Galataport Istanbul · Private shore days for cruise guests

Your ship gives you nine hours. We give you Istanbul.

Book your day ashore when you book your cruise, not on board with patchy Wi‑Fi. We meet you at Galataport in a private Mercedes‑Benz Vito with your driver and licensed guide, take you to the city's best tables and sights, and have you back on time. Guaranteed.

Build my day See the 3 packages

15M+ people 2 continents 1 day, done like a local 1 h before departure, back at the ship

Galataport callsKaraköy cruise terminal · local time

Next ship: —

DateShipLineDocksSailsStatus

Indicative, from published cruise timetables. Always confirm times with your cruise line.

Licensed operatorTours run by OZYO Global, TÜRSAB licence no. 10178

Licensed local guidesIstanbullus who know every corner of the city

On‑time return, guaranteedAt the terminal 1 hour before your ship departs. Always.

Met at GalataportPrivate Mercedes‑Benz Vito, 7 guests per van

Onboard excursion vs. a day with us

Three programmes on the ship. A whole city ashore.

Most ships sell the same three outings in Istanbul: dinner in Kumkapı with Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, or Dolmabahçe Palace. They're fine. They're also priced for a captive audience and run for a coachload.

Ship's excursion desk

Galata Days

When you book

On board, in the days before port

At home, the week you book your cruise

Group

Shared coach with other passengers

Just your party, in a private Mercedes‑Benz Vito

Route

Three fixed programmes

Built around what you want to see and eat

Lunch

Set group menu

Fishermen's tables, kebab masters, a rooftop view

Getting back

Back when the coach is back

Guaranteed on time: at the terminal 1 hour before departure

Price

Onboard pricing, per person

Three clear packages, priced for your group on request, typically well below

Three ways to spend the day

Pick your Istanbul day.

Two ready‑made days and one made just for you. Tell us your group and we'll price your day within 24 hours. Want to swap a stop? Every package can be tailored below.

Vezir

vezir · the sultan's trusted minister

The classics, done properly. Istanbul's greatest hits without the coach.

~6 hashore

7guests per Vito

On requestpriced for your group

Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome, early before the queues
Grand Bazaar with your guide (Spice Bazaar on Sundays)
Lunch at a local kebab house
Private Mercedes‑Benz Vito, driver and licensed guide

See a sample day

08:45Meet at Galataport, drive to Sultanahmet
09:15Hagia Sophia
10:30Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome, on foot
11:45Grand Bazaar
13:00Kebab lunch near the bazaar
14:00Drive back across the Golden Horn
14:40Back at the Galataport terminal

Ship docking 08:00. Mosques are done before midday prayers, Fridays included.

Get my Vezir price

Our pick

Pasha

pasha · live like one for a day

The Old City in the morning, the Bosphorus in the afternoon. And no traffic on the way back: we sail home.

~8 hashore

7guests per Vito

On requestpriced for your group

Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome
Lunch in Kumkapı, the old fishermen's quarter: fish or meat, your choice
Private boat up the Bosphorus with drinks and snacks on board, stepping ashore in Karaköy by your ship
Istanbul from above: Galata Tower, a short walk from the terminal
Private Mercedes‑Benz Vito, driver and licensed guide

See a sample day

08:45Meet at Galataport, drive to Sultanahmet
09:15Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome
12:00Lunch in Kumkapı: fish or meat
13:50Private boat from Eminönü up the Bosphorus
15:20Step ashore in Karaköy
15:30Galata Tower
16:40Back at the Galataport terminal

Ship docking 08:00, departing 18:00. The last leg is by sea and on foot, so traffic can't touch it.

Get my Pasha price

Bespoke

Sultan

sultan · your wish is our command

Your own idea, made real. From one special day ashore to the whole trip around your cruise, tell us what you have in mind. We review every request and tell you honestly what we can arrange.

Tailor‑madeany length

Any sizegroups welcome

On requestreviewed and approved by us

Not on a cruise? No problem. We organise everything for any trip to Istanbul and Türkiye, start to finish.

Your vehicle

VIP Vito lounge, guide on board · up to 5 guests
VIP Vito lounge, without guide · up to 6 guests
Mercedes Vito, guide on board · up to 7 guests
Mercedes Vito, without guide · up to 8 guests

Without a guide on board? We can have one meet you at any stop you choose.

