Istambul Travel dinner cruise review: who runs it and what you get

Istambul Travel's dinner show cruise is a decent, well-reviewed evening, but nothing about it justifies paying more than the listings that board at the same Kabataş landing for less. Book it only if its date, inclusions or reviews suit you better than those.

Who Istambul Travel is

"Istambul Travel", spelled with an m, is the supplier name on one GetYourGuide listing: Bosphorus Cruise with Dinner Show (GetYourGuide 417911). We found no company website (the obvious domains do not resolve), no licence number and no legal name. The listing does not name the boat.

The most likely explanation is a reseller of seats on a dinner boat run by someone else. Listing copy on a reseller site gives the meeting point as the Dentur Avrasya landing at Kabataş, the same pier from which Dentur's own Turkish-night cruise and several other agencies' dinners leave. That does not prove which boat you board; it does tell you the evening is part of a crowded market of similar products.

The boat and the pier

The meeting point given in the listing copy is the Dentur Avrasya Kabataş landing on Meclis-i Mebusan Caddesi, reached by the T1 tram to its Kabataş terminus or the F1 funicular from Taksim. The meeting time is 19:45–20:25. Dentur has two landings at Kabataş: the ferry terminal and a separate wooden tour pier signposted for the Turkish night, sunset and Bosphorus tour. Check your voucher for which one, and see the Kabataş pier guide.

Neither the boat nor its capacity is published. Dinner boats on the strait range from mid-size boats to Turyol's Bosfor, licensed for 601 passengers, so assume a shared hall with a stage rather than an intimate dinner.

The evening, step by step

The listing and its copy describe a 3-hour cruise along the lower Bosphorus with dinner and a show. Dinner boats cruise the lower strait between the Old City and the bridges while the show runs; the exact turning point is not published.

Two points to know. The whirling dervish on a dinner boat is a stage act, not the religious sema ceremony; for the real ceremony see the Turkish night show guide. And outside food and drink are not allowed on board.

Prices: Istambul Travel vs the same pier

Istambul Travel's listing starts at about $39 per person. Alcohol is an extra package; pick-up is an option. Other dinner listings leaving Kabataş, including Dentur's own on GetYourGuide (Pereme Tours, from about $23), start lower, and the two biggest dinner listings start at about $29–31.

☾ Evening

GetYourGuide3 h

Istanbul: Bosphorus Cruise with Dinner Show

4.4 (2,190)

from $39Check dates

☾ Evening

GetYourGuide3 h⚓ Kabataş

Istanbul: Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Night Show

4.6 (2,281)

from $23Check dates

☾ Evening

GetYourGuide3 h⚓ Kabataş

Istanbul: Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show with Private Table

4.8 (75,584)

from $31Check dates

☾ Evening

GetYourGuide3 h⚓ Karaköy

Istanbul: Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Night Show

4.8 (14,511)

from $29Check dates

Istambul Travel on GetYourGuide →Prices checked on October 17, 2026

Prices are from-prices on 16 October and move daily. Options (window table, alcohol, transfer) change the total more than the base price does, so compare like for like.

What travelers should check

We have no reliable summary of review themes for this listing. Before you pay, check on the live listing:

• The boat name and the exact pier, which may only appear on the final voucher.
• What the drinks package covers. "Unlimited" on Bosphorus dinner boats usually means local drinks (rakı, beer, house wine, vodka, gin); imported brands are extra.
• Table type. The base price is normally a shared table; private, window and front-of-stage tables cost more.
• Pick-up zone. Dinner-cruise pick-ups cover central hotels on the European side only, not Kadıköy, Üsküdar or the airports. Be in the lobby 10–15 minutes early.
• Diet. Ask for vegetarian or other menus when you book.

How to book and cancel

The product is sold only through GetYourGuide. The listing allows free cancellation up to 24 hours before, and GetYourGuide offers reserve now, pay later on most listings, which is useful for holding a dinner seat while plans are uncertain. If the cruise is cancelled for weather, the operator decides and GetYourGuide rebooks or refunds under its terms. Tips are usually not included; carry some Turkish lira in cash.

Alternatives

• Dentur Avrasya: its own Turkish-night cruise from the same Kabataş pier, on GetYourGuide as Pereme Tours.
• Mega Lüfer: the dinner listing with the largest review base, from the Kadoil landing at Kabataş.
• Turyol: the Bosfor dinner ship from Karaköy at 20:30, 50 USD direct or 80 USD with alcohol (direct tickets non-refundable).
• Orient Bosphorus: direct-only dinner cruises from Karaköy at €50–120.
• All options, tiers and piers: our Bosphorus dinner cruise guide.

Istambul Travel: questions