Before you sail. After you disembark.
Private Istanbul Stays Before & After Your Cruise
Arrive a few days before your cruise, or stay in Istanbul after it ends. We arrange custom-made private tours, airport and cruise-port transfers, and accommodation if you would like us to include it. We coordinate private touring and transfers for guests embarking, disembarking, or visiting during a daytime or overnight call at Galataport Istanbul Cruise Port.
Your time in Istanbul is planned with you: historical visits, our signature food tour, neighborhood walks, shopping assistance, or time left free. We coordinate the days around your hotel, flight times, and embarkation or disembarkation arrangements.
We are a fully licensed, owner-operated boutique travel company, co-owned by a woman and founded by two licensed professional guides. You work directly with our local team, whose owners remain involved in planning your visit.
For Guests of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection & Emerald Azzurra
If you are sailing with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection or aboard Emerald Azzurra, we can arrange a private Istanbul stay before or after your voyage. We also welcome guests traveling with Oceania Cruises, Viking, Silversea, and other cruise lines.
Share your ship name, sailing date, confirmed terminal, and any arrangements already included with your cruise. We build around those details, whether you need a complete Istanbul stay or private touring alongside a hotel you have booked yourself.
Private Pre-Cruise & Post-Cruise Arrangements
Before Your Cruise
We can arrange pickup from Istanbul Airport (IST) and a private transfer to your hotel. Your guided days then fit around your arrival, interests, and preferred pace.
On embarkation day, we can arrange a private hotel-to-port transfer at the agreed time. A tour before boarding may also be possible, depending on your check-in arrangements and luggage.
After Your Cruise
We can arrange pickup at the confirmed cruise-terminal meeting point and transfer you to your hotel, or begin a private tour if the timing suits you.
Spend the following days in Istanbul, then leave with a separately arranged private airport transfer. If you fly out on disembarkation day, we assess what can fit before your flight.
Hotel check-in, room availability, and luggage arrangements are confirmed separately. We discuss the practical details before agreeing on a tour immediately after arrival or disembarkation.
Two or Three Private Touring Days in Istanbul
These programs are starting points for your stay. Prices are in U.S. dollars and are total starting prices for two travelers. They cover the touring described below; hotels, airport and cruise-port transfers, and optional experiences are additional.
Two Days: Old City & Our Signature Food Tour
Starting from USD 1,200 for two travelers
One day includes Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, and the Grand Bazaar. The other is our Private and Guided Istanbul Food Tour - Taste Of Istanbul, with food and markets on the European and Asian sides.
Included: Licensed English-speaking private guiding on both days, admission to Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace, and the food tour's tastings, non-alcoholic drinks, and public transportation.
Two Days: Old City & Two Continents Tour
Starting from USD 900 for two travelers
Visit Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, and the Grand Bazaar on one day. On the other, visit the Spice Market and Rustem Pasha Mosque, stop at a rooftop coffee house near Galata Tower, and take a public ferry to Kadikoy Market.
Included: Licensed English-speaking private guiding on both days, admission to Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern, and the Two Continents Tour's ferry crossing. Food and drinks are additional and paid directly to vendors. Galata Tower entry is not included.
Three Days: Old City, Food & Neighborhoods
Starting from USD 1,800 for two travelers
Combine the Old City and our signature food tour with a third guided day at the Spice Market, Rustem Pasha Mosque, Fener, and Balat. If your cruise already covers some of these visits, we can discuss a different route.
Included: The Old City and Food Tour program's guiding, museum admissions, and food-tour inclusions, plus a third private guided day. Additional admissions and transportation depend on the agreed route and are confirmed in your proposal.
Two or three touring days do not mean two or three hotel nights. We fit the visits around the length of your stay. Solo travelers, families with children, and parties of more than two are welcome to request a quote.
Changes to museums, routes, or inclusions may affect the price. Your proposal confirms the arrangements before you book. See the detailed multi-day Istanbul programs .
Already Booked Your Hotel or Cruise Extension?
We can arrange your private tours even if your hotel and some transfers are already booked. Send us the sightseeing included with your cruise or extension so we can suggest different visits and avoid repeating the same places.
You can keep your existing hotel reservation. If you would like us to arrange accommodation, tell us your preferred hotel style, room requirements, dates, and approximate budget. Accommodation is quoted separately.
Private Transfers Between Istanbul Airport, Your Hotel & Galataport Istanbul
We coordinate private transfers between Istanbul Airport (IST), your hotel, and your confirmed cruise terminal. For departures and arrivals at Galataport Istanbul Cruise Port, the meeting point and vehicle arrangements are confirmed in advance.
Airport transfers start from USD 125 per vehicle for one transfer, not per person. Hotel-to-port and port-to-hotel transfers are quoted separately according to your arrangements. Mercedes Vito or Mercedes Sprinter vehicles are usually used according to party size and luggage.
Send your flight details, hotel, ship name, terminal information, number of travelers, and luggage requirements. Transfers and private vehicles during touring are included only where stated in your proposal.
Private Experiences to Add to Your Stay
A two-hour private Bosphorus yacht experience, a hamam reservation, cooking class, or private shopping assistance can be arranged around your touring days. Each addition is discussed and quoted separately where applicable.
