4-DAY BODRUM TO MARMARIS PRE-DEPARTURE
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THANK YOU!
Thank you for booking your Turkey cruise with us!
This document has all the useful pre-departure information you will need including how to find your boat, what to bring, what to expect, the boat rules, excursions and contact details for your Onboard Representative.
We look forward to sharing our love for Turkey with you and making your trip a real adventure that combines culture, fun and relaxation!
VISAS FOR TURKEY
Some passport holders (such as Australian and US citizens) require an E-Visa for entry to Turkey. Please check to see the requirements for your nationality here: https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/
If you require an E-Visa, the process only takes 5 mins online.
ARRIVALS
If coming from BODRUM airport early in the morning or the day before then you can either take a taxi (quite pricey – around the equivalent of 60-65 Euros) or the shuttle buses, which are waiting very close to the arrivals area.
You can choose either a HAVAS or a MUTTAS bus (see photo) and pay onboard (around 8-9 Euros). The bus will take you to the main Bodrum bus station, where you can take a taxi to our check-in location (or your accommodation if you are staying the night before).
If you are staying in Bodrum for a night or two, then we can recommend the PASHA MOTEL (budget option) or the NOA SUITE HOTEL (more upmarket).
Check in at the Bodrum location (Kumbahce Cafe)
Please check in with our local representative, who will be wearing a RED GO SAIL TURKEY T-SHIRT and waiting outside at the KUMBAHCE CAFE (also known as KUMBAHCE BELEDIYE CAFE).
See location here: https://goo.gl/maps/xM1WGkiELZpna6R57
Check-in time:
Please meet your onboard representative at the cafe at 9.30am. You will then be taken to your gulet which will be docked nearby, OR, if the boat has been told to dock further away by the port authorities then we will have arranged a land or sea transfer from the cafe to the boat. Once onboard, you will have your welcome speech and introduction to Captain and crew. Boat departure from Bodrum is usually around 10.30am.
WHAT IS A GULET?
A gulet is a traditional wooden cruising vessel, which comes from the southwest coast of Turkey.
Similar boats can be found across the Mediterranean region. Gulets vary in length, height, depth and breadth and it is believed that no two gulets are identical. They range in size from 14 to 35 metres and can sleep between 4 to 32 people. Our boats mostly sleep 16 to 20 people.
Nowadays, most gulets are not rigged for sailing and use diesel engines instead. Our boats are ideal for cabin cruises as they have large sun decks, comfortable communal areas and a variety of cabin layouts.
THE SCHEDULE
Cruising the Turkish coast is by far the best way to explore this country – it’s fun, convenient and very sociable! However, sometimes we may need to alter the schedule depending on sea/weather conditions. This will be at the Captain’s discretion. We cannot issue any form of refund if the schedule has to be altered to due to such safety considerations.
ON THE BOAT
ACCOMMODATION
Your cabin will have a private bathroom (shower and WC), and space to store your baggage. With both the Classic Plus and Premier boats, we also include limited air-conditioning as part of the package. This can slightly vary on the timings but we work on 6/7 hours per day. Usually it is 8pm – midnight to cool the cabins and 2-3 hours in the afternoon. As cabin layouts are different on every boat, cabin types (doubles, triples, twins etc) cannot be guaranteed at time of booking. However, we always ensure couples share a private cabin (double or twin), and are prioritised for double cabins.
IMPORTANT: It is important to remember that on these cruises most people prefer sleeping on deck on the deck mattresses under the stars and often nobody sleeps in the cabins overnight at all as the cabins warm up from midnight onwards after the air-con and generator is switched off to respect night peace. Bed linen in the cabins can be used to sleep on these deck mattresses outside on the upper deck.
WHAT IS INCLUDED?
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED?
The following is not included on your cruise:
◉ Drinks from the onboard bar.
◉ No towels are included (beach or bath towels, please bring your own).
◉ Entrance fees to sites such as Knidos ruins (costs around 30 Liras, or 1.5 Euros, although prices are changing monthly in Turkey) and taxis to Old Datca.
◉ Visitor tax of 10 Euros per person (can be paid in Euros or Turkish Lira along with bar tab on last day)
◉ Tips (Tipping is not compulsory but very welcome if you feel you have received good service). Tip amounts are totally up to you but as a guide approx. 10% of the cost of your cruise is a decent tip.
When laying on our sunbeds, we ask that you use a sarong or beach towel to protect them.
CREW
Our gulets come with 3-4 crew members on board: a captain, 1 or 2 deckhands and a chef. The captain is entirely responsible for the gulet and his passengers while at sea, and it is important you heed his advice at all times.
Our captains are all local to the area and have been cruising this region for most of their lives. They are there to help make your trip a special one!
