Full Day Princes Islands Cruise Tour from Istanbul with Lunch

⭐ ZERO STARS — ONE OF THE WORST CRUISE EXPERIENCES EVER

⭐ ZERO STARS — ONE OF THE WORST CRUISE EXPERIENCES EVER — DO NOT BOOK ⭐ 0/5 — If zero stars were possible, that is exactly what this cruise deserves. This was an extremely disappointing, uncomfortable, overcrowded and poorly organised experience from beginning to end. We have travelled to many places and taken cruises before, but we have never experienced anything remotely like this. The difference between what was advertised and what actually happened was absolutely shocking. 🚨 250–300 PEOPLE INSTEAD OF 60 ( As Advertised) — COMPLETELY OVERCROWDED We were told that the groups would be up to 60 people. Instead, there appeared to be approximately 275–300 PEOPLE on the cruise. 275–300 people instead of 60 is not a minor discrepancy — it is an enormous difference. The boat was packed to an unacceptable level, making the entire experience uncomfortable and, in our view, raising serious safety concerns. 🔥 LOWER DECK — EXTREMELY HOT WITH NO ADEQUATE AIR-CONDITIONING The lower enclosed deck was absolutely boiling. There was glass all around, hundreds of people were packed inside, and despite there being an air-conditioning system, it was not adequately operating. The heat became unbearable. People were sweating, exhausted, thirsty and desperately trying to find somewhere cooler. The result was predictable: everyone started moving towards the upper open-air deck to escape the heat. 🚨 UPPER OPEN-AIR DECK — EXTREMELY OVERCROWDED AND UNSAFE Because the lower deck was so unbearably hot and had no adequate air-conditioning, the upper open-air deck became massively overcrowded. There were so many people trying to escape the heat that there was not even enough space to stand properly or safely. On a moving cruise ship, having hundreds of people packed onto an already crowded open deck with virtually no room to move is deeply concerning. There was no comfortable space, no proper personal space and barely any room to stand safely. This was not what we expected when booking a relaxing Bosphorus cruise. It felt more like being packed into an overcrowded vessel. 💧 WATER — AN ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE EXPERIENCE With the food, we were given an extremely small cup of water — approximately 120 ml. When we asked for a simple additional cup of drinking water, we were refused and told that we had to buy water. We were effectively being told that they could not provide more than this tiny amount of water with the meal. In 30–32°C heat, with hundreds of people crowded together and passengers already struggling with the heat, this was completely unacceptable. I have honestly never experienced anything like this in my life. Basic drinking water should not be treated as a luxury on a crowded cruise in extreme heat. 🍽️ FOOD — TERRIBLE The food was extremely poor and disappointing. Considering the overall experience and what was paid for, the standard of the food was nowhere near what we expected. 🚽 BATHROOMS — DIRTY, BROKEN AND UNACCEPTABLE The bathrooms were another major disappointment. They were dirty, poorly maintained and in a very poor condition. There were broken facilities and, incredibly, bathrooms without proper handles or locks. This is simply unacceptable for a passenger cruise carrying hundreds of people. 🚨 THE END OF THE CRUISE — ANOTHER COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY ORDEAL After spending hours in the heat, overcrowding and uncomfortable conditions, everyone was exhausted, thirsty and simply wanted to return to their hotels. Instead of allowing passengers to return directly to their accommodation, we were made to walk approximately 10–12 minutes in scorching 30–32°C heat to visit a leather factory and watch a leather show. At that point, this was the last thing anyone wanted or needed. We had already paid for the transportation as part of the cruise arrangement. We were so exhausted that we eventually decided to pay for our own taxi rather than continue with this unnecessary detour. ❌ OVERALL — A COMPLETE FAILURE This cruise failed on comfort, organisation, cleanliness, food, customer service and basic passenger care. The combination of: 275–300 people instead of the advertised 60 Extreme overcrowding No adequate air-conditioning on the lower deck Lower deck unbearably hot Upper open-air deck dangerously overcrowded Not even enough space to stand safely on the upper deck Tiny ~120 ml cup of water Refusal to provide additional drinking water Being told to buy water in extreme heat Terrible food Dirty and broken bathrooms Bathrooms without proper locks/handles Unnecessary leather factory visit at the end Walking 10–12 minutes in 30–32°C heat when everyone simply wanted to return to their hotels Having to pay for our own taxi to escape the situation made this one of the worst organised tourist experiences we have ever had. ⭐ ZERO STARS — ABSOLUTELY NOT RECOMMENDED If I could give ZERO STARS, I would. We would NEVER, EVER book this cruise again. We strongly advise other visitors NOT to make the same mistake. There are plenty of reputable Bosphorus cruise operators available. Pay a little more — even £10 extra — and choose a well-established, reputable company that prioritises passenger safety, comfort and basic hospitality. Do not be fooled by the advertised group size. 60 people advertised vs approximately 275–300 people actually on board is simply unacceptable. ZERO STARS. NEVER AGAIN. STRONGLY NOT RECOMMENDED.

via Tripadvisor