Turkish cruise passenger count surges to highest in 16 years in March

The Turkish cruise tourism sector posted a 16-year high last month, with 41,039 passengers being drawn to coastal hubs amid a rise in global cruise travel demand.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said 26 cruise ships docked at Turkish ports in March, while the cruise passenger count rose 4.9% year-on-year.

The monthly performance was due to an influx of maritime tourists in the first quarter of the year, as Turkish ports welcomed 56 cruise ships and 93,787 passengers in the first three months of 2026, according to the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs.

In March, Istanbul welcomed the most maritime visitors, with eight ships and 13,307 passengers, followed by the Aegean resort town of Kusadasi, which had seven vessels and 12,191 passengers. Alsancak Port in Izmir received five ships and 9,723 visitors, while the remaining six ships and 5,818 passengers docked at other regional ports.

First-quarter data showed a similar distribution, with Istanbul maintaining dominance with 18 ships and 35,800 passengers from January to March.

Izmir’s Alsancak Port ranked second with 27,467 visitors and 13 ships, followed by Kusadasi with 17 ships and 22,682 passengers during the same time, said Uraloglu.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim in Istanbul