Crewed Turkey Gulet Charter
Gulets in Turkey
Turkey is the capital of gulet construction and the origin of gulet charter holidays. If you are seeking authentic Turkish yachts and that famed hospitality, Southern Turkey is the place to be! The Turkish Riviera is like no other region – home of the turquoise coast. There is so much to say about yacht charter in Turkey. You won’t find as many motor yachts along the southern coast but rather, see more gulets than any other place in the world. The whole feeling of going back in time, that fairy tale feeling… it’s all here. How exciting is that!? 🙂
Gulet charter terms are the most flexible and easy going than any other gulet chartering country. Guests can bring their own drinks on board without having to pay for corkage fees. With such close proximity to the Greek islands, you have more choice in route combinations than anywhere else. The best gulet charter prices are also available in Turkey as are the menu and drinks prices. You can pay the price of half board for one week in Croatia and Montenegro – and receive a full board menu!
Embarkation / Disembarkation
Charterers can start and end their yacht charter holidays in Bodrum, Marmaris, Gocek, and Fethiye. Return trip and one way itineraries are available – depending on the boat of your choice and its booking schedule. Popular itineraries include Bodrum to Gocek. It’s a bit tiring due to the distance, but if you spread this itinerary over two weeks, then you will really enjoy all the breathtaking destinations in between. From low populated villages, charming towns, and uninhabited islands and islets, Turkey makes for the perfect yacht charter vacation for all kinds of travelers – young and young at heart!
Each itinerary offers a different type of holiday. If you are looking for peacefulness and private bays, then the Gulf of Hisaronu and the Gulf of Gokova are your regions. Should you prefer more the historical sites, some little islands and some nightlife, start from Marmaris and end in Fethiye. For the ultimate in historical ancient sites, a trip from Gocek to the Kekova region is a great choice. You might even like to visit the only Greek island in that area – Kastellorizo (must see if you are heading that way).
There are much more options to consider. Some gulet travelers feel that one week is just not enough to enjoy a real gulet cruise holiday in Turkey! 🙂
Crewed Gulet Charter Greece
Gulets in Greece
Nearly all gulet charters are delivered from Turkey into Greece. The regions Turkish gulets sail to are the Dodecanese and Cyclades island groups. There is usually no extra delivery and re-delivery fees for gulets going to the Dodecanese. However, there may be extra costs to the charterers if the boat does not have a returning charter back to its base port in Turkey or Rhodes or Kos ports in Greece – after their charter trip is over.
Hiring a gulet yacht in Greece depends on your budget, the number of guests in your group, and yacht availability, as well as sea conditions. For example, gulets do not prefer to cruise in the Cyclades (central Aegean) from mid-June right through to mid-September due to the strong and unpredictable Meltemi winds. Please ask us if you are interested in the Cyclades. There might be gulets willing to agree on an itinerary starting from Kos to Santorini or to Mykonos. Redelivery charges may apply. The ideal times to charter a gulet in this area in May, the first half of June, after mid-September, and October.
Embarkation / Disembarkation
Gulet Charter Greece – A gulet can be available from the islands of Rhodes where gulets would be delivered from Marmaris or Bozburun. They can also be available from Kos, again where gulets can be delivered from Bodrum. There are no gulets based in the Cyclades in our fleet. There may be a couple of gulets based in Corfu in the Ionian island group. The selection changes every year and depends on whether a gulet will deliver their boat to that region – please ask. For charterers looking for gulets in Athens – there is only one that we can offer from our fleet. Samos is another port to hire one gulet that is based there. If you would like to travel to or from Athens, a gulet can be delivered, however, it may be a hefty extra cost to the charter price and will require a minimum 2 – 3-week charter duration including delivery and redelivery times.
Crewed Gulet Charter Croatia
Gulets in Croatia
There are a variety of crewed gulet charters based from the ports of Split, Trogir, Sibenik, and Dubrovnik. Most gulets are found in Split. The selection count is as few as 40 compared to the hundreds based in Turkey. The luxury gulet charter season runs from May right until the end of October. Early booking as far back as 1 year is highly advisable as the more popular boats are fully booked by the end of January for the charter season in the same year.
Compared to the well-known crewed gulet holidays in Turkey; the charter terms in Croatia are slightly different. Menu and beverage packages are also different per gulet. Guests cannot bring their own drinks on board without paying a corkage fee (for nearly all boats). Half board menus are mandatory and guests are not permitted to bring their own food on board either (provisioning). There are two types of drinks packages available. Non-alcoholic and All-inclusive which includes the non-alcoholic beverages and local alcohol (i.e. wine, beer, and sometimes gin).
Charter prices are comparable or a bit higher in Croatia than gulets in Turkey. One reason is that of the limited selection – the supply is low while the demand is high. There may also be some higher costs in operating a gulet in Croatia in comparison to Turkey. Gulet style designs built in Croatia are also available, and not just Turkish gulets. You will find that like classic gulets the decks are spacious with more a modern interior. Another note to keep in mind is that port fees are extra with most gulet charters in Croatia.
Embarkation / Disembarkation
The main ports to start and end your crewed gulet holiday is Split and Dubrovnik. Normally most itineraries are between these two ports. Depending again on the booking schedule there are itineraries on a return trip from Split and the same from Dubrovnik (i.e. Split – Split and Dubrovnik – Dubrovnik). Gulet yachts do not charter from Croatia to Montenegro or Italy. An exception may be made depending on the yacht and time of year. There are routes which can also begin from Sibenik and Trogir. Some gulet owners prefer Trogir because the transfers are easy and not as busy as Split, and it is closer to the Split airport. For more information on itineraries, it is best to discuss your travel plans with one of our charter consultants.