FOOD
If you love food, you will love Turkey! Filling our bellies isn’t just a need to survive on a Go Sail Turkey cruise – it’s an event! All your meals on board are made from fresh, locally grown ingredients.
Breakfasts are traditional Turkish fare, which includes eggs, tomatoes, cucumber, cheeses, fresh bread, olives, spreads, fruit, and often Turkish specialities such as sigara borek.
We serve vegetarian dishes for lunch with a mix of salads, vegetables, rice and pasta dishes.
For dinner there is a large buffet spread with lots of salad and Turkish dishes. Each night a different type of meat is also served up including chicken, fish and kofte.
Afternoon tea and biscuits are also provided.
DRINKS
Some drinks are included: tea/coffee/juice at breakfast, afternoon tea/coffee and unlimited bottled drinking water is all included. All other soft drinks and alcoholic beverages are not included.
It is not allowed to bring your own drinks on board, and you won’t need to as there is a stocked bar on the boat! We try to keep prices the same as a typical bar on the mainland, which means prices are the equivalent of around 4.5 Euros for an Efes beer (500ml) or glass of wine.
WHAT TO BRING?
Please try to pack as light as you can! Space is limited on a gulet so where possible it is better to have backpacks and smaller cases, not 30kg suitcases. The rule is simple: the bigger the suitcase you bring, the less space there will be in your cabin. You will not need much on the cruise, here is a list of essentials:
◉ A pair of comfortable walking shoes (highly recommended) for the sites you will visit and pair of thongs/jandals/flip-flops
◉ A couple of pairs of shorts, skirts, dresses
◉ A couple of t-shirts, singlets, vests
◉ A jumper/fleece for cooler nights in May/June/Sep/Oct
◉ Swimsuit, hat and sunscreen
◉ Please pack your own towels (bath and beach towels)
◉ Toiletries, aspirin/paracetamol and seasickness tablets
◉ Conversion plug
If you are planning to visit any religious sites or mosques please bring something to cover your knees and shoulders.
You could also prepare a good music playlist to plug into the boat’s sound system (through Bluetooth or a jack) and bring a good book/e-reader. Even though most of our gulets have a few snorkel/mask sets onboard, it might be a good idea to bring/buy your own if you are a keen snorkeller!
BOAT RULES AND SAFETY
It is everyone’s responsibility onboard to help protect Turkey’s environment and traditions. All passengers should respect the Captain and crew and have consideration for his boat – it represents the security and livelihood of his family.
The Boat Rules are there to protect everyone on board and we would like all clients to have consideration for other people. If we deem that any passenger is behaving, or has behaved, in a way that caused or is likely to cause danger or distress to any third party we reserve the right to terminate the travel of the person(s) concerned without any refund.
◉ The Captain is responsible for the safety of all passengers and the crew. As such, the Captain has the right to change the itinerary in case of adverse weather or issues in ports to ensure safety on board.
◉ During rough weather, movement should be kept to a minimum. The floors can be wet and slippery. Passengers should take extra care crossing between the boats when they are docked together in port. Do not hesitate to ask a crew member for assistance when crossing. Movement between ships is the individual’s responsibility.
◉ Life-jackets are stored under the beds in the cabins.
◉ Jumping or diving from the ship while it is cruising is strictly forbidden. Climbing on the masts is also forbidden.
◉ Sound travels easily and loudly on the boats and between ships. All passengers are asked to keep noise to a minimum in the late evenings, especially when returning to the boat after a night out. Special attention must be given to the designated quiet time onboard, which usually starts between 10pm to midnight, depending on the port. In National Parks an earlier time is sometimes required and guests will be notified of this.
◉ Passengers must keep valuables and money locked in their cabins. Neither the Captain nor crew can be held responsible for any lost personal belongings. If there is no safe in your cabin then you may ask the Captain to store your valuables in his safe.
◉ Smoking in the salon area and in the cabins is not allowed and when smoking on deck, passengers must not throw cigarette butts into the sea.
◉ Please do not throw anything into the toilets.
◉ Passengers are not permitted to bring food and drink (including alcohol) on the boat. This includes all drinks and food products purchased on shore in ports of call. The only exceptions are: personal care products, liquid medicine, and food products for special diets.
◉ Damage must be compensated to the Captain by the passenger.
◉ It is strictly forbidden to throw rubbish into the sea.
◉ Please do not wear shoes when on board the boat.
ELECTRICITY
Turkey uses the same plug as most European countries which is a two-pronged round pinned plug. On the boats, you are able to charge your devices in your cabin when the generator or engine is on. This is at breakfast time, while cruising and around both afternoon tea and dinner time. There are plenty of sockets in the salon/bar area to charge devices when the generator is off.
IMPORTANT: Please do not use hair straighteners, hair dryers or any other appliance that cannot take less than 220V. Your appliance may get damaged if you do so.
