Istanbul All-Inclusive Princes’ Islands Tour+Lunch & Hotel Pickup

The two islands we visited were not particularly beautiful. Now it was nice to be out of the big city and to relax in quiet places. To be honest, the best part of the trip was the atmosphere on the boat, with a DJ who made people happy. Everyone, or almost, was dancing and having fun. That was in itself unexpected but quite fun to see all these people happy together. Lunch was not bad although a plate with pasta, rice, mashed potatoes (they really wanted us to get some good energy), fried chicken and a bit of green salad was not much refined; but for the price you pay, it is plentiful and I am sure many people enjoyed it. Overall, it was not a great experience, but it was fun enough.

This is a warning to anyone considering this itinerary because what’s advertised is not what you actually get. Let me walk you through the reality of our experience. Where do I even start? Prior to our tour, I received a Whatsapp message stating that me and my friend would be picked up at 8:10am. We were down in our hotel lobby at 8:12am, slightly worried we had missed our hotel pick up. I messaged the contact, stating we were outside and immediately got a response that the driver was on their way. Great, I can be patient. 32 minutes later, the contact stated they would be there in 15 minutes. At this point, we delayed getting a quick breakfast worried we’d be behind. 15 minutes turned into 30 minutes, so we didn’t need to rush to get a quick pastry but they didn’t update us with the new ETA. We got picked up, and they apologized, big city, Okay, I can live with that. From there, it was all downhill. We didn’t even board the boat until around 10:00 and didn’t depart until 10:20. When we reached the first island, we had about 45 minutes total—20 of which were spent with a “guide” who simply walked us into a neighborhood, took a cigarette break, and left the tour photographers to run what felt like an unsolicited photo shoot. We weren’t given any meaningful information, history, or context, just constant pressure to take photos we never asked for. The remaining time? You could either pay extra to follow the guide by car, or wander aimlessly. With no direction or recommendations, we just walked around guessing. Got on the boat for our “open buffet of local flavors” and we were flabbergasted. The first plate was a scoop of something. What, I still do not know. Then we were handed a plate of pasta, rice, cabbage & tomato salad, a chicken leg, and what I assume was mashed potatoes. None of this was a buffet, none of this was local flavors, and it was barely edible. The chicken tasted like what I feed my cat, except my cat’s food has more sauce and looks actually cooked. Pasta and potatoes were the only thing edible. How someone can make cabbage and tomatoes taste like nothing should be studied in culinary schools around the world. They could have dropped it on the floor, spit on it, and farted on it and it would have added more flavor. Still hungry, we looked into buying snacks onboard only to find prices bordering on absurd. One Snickers bar was 400 Turkish lira (about $9 USD). That alone tells you everything you need to know. From there, we went to the second island. Again. No guided tour, unless you wanted to pay to do the bike tour. At this point, we were upset. Nothing that was advertised in the itinerary is actually what we got. We just walked around, having no idea where to go. We found some things online but it was all 1 hour walk away, and we only had a little over 2 hours to explore. What did we pay for? Just a ride? The islands themselves are pretty and if you’re just looking for a ride over, this is a good tour. If you’re actually wanting to learn and be guided? Tough luck. We get on the boat for the journey home. The photographers, whom we told we didn’t want photos, pushed the photos on us. When we said we didn’t want to buy, they looked clearly annoyed and upset. Side note: On the island, I was visibly uncomfortable with them running and taking photos of all of us as we got off the boat or forcing us to take photos in areas. When I tried to say no to one of them, one of them said "Let me finish what i’m saying.” I know NOW I don’t want them. Don’t waste your time. I am not prepared for a photoshoot. I came to learn something, not play Instagram Influencer. This really put a bad taste in my mouth. I didn’t sign up for photography, I didn’t sign up for a photoshoot, and I didn’t sign up to be sold more stuff. As we approach the end, they announce before the hotel drop offs, we will go to a leather shop and have a 20 minute fashion show. That is when I lost it. Why are we pretending we are on Turkey’s Next Top Model? Where was this on the Viator listing?. Not wanting to do the fashion show, we opted to see what our options were to go back to our hotel. We were 1 hour and 15 minutes away from our hotel. Not wanting to be forced into another sales pitch, we left. The whole walk back stewing over how bad this tour was. It’s just frustrating because my friend and I have done a tour like this in Greece and it was awesome. So, I hope that helps anyone who wants to book this tour. Just don’t. Unless, you’re trying to build your portfolio for your modeling career in Istanbul. Then book it. If not, save your $40 and just do literally anything else.

Such a relaxing and enjoyable day on the Istanbul All-Inclusive Princes’ Islands Tour with Lunch & Hotel Pickup. Hotel pickup was on time, everything was well organized, and the whole day felt smooth and stress-free. The islands were beautiful, the atmosphere was very peaceful, and lunch was tasty and well arranged. We had enough free time to explore, take photos, and truly enjoy the islands without feeling rushed. Totally worth the price. If you want a calm escape from the city and a well-organized all-inclusive tour, this one is a great choice. Highly recommended. Thank you for everything

The Istanbul Princes’ Islands tour was a wonderful and relaxing experience. Everything was well organized, from the hotel pickup to the boat trip. The islands were peaceful, beautiful, and a great break from the busy city. Having lunch included made the day even more comfortable, and there was plenty of free time to explore and enjoy the views. If you want to slow down, relax, and see a different side of Istanbul, this tour is a perfect choice. Highly recommended! 🌊🌿😊

A perfect getaway from Istanbull…Everything is included hotel pickup, guided tour, and a delicious lunch so you can just relax and enjoy. The Princes’ Islands are stunning, peaceful, and full of breathtaking views. I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a comfortable and unforgettable experience.🇹🇷😍

Wonderful experience from start to finish.The Istanbul All-Inclusive Princes’ Islands Tour was very well organized, the hotel pickup was on time, and the guide was friendly and informative. The islands were peaceful and beautiful, a perfect escape from the busy city. Lunch was tasty and the whole trip was comfortable and enjoyable.highly recommended for anyone visiting Istanbul.