How many crew are there and what do they do? Asfiye is perhaps the only yacht with two certified captains in command; first is Uğur our captain, whose main responsibility is piloting the boat, consulting on your route and schedule and looking to your enjoyment whilst ensuring the safety of the boat, her guests and crew. Secondly, a Bosun, Hasan, who also is a registered captain and who manages the sails, engineering, maintenance and so on. Ali our chef also serves as deck hand handling the anchor and mooring ropes. Both Uğur and Hasan trained as chefs and so you not only will enjoy the confidence of a voyage under the supervision of two certified captains but you will have the contributions of three excellent cooks. Our shore manager, Rue, will provision your cruise, arrange for your airport transfers, meet you in Fethiye and escort you to the yacht. He is always available to ensure that all your needs are being looked after. Crystal, our America based liaisons officer will correspond and speak with you directly, communicate your details with our Turkish crew and ensure that all the details in your charter are exceeded.

What are the Visa & Passport requirements? U.S. citizens must obtain a visa to enter Turkey; this is easily purchased at the Istanbul airport and currently costs $20.00. In order to enter Turkey your passport must have minimum 6 months validity. For charters which cruise to more than one country, such as from Turkey to the Greek Islands and back, guests must have passports with the same validity from date of entry. There are no visa requirements for U.S. citizens to enter Greece.

How to get there? There are 3 direct flights from the United States to Istanbul: Turkish Airlines has daily flights from Chicago and JFK and Delta a daily flight from JFK. All foreign and domestic airlines offer service to major western European cities from where you can continue onto Istanbul. Dalaman airport is the closest airport to Fethiye where we will be happy to arrange for an airport transfer service to bring you to Fethiye. There is also a bus operated by Havaş transportation services that departs from Dalaman after the arrival of each Turkish Airlines flight and completes the trip to Fethiye in 45 minutes. However, depending upon the land portion of the itinerary we devise, you might fly to any number of airports and continue on by rented car, bus or further airline flights. We have 10 years of experience in devising land and air itineraries: tell us how much time you have to devote to your vacation and what parts of the country you wish to see beyond the timeframe of your charter and we will provide you with recommendations for itineraries that involve maximum time for sightseeing and a minimum of pressure to feel that you must keep moving from one place to the next.

What to pack? Most of us pack far too much for holidays. Clothes-wise, bathing gear and layered casual wear such as light weight shirts and shorts are ideal, with sweaters or light jackets for cooler evenings, particularly in early and late season. If you wish, you may also bring more formal attire for evening dinners onboard or ashore, but the general spirit is causal. On the boat, bare feet are the rule. On shore, the most useful footwear is light, non-slip, and suitable for trekking about ruins and cobblestone streets. Soft luggage, rather than hard suitcases are much preferred as they are easier to store onboard. It is useful to pack a soft bag specifically for your time aboard the yacht; we will be happy to store your excess luggage in our offices.

Where will I stay on land? We will be happy to recommend hotels both in Fethiye or at any point along your land itinerary. Tourism is one of Turkey’s major industries and there are many places to stay. In major cities many of the international groups have properties with prices similar to those in the United States. There are, however, an infinite number of locally owned properties throughout the country that offer superior locations and comfortable to excellent accommodations with prices ranging from $ 75.00 to 150.00 per day with a generous breakfast included in the price.

Small children and charters? Charters can be fantastic holidays for groups of family and friends. The age limit is left to the discretion of the parents, but children should be water safe. Keep in mind that the crew is kept busy with their assigned duties and are not free to offer child care. It is best to select an itinerary where there are no long passages, giving the children maximum time for swimming, snorkeling and exploring.

Sea sickness? If you are concerned about the possibility of seasickness spoiling your enjoyment of your charter holiday, we’ll be able to recommend itineraries where there is less risk of seasickness – and the crew will keep track of prevailing weather conditions, and will keep the route to areas of protected water to ensure your comfort. This said; the eastern Mediterranean has a minimal tidal range. Asfiye is quite stable and the water is typically quite placid. In our many years of experience very few people have become seasick and then only for one time. If you’re particularly worried, you may want to consult with your doctor or pharmacist.

Smoking on the yacht? For safety reasons, and to prevent lingering odors remaining to disturb the comfort of future guests, smoking is not permitted inside the yacht. Smoking is permitted on outside decks.

Use of electrical items? European and Turkish yachts operate electricity on 220 V systems so it is possible to use hairdryers, telephone re-chargers, laptop computers and other items. You will need an adapter to fit your equipment to Turkish outlets both on land and at sea. The yacht is equipped with an ample supply but you may wish to purchase your own for use on land. These are easily obtainable both states-side or after your arrival and we will be happy to advise on the best type.

Use of air-conditioning? Asfiye is fully equipped with air-conditioning in the saloon and all cabins. This said, air-conditioning on a gulet is not the same as that in your home. As the air-conditioning runs off the generator, it can only be used at certain times of the day. The charter contract allows for use of AC for up to six hours per day. The time restrictions are primarily to prevent noise from disturbing guests in other nearby boats particularly at night and when docked in a harbor.

Contact & Communication with the outside world? Cellular telephones are available for your use; they operate on a prepaid unit system and cards in varying denominations are available for purchase onboard. Depending upon your cellular carrier, your American phone will work in Turkey although the roaming charges can be quite expensive. Asfiye will be equipped with wireless internet; however it will be necessary to verify that our broadband card is compatible with your own laptop’s port. On shore there are many internet cafes and WIFI is available in many locations.

Is Turkey safe? When meeting new people, once the subject of Turkey come up – as it quickly does, I am met with one of 2 responses: "Oh, I love Turkey!" or "Is it safe?" Turkey is not the Middle East and is not caught up in the turmoil that embroils that region. There have been recent terrorist attacks in Turkey as there have been much worse attacks in New York, London, Madrid and Southeast Asia. All such attacks have been isolated incidents and as such, the chance that you would have been involved in one of them is quite small. Given that you will be sailing along our Turkish coastline, you will actually be less in harms way than had you stayed in your own city. You should know that the Turks are one of the friendliest, most hospitable and most welcoming people on Earth. As an American traveling in Turkey I have never encountered an instance of ill will or a moment of discomfort. There are instances of street crime involving tourists in larger cities – as there are all over the world - but this said, all levels of crime are far less in Turkey than in the United States.