RESOLVING PROBLEMS ONBOARD
We only wish to have happy customers onboard our boats and it is in our best interests to ensure you are satisfied. Most problems can be resolved quickly and there is no reason to endure ongoing problems on your trip.
We present this simple step-by-step guide to help you through this problem-solving process:
Step 1: Please communicate problems to the Onboard Representative and Crew immediately so they are able to address any problems you may have.
Step 2: On very rare occasions it may not be possible to resolve a problem on board. However, we should be given every opportunity during your trip to do this for you. If you still wish to make a formal complaint this can be emailed to info@gosailturkey.com with information on the issue and the steps you took to resolve it. In any critical situations please contact the Go Sail Turkey UK emergency line listed below.
CONTACT LIST
Local (Turkish) 24hr line: +90 532 773 0916
UK Sales Office: +44 20 3290 3209 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
Go Sail Turkey Emergency line: +387 (0) 66 670 055 (WhatsApp calls and messages only)
PERSONAL SAFETY
Crime rates are low in Turkey, but you should still take precautions as anywhere else. Previous years have seen spates of petty theft in tourist areas so be alert and ensure your belongings remain secure with these rules:
◉ If you like to sleep at night with the cabin door open then ensure all valuables are stowed away securely.
◉ Do not leave valuables on the beach, on boat tables or decks.
◉ Beware of pickpockets in crowded markets and on buses.
◉ Be respectful of other people’s property, feelings and any cultural differences.
If something is stolen, you must report it to the Police and obtain a crime report for your insurance company.
OTHER
A few extra things that you need to know:
◉ Please do NOT bring your own drinks on board.
◉ Please ensure you visit an ATM prior to boarding the boat. You will need to have enough money for entrance fees and any optional activities. You will also need to pay the bar tab at the end of your cruise.
◉ There is one ATM stop during your cruise in Kas (pronounced CASH, which makes it easy to remember!)
◉ We will email you 4 weeks prior to your cruise to get your passport details for the boat transit log as well as your pickup or drop off locations (only for 4-day cruises that start or finish in Olympos/Demre).
Wi-Fi – Although there is limited wi-fi onboard the boat, it can often cut out when the boat is anchored or cruising through areas with no reception.
ITINERARY
DAY 1: Bodrum to Knidos
We board our gulet around 10.00am for welcome speeches and an introduction to Captain and crew.
After departing Bodrum harbour around 10.30am we will cruise straight over to Knidos, getting there around 1.30pm to have our first chance to tuck into lunch, have a swim off the boat, explore Knidos and enjoy our first sail sunset with a cold drink in hand. Even though it is still under excavation, this ancient city has some impressive ruins to visit and the short climb up to the top of the hill to see the city’s two ancient, back-to-back harbours from above is well worth it! Overnight Knidos.
DAY 2: Knidos to Datca
This morning after breakfast we cruise onto Palamatbuku – a great swim-stop spot. We head over to Datca afterwards for lunch and dock into the harbour. We can take taxis from the harbour to Datca old town if desired (about 8km), where there is a fascinating old village, ancient temples and other sites to explore. We will have time to wander around the town, pick up some bargains, sample the cafes and visit the local sites.
Once back on board around we will have dinner in a bay nearby.
DAY 3: Datca to Bozukkale
Today is all about the swimming in the amazing bays between Datca and Bozukkale.
As we approach Bozukkale, there is the opportunity to climb up the peninsula’s ancient citadel for some impressive views.
Overnight – Bozukkale
DAY 4: Bozukkale to Marmaris
After breakfast we head to Kadirga for swim-stops and lunch, and then Marmaris, one of the biggest harbours in Turkey. We anchor down at the harbourside in the afternoon after lunch (by 3pm) and it’s time to check out and say goodbye to your crew and shipmates!
You have plenty of options for this last day – you can head to Dalaman airport if you have a flight to Istanbul or international destination, or stay a night or two in Marmaris.
OTHER BRANDS
We don’t just do summer cruises in Croatia and Turkey – we also run winter skiing trips in Sarajevo’s Olympic mountains in Bosnia. It is only 45 min to the resort from the centre of Sarajevo. Experience the slopes that were home to the 1984 Winter Olympics!
As a Go Sail Turkey customer, you receive a 5% discount on a ski trip. For more details on our skiing trips, please visit: www.ski-sarajevo.com
We also run cruises in Croatia – both 20-39s and mixed-age departures from May to September.
We have 4 different routes in Croatia, with 8-day, 5-day or 4-day options starting from Dubrovnik or Split.
As a Go Sail Turkey customer, you get a 5% discount on any of the cruises in Croatia. For more details please visit our website at: www.gocroatiasail.com
