Private Blue Cruise with Cheers Yachting in Turkey

Sea days rarely come with ancient ruins. This private Fethiye blue cruise combines clear swimming bays, quiet sunsets, and historic coastal stops aboard a 24-meter yacht. You get seven cabins, a four-person crew, scuba equipment, bicycle use, and room for up to 14 people. I especially like the private format and the chance to move between famous places such as Butterfly Valley, Kaş, Kekova, and Kaleköy without changing hotels.

The crew also earns strong praise, particularly Captain Ahmet and the onboard cook. Food, friendly service, safety, and flexible handling of weather are the main strengths. The catch is cost: $9,829.75 is a serious group expense, and food costs an extra 50 euros per person per day. You should also confirm the meeting and departure times before paying, since the supplied details list both an 11:00 a.m. cruise departure and a 4:00 p.m. meeting time.

Key points to know before booking

• A true private yacht charter: Only your own group takes part, with space for up to 14 people.
• Seven private cabins: Each cabin has a double bed, with optional single beds that can create triple cabins.
• A crew of four: Captain Ahmet, a cook, and two sailors handle navigation, meals, and onboard service.
• Historic stops with swimming time: The route includes Butterfly Valley, Gemiler Island, Kaş, Kekova, Simena Castle, and Kaleköy.
• Food is an extra charge: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner cost 50 euros per person per day, while alcoholic drinks are separate.
• The route can change: Weather may force the captain to adjust the course, so keep some flexibility in your plans.

What the Cheers yacht experience is really like

A Turkish blue cruise is built around the sea rather than a packed sightseeing schedule. You spend much of the day moving between coves, swimming from the boat, eating onboard, and going ashore for short visits. The sea is the main attraction, with clear water, long views, and the chance to see marine life.

Cheers is a private 24-meter yacht, which makes it a better fit for a family group, birthday party, group of friends, or several couples than for solo visitors looking to meet new people. With seven cabins and a maximum of 14 passengers, the boat can feel social without being a large cruise ship.

The four-person crew includes Captain Ahmet, the cook, and two sailors. The strongest praise centers on this team. Ahmet is described as friendly, funny, careful, and willing to discuss the next destination. The cook receives repeated compliments for fresh Turkish meals, which matters because dining is a major part of the day on a yacht.

You should not expect a formal luxury cruise with a long list of resort-style facilities. This is a working yacht with shared outdoor areas, cabins, bathrooms, and a crew focused on getting you safely between bays. The appeal is the relaxed pace and personal service, not a large onboard entertainment program.

Day one: Butterfly Valley, Ölüdeniz, and Gemiler Island

The published route begins with departure from Fethiye Harbor at 11:00 a.m. and a cruise toward Butterfly Valley. The supplied meeting information also lists a 4:00 p.m. start, so confirm the exact boarding time with Cheers Yachting before you travel to Fethiye.

Butterfly Valley gives you an early taste of the trip’s pattern: arrive by water, swim in clear conditions, and choose whether to spend time ashore. You can hike into the natural gorge, then return for a swim. The visit is listed as about six hours, which gives you more than a quick photo stop.

The hike may not suit everyone, especially if your group mainly wants a lazy first afternoon. The value here is choice. You can walk into the valley, stay near the water, or use the time to settle into the boat.

The route continues past Ölüdeniz, one of the best-known coastal areas in the region. This is a scenic sailing section rather than a structured guided visit, so keep your camera ready and enjoy the view from deck.

The first overnight stop is Gemiler Island. Its archaeological ruins sit in a striking coastal setting, and the timing is useful: you can explore before dinner and watch the sunset as the crew prepares the evening meal. Admission to the island is not included, so carry some money for that visit.

Gemiler Island gives the first day a good balance. You are not simply sailing from one swimming stop to another. You also get a short history stop, a sunset, and dinner at anchor. If you prefer early nights, remember that the day begins with a fairly long outing and may feel full.

Day two: Patara sunrise, Fırnaz Bay, and Kaş

Day two starts very early, at 5:30 a.m., as the yacht moves south toward Kalkan. That early departure is not for everyone, but it creates a chance to see sunrise beside Patara Beach, a 12-kilometer stretch of coast.

The boat then stops at Fırnaz Bay for breakfast and swimming. This is a good example of how the cruise works: the crew uses a scenic bay as a meal stop, giving you time in the water rather than asking you to eat quickly and return to a bus.

