Charter Guide
How Does a Gulet Charter Work?
From first enquiry to the final morning ashore — the full journey of a crewed gulet charter, explained.
A gulet charter is the private hire of a crewed traditional yacht for a week or more, with a captain, chef and crew who run the boat and look after you throughout. The journey follows a clear sequence: you enquire, we match you to the right gulet and crew, you receive a proposal and quote, you confirm and sign the charter contract, you choose your provisioning, then you embark, cruise a flexible itinerary, and disembark. This guide walks through each stage — and through the payment schedule — so you know exactly what to expect.
1. Enquiry — tell us what you have in mind
Everything begins with a conversation. You tell us your preferred dates, your party size, the region you are drawn to — the Turkish Turquoise Coast, the Croatian Adriatic, or the Greek islands — and the kind of week you want, whether that is lively island-hopping or quiet days at anchor.
There is no obligation at this stage. We use these details to understand the shape of your trip before we suggest specific yachts, so the proposal that follows is genuinely tailored rather than a generic list.
- Your dates, and how much flexibility you have around them
- The number of guests sleeping and cruising on board
- The destination or the experience you are after
- Any special requirements — dietary needs, children, accessibility, celebrations
2. Matching — the right gulet and the right crew
We then match you to a shortlist of gulets that genuinely fit. A gulet is more than a hull and a number of cabins: the crew, the cooking, the cabin layout and the home cruising ground all shape the week. We weigh those together rather than sorting on price alone.
While we firm up your choice, a yacht can normally be held on a soft option for a day or two so the dates are not lost to another party while you decide.
Choosing the gulet is also choosing the crew — the captain, chef and hostess set the tone of your week as much as the vessel does.
3. Proposal and quote — clear, itemised, no surprises
Next you receive a written proposal: the recommended gulet or gulets, a sample itinerary, and a transparent quote. We lead with the all-in weekly rate, then break out anything that sits outside it — the food package, VAT, and any region-specific extras — so you can see exactly what your week costs.
A key point in your favour: a gulet rate already includes fuel for a normal cruising day of up to around four hours, so unlike most standard yacht charters there is rarely any large Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA) to wire and reconcile — one applies only to the smallest groups or the most exclusive gulets. Food is quoted as a transparent per-person package (the figures and what they cover are set out in full in our dedicated guide to what's included), and how VAT appears depends on the destination — covered in depth in our dedicated VAT guide.
What falls inside the rate varies a little by destination, and we always tell you which model applies to your chosen gulet — our 'what's included' guide breaks the inclusions down country by country.
4. Booking and the charter contract
When you are happy with the proposal, you confirm and sign the charter agreement. The contract framework depends on where you are sailing.
Turkish gulets are booked on Exclusive Gulets' own in-house terms, written specifically for the all-inclusive gulet model rather than the standard yacht-charter contract. Gulets in Croatia and Greece are signed on the MYBA Charter Agreement — the worldwide luxury-yacht standard — with the operator's specific pricing and inclusions written into the Special Conditions section of the contract.
The payment rhythm is consistent across both: a 50% deposit confirms the booking, and the 50% balance, your provisioning package and any VAT fall due 30 days before you board. Bookings made inside 30 days are paid in full on signing. We send you the exact cancellation scale for your booking in your confirmation, and we always recommend charter cancellation insurance, which we can quote alongside.
Email copies of a signed agreement are valid and binding — there is no need to courier paper documents.
5. Choosing your provisioning
With the booking confirmed, you choose how you would like to eat and drink on board. Provisioning is offered as a clear per-person, per-week package, so the cost is known in advance rather than estimated — the full package details and prices for each destination are set out in our dedicated guide to what's included in a gulet charter.
In Türkiye the chef prepares every meal on board from fresh local ingredients, and drinks are supplied at cost with no markup, with no corkage if you bring your own. Whichever destination you choose, your chef will take your tastes and any dietary requirements ahead of the charter, so the galley is stocked for you before you step aboard.
