We did have a splendid week with Baha Travel in Kalkan. Their gulet is skippered by the Boss and the crew were excellent. Worth having a look at:

http://www.geocities.com/bahatravel/

Anatolian Sky have some deluxe boats, we sailed on the Semercioglu three years ago and that was lovely, Been on a couple of cheepies since and they have been very rough in comparison. Last year was particularly uncomfortable as it was so hot. On the Anatolian sky boats they have air conditioning, rooms and beds are bigger and generally a lot more comfortable. Food was excellent and they went out of there way for us. Helped because there were only 5 of us on that trip. If we go again it will have to a Luxury cruise, just don;t like being uncomfortable on holiday.

A load of us chartered a gulet from Tapestry for two weeks a few years ago - just before they went bust.

We were unlucky with the weather but the captain moored up in a sheltered cove for several days rather than let us go ashore. The bar prices were way too high and the boat leaked. I was sleeping with a bucket on the bed at one time.

That was the worst gulet holiday I've ever had (out of about 10) but we have booked again for this May. I hope the weather is better........

I love gulets..

Thanks Ian. We too have done several Tapestry gulet holidays. Never had one leak on us.

We've done 15 gulets so far (sometimes 2 a year) and I think you will always find the weather can be mixed in May. We've found we prefer September as the water is warmer yet the weather is always hot.

Who have you booked with this year? We went Anatolian Sky last year but not overly impressed. Possibly because for the first time ever we had some really horrible passengers on with us.

If you can charter the whole gulet then you'll find Blue Cruise are one of the best. They charter two boats the Prenses Lila & the Prenses Selin. We've been on both and are now friends with the owners who are really nice people with high standards. Would absolutely love to go again but Blue Cruise only seem to be doing sole charters not cabin charter this year, hence my original question. Hope you have a great time.

We have booked with Thomas Cook this year - I expect the weather will be pretty much OK. The Tapestry holiday was in September and we were particularly unlucky to get so much rain. We have had rain before but never had a boat leak like that. It was coming in round the windows and I could have sealed them myself with about 2 quids worth of sealant but the crew made no attempt to fix the problem.

In May we are going from Bodrum all round the bay of Bodrum first week then Kos, Simi and Datca the second week. We usually go between Marmaris and Fethye so this will make a pleasant change.

I've got my ipod filled with music - books to read - and looking forward to relaxing for two weeks.

Enjoy your holiday Ian, I feel quite envious now, we are giving the gulet cruise a miss this year as we had such an uncomfortable time last year. The rooms were tiny and it was so hot (we went last week of August), the deck was a bit too crowded to sleep on and the cabins like an oven, we slept top to tail to make more room!!!!! I didn't put any make up on or do anything to my hair the whole week. All you could manage was to shower, throw on something on and get back up on deck.

BUT You do get to see some of the best places on a gulet cruise. We visited some gorgeous places near Kas. The snorkling and swimming is just fabulous, crystal clear blue water, in bays that often have only you and your fellow shipmates. We swam with turtles, dined under the stars, had breakfast sailing along sometimes. It was magical.

Dadoo - that's one of the best things about guleting. Not doing anything with hair or putting make up on! My regime was shower, dry, put some clothing on (as cabins dark stick hand in cupboard and whatever you pull out you wear) and get back upstairs.

Aftersun application done on deck as is any other pampering requirement (such as eyebrow plucking, which I have to do at some point over the week).

So far as luxury gulets go, I too would recommend Blue Cruise, sorry to hear they are not doing cabin charter any more. Apart from them I've only been on a standard gulet before.

Blue Cruise are still doing cabin charters. It's just they hold on in the hope of getting a sole charter. If you speak to Margaret or Mr Pekel at Blue Cruise and pester them a bit, they will come up with the dates they are going to do cabin charters.

We have had several really good years with Thomas Cook but that was while they used the Salmakis boats. They changed to Rota last year and although we had one great gulet (2nd week) last year we also had the worst gulet (1st week) ever. For the first time in 12 years we didn't leave a tip - nobody did. It was like Fawlty Towers afloat but with less charm.

We gave Thomas Cook one more chance this year but they are still using Rota and providing ordinary boats at deluxe prices. Yet again we had to argue the toss about free water with lunch and dinner, despite it being stated clearly in the brochure we booked from that water was included.

The Captain and crew were fine - the iterary was good too - but Thomas Cook have lost the plot. They have lost us now, as well.

We will be on the Anatolian Sky Seyhan Jan in September on the Datca.Selimiye cruise plus a week in Kalkan.

Salmakis always seemed to have two canoes on board their gulets. Just on safety terms this is a really good idea plus if anyone is a bit nervous it's better to go out in a pair just in case.

A sailboard seems to feature in an awful lot of brochures but I've only ever been on one gulet where a sail board was both present and working.

Any novice lucky enough to get the darn thing working is likely to sail off into the sunset with no hope of turning round and coming back.

Please - please - please - forget sailboards and just give every gulet either two canoes or, at the very least, a two man canoe.