For most people, a 4-night cabin charter from Fethiye toward Ölüdeniz and Kaş is the sweet spot — long enough to switch off, short enough not to get cabin fever, and sociable without committing to a whole boat. Couples and solo travellers: book a cabin. Families and groups of six-plus: price a private charter, which can cost similar per head and gives you the run of the boat. Go in June or September for warm water, calm coves and fewer boats. Confirm exactly what's included — especially drinks — in writing before you pay.
What to be clear-eyed about: a gulet "sails" far less than its masts suggest — most of the time it's motoring short hops, and that's fine. Cabins are snug and the smaller boats have basic plumbing, so this is comfort-at-anchor, not a five-star hotel. Peak July–August coves can be busy and hot. And "all-inclusive" varies wildly boat to boat. Get the right boat for your group and the right month, and a blue cruise is the best week on the whole coast.
What a blue cruise actually is
A blue cruise is a multi-day trip along the coast on a gulet — the traditional Turkish wooden motor-sailing yacht, broad-beamed and comfortable, with cabins below and a big shaded deck for lounging and eating. You make short hops between bays, dropping anchor in quiet coves to swim, snorkel, kayak and occasionally step ashore for a ruin, a village or a beach bar, while the crew cooks, sails and looks after you. The Turkish name, mavi yolculuk ("blue voyage"), was coined by writers and artists who pioneered these trips last century.
The key thing to understand is the rhythm: this is not a port-hopping ocean liner ticking off cities. It's a swim-anchor-eat-nap-repeat holiday on the water, deliberately slow, where the sea is the main event. If you want nightlife and a new city every day, it isn't that. If you want to switch off completely on turquoise water, nothing on the coast beats it. Our blue cruise hub has the wider overview, and day sails if you only want a taste.
The classic routes
Most blue cruises run between a handful of well-worn coastlines, chosen for sheltered bays and good swimming. The three classics:
Fethiye → Ölüdeniz → Kaş (the Lycian coast)
The signature Lycian itinerary, threading the islands of Fethiye Bay, the Butterfly Valley coast and the coves toward Kalkan and Kaş, often reaching the Kekova basin and its Sunken City. The richest mix of swimming, scenery and ancient sites, and the route that best showcases the Lycian coast. Usually starts in Fethiye.
Fethiye → Marmaris (the Gulf coast)
Heads the other way, north-west into the sheltered, pine-clad gulfs and bays toward Göcek and Marmaris — Cleopatra's bath, Ekincik, quiet anchorages and very calm water. Greener and more enclosed than the open Lycian stretch, and a favourite for first-timers and families who want the gentlest sea.
Kaş → Kekova (the eastern Lycian gem)
A shorter, concentrated cruise around Kaş and the magical Kekova basin: the half-submerged Lycian Sunken City, the castle and sarcophagi at Kaleköy (Simena), and a string of clear, quiet coves. Less distance, more ancient atmosphere — ideal if you're short on time or based around Kaş.
Routes flex with the wind and the boat, and crews adjust the anchorages day to day — that's normal and usually for the better. For the sights you'll pass, see our Kekova and Kaş guides.
Cabin charter vs private charter
This is the single biggest decision, and it shapes the whole trip.
| Cabin charter | Private charter | |
|---|---|---|
| You book | Individual cabins | The whole boat + crew |
| Who's aboard | You + other guests | Just your group |
| Route & dates | Fixed | Flexible (within reason) |
| Best for | Couples, solos, the sociable | Families, groups, privacy |
| Cost | Lower per person | Higher total, can match per head |
A cabin charter means you buy a cabin (or two) on a shared gulet alongside other travellers, on a set route and dates. It's cheaper, sociable and brilliant for couples and solo travellers happy to share the boat with new faces. A private (full) charter means you hire the entire gulet and crew for your group — you control the guest list, the pace and largely the route, with bespoke food and proper privacy. It costs more in total, but for a full boat of family or friends the per-head price can land surprisingly close to a cabin charter. For how to weigh up the boat itself, read our Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon guide for the area context and ask operators the right questions before committing.