The five-hour section toward Kalkan and Fırnaz Bay is mostly about the sea and views. If you need a slow start in the morning, ask your group in advance how you want to handle the early departure. A private charter gives you more room to discuss timing, but the captain still has to manage the route and weather.

Later, the boat continues to Kaş Harbor. You have free time to explore and shop before heading to Limanağzı Bay for the second night onboard. Kaş is one of the few proper town visits on this route, so use it for a change of pace, a walk, or supplies.

The stop is also useful for anyone who wants a little independence during a boat holiday. Several hours of shore time can break up the long stretches onboard. Still, the schedule includes a lot of cruising, and you should not mistake this for a land tour with hours in every town.

Day three: Kekova’s sunken ruins and Kaleköy

After breakfast at Limanağzı, the boat heads toward the northern side of Kekova Island. The main sight is the partly sunken ancient settlement of Dolchiste, also spelled Dolikisthe, damaged by an earthquake in the second century.

Kekova is one of the most memorable parts of the route because the ruins are seen from the water. That viewpoint keeps the visit calm and visual. You are not rushing through a large museum or a crowded archaeological site. Instead, the remains form part of a morning on the sea.

The route then continues to Kaleköy, where lunch is served onboard. After lunch, you can go ashore and see Simena Castle and Kaleköy. This is another place where comfortable shoes and sensible sun protection will help, since the visit involves walking around historic remains and village paths.

Kaleköy gives the cruise one of its strongest combinations: a meal on the boat, a historic stop on land, and a small coastal settlement rather than a major city. You get a sense of the coast as both a living place and an archaeological area.

The day ends at Gökkaya Bay. Here you can use water sports facilities, eat dinner onboard, and visit Smuggler’s Inn Bar. The optional late-night stop may suit a birthday group or friends who want music and drinks. It may be less appealing if you are hoping for complete quiet after the early morning and full sightseeing day.

The schedule calls for an overnight stay at Gökkaya, so this is the night when the trip can shift from peaceful to social. Alcohol is not included, and you should budget separately if your group plans to drink at the bar or onboard.

Day four: A final breakfast at Gökkaya and departure from Demre

The last morning begins with breakfast in Gökkaya Bay. The boat then heads to Demre Harbor, also called Andriake Port, where departure is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.

This final section is short, but the transport details deserve attention. The tour information gives Fethiye as the starting location and Demre as the final port, while another line says the activity ends back at the meeting point. Confirm the exact start and end arrangements with Cheers Yachting before booking flights, buses, or hotels.

That point matters more on a private charter because your group is responsible for coordinating onward travel. Do not assume that returning to Fethiye is part of the boat schedule unless the operator confirms it directly.

Cabins, bathrooms, and life onboard

The yacht has seven cabins, each with a comfortable double bed. Single beds can be added when a cabin needs to sleep three people. This setup works best for couples, families, or friends who are comfortable sharing compact cabin space.

The crew’s cabins and bathrooms are separate from those used by passengers. That is a small but useful detail. It gives your group more privacy and keeps the working areas of the boat apart from the sleeping areas.

You will spend much of your time outside the cabin. The reviews repeatedly praise the yacht as spacious and comfortable, and some people slept under the stars. That option depends on the conditions and the boat’s available deck space, so treat it as a possibility rather than a guaranteed sleeping arrangement.

The sea is central to the experience. Scuba equipment is included, and bicycle use is included as well. The supplied details do not explain the exact type of scuba equipment, instruction, certification requirements, or bicycle arrangements, so ask for those specifics if they matter to your group.

Food, drinks, and the real price

The listed group price is $9,829.75 for up to 14 people. At the full capacity, that works out to about $702 per person for the charter itself, before meals, drinks, transport, and any admission fees. For a private four-day yacht, that can be reasonable for a group that values privacy and shared time, but it is not a budget option.

Food costs an additional 50 euros per person per day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For a four-day trip, that is 200 euros per person if charged for all four days. Confirm how the operator counts the departure day, since the final morning includes breakfast but the schedule covers roughly four days.

Alcoholic drinks are not included. Gemiler Island admission is also not included. These costs are easy to overlook when dividing a group price, especially if your party plans to visit the bar at Gökkaya or buy drinks for the boat.

