What should I wear, and when should I arrive?

Smart casual works perfectly. Most guests dress up a little for the evening — a shirt rather than a T-shirt, a dress or good trousers, the shoes you would wear to a nice restaurant — because it is a dinner out, and because the photographs from the deck last longer than the evening does. There is no formal dress code, and nobody needs a jacket and tie.

Two practical points matter more than style. The first is a light layer. It is breezy on the water at night even in summer, and the open decks at the bow and the stern are where you will want to be for the bridges and the palaces. In the cold months, bring your coat; the salons are heated, the decks are not. The second is shoes you can walk in. You will cross a gangway, possibly climb a few steps, and, if you dance, spend an hour on the dance floor after the show.

Tables are not assigned in advance; you choose yours when you come aboard. The two salons have panoramic windows and the stage is placed to be visible from the tables, so there is no bad seat — but the window tables go first, and a group that wants to sit together has more choice early.

For an anniversary, a birthday or a proposal, the romantic table is the exception: it is booked in advance, dressed with candles and flowers, for +€15. Add it in the booking form, or tell us on WhatsApp what the occasion is. More on the romantic evening.

The boat is back alongside at Cibali Pier between 23:45 and midnight. Plan the way back from there: a taxi from the pier is the simplest, the hotel transfer takes you to your door if you booked it, and what still runs on public transport at that hour is in our guide to getting around Istanbul.