For shopping, tell us whether you are interested in rugs, tiles, ceramics, jewelry, or textiles. We arrange shopping only when requested, with no obligation to purchase. Read about private shopping assistance .
For a longer journey before or after your cruise, we can include Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale, and Gallipoli, with accommodation, domestic flights, guiding, and transfers arranged as needed. View custom-made Turkey trips .
Private Tours During Your Cruise Stop at Galataport Istanbul
If your ship calls at Istanbul for the day or stays overnight, we can arrange private touring around your time in port. One guided day or visits across two days can include historical sites, food, neighborhoods, or shopping assistance, depending on your interests and ship schedule.
Our tours are custom-made and reserved exclusively for your party, with licensed English-speaking guides. They are priced as private services and may cost more than shared excursions advertised by cruise lines or on cruise forums. Your proposal clearly sets out the itinerary, inclusions, and total price before you book.
We confirm your meeting point at Galataport Istanbul Cruise Port or the terminal specified for your voyage, together with the planned return time. For an overnight call, we can discuss daytime touring, an evening food experience, or private visits on both dates, according to your interests and the time available.
Already have an excursion included with your cruise? Send us the itinerary so we can suggest different visits for your additional time in Istanbul.
Before We Prepare Your Proposal
We listen first. Please share your dates, length of stay, ship name, flight times, party size, children's ages, hotel if booked, and the visits that interest you. Include any dietary requirements or mobility concerns so we can discuss a suitable pace and route.
Our tours are conducted in English. A female guide can be requested, subject to availability. We arrange admission tickets in advance wherever available; mandatory security checks still apply. Historic areas involve uneven surfaces, steps, and periods of standing.
For food allergies, please contact us before confirming a food experience. Restaurants and food venues use shared kitchens and preparation areas, so an allergen-free experience cannot be guaranteed.
For Luxury Travel Advisors
We work with travel advisors arranging private Istanbul stays for clients before or after a cruise. You can request touring alongside an existing hotel booking or a wider proposal covering accommodation, private airport and port transfers, guided visits, and experiences.
You work directly with our owner-operated team. Read about working with us or meet our team .
Questions About Pre- & Post-Cruise Istanbul Stays
Can you arrange a private Istanbul stay before our cruise?
Yes. We can arrange private airport pickup, guided days, accommodation if requested, and a hotel-to-port transfer for embarkation. Share your flight details, hotel if booked, ship name, and boarding arrangements so we can prepare a proposal.
Can you meet us after disembarkation?
Yes. We confirm the cruise-terminal meeting instructions in advance and can arrange a private transfer to your hotel or a tour when the timing allows. Luggage arrangements and hotel check-in availability are discussed before confirming.
Which cruise guests can request these arrangements?
We welcome guests of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Emerald Azzurra, as well as Oceania Cruises, Viking, Silversea, and other cruise lines. We operate independently and are not affiliated with or endorsed by these companies. We confirm arrangements for your specific voyage.
Are your starting prices per person?
No. USD 1,200 for the two-day Old City and Food Tour program, USD 900 for the two-day Old City and Two Continents program, and USD 1,800 for the three-day program are total starting prices for two travelers. Hotels, airport and cruise-port transfers, and optional experiences are additional.
Do we need to book our hotel through you?
No. We can arrange private tours around a hotel you have booked yourself. If you would like us to arrange accommodation, we discuss your preferences and quote it separately.
Can you avoid visits already included with our cruise?
Yes. Send us the itinerary you already have so we can suggest different visits. Changing the route, museums, or inclusions may affect the price, which we confirm before booking.
Are airport and cruise-port transfers included?
They are additional unless specifically included in your proposal. Airport transfers start from USD 125 per vehicle for one transfer. Hotel-to-port and port-to-hotel transfers are quoted separately.
Can we tour on embarkation or disembarkation day?
Possibly. We first review your boarding or disembarkation arrangements, flight times, hotel, and luggage needs. We only suggest a route that fits the time available, with the planned transfer and meeting details confirmed in advance.
Can you adapt the program for dietary requirements or mobility concerns?
Yes. Please tell us about dietary requirements, allergies, children's ages, and mobility concerns before booking. We can discuss a different pace, more breaks, or alternative visits. Food venues use shared kitchens, so we cannot guarantee an allergen-free experience.
Do you also offer private shore excursions from Galataport?
Yes. We arrange private port-day tours around your ship's schedule, agreed meeting point, and planned return time. Contact us with the ship name, date, arrival and all-aboard times, group size, and interests.
Can we extend our stay beyond Istanbul?
Yes. We can arrange a longer private Turkey itinerary including Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale, or Gallipoli, together with the accommodation, domestic flights, guiding, and transfers needed for your trip.
How do we request a proposal?
Contact us with your dates, ship name, length of stay, party size, flight details, hotel if booked, interests, and any dietary or mobility requirements. We review your plans personally and confirm the itinerary, inclusions, and price before booking.
Istanbul, before or after your voyage.
Discuss Your Private Istanbul Stay
Tell us when you will be in Istanbul, which cruise you are joining or leaving, and how you would like to spend your days. We will ask the questions needed and prepare your arrangements with you.