Frequently Asked Questions About Yacht Charter in Turkey

Oxygen Yachting is a luxury yacht charter and lifestyle concierge company based in Turkey, operating across the Aegean, the Mediterranean and the Istanbul Bosphorus. With around a decade in the industry, it arranges crewed charters through a curated and continuously updated yacht network — gulets, motor yachts, sailing yachts, catamarans and more — alongside a full concierge service. Its guiding idea, “Beyond the Reach of Noise,” describes a calm, considered experience on the water.

Oxygen Yachting operates throughout the Turkish Aegean and Mediterranean coast — including Bodrum, Göcek, Fethiye, the Gulf of Gökova and Datça — as well as the Greek islands reachable from these ports. It also arranges private yacht experiences on the Istanbul Bosphorus, and charters can be combined with wider travel through its concierge service.

Oxygen Yachting does not operate as a simple yacht-listing intermediary. It is a yacht charter and lifestyle concierge brand that helps match the right yacht, route, pace and guest experience. The team supports yacht selection, then shapes the surrounding details — route planning, transfers, special requests and the overall flow of the trip.

Oxygen Yachting has roughly ten years of experience in the yacht charter and marine lifestyle industry across the Aegean and Mediterranean.

The process begins with a conversation rather than a form. You share your group size, preferred dates, a rough idea of region and the kind of experience you are after, and the Oxygen team helps shape the right yacht and route around it — you do not need to know exactly what you want. You can reach the team by WhatsApp at +90 538 044 09 79, by email at hello@oxygenyachting.com, or through the Atlas concierge on oxygenyachting.com.

Yes — route planning is part of the service. The team shapes an itinerary around your interests, dates and pace, suggesting regions, coves and stops that fit the group, then refines it with you. Once you are aboard, the captain adapts each day to the wind and conditions, so the plan stays a living guide rather than a fixed schedule. The Atlas concierge on oxygenyachting.com can also sketch a sample route to get the conversation started.

Atlas is Oxygen Yachting’s digital concierge on oxygenyachting.com, able to respond in Turkish, English and other guest-preferred languages. It talks through yacht types, regions, routes, coves, seasons, activities and gastronomy, helps you frame the right questions, and can outline a sample itinerary to spark ideas. Atlas informs and guides — when you are ready, it connects you with the Oxygen team, who confirm the specific yacht, availability and pricing.

Atlas can help with routes, regions, yacht types and trip ideas, but final pricing, availability and booking details are always confirmed by the Oxygen Yachting team. This gives guests a fast way to orient themselves while keeping live availability and yacht-owner confirmations accurate.

For overnight charters the minimum is generally two nights, with motor yachts the usual choice for the shortest stays. Day charters — roughly 10:00 to 17:00, without an overnight — are also available. Gulets traditionally run on a Saturday-to-Saturday weekly cycle, though shorter three-to-five-day trips are increasingly common, and yachts of 40 metres and above can usually be booked for any dates you choose.

Yes. A day charter typically departs around 10:00 and returns near 17:00 with no overnight stay — a practical choice for a special occasion, a family gathering, or a first taste of the Aegean. On the Istanbul Bosphorus, private tours start from a two-hour minimum.

A classic gulet week runs Saturday to Saturday, and seven days comfortably covers a region such as the Gulf of Gökova or the Göcek–Fethiye coast. That said, many groups now prefer four to five days, and even three nights gives a genuine taste of the Aegean. If you want to combine two regions or add the Greek islands, a longer charter — a week or more — gives the route room to breathe; the team helps match the length to your plans.

Yes. Oxygen Yachting can help international guests plan the yacht, route, transfers, pre- or post-charter accommodation and concierge details around their arrival in Turkey. Atlas’s multilingual responses make the first exploration easier, while the Oxygen team personally follows up on the confirmed details.

For July and August the most sought-after yacht and date combinations are limited, so early booking gives both the widest choice and better value; reservations made between January and March offer the broadest selection. September and October are easier for shorter notice, and the sea is still warm with thinner crowds.

