All-Inclusive Gulet Charter Turkey: What's Actually Included (2026)

"All-inclusive" is one of the most misused phrases in Turkish charter marketing. Two quotes with identical headline prices can deliver wildly different value: one includes drinks, the other doesn't; one builds in harbour fees, the other invoices them separately at the end of the week. This guide walks through what is and isn't typically covered, with a realistic line-by-line breakdown so you can compare quotes apples-to-apples.

The three pricing models you'll see

Turkish gulet charters come in three flavours:

1. Boat-only ("dry charter"). You pay for the vessel and crew. Food, drinks, fuel above an agreed range, and harbour fees are extra. Quoted most often for premium motor yachts and high-end gulets.
2. APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance). You pay the boat fee plus a running tab — typically 25–35% of the boat fee — held by the captain for groceries, drinks, fuel, marina fees. Unused balance is refunded.
3. All-inclusive ("full board"). Single price covering boat, crew, food, soft drinks, fuel for a standard route, and harbour fees. Alcohol is usually still extra. This is the dominant model for typical 5–8 cabin gulets.

What "all-inclusive" should cover

A clean Turkish all-inclusive quote includes:

• The boat with all its equipment (kayaks, paddleboards, snorkel kit, fishing rods if available).
• Crew wages for captain + 1-2 crew (chef extra on larger vessels).
• Linen and towels (changed mid-week on weekly charters).
• Fuel for a standard 20–30 nautical mile daily route.
• All meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner, plus afternoon snacks. Coffee, tea, water, soft drinks during the day.
• Standard cleaning end-of-charter.
• Harbour fees and anchorage charges within the agreed route region.
• VAT (Turkish KDV).

What's typically not included even in an all-inclusive:

• Alcohol. Standard is to provision separately or buy on board at near-supermarket prices. Some captains will pre-purchase a bar kit on request and bill at cost.
• Long-distance fuel. If you decide mid-charter to extend the itinerary by 100+ nautical miles (e.g. Bodrum→Antalya in one shot), fuel above the standard daily allowance is yours.
• Crew gratuities. Industry norm in Turkey is 5–10% of the boat fee, paid cash to the captain at the end of the week to be split. Budget for it — it's not optional in practice.
• Water sports requiring fuel (jet skis, water-skiing, towed toys). Some boats include these in the package; many invoice them per use.
• Berthing in non-included marinas. If you want a night at a fancy marina (D-Marin Göcek, Yalıkavak Marina), the berthing fee may not be in the all-inclusive total.
• Transfers to and from the airport.

A realistic line-by-line breakdown

Here's what a typical quote on a 6-cabin gulet, 12 guests, week of 1–8 August 2026, Bodrum departure looks like under each model.

Three things to notice:

• All three models land within ~€2,000 of each other after alcohol and tips. The convenience premium of all-inclusive is real but small.
• Dry charter looks cheaper on the headline but doesn't include APA costs you'll incur anyway.
• APA is the sharpest on paper because unused balance refunds — but it requires you to trust that the captain isn't padding the food spend.

How to spot an unfair "all-inclusive"

Red flags in all-inclusive quotes:

1. Drink list with no prices. Get the bar tariff in writing before you sign. €4 for a beer on a gulet is normal; €15 is not.
2. "Fuel surcharge applies." Find out the threshold. If it's suspiciously low (e.g. 10 NM/day), you'll be billed extra on every meaningful sailing day.
3. No mention of harbour fees. Charterers crossing into Greek waters pay clearance fees — confirm whether the all-inclusive covers them or not.
4. Cleaning as a hidden extra. Some Turkish operators bill cleaning as a separate end-of-charter fee even on "all-inclusive" rates. Ask.
5. Captain's VAT receipt for the full amount. Legitimate Turkish charters always issue a Turkish KDV invoice. If yours doesn't, the advertised "VAT inclusive" wasn't.

What about food quality?

The all-inclusive model on Turkish gulets is famously generous. A typical day looks like:

• Breakfast (8:30–10:00): Turkish-style spread — eggs, olives, cheese, tomato, cucumber, fresh bread, jam, menemen on alternate days.
• Lunch (13:30–14:30): mezze platter + grilled fish or chicken, salad, fruit. Always served on deck.
• Afternoon (17:00): Turkish tea, baklava or seasonal fruit.
• Dinner (20:00): three courses, often catch-of-the-day or a roast with mezze starters. Wine is usually extra.

Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and child-friendly menus are standard; share dietary needs at booking. If anyone in your group has a serious allergy, ask whether the chef cooks on board (most do) or pre-prepares ashore — fresh cooking on board means cross-contamination risk is manageable, but worth confirming.

Bottom line

For most groups of 8–12 on a 6-cabin gulet, the all-inclusive model costs €100–€200 per person per week more than dry/APA but removes every conversation about money during the trip. That's worth it if nobody in your group wants to be the one tallying receipts at the end of dinner. Dry/APA is the right choice if you have one or two finance-minded people who genuinely don't mind running the tab.

Either way, get the bar tariff and fuel threshold in writing before you transfer your deposit. The detail you skip now is the awkward conversation you'll have on day 5.

Browse MaviSail's vessel directory and ask each captain which model they offer — most will quote both APA and all-inclusive side-by-side on request.