What counts as romantic here, and what does not
Plenty of sites will sell you a sunset cruise on this coast. We will not, because we do not run one — no boat in this catalogue is built around a sunset, and the only sunset fact we can stand behind is that the private motor yacht day can be asked to return at sunset. There are no champagne packages either, and no decorated decks on the shared boats.
What the catalogue does have is more useful than a cliché: boats that state plainly they are not party boats, charters where nobody else comes aboard, and one night cruise that is adults only. Two people picking a day together are really choosing between four things — how much noise they want, how much of the boat they want to themselves, how long they want to be out, and whether the day is daytime or after dark.
A quiet deck, in daylight
The relax boat from Side is the one shared day in the catalogue that describes itself as the opposite of a party. It runs about seven hours including transfers, at €70 per adult and €49 per child, and the record is unusually specific about what you get: a sunbed reserved for each guest, an open-buffet lunch, soft and alcoholic drinks in the price, and no loud music or party crowd on board. It is described as suited to couples and solo travellers who want a quiet day, which is not marketing language we invented.
The route takes in the point where the Manavgat River meets the sea, with swim stops near Dolphin Island and the Caretta Caretta bays — stops that depend on the day's sea conditions rather than a fixed schedule.
The whole boat to yourselves
If the deciding factor is privacy rather than quiet, the Alanya private yacht is the money answer: six hours with a captain who shapes the route and the swim stops around what you ask for, from €580 for the whole boat. You drift past Pirate Cave, Lovers' Cave and the Phosphorus Cave at your own pace, see Alanya Castle and the Red Tower from the water, and anchor in bays the crowded day boats do not reach. Snorkelling masks and a freshwater shower are on board, and hotel transfer from central Alanya districts is in the price.
The honest catch: food, drinks and snacks are not included unless you arrange them in advance, so agree that when you book rather than assuming lunch appears. Charter prices here are quoted per adult, so the total the booking form shows for your party is the figure to compare against two shared seats. The rest of the fleet sits on our private charter guide.
After dark, and the long way out
The evening is the other question couples ask. The Starcraft night cruise from Side is four hours, €68 per adult, with a live DJ, dance shows, unlimited drinks and snacks and hotel transfers included — and it is an 18-and-over party experience, so no children come aboard. Be clear with yourselves about which kind of night you want: this is a dance floor on the water, not a quiet dinner, and the full picture is on our night disco yacht cruise page.
At the other extreme is the Suluada island day from Side: eleven hours, €43 per adult, out to the island known as the Turkish Maldives. The boat anchors off the island and small tender boats shuttle guests to the bay; there is a legendary Love Cave on the route and long swimming stops in the coves around Adrasan. The record sets a minimum age of 6 and in the same breath welcomes younger children free of charge with supervision on deck, so ask us before you book with a toddler. There is no shop on the island, and drinks from the on-board bar are paid separately.
The four days compared
Same four products, laid out by the things couples actually argue about: how loud it is, how long it takes and what it costs.
| Boat day | From | Duration | Noise on board | Best for two |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side relax boat | €70 per adult | 7 hours | No loud music, no party crowd | A quiet daytime deck with a sunbed each |
| Alanya private yacht | €580, whole boat | 6 hours | Only your own group on board | Setting your own route and swim stops |
| Suluada island day from Side | €43 per adult | 11 hours | Shared boat, long swim stops | A big day out together, minimum age 6 |
| Starcraft disco yacht at night | €68 per adult | 4 hours | Live DJ and dance shows | A night out with no children aboard |
Good to know
- The relax boat puts drinks, lunch and a reserved sunbed inside one price
- A private yacht means the route, the swim stops and the pace are yours
- The island day is the cheapest way to reach Suluada
- The night cruise is the only adults-only sailing in the catalogue
Worth considering
- The relax boat is still a shared boat — quiet, not private
- On the Alanya yacht, food and drinks cost extra unless arranged beforehand
- Eleven hours to Suluada is a long day, and the record sets a minimum age of six — ask us before booking with a toddler
- The night cruise is a dance floor, so do not book it expecting a quiet evening
Practical bits before you book
Booking is the easy part: nothing is charged in advance and you settle in euros on the day, with the details set out on our booking page. If you want anything arranged on board — a particular lunch on a charter, for example — say so when you reserve rather than on the morning.
Pack for a boat rather than a restaurant: flat shoes, something warm for the ride back after dark, and everything else on our list of what to bring on a boat trip. And if the trip is a family holiday with a couple's day inside it, the boats that suit children are a different set entirely.
