasonal pickles. A fresh seasonal salad and a hot starter follow before the main course. The main course is served as a live-selection at the table: guests choose between a fish option, chicken option, or a meat dish. Vegetarian guests can request a grilled vegetable plate or pasta as a substitute — inform the crew at boarding and the kitchen will accommodate. The meal closes with baklava (flaky pastry layered with pistachio and honey syrup) and a fresh fruit plate, accompanied by Turkish coffee or tea. Silver packages serve the same menu with standard seating. Gold packages elevate the experience with a broader VIP dinner menu — additional starter choices, chef-attended main-course service, and priority table placement guaranteeing stage visibility. Gold Unlimited Alcohol adds unlimited local and imported alcoholic drinks (raki, wine, beer, spirits) on top of the VIP food menu. Children are warmly welcome on all dinner cruise packages. The kid-friendly environment includes the show program, the illuminated Bosphorus sailing, and the same dinner menu. Children aged 3 and under join free of charge; ages 4 to 10 are eligible for a child discount — confirm when booking. Families regularly choose Silver Soft Drinks as the most comfortable format for mixed-age groups. The entertainment program runs in three acts across the 3.5 hours: an opening Turkish folklore and belly-dance segment, a live music interlude with Turkish and international hits, and a DJ-led finale. The stage sits centrally in the main saloon — Gold tables are positioned within 5 metres of the stage. The program runs in parallel with dinner service so guests never have to pause eating to watch the show. The Istanbul dinner cruise departs from Kabatas Pier at 20:30. Pickup from central European-side districts (Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Topkapi, Taksim, Harbiye, Beyoglu, Karakoy) is included in all packages. Asian-side guests should make their way independently to Kabatas — return timing after the cruise is typically around midnight, which is too late for regular ferry connections. With 50,000+ guests hosted since 2001 under TURSAB A Group license, Merry Tourism operates this route as one of Istanbul’s most consistently rated shared dinner-cruise products.