Most of the world’s charter destinations treat groups larger than twelve as the exception — a special request requiring a rare, expensive vessel. Turkey works the other way round. The gulet, the country’s signature vessel type, was conceived from the outset as a wide-beamed, multi-cabin sailing ship built for exactly this kind of group. Large-capacity charter here isn’t a workaround; it’s the market’s natural center of gravity.

Why Turkish Gulets Aren’t Bound by the Standard 12-Guest Rule

The international 12-guest threshold exists because SOLAS classifies any vessel carrying more than twelve passengers as a passenger ship, triggering full Passenger Yacht Code compliance — a process most owners find prohibitively complex and costly. Turkey, like a number of Mediterranean flag states, addresses large-group charter through its own domestic framework rather than by pushing every large gulet through PYC certification.

Under Turkish maritime registration law, purpose-built tourism vessels can be registered in the “Commercial Yacht” category — distinct from a full passenger or transport ship — with capacity for up to thirty-six guests, provided they are registered within a licensed tourism company’s inventory and built or fitted out accordingly. This is broadly the same regulatory logic that Greece applies through its own Commercial Pleasure Yacht category (up to forty-nine guests): a domestic tourism vessel classification that sits alongside, rather than within, the international PYC/SOLAS framework.

In practice, this is why a well-established gulet or motor sailer can legitimately carry 20 or 22 guests without being a SOLAS-classified superyacht in the way a Western European-built large yacht seeking the same capacity would need to be. It does not mean “anything goes” — individual vessels still hold a specific licensed capacity that can change, as the 2026 saloon- berth ruling demonstrates, so the number on a given yacht’s certificate remains the only figure that matters. For the wider international framework this domestic approach sits alongside, see our guide to why yacht charters are limited to 12 guests.

A 2026 Regulatory Update Worth Knowing

Before comparing vessels, one recent change matters for any group planning a Turkey charter. As of 2026, Turkish port authorities have ruled — nationally, for every flag and every charter type — that saloon areas can no longer be counted as sleeping accommodation.

Previously, some vessels converted a saloon dining table into a berth and included it in their published guest capacity; this is no longer permitted. As a result, the official capacity of several boats has been reduced by 1 to 2 guests compared with older brochures still circulating online.

In practice, this means the guest-capacity figure on an older listing or on a third-party site may no longer be accurate. Always confirm current, licensed capacity directly with your broker before finalizing numbers for a large group.

Gulet or Motor Sailer?

The two terms are often used interchangeably, and in practice, the newest generation of large-capacity vessels increasingly blurs the line.

A traditional gulet is a wide-beamed wooden ketch or schooner, built around generous deck space and a slower, more social style of cruising.

A modern motor sailer keeps that same silhouette and craftsmanship but borrows the layout logic of a motor yacht — open-plan saloons at cockpit level, sea-level swim platforms, flybridge Jacuzzis — while retaining a full sailing rig.

For large groups, this distinction matters less than cabin configuration and deck volume, which is where the differences between individual vessels become significant.

At a Glance: Three Large-Group Vessels Compared

DE LOVENEVRA QUEENKING OF THE SEA

Built	2024	2019	2025
Length	47m	40m	47m
Guests	14	20	22
Cabins	7 double	10 (2 master, 6 double, 2 twin)	10 (8 double, 2 twin)
Crew	10	7	10
Base port	Göcek / Marmaris	Bodrum / Göcek	Marmaris
Deck Jacuzzi	Flybridge	Sundeck	Deck
Best suited to	Groups just above the standard limit wanting a higher crew ratio	Established mid-large group charter with strong outdoor space	The largest, newest purpose-built large-group flagship

Capacities and configurations reflect current published specifications; always confirm with your broker, particularly in light of the 2026 saloon-berth ruling above.

Three Vessels, Three Approaches to Large-Group Luxury

KING OF THE SEA is the newest and largest of the three, and the clearest expression of where the top of the Turkish gulet market is heading: her own listing describes her as setting a new benchmark for large-group luxury. A flybridge Jacuzzi, sea-level swim platform and open- plan saloon give her the feel of a private floating resort rather than a traditional charter yacht — built specifically around the idea that a large group shouldn’t have to compromise on space or privacy.

NEVRA QUEEN is one of a small number of established luxury gulets licensed for 20 guests, and a useful benchmark for how the category has evolved: strong outdoor living spaces, a deck Jacuzzi, and fuel included in the charter fee, at a scale that predates the newest wave of super- sized builds.

DE LOVE represents the entry point into large-group charter — just above the standard 12- guest threshold, with a superyacht-style layout and a higher crew ratio for groups that need more room than a standard 12-guest yacht offers, without stepping up to a 20+ guest vessel.

