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A New Year's Eve boat party, with the countdown out on the water
On 31 December the venues on land are booked up weeks ahead. Your table is set in the middle of a crowded hall, and you count down with people you have never met.
On a boat the night begins and ends with your group. Towards midnight the boat reaches the spot you agreed with the captain beforehand; when the clock strikes twelve, two volcanoes are lit and the sparks shooting up from the deck light the first minute of the new year.
You can count down off Ortaköy, looking at the bridge lights, or head down towards the Maiden's Tower. You make the call together with the captain, who knows the route.
The lights of both shores are in front of you. You enter the new year between Europe and Asia, out on the water, and that is the first thing you will tell people the next day.
How the night of 31 December runs
In 2026, 31 December falls on a Thursday. The latest departure is 00:30 and the last return 02:30. A sample timeline:
For a shorter plan, a 2-hour tour leaving at 23:00 and returning at 01:00 also takes in midnight. If you would like to start with dinner, set the departure around 21:30; when the menu is collected from the route, the table is already laid.
The long plan puts the table and the countdown into one night. The short plan works well as the second half of an evening that began on land: you eat at home or in a restaurant and board the boat towards midnight.
In December the party takes place in the enclosed, heated areas, either on the closable aft deck of SU and SU Prestige or in SU Royal's air-conditioned panoramic glass saloon. If you are going out on the open deck for the countdown, bring a coat.
Pick your date and see the free yachts"Other Parties and Celebrations" is already selected in the card; you choose the yacht and the time in the next step.
See available yachtsThe New Year's Eve table
The meal menu is 2.750 TL per person. It comes ready from our partner restaurant: first cold mezes and a hot starter, then the main course of your choice from meat, chicken, fish or vegetable güveç, with a seasonal salad and a fruit platter alongside. Soft and hot drinks are unlimited all night. The full menu is on the Bosphorus dinner cruise page.
For a group that wants to stay at the table all night, this is the easiest plan; you enter the new year without the table ever being cleared.
If you want a night of music on your feet without a table, unlimited soft drinks, fruit, nuts and Doritos come throughout the tour for 1.275 TL per person.
You can also bring your own ready-to-eat food and drinks for 600 TL per person; the crew serves them, and there is no charge for your New Year cake. Nothing is cooked on the boat, and there is no barbecue either. All you need to do is choose the menu at least 1 h before the tour.
Midnight and the entertainment
- Two volcanoes, 1.500 TL: sparks shooting up from the deck at the stroke of twelve.
- Celebration cake, 2.950 TL.
- Fasıl ensemble, 19.500 TL.
- Belly dancer show, 9.500 TL.
- Violinist, 9.750 TL.
These extras are chosen at least 24 hours before the tour; for New Year's Eve, do not leave them to the last day.
On dinner tours the table is laid simply and elegantly; beyond that we have no decoration service, and you can bring your own accessories. Your party hats and the playlist you have put together for the countdown come aboard with you.
The New Year's Eve price
On 31 December the normal yacht price applies. Menus and extras keep their price. Prices for the night start at 31.250 TL (5 hours on SU). You see the exact price in the form when you choose 31 December as the date.
| Boat | Standing | Dining setup |
|---|---|---|
| SU | up to 12 guests | up to 12 guests |
| SU Prestige | up to 12 guests | up to 12 guests |
| SU Orion | up to 24 guests | up to 20 guests |
| SU Royal | up to 36 guests | up to 30 guests |
The price is for the whole boat, with captain, crew and fuel included, and prices include VAT. Departure from Arnavutköy pier is free; if you board at another pier, the docking fee appears separately in the form.
For a small family or a few couples, the closed-in aft deck of SU and SU Prestige is enough for a New Year's table; in a dining setup SU seats up to 12 and SU Prestige up to 12. For a big group of friends, SU Orion (up to 20) or SU Royal with its air-conditioned glass saloon (up to 30) will be more comfortable.
Pick your date and see the free yachts"Other Parties and Celebrations" is already selected in the card; you choose the yacht and the time in the next step.
See available yachtsA few things to sort out for New Year's Eve
Departure from Arnavutköy pier is free. If you are on the Asian side, you can board at Kuleli or Beylerbeyi, both free. If you are staying at one of the Bosphorus hotels, such as the Four Seasons Bosphorus or the Çırağan Kempinski, the boat can pick you up there free of charge with the hotel's permission. At piers such as Galataport (4.500 TL) or Karaköy (3.750 TL) the fee is per docking.
You will be back after midnight, so plan how you will get home in advance; your return time is fixed in the booking. The balance is paid on board on the day, in cash (TL, USD or EUR) or by card.
If you bring your own photographer, they count towards the guest numbers too. If you would rather leave the midnight shots to our professional photographer, you can add one for 18.500 TL.
Book your place for 31 December now
On New Year's Eve each of the 4 boats goes out with one group at a time. If your plan is settled, do not hold off on booking.
New Year's Eve is one of our celebration tours, so the card opens with other parties and celebrations selected. Choose 31 December as the date, enter the number of guests and set the boat and the time. Write the spot you would like for midnight in the booking note, and the note is passed to your captain. Secure the night of 31 December with a 50% deposit or by paying in full.
If you are organising your company's New Year dinner, see the corporate yacht event page, and for celebrations on other nights of the year, the yacht party page.
The date is already settled. All that is left is to choose the boat and the time.