Oxygen Yachting works with a curated network of more than 500 vessels, including gulets, sailing gulets, motor yachts, sailing yachts, catamarans, ketches, schooners, motor-sailors and expedition trawlers. The right match depends on your group size, the experience you want and the region — the team confirms the specific yacht, availability and pricing.

A gulet is a traditional wooden Turkish sailing yacht, prized for its character, broad decks and relaxed pace — ideal for groups who want space and a classic blue-voyage feel. A motor yacht prioritises speed, range and contemporary comfort, making it well suited to shorter trips and guests who want to cover more ground. Catamarans, sailing yachts and trawlers each offer their own balance of stability, sailing spirit and range.

Crewed charters — with a professional captain and crew — are the standard at Oxygen Yachting. Bareboat (crewless) charter is possible for experienced sailors who hold a valid international yachting licence; these requests are arranged directly with the team.

Capacity depends on the vessel. Smaller, more private yachts suit couples and romantic escapes, while larger gulets and motor yachts comfortably host families and groups of ten to fourteen or more. For events on the Bosphorus and in Bodrum, dedicated event boats accommodate anywhere from around twenty up to roughly a hundred and twenty guests.

Charter pricing varies widely by yacht type, size, season and itinerary, so Oxygen Yachting provides figures directly rather than quoting a fixed rate. A crewed charter quote is usually shaped around the yacht rental, food and beverage arrangements, any special requests and VAT, which is 20% in Turkey. On gulets, fuel is usually included in the price in most cases; however, if guests want to draw their own route outside the standard itinerary, an extra fuel charge may apply depending on distance and programme. For an accurate quote the team prepares a proposal based on your specific plans.

A crewed gulet charter typically includes the crew (captain and hostess/cook), the yacht’s insurance, basic watersports equipment such as snorkelling gear, a SUP, a canoe and fishing tackle, standard-route fuel and transit log arrangements. If guests want to go beyond the standard itinerary and draw their own route, an extra fuel charge may apply depending on distance and programme. If guests ask to enter a marina or port during the trip, the relevant berthing or port fees are paid by the guests. Food and beverage, as well as concierge extras such as a private chef, musicians or jet skis, are planned separately. Gulets often run as a full week from Saturday to Saturday, though shorter trips are possible, and the full inclusions list is confirmed before booking.

APA is an advance amount used on some crewed yacht charters to cover running expenses such as food and beverage, special requests, port or marina fees, fuel and similar onboard costs. It is collected before the trip, spent on the guests’ behalf and reconciled at the end. On gulets, fuel and the transit log are usually included in the price in most cases; however, extra costs may arise if the route goes beyond the standard itinerary or if guests request marina or port entries during the trip. The exact basis is always set out in the team’s proposal.

Popular routes include the Gulf of Gökova from Bodrum, famed for deep, phosphorescent waters and sheltered coves like English Harbour; the Bodrum peninsula; and the Göcek–Fethiye region with its Twelve Islands and pine-lined bays. Many itineraries also reach the nearby Greek islands. The ideal route depends on your interests — seclusion, history, sailing or city energy — and the captain adapts each day to conditions.

Both are superb starting points, and the better choice depends on the mood you want. Bodrum is livelier and well connected, with the most departure options and easy access to the Bodrum peninsula and the Gulf of Gökova. Göcek is quieter and more sheltered, set among pine-clad hills and the Twelve Islands, and is a favourite for a calm, secluded blue voyage. For tranquillity and protected anchorages many lean toward Göcek; for energy, variety and nightlife alongside the sea, Bodrum — and the Oxygen team can match the start point to your group.

Turkey is the home of the gulet and the blue-voyage tradition: sheltered, pine-backed coves, short hops between anchorages, a strong crewed-charter culture and notable value. Greece leans toward island-hopping, Cycladic light and more open-water sailing between distinct island ports. Neither is better — they offer different rhythms, and because several Greek islands sit close to Turkish ports, many charters combine the two in a single itinerary.