Reduced rates apply for children on the food package — confirmed for your destination in your proposal.
6. Embarkation and life on board — the crew and the daily rhythm
On your first day you embark at the agreed port, typically around midday. The crew welcome you, show you to your cabins, run through the gulet and her safety equipment, and the captain sits down with you to shape the days ahead around the weather and what you would most like to see. Many guests choose to sleep aboard the night before the charter formally begins where that can be arranged — a relaxed way to start.
From there, you are free to simply enjoy the week, because a gulet is fully crewed. A typical complement is four: a captain who runs the yacht and plans your route, a chef who cooks every meal on board, a deckhand who handles the lines, the tender and the water toys, and a hostess who looks after the cabins, the table and your comfort.
The daily rhythm is gentle. Cruising is usually around four hours a day — enough to wake in one bay and lunch in another without long passages — leaving plenty of time for swimming, paddleboarding, snorkelling and shore visits. The itinerary stays flexible throughout, shaped by the weather and by you: if you love an anchorage, you stay; if you would rather move on, the captain adjusts.
- Captain — commands the yacht, plans the route, agrees the itinerary with you day by day
- Chef — prepares all meals on board to your tastes
- Deckhand — handles lines, the tender, shore landings and the water-sports kit
- Hostess — looks after cabins, service and the dining table
Your charter begins and ends at agreed ports — and on Turkish-flagged gulets that include a Greek island day, the trip must both start and finish in a Turkish port.
7. Disembarkation — the final morning
On the last morning the gulet returns to the agreed port and you disembark, usually before midday. If anything was settled on board during the week — drinks taken at cost, or extras such as motorised water sports — the captain presents a clear account before you step ashore.
A crew gratuity is customary and entirely at your discretion, given to the captain at the end of the charter and shared by the team. The usual guidance is 5–15% of the charter fee on Turkish gulets, and customarily higher (around 10–20%) in Croatia. We are happy to arrange airport transfers for your onward journey, and we will always check in afterwards to hear how your week went.
Tipping is never obligatory — it is a thank-you to a crew who have looked after you, offered at whatever level feels right to you.
Frequently asked questions
What contract will I sign for a gulet charter?
It depends on the destination. Turkish gulets are booked on Exclusive Gulets' own in-house charter terms, written for the all-inclusive gulet model. Gulets in Croatia and Greece are signed on the MYBA Charter Agreement — the worldwide luxury-yacht standard — with the operator's specific pricing written into the Special Conditions. Either way, the payment rhythm is the same: 50% on signing and the balance, provisioning and any VAT 30 days before you board.
What is the payment schedule for a gulet charter?
A 50% deposit confirms your booking when you sign the charter agreement. The remaining 50% balance, your provisioning package and any VAT are due 30 days before you board. If you book within 30 days of departure, the full amount is payable on signing. Your confirmation sets out the exact cancellation scale, and we always recommend charter cancellation insurance, which we can quote alongside.
How many hours a day does a gulet cruise, and can we change the itinerary?
Cruising is usually around four hours a day, enough to wake in a new bay each morning without long passages, leaving plenty of time for swimming, water sports and shore visits. The itinerary is flexible throughout: the captain agrees a plan with you and adjusts it day by day around the weather and your wishes — staying longer where you love an anchorage, or moving on when you would rather explore somewhere new.
Who is on the crew, and what do they do?
A typical gulet carries a crew of four. The captain commands the yacht, plans the route and agrees the itinerary with you day by day; the chef cooks every meal on board to your tastes; the deckhand handles the lines, the tender, shore landings and the water-sports kit; and the hostess looks after the cabins, the service and the dining table. Their wages, uniforms and meals are all included in the charter fee, so you simply enjoy the week.
How much should we tip the crew?
A gratuity is customary but entirely discretionary, given to the captain at the end of the charter and shared by the team. The usual guidance is 5–15% of the charter fee on Turkish gulets, and customarily higher — around 10–20% — in Croatia. It is a thank-you for the crew's care rather than an obligation, so give whatever level feels right to you.