OCCASIONS · CHRISTMAS
Christmas Dinner Cruise in Istanbul
A regular Christmas-period Bosphorus cruise combines dinner, waterfront views and Turkish Night Show in approximately three hours. New Year’s Eve is a separate cruise.
Quick Answer
Christmas Cruise at a Glance
Christmas Eve
December 24; regular cruise format.
Christmas Day
December 25; regular cruise format.
December
Winter conditions.
New Year’s Eve
December 31; separate cruise packages.
Do Bosphorus Dinner Cruises Operate at Christmas?
The regular format applies around December 24 and 25, subject to availability. Choose a regular package and check your date; Christmas is not automatically themed.
Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Dinner Cruise?
December 24 is Christmas Eve; December 25 is Christmas Day. Neither is a separate package category: regular dinner, drinks, pickup and timing apply unless otherwise confirmed.
What Is Christmas Like in Istanbul?
Christmas is observed by Christian communities and visitors, but December 25 is not a nationwide public holiday in Türkiye. Businesses and transport services set their own schedules.
Which Table Option Works for a Christmas Dinner Cruise?
Choose by privacy, show position, menu and drinks; Christmas extras are not automatic.
Shared Table · Soft Drinks
€45 per adultShared; unlimited soft drinks; no alcohol.
Shared Table · Alcoholic Drinks
€55 per adultShared; unlimited soft drinks; two alcoholic drinks.
Private Table
€75 per adultPrivate; unlimited soft drinks; two alcoholic drinks.
Stage-Front Private Table
€85 per adultCloser show category; first row not guaranteed; two alcoholic drinks.
VIP Stage-Front
€125 per adultVIP menu; unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks.
Is There a Christmas Show?
The regular Turkish Night Show remains the format; do not assume a Christmas-themed performance.
- Whirling Dervish and Henna Ceremony
- Caucasian and Turkish Folk Dance
- Gypsy and Belly Dance Group
- Solo Belly Dancer and DJ
Christmas songs, Santa, seasonal costumes and a special DJ set are not promised; order may vary.
What Is a Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Like at Christmas?
December brings winter conditions. Indoor dining and entertainment areas are heated, while the exposed deck calls for warm outerwear and comfortable footwear.
What Can You See on a Christmas Evening Cruise?
The route may include Dolmabahçe and Beylerbeyi palaces, Ortaköy, both bridges, Rumeli Fortress and Maiden’s Tower. These are landmarks, not Christmas attractions; visibility varies.
Hotel Pickup or Self-Arrival at Christmas
Pickup may begin around 19:15 from Taksim, Beyoğlu, Beşiktaş, Şişli, Karaköy, Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Aksaray and Fatih. Boarding is 20:30–20:45; departure 20:45; return 23:45–00:00.
Asian-side hotels are excluded. Pay on Board saves €10 per adult with self-arrival at Dentur Avrasya Kabataş Pier; eligible hotel pickup is available at the standard price. Walking or a short taxi from Galataport may work. Christmas uses regular timing.
Christmas Dinner Cruise vs New Year’s Eve Cruise
Christmas Period
December 24 or 25: regular three-hour format; €45 / €55 / €75 / €85 / €125; no assumed seasonal extras.
New Year’s Eve
December 31: Silver €299, Gold €399 and Platinum €499; separate operations returning at approximately 01:00.
NYE Children
Silver €199, Gold €299 and Platinum €399; infants ages 0–2 are free.
Payment Rules
Regular prices, Pay on Board and its €10 discount do not apply to NYE.
Christmas or New Year’s Eve: Which Experience Are You Looking For?
Christmas Period
December 24 or 25 with the regular format.
New Year’s Eve
December 31 with NYE packages, program and timing.
Can Families Take a Christmas Dinner Cruise?
Ages 0–2
Free on the regular cruise.
Ages 3–8
50% off the selected regular package.
Age 9+
Regular selected-package price.
Important
NYE uses different rules. Christmas menus, Santa, gifts, high chairs, stroller support and childcare are not promised.
What About Christmas Decorations, Cake or Other Extras?
Decorations, cake, gifts, flowers and seasonal extras are not included. Arrangements require advance confirmation and may cost extra.
Christmas Dinner Cruise Checklist
Date
Distinguish December 24, 25 and 31.
Product
Regular for Christmas; NYE for December 31.
Package
Compare privacy, show position, menu and drinks.
Prepare
Bring warm outerwear; plan arrival.
Requests
Confirm seasonal extras in advance.
Christmas Bosphorus Dinner Cruise FAQ
Can I take a Bosphorus dinner cruise on Christmas Eve?
The regular Bosphorus dinner cruise can be booked around the Christmas period according to normal operation and availability. Christmas Eve does not automatically use a separate Christmas cruise package.
Can I take a Bosphorus dinner cruise on Christmas Day?
The regular dinner-cruise format can be used for a December 25 evening according to normal operation and availability. Check your exact date when booking.
Is there a special Christmas dinner menu?
Do not assume a Christmas-specific menu is included. Dinner follows the selected regular or VIP package unless another arrangement is separately confirmed.
Is there a special Christmas show?
Do not assume a Christmas-themed show. The regular experience includes the Turkish Night Show, whose program can include traditional dance performances and DJ entertainment.
Is the cruise heated in December?
Indoor dining and entertainment areas are heated in winter. The outdoor deck remains exposed to the weather, so warm outerwear is useful when going outside.
Is Christmas dinner cruise the same as the New Year’s Eve cruise?
No. Christmas-period bookings use the regular dinner-cruise structure unless otherwise confirmed, while December 31 uses separate New Year’s Eve Silver, Gold and Platinum packages with different prices and operating details.
Are Christmas decorations, cake or gifts included?
No such seasonal extras should be assumed to be included in the regular ticket. Any special request needs to be discussed in advance and separately confirmed.
How long is the regular Christmas-period dinner cruise?
The regular cruise lasts approximately three hours, generally departing around 20:45 and returning around 23:45–00:00. New Year’s Eve follows a separate schedule.