Private Blue Cruise with Cheers Yachting in Turkey

The best part of this cruise is the freedom to treat Turkey’s Turquoise Coast as your own floating base. Cheers is a 24-meter private gullet with seven cabins, so your group can swim in quiet bays, visit ancient ruins, and sleep aboard rather than repacking every morning. Captain Ahmet, the boat owner, leads a crew of four.

I like the mix of shore visits and unhurried swim stops, especially at Butterfly Valley, Kekova, and Gökkaya Bay. I also like the small-group feel: up to 14 people share the boat, with crew cabins kept separate from passenger cabins. The main caution is that the timetable is active, the food fee is extra, and the supplied details give conflicting start times and end points, so confirm those before paying.

Key points to know before booking

• Private boat for up to 14: You hire Cheers for your own group, not as a seat on a large shared cruise.
• Seven cabins on a 24-meter gullet: Each cabin has a double bed, with optional single beds for some triple arrangements.
• Captain Ahmet is also the owner: He works with one cook and two sailors, giving the boat a personal, hands-on crew.
• The route crosses Turkey’s finest coastal stops: Butterfly Valley, Gemiler Island, Kaş, Kekova, Kaleköy, and Gökkaya Bay all feature in the four-day plan.
• Swimming is central to the trip: Crystal-clear bays, turtles, water sports, and included scuba equipment make this more than a sightseeing cruise.
• Budget for meals and drinks: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner cost 50 euros per person per day, while alcoholic drinks are not included.

What you are really booking on Cheers

This is not a quick boat outing. It is a private four-day cruise along Turkey’s southwestern coast, with the boat serving as your hotel, dining room, transport, and swimming platform.

Cheers carries up to 14 people in seven cabins. Each cabin has a private double bed, and some can take an extra single bed if you need a triple room. Bathrooms are private to the cabins, while the crew has separate sleeping and bathroom facilities. That matters on a multiday boat trip. You are still sharing a compact vessel, but you are not signing up for a bare-bones sailing setup.

The crew includes Ahmet as captain and owner, one cook, and two sailors. The strong point here is the personal service. Ahmet is described as closely involved in the holiday, and the crew is expected to help with the daily rhythm of meals, swimming, shore visits, and route decisions. Weather can force a change in course, so a flexible attitude is important.

You hire the entire experience privately. That makes Cheers a sensible choice for a family, a group of friends, or a special celebration. It also changes the price calculation. The advertised cost is $9,829.75 per group of up to 14. At the full group limit, that works out to about $702 per person before meals and drinks. With a smaller group, the per-person price rises quickly, but you still get the privacy of the whole boat.

Day 1: Butterfly Valley and a sunset at Gemiler Island

Departure is scheduled from Fethiye, with the first major stop at Butterfly Valley. The bay is known for clear water and a natural gorge that you can walk into. You can choose between a swim and a short hike, then return to the boat for more time on the water.

The gorge gives the first day a welcome change of pace. This is not four days of sitting on deck. You get a little walking, a lot of sea time, and views along the coast as the boat passes Ölüdeniz. The six-hour stop and cruise period listed for this section means you should expect the day to unfold slowly rather than as a quick photo stop.

The practical point is footwear. Bring something suitable for a rough or uneven walk, even though no special hiking tour is promised. If you prefer to stay aboard, the clear water offers an easy alternative.

Later, Cheers moves to Gemiler Island for the first overnight stop. You can explore archaeological ruins in a scenic setting, then watch the sunset while the cook prepares dinner. Admission to the island is not included, so allow for a small extra charge if you go ashore.

Gemiler Island is a good first night because it combines history with a memorable evening view. It also gives you a clear taste of the cruise’s pattern: arrive by boat, walk around a little, swim or relax, then eat aboard as the light fades.

Day 2: Sunrise by Patara, breakfast at Fırnaz Bay, and free time in Kaş

The second morning starts early, at 5:30 a.m., as the boat heads south toward Kalkan. That early departure is not for everyone, but it gives you a chance to see sunrise near Patara Beach, a long stretch of coast listed at 12 kilometers.

