Gulet Charter Turkey: Blue Cruise Routes and Prices

A gulet is a wooden boat with a wide back deck, a long dining table under an awning and cabins below. It was built to carry sponge divers along the Turkish coast, and in the 1960s a group of Turkish writers and artists started renting them for slow coastal journeys they called the “blue cruise.” That is still the idea today: you board in one marina, the boat moves a few hours each morning, and the route itself is the holiday.

This guide explains how a gulet charter in Turkey works in practice — private versus cabin charter, where trips go, what a week looks like day by day, what the price includes and what it does not. It is the most popular way to experience the Turquoise Coast, and for a group it is usually the best value on the water.

What is a gulet?

Gulets are traditional broad-beamed sailing yachts, usually 18 to 35 metres, built in yards around Bodrum and Bozburun. Modern gulets keep the classic hull and deck layout but add air conditioning, generators, en-suite cabins and water toys. A typical gulet carries 6 to 16 guests in 4 to 8 cabins and is always crewed — captain, cook, and one or more deckhands.

The appeal is space. Wide decks, a shaded dining area, sun mattresses on the foredeck and large shared lounges make gulets well suited to families and groups who want to be together without being on top of each other.

The blue cruise, briefly

The term “blue voyage” (mavi yolculuk in Turkish) is usually traced to the writer Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, exiled to Bodrum in the 1920s, who chartered local sponge boats to explore the coast with friends. By the 1960s these trips had a name and a following, and gulet cruising grew from there into its own kind of tourism.

A blue cruise is deliberately unhurried: motor two or three hours in the morning, anchor by lunch, swim and explore in the afternoon, eat on deck, sleep at anchor. Most weeks mix quiet bays with a few small ports and the occasional set of ancient ruins.

A day on a gulet

Breakfast is set on the aft deck from around eight — fresh bread, cheeses, olives, eggs, seasonal fruit. The boat lifts anchor mid-morning and motors two to three hours to the next bay while guests read, sunbathe or sit with the captain. By early afternoon the gulet is anchored, lunch is served, and the rest of the day is swimming, snorkelling, paddleboarding or a short walk ashore. The crew has the swim platform, towels and toys ready without being asked. Dinner comes after sunset at the long table, and the night is spent at anchor in the bay. The pace rarely changes, and that is the point.

Private charter versus cabin charter

Private charter: the whole gulet is yours. You set the route with the captain, choose the pace and travel only with your own group. For 8 or more people this is often both more comfortable and cheaper per person than booking cabins elsewhere.

Cabin charter: you buy one cabin on a gulet shared with other guests, on a fixed route and departure date. It is the lower-cost way in for solo travellers and couples, provided you are happy to share the deck and dining table and follow a set itinerary.

Sample week itineraries

Göcek gulf (sheltered, family-friendly)

Board in Göcek in the afternoon, anchor in the gulf overnight. Days follow through the Göcek islands, Bedri Rahmi Bay, Tersane Island, Göbün and Sarsala before returning to Göcek. Short passages, calm water, good for children.

Fethiye to Marmaris (one-way, varied)

Fethiye – Göcek islands – Ekincik – Marmaris, or the reverse. Adds the Dalyan river delta and the wider bays of the Gulf of Marmaris to the Göcek anchorages. Usually carries a one-way repositioning fee.

Gulf of Gökova (Bodrum round trip)

Bodrum – English Harbour – Değirmen Bükü – Seven Islands – Karacasöğüt – Bodrum. The most sheltered sailing on the coast, wrapped in pine forest, with very few roads reaching the shore.

Blue cruise with Greek islands

Bodrum or Göcek with a crossing to Symi, Rhodes or the Dodecanese. Needs passports and a transit log; the crew handles clearance at each border port.

What is included

Most private gulet charters in Turkey include:

• The yacht and full crew (captain, cook, deckhands)
• All cabins with linen and towels, daily cabin service
• Full board — breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared on board
• Anchorage stops, water toys (usually paddleboards, snorkelling gear, sometimes a kayak or seabob)
• Fuel for a standard cruising route

Usually not included: drinks, marina fees for nights spent alongside, shore excursions and museum entries, port taxes on international crossings, and crew gratuity (customary at 5–15% of the charter fee). Some operators sell a “full all-inclusive” package that folds drinks and port fees in — worth asking for a like-for-like comparison.

