Have you ever considered what that word, “gulet” means? The Turkish word, gulet, is a loan word from the Italian, “guletta". Guletta, in turn, comes from the old French "gouëlette", meaning “schooner”. Pretty, aren’t they?

If you have considered chartering one and yet you are still not sure, please read on!

Not only are gulets hand-made from wood to resemble traditional craft, they are now constructed to a scale that dwarfs their predecessors. In short, gulets not only elegant and timelessly appealing, they are also big and roomy!

Gulets are big, but not so big that it’s an effort to get into the sea — on the contrary, they are designed to brig the sea within easy reach of everyone. The deck of a gulet is generally so close to the sea that you can either dive over the side or climb down a swim ladder and be in the water in seconds! After your swim, spread out on there deck and warm up under the sun, or take a refreshing drink under the awning. One top gulet feature is the great, big aft deck with wide cushioned area for lounging and large dining table for playing card games or reading books (when it’s not in use as a dining table!)

Ask anyone who has chartered a gulet for their family holiday: gulet crew are really cool, fun-loving folk! If you want them to act seriously, they will, but most Turkish people love to laugh and to enjoy life. They are known for their hospitality and go to great lengths to ensure that you are treated in a way befitting any esteemed guest.

Gulets are based in Turkey and Greece, meaning that you can enjoy blue water cruising, or island hopping, or mix the two: so that hard core adventure lovers can take advantage of Turkey’s best coastal diving, or whitewater rafting during the first part of the week, and the artists in the group can do their best to capture a sunset from the citadel atop one of the Greek islands. If you are looking for a gulet in Croatia, you will most definitely find one there, too. These are beautiful vessels and they are located in some of the most scenically beautiful charter regions on earth.

There are those gulets which were built so as to take advantage of favourable winds… enter the sailing gulet! There’s a chance that you can add sailing to your itinerary, which is always a lot of fun. Also, if you come at a time of year when the winds are favourable for sailing, you’ll be doing your best to limit the impact your cruise has on the environment. Cleaner water makes for better swimming and more fish.

The last benefit of cruising with a gulet which we would like to extol is that gulets represent the best value for money on the water! As each gulet carries on average 10 or 12 guests, the per person rate of a gulet for a whole week, inclusive of all meals and local drinks is very affordable. The better equipped and more luxurious the choice of gulet, the higher the price goes — as with anything of higher value, the service you receive will be reflected in the price.

So, there you have it: a reminder to be adventurous and choose to cruise as the locals would!