For Bodrum departures, Milas–Bodrum Airport is usually the closest option. For Göcek and Fethiye routes, Dalaman Airport is typically the most convenient. For Marmaris, Datça or Bozburun, Dalaman or Bodrum may both be considered depending on the route and transfer plan.

Yes. A number of Greek islands sit within easy reach of Turkish ports and can be included in a charter. Crossing involves border formalities such as a transit log, the Q flag and valid passports and visas; the captain and operator handle the specific process, which the team will walk you through. On standard gulet charters departing from Turkey, the transit log is usually included; cross-border formalities, special port entries or marina/port fees requested by guests are assessed separately.

Yes. Oxygen Yachting arranges private motor-yacht tours and events on the Istanbul Bosphorus, from a two-hour minimum up to full-day charters. These suit family and friend groups, corporate meetings and business lunches, and special celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries and proposals — seeing the city’s palaces, waterfront mansions and bridges from the water.

Very. The Aegean’s calm, sheltered coves and shallow swim areas suit children well, and a yacht offers a new bay and a fresh setting each day rather than a single beach. Snorkelling and paddleboarding are easy first activities, life jackets are aboard every yacht, and the concierge can arrange a nanny, a private chef and child-friendly extras. Larger gulets and motor yachts give families the space and shaded deck they want — the team helps choose a vessel and pace that fit travelling with children.

Beyond the yacht itself, Oxygen Yachting arranges VIP transfers, private jet and helicopter travel, hotel and villa bookings, private chefs, butlers, hostesses and nannies, restaurant reservations, rare wine and bespoke catering, diving and watersports, private guides, photography, live music, spa and wellness, and special-occasion planning. The principle is simple: when a guest asks whether something can be arranged too, the answer is almost always yes.

Yes. Oxygen Yachting can support the experience around the charter, including airport transfers, hotel stays, restaurant reservations, special celebrations, onboard provisions and other concierge details that make the trip flow more smoothly.

Yes. A private chef can be arranged as part of the concierge package and stays aboard as part of the crew, preparing every meal from breakfast to dinner. There is no fixed menu — guests share their preferences, dietary needs and any allergies in advance, and the chef builds the menu around the group.

Yes. Oxygen Yachting plans proposals, birthdays, anniversaries and corporate events both on charter yachts and on dedicated event boats in Bodrum and on the Istanbul Bosphorus. Flowers, cake, décor, live music, photography and timing are coordinated so the moment comes together exactly as intended.

The Aegean charter season runs roughly from late spring to October. July and August are the warmest and busiest, shaped by the steady northerly Meltem wind. September and October are increasingly favoured — the sea is still warm, crowds have thinned and the wind settles — making them a quieter, well-balanced time to sail.

Gulets sail the same Aegean season, roughly late spring through October. July and August are warmest and liveliest, with the steady Meltem wind; June and September offer warm water with calmer, less crowded coves, which many gulet travellers prefer. Because gulets traditionally book by the week, the shoulder months also make it easier to find the dates and vessel you want — and early reservation, especially January to March, secures the widest choice.

No. Charters are crewed, so no sailing experience is needed — the captain and crew handle everything. Life jackets are available on every yacht and most coves have shallow areas, so non-swimmers can enjoy the deck, the sea and the scenery comfortably.

The captain holds authority over the route and can adjust or change a planned course for weather or safety — a safeguard rather than a limitation. For day tours, charters are generally cancelled when the wind exceeds Force 4, with the decision made early in the morning before departure, and reputable operators offer an alternative date or a refund.

Yes. Alongside charters for guests, Oxygen Yachting works with yacht owners and investors on management and brokerage — including adding a vessel to its network, chartering it out, or buying and selling. These enquiries are handled directly by the team.

You can reach Oxygen Yachting by WhatsApp at +90 538 044 09 79, by email at hello@oxygenyachting.com, or through the Atlas concierge and contact form at oxygenyachting.com. Share your name and a phone number and the team will get back to you.