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Galataport Istanbul, Türkiye's largest cruise homeport on the Bosphorus, has set a long-term target of welcoming 1 million cruise passengers as it expects around 520,000 visitors and 200 cruise ship calls by the end of 2026, the port operator's executive said.
During the first half of 2026, Turkish ports welcomed 488 cruise ships carrying a total of 756,455 passengers, including 59,372 arrivals, 63,847 departures, and 633,236 transit passengers, according to the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs.
Istanbul, the country's second-busiest cruise destination after the Aegean province of Kusadasi, handled 93 cruise ship calls and 182,621 passengers over the period.
Tolga Tuncay, Galataport Istanbul's Port Operations Director, said the port's next milestone is to increase total passenger numbers to 750,000 before gradually reaching 1 million.
He also stressed the importance of growing the share of homeport passengers, travelers who begin or end their cruise in Istanbul rather than simply stopping during the voyage. These passengers typically stay longer, use hotels, restaurants, and flights, and generate greater economic value than transit visitors.
Tuncay noted that cruise operations faced setbacks after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the U.S./Israel-Iran war, forcing cancellations of voyages from ships stranded in the Persian Gulf.
He added that Black Sea itineraries, many of which start and end in Istanbul, also remain suspended because of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
"Despite all these geopolitical challenges, we managed to maintain the share of homeport passengers within total cruise traffic in 2026 at the level we achieved in 2025. Cruise companies continuing to use Galataport Istanbul as their home port is an important sign of their long-term confidence in both us and our country," he said.
American travelers account for the largest share of cruise passengers arriving in Istanbul at 25%, followed by visitors from Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain, Tuncay noted. Travelers aged 46 to 75 make up 58% of passengers, while those aged 16 to 45 represent 25%.
He added that younger passengers tend to spend more on food, beverages, and retail shopping, while older visitors—particularly those from the United States—most often purchase gemstones, Turkish carpets, and kilims.
Luxury cruise operators are also expanding their presence in Istanbul. Tuncay said Aman at Sea and Orient Express cruise ships are due to begin calling at the city in 2027, helping attract more high-income travelers.
Galataport can currently handle three large cruise ships and up to 15,000 passengers a day without capacity constraints, Tuncay indicated.
Planned investments include upgrades to improve passenger flow and comfort, along with electricity and LNG infrastructure to support next-generation cruise vessels.
Looking ahead, Tuncay said current booking requests indicate 2027 could outperform 2026 if no new geopolitical disruptions occur.
Galataport Istanbul is controlled by Dogus Holding, while a 49% non-controlling stake is held by a consortium of six Turkish creditor banks following a 2024 debt restructuring.
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