What we can arrange

Hotels before and after your cruise
Airport transfers (IST & SAW) and private drivers
Flights and visa support
Multi‑day trips: Cappadocia, Ephesus and beyond
Private yachts, boats and jets
Celebrations, private groups and events

Send your request. We review it within 48 hours and reply with a plan and a price, or honestly tell you if it isn't something we can do well.

Send your Sultan request

Every day includesMeet at GalataportOn‑time return, guaranteedAccident & medical insurance

Good to know: the Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays, Dolmabahçe Palace on Mondays and Topkapı Palace on Tuesdays. Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque close to visitors at prayer times, and for a longer stretch around midday on Fridays. We plan every day around these for the date your ship calls, and re‑time it to your ship's actual hours.

Insurance: every guest is covered by personal accident and emergency medical insurance for the whole tour day, from the moment we meet you at Galataport until you're back at the ship. It's included in every package, arranged by our TÜRSAB‑licensed operating partner OZYO Global, and the policy summary comes with your booking confirmation.

Meeting point & your van

Met at Galataport. Driven in a Mercedes‑Benz Vito.

No taxi queue, no coach park. Your driver and licensed guide wait at the cruise terminal exit and stay with you until you're back at the gangway.

WhereGalataport cruise terminal exit, Karaköy. Your guide holds a board with your name.
VehicleMercedes‑Benz Vito, air‑conditioned, 9 seats: driver, guide and up to 7 guests.
Bigger group?We add vans, each with its own driver and guide, moving together.
ReturnBack at the terminal 1 hour before your ship departs. Guaranteed.

Your party

1 van2 of 7 guest seats used

Driver & guideYour partyFree seat

Build your day

Or build your own day.

Tap the experiences you want. The planner puts them in a sensible route, adds typical drive times between stops, checks opening days, and keeps a 1‑hour buffer before your ship departs that we never touch.

How it works

Sorted before you sail.

Arranging a day ashore from the ship is hard: the connection drops at sea, and the good tables and cars are gone by the time you try. So we plan it with you at least a week ahead.

Book your cruiseAny line, any itinerary that stops in Istanbul.
Tell us your shipShip, date and party size, at least 7 days before you dock.
Pick your dayVezir or Pasha, your own mix, or a Sultan request for anything you can imagine. Your plan and your group's price arrive within 24 hours.
Step off and goYour driver and guide wait at the Galataport terminal exit with your name and your Vito. Back on time, guaranteed.

7 daysahead is our booking cut‑off, so vehicles, guides and tables are confirmed, not hoped for.

1 hourbefore your ship departs, you're back at the terminal. Guaranteed, every time: each plan is built backwards from it.

24 hto your plan and your group's price, answered by a person, not a bot.

Questions

Before you ask.

What if my ship changes its arrival time?

We track your ship's call, and your plan moves with it. If the port time changes, we re‑plan the day around the new window and confirm with you before you dock.

Do you guarantee I'll be back on the ship in time?

Yes, absolutely. Every plan is built backwards from your ship's departure time and you're back at the Galataport terminal at least 1 hour before it. Your driver stays with the van all day, so the ride back is never waiting on a taxi.

Where do we meet, and how many fit in a van?

At the Galataport cruise terminal exit in Karaköy, the moment you step ashore. Each Mercedes‑Benz Vito carries up to 7 guests plus your driver and guide. Bigger groups travel in several vans, each with its own driver and guide.

Is it private?

Yes. The van, driver, guide and plan are for your party only. Travelling with friends from the ship? Add them to the same booking.

Am I insured during the tour?

Yes. Every guest has personal accident and emergency medical insurance for the tour day, included in the price. Our vehicles and boats also carry their own passenger insurance. You'll receive the policy summary with your booking confirmation.

Can you arrange more than a shore day?

Yes. With a Sultan request we can organise everything around your trip: hotels, airport transfers, flights, multi‑day tours across Türkiye, private yachts and jets, celebrations and events. You don't need to be on a cruise. We review each request and reply within 48 hours with a plan and price, or tell you honestly if it isn't something we can do well.

Who actually runs the tour?

Tours are operated by a TÜRSAB‑licensed Turkish travel agency, with licensed guides, professional drivers and insured transport. Their licence number is shown on every booking.

Why don't you show prices?

Because every group is different. The price depends on how many of you there are, how many vans you need and the date your ship calls. Send us your group and we'll reply with one clear price within 24 hours, with nothing to pay until you confirm.

How do I pay?

No prepayment to see your plan. Once you're happy with it, we confirm the booking and send payment details along with your insurance summary.