Practical Logistics for a Large Group

Capacity on paper is only part of the planning. A handful of practical details matter more once a group reaches 18–22 guests:

Tender capacity. Moving an entire group ashore or between anchorages takes longer and more trips as numbers rise — confirm tender size and number before booking if frequent shore excursions are a priority.

Dining and communal space. Not every large-capacity vessel seats its full guest count comfortably at one table; ask specifically about indoor and outdoor dining capacity if the group wants to eat together rather than in shifts.

Air conditioning and generator capacity. Peak summer in Turkey is hot, and a full complement of 20+ guests places real demand on a vessel’s cooling and power systems — established large-group builds are generally sized accordingly, but it is worth confirming for older or converted vessels.

Crew ratio. A higher guest count without a proportionate increase in crew can strain service levels; all three vessels above maintain a crew of 7–10, which is the level to look for at this scale.

Occasions Suited to Large-Group Charter

Beyond the standard family or friends’ holiday, large-capacity gulets and motor sailers are increasingly booked for specific occasions: milestone birthdays and multi-generational family gatherings, destination weddings that combine ceremony and celebration afloat, and corporate incentive trips or offsite retreats that benefit from a single private venue for the whole group.

Each brings its own planning considerations — from onboard event space to catering flexibility — worth discussing with your broker early, ideally alongside the vessel selection itself rather than after.

When to Book

Genuinely large-capacity vessels remain a small part of the Turkish fleet, and demand for July and August is concentrated heavily on the small number of boats licensed for 18+ guests. As a general guide, groups planning a peak-season (July–August) large-group charter should aim to book 8 to 12 months ahead to secure the vessel and dates they want; shoulder-season charters (May–June, September) generally allow more flexibility.

What Large-Group Charter Costs in Turkey

Commercial terms for large-capacity gulets and motor sailers in Turkey are not uniform, and it’s worth understanding which structure applies before comparing headline rates.

DE LOVE, NEVRA QUEEN and KING OF THE SEA operate on the most guest-friendly of the three common structures: a weekly charter fee plus 20% Turkish VAT, with crew, port fees in Turkish waters (private marinas excluded), and fuel for the main engines (around four hours per day) and generators included. Food, soft drinks, transfers, and crew gratuity are charged separately, with full board commonly quoted at around €100 per guest per day (children aged 2–11 receive a 50% discount). A standard 15% APA then covers remaining incidentals — private marina fees, spirits, transfers and watersports fuel — rising to roughly 30% if the itinerary crosses into Greek waters.

Other large-capacity Turkish vessels commonly follow a second structure: insurance and standard fuel (main engines and generators) are included in the charter fee, while meals, drinks, watersports fuel, harbor and marina fees, and any costs incurred outside Turkish waters are covered by an APA rather than a separate fixed full-board rate.

A third group of vessels runs on the standard Mediterranean APA model throughout, where food and beverage are folded into a single, larger allowance — typically closer to 35–40% of the charter fee — rather than quoted as a separate full-board rate.

Because these structures vary meaningfully by vessel, always confirm which model applies before comparing rates across yachts. A full breakdown of how this compares with other regions is covered in our guide to all-inclusive yacht charter; the mechanics of the APA itself are explained in our APA guide, and VAT treatment in the wider Mediterranean is covered separately. As with any charter, crew gratuity remains discretionary and additional.

Where to Cruise

Bodrum, Marmaris and Göcek remain the three principal embarkation points for large-group gulet charters, each offering short, sheltered hops between anchorages well suited to groups who want to spend more time swimming and socializing than on transit.

Several large gulets, including the three above, also offer permitted extensions into the Greek Dodecanese — see our 9-day Bodrum to Dodecanese itinerary for how this typically works — though Turkish-flagged commercial vessels must embark and disembark in a Turkish port (a restriction that applies in practice mainly to yachts over roughly 39 metres), cannot change guests while in Greek waters, and incur separate Greek cruising taxes, customs fees and port charges for that portion of the itinerary.

For a fuller sense of how a longer Turkish itinerary is typically structured, see our 14-day Turquoise Coast itinerary from Bodrum.

About This Guide

This guide was prepared by the Your Boat Holiday brokerage team — MYBA and CYBA members with direct, first-hand experience placing large-group charters across Turkey‘s gulet and motor sailer fleet. Vessel capacities, regulatory notes, and rates reflect current information gathered directly from yacht owners and management companies. Because licensed capacity and pricing can change from season to season, we recommend confirming current details for a specific yacht with your charter broker before booking.

Speak to a Your Boat Holiday broker to confirm current licensed capacity and available vessels for your group size and dates.

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