What's included — and what's extra
Inclusions vary a lot boat to boat, which is the main thing to pin down. Typically included:
- Your cabin with (usually) a private or shared bathroom
- The full crew — captain, deckhand and a cook
- Most or all meals, cooked fresh on board — generally generous Turkish spreads
- Fuel for the planned route
- Use of the boat's kit — snorkels, often kayaks or a paddleboard, sometimes fishing gear
And commonly extra, where the bill grows:
- Drinks — especially alcohol; some boats let you bring your own for a corkage, others run a bar tab
- Marina fees & site entrance fees — overnight harbours and ruins aren't always covered
- Watersports — diving, water-skiing, jet-ski hire are add-ons
- Transfers to the port — getting to Fethiye or Kaş is on you; see our transfers guide
- Crew tips — customary at the end, roughly 5–10% of the fare, shared among the crew
Rough cost per person
Prices swing enormously with boat quality, season and the lira, so treat these as approximate 2026 ballpark, not quotes:
| Type | Typical trip | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cabin charter (budget–mid) | 3–4 nights, per person | €400–700 |
| Cabin charter (higher-end / week) | Up to 7 nights, per person | €700–1,400+ |
| Private charter (modest gulet) | Whole boat, per week | from ~€4,000 |
| Private charter (luxury gulet) | Whole boat, per week | €15,000+ |
Newer, better-equipped boats with en-suite cabins and air-con cost more; older, simpler gulets cost less. Peak July–August commands the highest prices; the shoulder months are notably cheaper. Always confirm what the headline figure does and doesn't include before comparing.
A day on board
The daily rhythm is the whole appeal, and it's gloriously simple. A typical day: wake at anchor in a quiet cove; breakfast on deck (eggs, cheeses, olives, bread, tomatoes, honey); a morning swim straight off the back, snorkel or kayak; motor a short hop to the next bay as the crew makes lunch, served on deck; a lazy afternoon of swimming, reading and sun, maybe a stop at a ruin or a beach bar; sunset drinks; a generous dinner cooked aboard; and a still night under the stars, the boat rocking gently. Repeat, somewhere new each day. There's no schedule to keep beyond meals and the next swim.
When to go
The season runs roughly late April to late October, with the warmest sea from July into early October. July and August are peak — hottest, busiest and priciest, with popular coves crowded with boats — so book well ahead. The sweet spot is May, June, September and early October: warm enough to swim, calmer anchorages, lower prices and fewer boats. In high summer the meltemi wind can pick up, which crews plan routes around. For the wider seasonal picture, see our best time to visit Lycia guide.
Who it suits
A blue cruise is for people who want to swim, relax and switch off rather than sightsee hard — couples, families with older children, groups of friends, and anyone who'd happily spend a week alternating between the deck and the sea. Seasickness is rarely an issue: gulets motor short distances between sheltered bays and sit at anchor in calm water most of the time, so it feels nothing like an open-sea passage. If you need constant nightlife or a new city every day, it isn't for you. If a week of turquoise coves and someone else doing the cooking sounds like heaven, it's the best thing on the coast.
Plan your trip
Or read: Blue Cruise hub · Day sails · Kekova · Fethiye
Frequently asked
What is a Turkish blue cruise (mavi yolculuk)?
A multi-day trip along the Turquoise Coast aboard a gulet — the traditional broad wooden motor-sailing yacht. You cruise short hops between bays, anchoring in quiet coves to swim, snorkel and visit the odd ruin or village while the crew cooks and sails. It's a relaxed swim-anchor-eat-repeat holiday afloat, not a port-hopping cruise — the signature way to see the Lycian coast.
Cabin charter vs private charter — what's the difference?
A cabin charter means booking individual cabins on a shared gulet with other guests — cheaper, sociable, fixed route, great for couples and solos. A private charter means hiring the whole boat and crew for your group — you control the guest list, pace and route, with bespoke food and privacy, better for families and groups. Private costs more in total but can match per head for a full boat.
What does it cost per person?
Roughly: a cabin berth from €400–700 per person for 3–4 nights at the budget-to-mid end, €700–1,400-plus for higher-end boats or a full week. A private weekly charter runs from around €4,000 for a modest gulet to €15,000-plus for a luxury one, before extras. Prices swing with boat quality, season and the lira — treat as ballpark and confirm inclusions.
What's included in the price?
Typically the cabin, full crew (captain, deckhand, cook), most or all meals cooked aboard, fuel for the route, and the boat's kit (snorkels, often kayaks). Usually extra: drinks (alcohol especially), marina and site fees, watersports like diving, transfers to the port, and crew tips. Get the inclusions in writing — "all-inclusive" varies boat to boat.
When is the blue cruise season?
Roughly late April to late October, with the warmest sea July into early October. July–August are peak — hottest, busiest, dearest, with crowded coves — so book ahead. May, June, September and early October are the sweet spot: warm enough to swim, calmer anchorages, lower prices, fewer boats. The meltemi wind can pick up in high summer.
Who is it best for — and will I get seasick?
It suits anyone wanting to swim, relax and switch off rather than tick off sights — couples, families with older kids, groups of friends. Seasickness is rarely an issue: gulets motor short hops between sheltered bays and anchor in calm water most of the time, so it's nothing like an open-sea passage. Light sailing in flat coves is the norm, not rough crossings.