Security concerns in the Middle East have prompted cruise companies to revise itineraries, with Türkiye benefiting as Istanbul strengthens its position as an embarkation port and interest in Kuşadası and İzmir grows.
According to the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry, cruise passengers arriving at Turkish ports reached 756,455 in January-June 2026, the highest first-half figure in 16 years. A total of 488 cruise ships called at Turkish ports.
Industry representatives expect cruise tourists to contribute approximately $2.5 billion to the Turkish economy this year. The sector targets 2,000 ships and 5 million passengers by 2028.
Burak Çalışkan, Costa Türkiye country manager, said Turkish ports had gained prominence as security concerns prompted some operators to shift to safer destinations.
“This created an unexpected opportunity for Türkiye. We increased our capacity and the number of sailings as Istanbul once again became a major embarkation port and Kuşadası and İzmir grew in popularity,” Çalışkan said.
A cruise passenger spends an average of $150 to $250 at a port of call and $400 to $600 at a homeport such as Istanbul, he said.
“A cruise tourist in Türkiye spends an average of $1,000 to $1,500 on food, beverages and shopping. A contribution of approximately $2.5 billion to the economy is expected this year,” he added.
Çalışkan said the average passenger age had fallen to between 36 and 45, with young professionals and solo travelers joining families in driving demand. Costa’s Turkish passenger numbers increased by 25 to 30 percent from last year, while demand for longer and higher-budget journeys is rising.
Özgü Alnıtemiz, Celestyal’s Türkiye director, said two company ships became stranded in Dubai and Doha because of the war in the region.
“Our ships were able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz only after 50 days. As a result, we started the season with losses. However, we recovered quickly. We are currently hosting 1,000 Turkish guests a week,” Alnıtemiz said.
Celestyal plans more than 100 calls at Turkish ports in 2026 and aims to bring about 120,000 passengers to Türkiye, while approximately 30,000 passengers are expected to embark from Turkish ports. The strongest demand came from U.S. passengers, with Istanbul and Kuşadası the most popular destinations.
Tolga Tuncay, port operations director at Galataport Istanbul, said disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz had forced the cancellation of Istanbul sailings by ships stranded in the Persian Gulf. Black Sea cruises beginning and ending in Istanbul also remain suspended because of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Despite these challenges, Galataport maintained its share of homeport passengers in 2026 and expects around 520,000 passengers and 200 cruise ship calls this year.
“The continued preference of cruise companies for Galataport Istanbul as a homeport is an important indication of their long-term confidence in our country,” Tuncay said.
He said Galataport’s opening had helped Istanbul become a strong homeport in the eastern Mediterranean. Companies using Istanbul as the starting and finishing point also call at ports in Aydın, İzmir, Fethiye and Antalya, broadening their contribution to tourism.
U.S. citizens account for 25 percent of Galataport passengers. Tuncay said 25,000 Turkish passengers embarked there in 2025, adding: “We expect this number to reach 35,000 by the end of 2026.”
Source: Hürriyet Daily News
