Private Gulet Holiday Frequently Asked Questions
How much time will be spent actually sailing?
As much as you want. However it is important to note that some gulets (and crews) sail better than others. Choose the location, itinerary and sailing period. (usually the trips are weekly, from Saturday to Saturday) If sailing is important to you, we will match you with the right yacht and itinerary for the conditions depending on the time of year. Our charter season starting begining of the April to End of October, High season July and August.
Which type of yacht is suitable for us?
Private Gulet Charter: Chartering a private gulet offers you ultimate comfort, privacy and flexibility on the menu, itinerary and provisioning. The gulet and crew are dedicated only to your party. On our fleet you can choose a gulet starting at minimum 2 cabins to 16 cabins for your party. We present our yachts in our gulet fleet under four main categories; Super Luxury, Luxury, Standard Plus and Standard.
Sharing / Cabin Charter: If you have difficulties to compose a group, you can join one of our regular tours and charter one or more cabin. On board you will have a chance to meet other participans from all around the world while enjoying one of the most unique and relaxing holidays in the Mediterranean. As the cabin charter reservation continue until the last minute, we can give the boats name one day before the departure. The itineraries, menus and ports of embarkation and disembarkation for the cabin charters are fixed and cannot be altered.
Bareboat Charter: (also known as Independent yacht charter) is where you hire and sail the yacht yourself. This is a great way for qualified sailors to really get away from it all. Sailing independently means you can get really off the beaten track and enjoy small bays and harbours inaccessible to large tourist boats or crews sailing as part of a flotilla. Whether you are looking to sail with your other half, friends or family we can advise you on the best places to go and the best boat for your group and budget.
Motoryacht Charter: Motor yacht chartering combines the service and friendliness of an elegant hotel with complete freedom to explore amazing destinations without ever worrying about the crowds. If you want a fast boat and freedom to explore, privacy, service, pampering, great food and well-mixed drinks, then we highly recommend a crewed motor yacht charter. The crew is dedicated to the yacht and lovingly care for it, crewed yachts are generally in excellent condition. Prices are accordingly at the high end.
Do I need air conditioning?
Gulets offer air conditioning in various degrees, varying from none to full 24 hour availability. It's important to determine the air conditioning ability and policy in advance, and to specify how important it is to you and to choose the right yacht accordingly. We find that many of our guests love to sleep on deck under the stars, or prefer not to have the generator operating during the night.
Do the crew speak English?
All of our captains on our gulets speak conversational English, and there will always be at least one crew member with fluency. More importantly is that our captains are very well versed in communicating, even if the right word doesn't spring to mind at the moment. This may involve a smiling demonstration and the right props to explain the history of the Carian tombs, but in general, the crew have good to excellent comprehension of English.
What about wifi, beach towels and hair dryers?
All of our gulets have wifi for email usage which will be functional 90% of the time along the Turkish coast. In the Greek Islands, wifi is available from local cafes and tavernas. Full size, plush beach towels are provided, as are separate bath towels. Hair dryers are available on all our gulets.
I want to cruise in Greece.
It is possible to cruise from Turkey to the Greek islands only if; you embark and disembark your boat in a Turkish port.
This is a cabotage regulation between the two countrys for Turkish flagged vessels.
Guests arriving at a Greek airport, have the option to come over to Turkey with a ferry boat for embark and disembark the boat.
You may cruise Greek Dodecanese Islands including Rhodes, Symi, Tilos, Nysiros, Kos, Kalymnos, Leros, Patmos, and Samos. With advance planning, you can also cruise the Cyclades to include Santorini and Mykonos. Greek harbor and port fees are not included in the charter price and payable directly to the port authorities. We can provide an approximate in advance as to what these fees will be, depending on the size of the gulet and the number of islands visited.
Will my electronic devices work during the cruise?
Only if your wife or husband agree to it. There might be an occasional area where reception is poor, but seldom for long. Ipod adapters are provided on our gulets. There may be areas in Greek waters where wi-fi is not available on the yacht, but there are many cafes and restaurants ashore that provide wi-fi.
Is the "Blue Cruise" suitable for children?
Bundle them up and bring them along. Gulet holidays are perfect for children, as they can nap and be fed as needed. Child-friendly foods abound. Many a child has first learned to swim in these buoyant, calm seas. Small sized life vests are provided, and the crew will help keep them entertained with fishing and canoeing. For infants, we can provide a travel cot.
What items do I need to pack?
As the Blue Cruise is very casual even on the highest end gulets, we suggest that you bring a minimal amount of casual shore clothing, a light sweater for evenings, several swimsuits, prescription medication, sunscreen, and hats. If possible, pack soft bags for easier storage. Beach towels, bath towels, books, music, DVD player and movies are all provided.
When is the best time of the year to cruises?
June and September are generally hot enough to get a nice tan without the harsh summer temperatures. For those who wish to swim at any time of day and night and for those who are out and out sun worshippers, we suggest July and August. May and October expose the serene beauty of nature and this is perhaps the best time as the coves and beaches are not crowded. It occasionally rains during these months, but the rain is limited to a few hours maximum. The sun at this time of year can still provide a nice top up of vitamin D!..
Tell me about Turkey- is this the Middle East?
The Republic of Turkey is a Eurasian country located on the Eastern Mediterranean and borders 8 countries. Due to its strategic location and extensive history, Turkey is a unique blend of Western and Eastern cultures with a mosaic of diverse ethnicities, all united under the democracy of the founding father Atatürk. Turkey is an active member of NATO and we hope that it does not join the European Union, as we'd lose our tasty, unpasteurized local cheeses.
What attractions should I not miss out on?
It would take many weeks of cruising to see all of the many attractions, but `must-see` attractions on land would include Istanbul, Canakkale, Gallipoli, Ephesus, the Castle of Saint Peter, Pamukkale, Myra, Demre, Olympos and Cappadocia. During the cruise, highlights are the Greek Island of Symi, the sunken city of Kekova, the Carian tombs at Dalyan and Kaunos, the Byzantine ruins at Gemiler, the lagoon at Oludeniz, the ghost town of Kayaköy, and the ancient site of Knidos.