How to rent a yacht in Istanbul
Before you read on, I'm aware the word "yacht" is a little obnoxious. Believe me, I'd rather call it a boat. I'll try my best to get through this guide without rolling my eyes every time I mention it. But for clarity's sake, I'll use that word because this isn't about renting a dinghy or a sailboat or a kayak. Hear me out!PSA: This is not a sponsored post and I don't earn income from reviews I choose to do.
What’s the deal with boats in Istanbul?
Actually, water vehicles are a dime a dozen in this city. Istanbul straddles two continents, and it's a great way to travel up, down, and across the Bosphorus to avoid traffic. There are three bridges connecting Europe and Asia, but with a city that houses 15 million people, traffic is inevitable.
Rent is more affordable on the Asian side. So what some people do is work on the European side, and then live across the Bosphorus. Ferries are scheduled very much like buses to bring people across the city. Homes by the water also have their own boats. Basically, there are a lot of privately-owned yachts here for rent at affordable prices. So much so that Uber tried to take advantage of this by offering Uber Boats in 2015.
Why Should You Rent A Yacht in Istanbul?
We enjoyed ferry tours that cost TRY 25 (USD 5) per person when we arrived last year. We'd be on them every week! But we thought something special was in order for our family since they came all this way to visit us.
It's a different way to see Istanbul's coast and the many architectural artifacts on the Bosphorus. For us, it was my mom's birthday and we wanted to give her something amazing. Remember how the Pamukkale tour guide ruined her birthday? We planned this before they arrived but it also helped make up for that disaster. My mom is a kidney transplant patient and she was taking care of ME and MY DAUGHTER after I gave birth. So, yeah. She deserves an extra special boat ride. Our preferences:
Possible catering onboard
A spot where we can stop and swim, preferably near the Black Sea
Stairs, not ladders, to get to the second level (because we've got old people and a toddler)
Here are some of the yachts that we looked at.
Almira Yat 2
Operated by: Çaglar Odabas
Family-owned
Docked at: Arnavutkoy, Kuruçeşme Marina
Boat capacity: 15-20 people
Catering rate: Breakfast is TRY 80 per person
Hourly rate: TRY 270 (USD 47)
Çaglar doesn't speak English, but his sister Begüm does. They are accommodating and easy to talk to. My family was arriving during the Bayram holidays and the latest we could reserve with a downpayment would be a day before the boat ride. "Sorun yok", (no problem) they said. They even said we could bring our own food. Our deal was they would bring us to Poyraz, a clean swimming area after the third Bosphorus Bridge and right smack by the Black Sea. In the end, I had to apologize that we couldn't book them because the Almira had ladders instead of stairs. Again, they were very gracious about it.
Istanbul Yacht
Operated by: Kadir Bas
Company-owned
Docked at: Kuruçeşme Marina
Boat capacity: 15-20 people
Hourly rate: TRY 600 (USD 104)
This is one of those über-professional yacht rentals. They have an Instagram account filled with the many events they've catered to like wedding proposals, birthday parties, even weddings. I liked them and their boat Storm, but I thought I could find a similar model with a more reasonable rate.
LVT Yat
Company-owned
Docked at: Bebek Marina
Boat capacity: 36 people (Starship)
Catering rate:
Lunch menu is TRY 150 per person
VIP menu is TRY 300 per person
Hourly rate:
1 to 10 people: TRY 800 (USD 139)
11-20 people: TRY 1000 (USD 174)
21-33 people: TRY 1250 (USD 217)
Must like Istanbul Yacht, LVT Yat company is a professional rental company. They have a website and an Instagram account, but I actually found them while walking around the Bebek neighborhood. You can book through their website, and request for add-ons like a guitar, a DJ, photographer, laser show (I know right?), flowers on the table, musicians, etc. Check out their website for the rates on additional services.It's opulent in that you can ask to get picked up in a Maybach to get to the boat. Their driver will pick you up from your airport, hotel, or home and take you to the marina. It's an excellent add-on for people who really want a treat. But we already live near the water and TRY 800 is a little much for me, so even though it's a reputable company, we passed.
Poseidon Yacht
Operated by: Feride Bakirci
Family-owned
Docked at: Bebek Marina
Boat capacity:
Catering rate:
Hourly rate:
TRY 400 (USD 69) - Smaller blue yacht
TRY 750 (USD 130) - Bigger white yacht
I got in touch with Feride thinking I was going to get the white one, but our budget better fit the smaller yacht (left side of the photo). The thing is, my dad can't swim and he has this fear of smaller boats. So I had to pass on this one. Believe me, it was NOT EASY planning a trip for them. But they're my parents and I love them. The Poseidon people also required a reservation of at least three days before the trip, which we couldn't make because of the Bayram holidays and us being in Pamukkale.
Karel Yacht
Family-owned
Docked at: Bebek Marina
Boat capacity: 15 to 20
Catering rate: TRY 80 per person (Breakfast only)
Hourly rate: TRY 470 (USD 81.50)
I forgot the name of the operator. I know, I'm the worst. We liked this one because they're also easy to talk to, it's within our budget, and they allowed us to pay a day before the trip. We asked if we could swim, and they ended up taking us to a quiet, clean, swimming place in Beykoz after the second Bosphorus Bridge.
My mom said she had a wonderful time. We didn't ask the boat to cater because we ate breakfast before heading over. We just brought over some snacks like corn balls, chicharron (from Manila!), and a bunch of fruits. Our rental came with free tea and coffee, but we ended up drinking our own iced tea and water.
The best part: WE SAW DOLPHINS!
Are you thinking of getting a boat when you come visit Istanbul? Hit me up if you need help!