What company is this with?

I haven't done a Bodrum route but the option number 2 sounds very good indeed. I've been on 4 gulet cruises and assume that most are the same in that you tend only to moor in a port on the first/last nights and one night in the middle. One of the ones I went on moored up during the day in some small towns for an hour or two so you could have a look around but the other 3 it was a case of having a lazy sail from quiet bay to quiet bay.

Although I have never done a gulet cruise my friends do one every year. Last year it was Bodrum, this year they are going from Fethye, Kalkan etc., which would be my choice. We will be in Kalkann at the same time and their second day will be docked in Kalkan so we will meet up.

I would definitely say option 2 would be the quiter one.

They are going with Thomas Cook.

Barb

We've always fancied a gulet cruise but are apprehensive. We're worried about what the other guests might be like, and when on a smallish boat you can't really escape them! Also, not sure about the food you get to eat on board. We're not fish eaters and are worried that fish will be on the menu most of the time.
What are others experiences?

Hi all

Thanks for all your interesting and very helpful replies.

The second choice did sound slightly better to me but never having been in Turkey I was very unsure.

The gulet cruise is indeed with Thomas Cook, they have several different itineraries on both FB and AI, we thought that it sounded nice and a bit different.

I share your concern about being stuck on board with the other guest, but they will just have to put up with me
Graham

I've done 4 gulet cruises so far. 3 of them have been with singles TOs and one with a specialist gulet cruise firm as a couple.

The food is one of the best things about it. Yes, we've had fish (superb) but no more than twice during the week. The food is plentiful and good. Lots of lovely salads, cous cous, pasta, rice dishes (all using lots of herbs and oils), vegetable dishes often based around peppers and aubergines and lots of fresh fruit and grilled or barbecued chicken or meatballs. Absolutely top notch considering they have a very small galley kitchen to work in. Couldn't fault it on any of the trips I've been on.

So far as other passengers are concerned I have had no problems with any of the groups I've travelled with. In fact we've always got on like a house on fire. I guess we all have the same sort of laid back attitude which caused us to book a gulet trip in the first place. I would say you would be quite unlucky to end up with fellow passengers and not get on with any of them. I worried more about the trip that wasn't singles only to be honest (not sure why now!), but they turned out to be great - that time we had 4 british couples, one turkish couple and a turkish lady travelling on her own.

I would highly recommend this sort of trip - if the concept appeals then I really wouldn't be nervous about your fellow guleteers.

Sand C, you've reassured me a lot. One other question, would you do the cruise first and then have a week on terra firma, or the other way round?

I tend to do the terra firma week first for a couple of reasons.

The gulet trip is soo chilled that it's best to have the more hectic week first then relax totally into it. Also after chilling out with no shoes on for a week etc. and no drying hair or dressing up for evenings that it can be a shock to the system if you have a week doing that then suddenly you are in a town.

The other reason is whilst there is always a shady area to sit on the boat you are quite exposed to the elements. Especially when on the move the heat of the sun can be deceptive what with the breeze that creates. So a week on land first you can start your tan off nicely and be used to the heat.

Thanks again SandC, that makes total sense. Me thinks we'll be on a gulet next year!

Would definately say Cruise 2. Bodrum will involve a lot of sailing probably with very early morning sails. Fetihye to Kalkan is lovely. Due to go on my 14th cruise in 2 weeks time. Can' wait. If you haven't done a gulet before, I'm sure you will!

I've been on about ten gulets now. The Bodrum one was the least interesting.

Food has always been superb and fish is not served very often as it's quite expensive to buy. They will always offer an alternative anyway - even if it's just an omelette.

In ten cruises we have come across only a few people who we would rather not have shared a holiday with - and they are easy enough to avoid. The standard of company is usually excellent - people who wouldn't suit a gulet tend not to book one.

Hotel first - gulet last is the best way for several reasons - some already mentioned. One pressing reason - it is quite hard to keep all your "posh" clothes neat and tidy on a gulet and have them in good shape for a second week in a hotel. If you have hotel - gulet - home it matters less.

Oh yeah I forgot about that IanB. As I recall on my gulet trip earlier this year it was very dark in the cabin even with the light on. My clothes were pretty much stick your hand in and pull something out and wear that.

I think I remember reading/hearing that you're best not to take a suitcase, but a holdall instead, due to lack of space. Is that right?

We booked the whole of the gulet for a week from Fethiye/ Kalkan for a family celebration and still got on very well together. We spent the second week ashore in Kalkan and found that suited us very well. We only moored up twice to replenish the wine supply and transferred to a river boat for a day trip to the mud baths.

Warning: never wear shoes on deck. You will be thrown over the side.

http://www.geocities.com/bahatravel/en/yacht_cruises.htm

They do advise that tishtosh, but there is usually space under the bed in the cabin to stash things and from my experiences cases do fit. Depends on what type of gulet you are on - a luxury has more cabin space (but not much). I have a large holdall thing but I would have been able to fit a case in with no problems. Although my experience is very limited wardrobe/cupboard space so I tend to live out of my bag a fair bit (you lose all interest in looking neat and tidy when you're on a gulet!) and a soft one is easier to access I suppose.

I wouldn't go out and buy something specially unless your cases are humungous that is.

Warning: never wear shoes on deck. You will be thrown over the side.

What! You mean I can't wear my Crocs?!!!!
We have the hard Samsonite cases, one of which is quite big, so we might have to buy something else. Is the luxury gulet worth paying more for then?

Has anyone actually booked a gulet with Thomas Cook for 2008 yet? I have been trying but without any luck. The two stories I have heard so far are that

A The Bodrum based ones are fully booked all year

B The Bodrum based ones haven't signed contracts yet so they cannot take any bookings at all until contracts are signed

The Marmaris ones seem to be OK but I've done that area to death now and really wanted the Bodrum itinarary.

Hi

We've just returned from our fourth gulet trip, we have been twice from Marmaris to Fethiye and twice Fethiye to Kas and definately prefer the Fethiye - Kas route as there are some fabulous places to visit along that coast. Especially Kakova.

The problem we always have is getting the Captain to stop at any of these places. This time we I asked about seeing Kas and Kalkan he handed me his binoculars. They mostly moor up in a bay outside the town.

The only time we had plenty of land stops was when we went on Delux Gulet with Anatolian Sky.

This year's trip started on 25th August and we found it too hot to sleep in the cabins. Going a couple of weeks later is much cooler at night but still nice during the day. We went with Manos which is part of Airtous which has been taken over by Thomas Cook.

I would definately recommend this holiday but next timw I would go for a Deluxe gulet and mid September

Wendy