We are going to Turkey on a Rick Steves Tour in September and will end in Kusadasi which is near Izmir. Interested in doing 4 day cruise for 2 people. Does not have to begin in that area. Obviously interested in beautiful location with swimming and visiting small towns. All suggestions are welcome.
Looking at locations and companies is overwhelming. Thank you.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA
702 posts
I took a four night gulet cruise from Gocek to Fethiye as part of a larger tour with Smithsonian/Odysseys Unlimited a number of years ago, and I loved it. Of course, that specific cruise wouldn't work for you, but at least I can share a few general ideas.
Having looked into doing another gulet cruise, I agree that the number and variety of companies is indeed overwhelming.
Bodrum, Gocek, and Fethiye are popular starting points.
You would most likely rent a cabin on a gulet rather than chartering the entire boat. One thing to look out for is that some gulets focus on history and nature; others are party boats that are more like floating nightclubs. You want to make sure that you don't wind up on a party boat. It can be challenging to tell the difference by looking at the websites. I do recall seeing a (Dutch?) company a few years ago that offered both types, and offered a clear distinction between the quiet cruises and the party cruises. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the company. Peter Somers offers gulet cruises for the culturally inclined, but they are frightfully expensive, as well as I recall.
This 8-day cruise caught my eye as I was browsing just now. I don't know whether the departure dates work for you, but the itinerary looks amazing: https://www.responsiblevacation.com/vacation/20215/turquoise-coast-luxury-gulet-cruise-turkey.
Posted by
Minnesota
484 posts
You might try contacting SRM Travel, Rick Steves’ partner in Turkey, to see if they can arrange this for you.
Posted by
OP
Maryland
21 posts
Thank you so much.
Posted by
363 posts
I've been looking at "Get my Boat" website at Gullet rental for a while now. Of course the price was much better pre Covid. Please post when your done with your trip and let us know what you ended up doing and if it worked out well or not. J
Posted by
3 posts
Has anyone taken a half-day (or full-day) gulet trip in Antalya? Can you recommend a company?
Posted by
Atlanta, GA
702 posts
@carolpblack, I have only taken an afternoon cruise from the marina to Lower Duden Falls and back. The boat was just a regular sightseeing vessel, not a gulet. I enjoyed it well enough. At the marina there is a ticket booth at the bottom of the Venetian stairs. It appears that many of the boats pool their resources at the ticket booth, and you can get tickets for a variety of day cruises. The schedules can vary depending on the season and the weather, and the best bet is to walk up to the counter and see what is available.
Fethiye is probably a better bet for a traditional gulet cruise. I am not saying that they there aren't any gulets in Antalya, but I never saw anything offered in Antalya that was comparable to the gulet cruise I took in the Bay of Fethiye.
(By the way, I have spent a fair amount of time in Antalya in recent years, and would be happy to answer Antalya related questions.)