Partying on boat tours on Bosphorus continue despite COVID-19 measures

Burak Coşan – ISTANBUL

Organizers of boat tours on the Bosphorus have found ways to organize weddings despite strict regulations in place as coronavirus measures, by camouflaging events as business meetings and asking couples to dress in disguise, according to daily Hürriyet.

Daily Hürriyet called some of the organizers asking them to organize a wedding ceremony with 50 guests. While some of them directly rejected the request, one of the organizers offered to set the event like a business meeting.

“We can overcome inspections by showing the wedding as a business trip where we can sail toward the Haydarpaşa or Kalamış neighborhoods and be in the middle of the sea. We can see the Coast Guard coming and can immediately stop the music,” said a trip organizer.

The nightly rent for a boat that can keep 50 people is between 8,000-10,000 Turkish Liras ($1,050-1,320), said another event planner.

One organizer said they gave “golden advice” to brides and grooms.

“If they don’t wear a bridal dress or wedding suit, we will be more relaxed. If the police come and see that there is no violation of social distancing rules, they will be gone without issuing fines.”

In case of a violation, each person on the boat is liable to pay a fine of 900 Turkish Liras ($118).

But an event planner, who asked to remain anonymous, warned of such conmen inside the business who promise weddings on boats.

“They agree to all your demands. But it is a wedding, you know. People will dance and violate the rules even if they don’t want to. Police will issue fines anyway,” the event planner said.