The food may be one of the best reasons to accept the added meal charge. The cook is repeatedly praised for fresh, traditional Turkish dishes, and the onboard meals are described as plentiful and delicious. On a boat, having meals prepared for you saves time and keeps the group together, but you should still ask about menus and dietary needs before booking.

The crew, safety, and weather

Captain Ahmet is central to the experience. He is the captain and boat owner, and the supplied comments describe him as attentive, professional, kind, and eager to make the trip work for each group. His habit of discussing the next destination helps passengers understand the plan rather than simply being carried from one stop to another.

Safety also receives strong praise. That matters on a private yacht, where you rely on the captain and sailors for navigation, anchoring, and decisions about changing conditions.

Weather can alter the route. One account describes a course change caused by weather, with the crew working to keep the trip enjoyable. You should approach this as a normal part of coastal sailing, not as a failure of the tour. A bay may be swapped, or the order of stops may change.

The private format helps here. The crew can talk directly with your group and adjust the day when practical. It does not mean every request can be granted, since wind and sea conditions must come first.

Who will enjoy this cruise most

I would recommend Cheers Yachting most strongly to:

• Families and friends who want a private base on the Turkish coast
• Groups celebrating birthdays or other milestones
• Couples who enjoy swimming, sunsets, and small historic stops
• People who prefer a relaxed sea holiday to a busy land itinerary
• Groups willing to share cabins and divide a large charter cost

It may not suit you if you dislike early mornings, shared boat spaces, or changes caused by weather. It is also less suitable if your priority is long independent visits in towns, since much of the route takes place onboard or at swimming bays.

The 5:30 a.m. start on day two is worth discussing before you book. So is the late-night option at Gökkaya. One person may call those the best parts of the trip, while another may prefer a quiet deck and an early night.

Practical booking advice

Bring swimwear, sun protection, comfortable walking shoes, and some money for admissions and drinks. The route includes swimming, short hikes, castle visits, village walking, and time onboard, so one outfit will not cover every part comfortably.

Ask Cheers Yachting to confirm four points in writing:

• The exact boarding time in Fethiye
• The final departure arrangements from Demre
• What the 50-euro daily food charge covers
• The details and conditions for using the scuba equipment

The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason, so check dates, group size, cabin arrangements, and transport before payment. Confirmation is provided at booking, and mobile tickets are available.

Should you book Cheers Yachting?

Book this cruise if you want a private, social sea holiday where the crew handles the route, meals, and daily rhythm. Captain Ahmet and the crew appear to be the strongest part of the experience, while the mix of swimming, Turkish food, sunsets, and ancient coastal sites gives the trip more variety than a simple yacht charter.

I would hesitate only if the price stretches your group budget, if you need guaranteed weather or a fixed route, or if you want a larger cabin with resort-style space. For the right group, the value is not just the boat. It is four days of shared time without packing and unpacking, with the turquoise coast outside your cabin door.

FAQ

Where does the private blue cruise begin?

The listed starting point is Avis Fethiye, Karagözler, Fevzi Çakmak Cd. No:21/B, 48300 Fethiye, Muğla, Türkiye.

Where does the cruise end?

The final scheduled departure is from Demre Harbor, also called Andriake Port, at 10:30 a.m. The supplied meeting information also says the activity ends back at the meeting point, so confirm the exact arrangement with Cheers Yachting.

How long does the cruise last?

The cruise lasts approximately four days, with three overnight stops at Gemiler Island, Limanağzı Bay, and Gökkaya Bay.

How many people can join the yacht?

The yacht can host up to 14 people, and the booking is private for your own group.

How many cabins are onboard?

There are seven cabins. Each has a double bed, and optional single beds can be used to create triple cabins.

Who makes up the crew?

The crew includes one captain, one cook, and two sailors. Captain Ahmet is also the boat owner.

Are meals included in the price?

Meals are not included in the listed charter price. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner cost 50 euros per person per day.

Are alcoholic drinks included?

No. Alcoholic beverages are listed as an additional cost.

Is scuba equipment available?

Yes. Use of scuba equipment is included. The supplied details do not state the equipment type or any certification requirements.

Can the route change because of weather?

Yes. Weather can require the captain to divert or adjust the route. The crew aims to keep the trip enjoyable while responding to sea conditions.