After cruising beside Patara, the boat stops at Fırnaz Bay for breakfast and swimming. This is one of the trip’s better combinations. You wake to open views, eat on board, and then get into the water before the day becomes hot.

You should know that early starts are part of the plan. If your group wants late nights and long mornings, the schedule may feel demanding. The reward is more coastline and cooler hours for cruising.

The boat then continues to Kaş, where you have free time to explore and shop. This gives the cruise a useful land-based break. You can walk around town at your own pace instead of being led through a fixed group tour.

After Kaş, Cheers moves to Limanağzı Bay for the second night. The change from town to a quiet anchorage is part of the appeal. You get a bit of local life in Kaş, then return to the boat for a calmer evening.

Day 3: Kekova’s sunken ruins and Kaleköy’s castle

Day three is the most historically distinctive part of the route. After breakfast at Limanağzı, the boat cruises toward the Sunken City on the northern side of Kekova Island.

The ruins belong to Dolchiste, also written as Dolikisthe, an ancient settlement damaged by an earthquake in the second century. Parts of the town lie partly underwater. From the boat, you can see the remains along the shore, making this a sight best appreciated from the sea.

Do not expect a traditional archaeological site with long walks through excavated streets. The value here is the setting and the unusual view of ruins meeting the water. The boat gives you a natural vantage point that a road-based tour cannot provide.

After lunch aboard, you visit Kaleköy. From here, you can explore Simena Castle and the village. The walk is likely to be more demanding than a flat waterfront stroll, so take sensible shoes and allow time for the climb. The payoff is a broad view across the coast and a close look at one of the route’s most memorable historic sites.

This is also where the private format helps. Your group can spend its shore time at a comfortable pace, within the schedule set by the captain, instead of being tied to a large tour party.

Gökkaya Bay: water sports, dinner, and an optional late night

The third evening is spent at Gökkaya Bay. You can enjoy water sports, eat dinner aboard, and visit Smuggler’s Inn Bar afterward.

The bay gives the trip a more social turn. Earlier nights focus on sunsets, ruins, and quiet anchorages. Here, you can choose a livelier evening, or stay aboard and keep the night peaceful. The late party is optional, which is useful for mixed-age groups and for anyone who wants to protect sleep before the final morning.

Several people who have taken longer cruises with Cheers describe sleeping under the stars. The boat information does not promise this as a formal feature, so treat it as an option rather than a guaranteed arrangement. Ask the crew what is permitted and practical on your sailing.

The water activities are another reason to check exactly what is available before departure. Scuba equipment is included, and the trip also lists use of a bicycle, but no further details are given about instruction, routes, or how many pieces of equipment are on board. If scuba is a major reason for booking, confirm the arrangements directly.

Day 4: Breakfast at Gökkaya and departure at Demre

The final morning begins with breakfast at Gökkaya Bay. After three nights aboard, the last cruise continues to Demre Harbour, also called Andriake Port. Departure is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.

Demre is not just a drop-off point. It is the endpoint for this route, which runs from Fethiye toward the Kekova and Demre area. If you are planning onward transport, build in enough time after the boat leaves. The supplied meeting information says the activity ends back at the starting meeting point, but the itinerary clearly gives Demre as the departure port. Confirm the final transfer details with Cheers before the trip.

That small administrative mismatch matters. A private cruise can be wonderfully relaxed once you are aboard, but your arrival and departure plans still need careful checking.

Food, drinks, and daily life aboard

Food is a major part of the experience, but it is not included in the stated group price. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner cost 50 euros per person per day. Over four days, that is 200 euros per person if charged for the full period, though you should confirm how the operator counts the first and last days.

A cook is part of the four-person crew, and the food described by past passengers centers on fresh, traditional Turkish dishes served throughout the day. That is important because meals are not just fuel on a boat. They set the daily rhythm: breakfast before a swim, lunch after a morning cruise, and dinner during sunset or at anchor.

Alcoholic drinks are not included. Plan your drink budget separately and ask how provisions are handled before departure. The supplied information does not state whether you bring your own alcohol or buy it through the operator.