Food and provisioning

On a gulet the cook shops fresh along the route, often from village markets and small harbours, so meals track what is in season. A typical week is Turkish home cooking — mezes, grilled fish and meat, vegetable dishes in olive oil, plenty of salad and fruit — with the option to lean more international if you prefer. You set preferences and flag allergies before boarding, and most cooks are happy to do a Turkish breakfast spread one morning and something lighter the next. If someone in the group has strict dietary needs, say so at the enquiry stage rather than on day one; it shapes which boat and cook are the right fit.

Gulet, catamaran or motor yacht?

A gulet gives you the most shared deck space and, for a group, the best price per person, at a relaxed motoring pace. A catamaran is more stable under way, sails better and suits smaller groups who want to actually sail. A motor yacht is faster and has more indoor comfort, at a higher fee and much higher fuel use. For 8 to 16 people who want space and a crew that handles everything, the gulet is usually the natural choice.

What a gulet charter in Turkey costs

Gulet charter Turkey prices depend on the boat’s size, age and standard, the season and the food package. As a 2026 framework:

• Cabin charter: per-person weekly rates are much lower and vary with the boat and dates.

Choosing the right gulet

• Cabin count and layout. Match cabins to your group. Check whether cabins are doubles, twins or convertible, and where the crew cabin sits.
• Sail versus motor. Many gulets motor most of the time. If sailing matters to you, ask specifically about sail area and how often the boat actually sails.
• Crew size and the cook. On a good gulet the cook makes or breaks the week. Ask for sample menus and whether dietary needs can be met.
• Age and refit. A well-maintained 15-year-old gulet can be better than a neglected new one. Ask for the last refit year.
• Water toys and shade. Confirm what is actually on board versus what the brochure implies.

Booking a gulet charter in Turkey step by step

1. Set the basics. Group size, dates, departure base and rough budget. These four points narrow the fleet quickly.
2. Choose private or cabin charter. For 6 or more people travelling together, private almost always wins on comfort and price per person.
3. Shortlist two or three boats. Compare cabin layout, crew count, the cook’s background, the last refit year and a written inclusions list — not just photos.
4. Confirm the route. Agree a draft itinerary with the captain, understanding that the daily order shifts for weather and anchorage traffic.
5. Read the contract. Check the deposit, what the fee covers, one-way fees if the route ends elsewhere, and the cancellation and weather terms.
6. Book early for peak weeks. Good gulets for July and August are often reserved by the previous autumn; shoulder season allows more lead-time flexibility.

A brokerage handles steps 3 to 5 for you and stays reachable during the trip, which is the main reason to use one over a listings site for a gulet charter in Turkey.

Best time to go

• May–June: sea 20–23°C, quiet anchorages, shoulder pricing.
• July–August: warmest water and longest days, but busy bays and peak prices.
• September–early October: warm sea, thinner crowds, lower prices — a favourite window for repeat guests.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people fit on a gulet?
Most carry 6 to 16 guests in 4 to 8 cabins. Larger gulets exist but 12 guests is the common upper limit for a single group.

Do gulets actually sail?
Some do, many mostly motor. If sailing is important, ask the broker directly about sail use on your chosen boat and route.

Is a gulet charter all-inclusive?
Private charters usually include full board and the crew but not drinks, marina fees or gratuity. Some operators offer a full all-inclusive upgrade.

Can we choose the route?
On a private charter, yes — you plan it with the captain, who adjusts the daily order for weather and anchorage traffic. Cabin charters follow a set route.

What is the crew gratuity?
Customary at 5 to 15 percent of the charter fee, given to the captain at the end to share among the crew.

Conclusion

A gulet charter in Turkey suits groups who want space, a crew that handles everything and a week where the route is the point. The main decision is private versus cabin charter; after that it comes down to matching the boat’s cabins, cook and character to your group. Planned well, a gulet charter Turkey trip is the rare holiday people book again the following year.

Aquinox Yachting arranges private gulet charters along the Turkish coast and across to the Greek islands, including route planning, menus and border clearances. Share your dates and group size and we will send suitable gulets and a clear quote.