There is no promise of a hotel-style dining room or a long menu. This is boat life, with meals prepared for the group and served aboard. That will suit you if you like shared meals and a relaxed routine. It may be less appealing if you need a highly customized diet, so discuss requirements before booking.

How comfortable is the boat for four days?

Cheers is large enough for 14 people, but it is still a boat. You will spend most of your time moving between cabins, deck areas, bathrooms, swimming spots, and shore visits. Pack lightly and keep your belongings easy to manage.

The seven cabins provide a useful degree of privacy. Double beds are standard, with optional single beds for triple use. Since the boat has a professional crew and separate crew facilities, the setup is more comfortable than a basic charter where everyone sleeps in shared spaces.

The strongest comfort feature is the ability to choose your own pace during free periods. You can swim, sit on deck, visit a village, explore ruins, or simply watch the coast pass by. The main limitation is space. If your group includes 14 adults, the boat will feel much fuller than it would with eight or ten.

Most people can participate, and the boat is near public transportation at the stated starting point. Still, shore stops include natural gorges, castle areas, and archaeological sites, so anyone with mobility concerns should ask for more detail about surfaces, steps, and tender access.

Timing, meeting point, and what to confirm

The listed starting point is Avis FethiyeKaragözler, Fevzi Çakmak Caddesi No. 21/B, Fethiye. One part of the information gives a 4:00 p.m. start time, while the day-by-day schedule says departure from Fethiye Harbour at 11:00 a.m.

Those times do not match. Contact Cheers before you arrange flights, hotel transfers, or a taxi. Ask for four specific details:

• The exact boarding time in Fethiye
• The correct port or meeting location
• Whether the cruise ends at Demre Harbour or returns to Fethiye
• How meals, drinks, and any shore admission are collected

The experience is mobile-ticket friendly, and booking confirmation is provided at the time of booking. The activity is private, so only your group participates. Cancellation is strict: the booking is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason.

Who will enjoy this private cruise most?

I would choose Cheers for a group that values time on the water more than a packed sightseeing schedule. It suits friends, families with older children, couples traveling together, and people marking a birthday or other occasion.

You will get the most from it if you enjoy:

• Swimming from the boat
• Shared meals and casual evenings
• Small archaeological sites rather than major museum visits
• Early starts and changing daily plans
• Quiet bays mixed with occasional nightlife
• A crew-led holiday where weather can alter the route

I would hesitate if you need a fixed timetable, hotel-sized rooms, a fully inclusive price, or guaranteed calm seas. Weather already has the power to change the route, and the boat schedule covers a lot of ground in four days.

Should you book Cheers Yachting?

Book it if your group wants a private slice of Turkey’s coast, with Ahmet and his crew handling the boat while you focus on swimming, food, ruins, and sunsets. The combination of seven cabins, a four-person crew, and a route through Butterfly Valley, Kaş, Kekova, Kaleköy, and Gökkaya gives the trip real variety.

Before you commit, settle the cost of meals, alcohol arrangements, boarding time, and the Demre departure. If those details work for your group, the price can offer good value, especially when shared among 14 people. If you want a private holiday that feels personal rather than packaged, Cheers is a strong choice.

FAQ

Where does the cruise start?

The stated meeting point is Avis FethiyeKaragözler, Fevzi Çakmak Cd. No. 21/B, Fethiye, Muğla, Türkiye.

Where does the cruise end?

The day-by-day plan says you leave the boat at Demre Harbour, also called Andriake Port, at 10:30 a.m. The meeting information gives a different end-point description, so confirm this directly before booking transport.

How long is the cruise?

The experience lasts approximately four days and includes three nights aboard.

How many people can join the private cruise?

The boat can host up to 14 people, and only your private group participates.

How many cabins does Cheers have?

Cheers has seven cabins. Each has a private double bed, with optional single beds available for triple-cabin arrangements.

Who works on the boat?

The crew consists of Captain Ahmet, who is also the boat owner, one cook, and two sailors.

Are meals included in the price?

No. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner cost 50 euros per person per day.

Are scuba equipment and a bicycle included?

Use of scuba equipment and use of a bicycle are listed as included features.

Is the booking refundable or changeable?

No. The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason.